Villa de Leyva and Bogotà

And... I’m back in Bogotá! After a long trip from Salento... At Pereira Greta and I take diferents directions.

At Bogotá Mauricio and Carlos are specting me. We’ve arranged to go to Villa de Leyva next day...
I sleep a lot, do laundry and watch a movie ...

And at the afternoon Alex and Stella collect me with Carlos to go on the road. The Muricio was with Natalia and Gladys. We are a good bunch!

Three hours to arrive in this charming town of Villa de Leyva, known for its cobblestone streets, colonial houses, restaurants and its location within the valley. First, look for accommodation and leave the baggage. Under a light rain we find la Española Hotel, a cozy hotel close to the huge and pleasant Plaza Mayor. And to have some Margarita’s at the Plaza!

Medellin and the Eje Cafetero

At the bus station in Medellin I say goodbye to Greg and Marie.

Medellin is a good city.

After a walk through the center and the highest neighborhood (with the highest underground cable), I watch a movie The arnacoeur (Heartbreaker, Pascal Chaumeil 2010) at Center Colombo Americano. A comedy that made me laugh and think a little too ...

Cartagena and Playa Blanca

When we arrive in Cartagena we look for accommodation with Greg and Marie, near the walled city. We find what we look for, economic and well-located.

In the morning I take a walk around the walled center. I love it! Narrow streets and colonial houses with well-preserved courtyards, cafes, shops and walls ... although be very different, the rhythm is similar to the inside walls of Tarragona.

Guajira. A few days in Cabo de la Vela

From Santa Marta we take a bus to the last cuatrovias before Rioacha to take a Collectivetaxi till Uribia from where a transformed Pick Up to transport people and materials goes to Cabo de la Vela.

Here there aren’t many things to do besides watch the calm it exudes.

We find a family that has accommodation rooms 3 meters from the sea in a very affordable price ... the marriage is also leading the restaurant, they are friendly and great cook.

The first day, after the magnificent sunset, we eat "lobster in garlic" with a few beers from Venezuela (so close to the border, there is a lot of smuggling). Great!

A swim in turquoise water to start the day, waiting for an arepa with oats and a tinto(coffee) for breakfast.
We walk to the piles of sugar, a sacred mountain with a pretty beach and that the road is over a pond full of birds.

The sunset view from the lighthouse is only 45 minutes walk from the village.
I decide to stay a day longer than I planned. To do Not do anything besides read, sleep and swim.
Before the latest garlic lobsters for dinner, we ran to the Lighthouse with Greg and Marie ... I love it!

In the morning (5am) we take the Pick Up to get back to Santa Marta.

And after resting in Santa Marta, all the way to Cartagena …

Some photos
2011-08-Guajira (COL) https://photos.app.goo.gl/E4jELzq4RbgwJj6B6

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Magdalena. Santa Marta and Tayrona

I arrive at Santa Marta and I go direct to Taganga by motorbike. Taganga us a smal village next to the beach, fisherman's and gringos. I have arrived to the Colombian Caribbean sea.

After choosing a hostel ( I choose the Ocean Reef hostel, smal and cheap) I go for lunch and also to watch the final of the European Super Cup... Barça wins!!!!

The night bus ride leave me without energyt, I rest for a bit at the hostel. When the sunlight disappears, I go for diner with three Chileans girls that stay as well at the hostel. There is some Gringo party like Salou (summer cheap holiday destination)... I have enough of Taganga.

Early morning I go to Santa Marta with an light backpack for a three days trekking in the Tayrona National Park. I buy food and water before I take the bus to the Park. 

Map of a part of Parque Nacional Tayrona

This is spectacular pretty. The sea, the jungle and the mountains goes toghether and even the high number of visitors still maintain some virgin spirit.

Santander. Barichara, Guane and San Gil

It took a very long bus journey to arrive at Barichara. The traffic was the main reason...
In Barichara you can see a village with that takes care of the town... you can see restored houses, painted white and blue and a streets with a very relaxed atmosphere.
After find accommodation in a residence pretty goodl, I go for a walk to see the town at night and eat something.

Bogotà and wedding at Espinal!

Leaving the Amazon

I arrive at Bogota arround 17h, and I go by local bus to a hostel in the center of bogota. The day after I’ve arrange to go walking with a Couchsurfer, and host me for two nights...
At the hostel I see that I have a missatge on Facebook of Ana Milena (the Colombian girl that I meet in China one year ago). This weekend is in Bogota and we said that we could meet. She have party with her friends and she invites me... Of course I go!
After find the apartment, I meet again with Ana (after a year I haven’t go back home, and I’m meeting people that I meet traveling!). The group of friends are mostly ex-collages of the work she did in the Expo of Shanhai.

Santa Rosa, Leticia and Tabatinga

Leaving Iquitos has been dificult and I know I’ll come back someday.

The fast boat leave me at Santa Rosa (Peru) where I have to walk a kilometer to get the stamp out tof Peru. The tied of the amazon river is low and all the land distances increase.
Once we have the stam out, we cross to the other side of the river (I’m traveling with a one couple of dominicans and a couple of english) to Leticia (Colombia), and we look for accomodation.

Iquitos with La Restinga

Iquitos, the city that is more away by road of the world, is at the middle of the peruvian amazon.

I always had in mind to come here in my route around south america because Isabel Sánchez (Chata for the friends from Iquitos and of the Associació Sura), she always have talk to me about Iquitos and the Associación La Restinga that do educational work at all levels in the most needed areas of Iquitos (Barrio Libre de belen) and at some communities “ribereñas” does programs to strengthen their identity and prevent a possible but almost certainly social exclusion.

So folowing the indications of Isabel I go directly to La Restinga. I have two names, Puchin (the director) and Itala (the coordinator of Crea Belen project). They Both are on holidays... and I meet Carmen (a Professional of the Crea Project) and Yolita (the administrator), they give me a good welcome.

On the way to Iquitos

We arrive at Trujillo early morning. Adrià and I want to keep on the way the same day, so I look for transportation to Tarapoto and he looks to Equador.

My bus leaves at 3 PM, so I have few hours to visit the city of Trujillo .

Huaraz and the Cordillera Blanca

Waiting for the bus i have to take to Huaraz I meet Toni (Valencia), another traveler around South America. And after the night bus ride that we gain 3000 meters of altitude, we look for accommodation together.
As Toni, I want to not waste time in Huaraz, so we find a tour to the Santa Cruz 4 days trekking the next morning.
The accomodation (El Refugio) have views of the Cordillera Blanca, WiFi, kitchen and a sink for washing clothes... and cheap!

The rest of the day I visit the market, I bring a pants to fix (here they arranged everything ...) and I rest.
On the hike tour we end up being 11! ... a South Korean (Dae Jong), a New Zealander, one French girl, one Austrian girl, one Czech girl and two girls from United States. It’s a very varied group.

Lima

I see the ocean after a few months during the bus ride that is taking me to the Capital of Peru.
I am doing CouchSurfing in the Lis family house, she is a teacher and student.
She have to correct some exams and also have to study ... and I need some time to rest...
Is Sunday, and for lunch we go to eat ceviche! My afternoon is another relax time after the 20-hour bus ride.
Lis lives with hes family (grandmother, parents and brothers) in a very convenient area and 200 meters from the Museo de la Nación.
We go biking before go to sleep with Lis. In the area there are many bike paths and sports outdoors. A perfect plan to sleep well.
I go to visit the Miraflores district (which is commercial) and where you can see the remains pre-Incas Huaca Pucllana, a pyramid built of adobe and are recovering from oblivion.

From there I walk to the neighbourhood of Barranco, a more bohemian neighbourhood that I spend all the afternoon walking around.
When I return home I feelt sick... not a good lunch menu... So I rest.
At the morning I go visit the Museo de la Nacion, Lis has recommended me the photography exhibition.
Chifa home made rice at home for lunch and I go with Lis to the Micro Cento of Lima.
She shows me the places I shoud visit
Next morning I visit the Micro Cento, the Museo de Arte de Lima (MALI), the House of Literature and I have lunch at the chinese quarter.
I walk until it is time to return to collect your luggage and say goodbye to the Lis and her family.
I’m taking a bus to Huaraz...

Some photos
2011-07-Lima (PER) https://photos.app.goo.gl/izFRn7iRgFdYuiru6

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To Cuzco… To see Machu Picchu

The journey from Copacabana to Puno has been very long ... 15 hours throught secondary roads bordering the north of the Lake Titicaca. We stamped out of Bolivia in Yunguyo. We could not get the stamp of the entrance to Peru... the immigration office was without electricity.

At the border that we realy cross, we changed the bus, and divide all of us in one van and one bus that will take us to Juliaca. I had to go in the van. We were much faster than the bus for these bads roads.
When we arrived at Juliaca we find the road blocked with stones on the road. The driver tried to go across the fields until he reached the next bridge that gaves access to the city. This bridge is blocked by hundreds of farmers protesting for the mining companies that wants to install factories on their land.

We crossed the river by foot with the backpack on, and walked a kilometer to found the bus that is drives us to Puno. After we cross we saw that the farmers start to burn tires on the bridge ...

Copacabana and Isla del Sol

Copacabana ...
Fish! Trout for dinner at the sea front and sunset on the Lake Titicaca for the background. I found a very affordable and decent accommodation.

In the morning I go by boat to Isla del Sol. I left almost three-quarters of the backpack at the hostel. I feel light.

La Paz and Coroico

When we get to La Paz we just can rest. We do a little walk and that’s all. It’s freezing…
I download the second and third book of the trilogy of Stieg Larsson in English and epub format, and together with Calibre program you have an Ebook in your computer.

In the following day, after breakfast we go to walk La Paz. We go to Plaza Murillo and then we split to go to the lookout of Killi Killi. I’m going walking and the Ana’s try to go by bus.
The views of the lookout are spectaculars. I don’t see the Ana’s anywhere... theoretically they should arrive before by bus than walking...



I wait twenty minutes and then I keep going to visit the city. I love Calle Jaen!
Narrows streets with houses and museums that make this area very quiet and relaxing.

Rurrenabaque and The Pampas

The path to Rurre is long way unsalted. This goes on a side of rivers and lagoons, crossing the savanna and parts of the jungle.

At the bus I start to read hardly the book in English “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”, the first volume of the trilogy of Stieg Larsson. I started few weeks ago but I didn’t read more than a chapter.

It’s dark when we arrive at Rurre, we find the accommodation Alojamiento Japón, that for 25B per person we have a room with private bathroom.

Puerto Villaroel, Santa Cruz, Samaipata and Trinidad

From Cochabamba to Puerto Villaroel we see a really radical change of the landscape. We pass from almost no vegetation to a tropical forest in only two hours.

The great Final we watched at Ivirgarsama, a village 20 minutes by car to Puerto Villaroel.
It was unbelievable how Barcelona take over Manchester United... great match!



Once we are the Champions of Europe, we go to Puerto and we try to get the information of the options to go up on the river till Trinidad. The river is in a really low tide and the boats that go direct to Trinidad (4-5 days) are not running. The only option is to go with a fishing boat to the half way and then take another boat to Trinidad.

Cochabamba and Torotoro

At Cochabamba we arrive very early morning, at 5:30AM. We want to try to go straight to Torotoro where there is the Parque Nacional de Torotoro. We ask at the Touristic Information at the bus station that is open at this time (unbelievable). They inform us (wrongly) that there is a bus that leaves at 6AM from the other side of the town.
Taxi to there. But we don’t see any sign of any bus to Torotoro. Buses to everywhere except to where we want to go.
We finally the bus office that goes there. Is close and there is a note on the door with the new timetable, 6PM...
So we have 12 hours for Cochabamba. First of all we wait that the office open to buy the tickets and to leave the backpacks there.

So, how to get to Torotoro and where to stay? http://wikitravel.org/en/Torotoro_National_Park#Get_in  where you can find timetables of all the companies that run this route.

After this we go to the centre to have breakfast, walk, take some information of the national Park and try to get Anna Vaccine.
The Vaccine will have to wait. Only till 11AM

Sucre and surroundings

We arrive at Sucre when is already dark, we look after accommodation in the centre, we find a cheap place. It’s not perfect, but we wanted to stay only one night in Sucre and go at the surrounding areas of Sucre to do a trek of some days.

We have dinner at the Market, is a sure bet in Bolivia. A big dish of rice, fried potatoes, some meat and a bit of salad for 10 Bolivians (1€). We drink a maracuya juice that prepares a woman on the other side of the market, and the woman that serves us the food makes a loud notice to the other to have tree glasses for us.

Potosí

We arrive at the highest city in the world (4070m) after midnight. We take a taxi to the Hostal La Casona that we have been recommended. A colonial house with tree back yards and plenty of rooms. Our room for tree people cost 45 Bolivians per person with breakfast. There are more cheap options, but after the tour and the bus ride, we deserve a little bit more comfort, no?
In the morning we walk the city, its Sunday and there is a lot of activity. We saw on the street a kids from one school that are preparing a street dance for the next weekend with live music along the streets.