class: center, middle # My Trip to Colombia in 2019 --- class: center, middle # A vacation slideshow # by Pam Selle --- class: center, middle # Medellin --- # Medellin I landed in Medellin in the afternoon on Friday the 22nd, and stayed with my awesome friend Bill for two nights before I went to Spanish school. Bill and I trekked the Salkantay Trail last year together, he treks a lot around South America if you want to check out his project, [TrekkingSolo](https://www.trekkingsolo.com/). Bill met up with me where the bus drops off from the airport (which I only took because he told me about it!) and we went to El Poblado for some food, which is the very touristy part of Medellin. I hadn't had lunch, so I basically had dinner at 3pm, and Bill's girlfriend Cindy came to join us. After food, we walked by Cindy's office to stash my stuff (she works in a bank) so that we didn't have to deal with heading home before going out. Then we went to the contemporary art museum because they have free film showings, and before the movie Bill and I went on some of the tour of the museum but bailed for the movie since it was starting. --- # Medellin The architecture of the museum was really interesting! I didn't take photos of that really because it was dark. The movie was probably interesting if you speak more Spanish, but it was a documentary about an artist involved in the drug trade, and had lots of voice overs (not dialogue, which is easier to figure out). I looked it up, and it appears that the movie was [The Smiling Lombana](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9321572/). It was also funny because when Bill and I were in Peru, we went and saw a movie at an art museum as well (that time, it was [A la medianoche y media](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0210471/)) --- class: vert-img  Tasty dessert in Poblado --- class: t-cell   ## Medellin @ night, and the movie --- # Medellin: February 23rd Saturday morning I woke up and had a swim in the apartment complex pool. For reasons, you *have* to wear a swim cap, which is kinda interesting. It felt like a good vacation beginning to get in a pool, and to work out some tension from traveling. For the day's activity, I decided to go to [Museo Casa de la Memoria](https://www.museocasadelamemoria.gov.co/), or The Museum of the House of Memory, which is a living museum for the ongoing conflict from what I might generalize as the drug wars in Colombia. It was very interesting, and important. I learned a lot about the history of Colombia's conflicts while I was traveling, and I think it's very important to even try to understand the role the U.S. played in them. On Bill's suggestion, I read The [Sound of Things Falling](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16171259-the-sound-of-things-falling), and would recommend it. In the evening we went out salsa dancing with Cindy's friends who were SO nice and it was really nice to be included, especially given the particularly wanting state of my Spanish at this point. --- class: t-cell   ## View from Bill's apartment (I swam in that pool) --- class: t-cell   ## A section on homosexuality in Casa de la Memoria --- class: vert-img  ## Botero Park, where we walked after the museum for some snacks and beverages --- class: center, middle # Guatape --- # Guatape: February 24th On Sunday, I made the journey to Guatape, 2 hours outside of Medellin, where I would spend a week in Spanish school. I spent the morning journaling and listening to a very enthusiastic workout class happening in Bill's neighborhood (it sounded super fun). Just the journey to Guatape was so pretty. Actually, one of Cindy's friends is from Guatape, and she told me what I evenetually figured out more later -- the town was flooded for the construction of a hydroelectric dam, which isn't even operational now. So a town was destroyed, not even 50 years ago, for the pursuit of power generation. Considering that I was staying at a permacultural farm, pondering how modern life is destroying the world, this seems relevant to mention. Once I got dropped off by a "tuk-tuk" I schelped my bag across a field, terrified I was wandering alone into private farmland, to find a lovely house in the countryside. --- class: vert-img  ## The poppin' fitness class in the distance --- class: middle, center # The view from the *bus* to Guatape ---  ---  --- class: t-cell   ## The "way" to the ecohostel. Photo of my bag's shadow for dramatic effect. --- class: t-cell   ## The house in the distance. The sun. --- class: t-cell   ## Sign outside. "Coco" aka Conjugato. --- # Time at the farm The week at the farm involved yoga every morning at 6:30am, Spanish school Monday-Thurs from 9-12 depending on which classes I went to (beginner or intermediate, or both). Some days we went into town, including for a salsa lesson (or to get a haircut for $3, or to get laundry done). Another day I went on a hike to the local waterfall trail. The group was very convivial. The yoga teacher, Stacey, and I talked a lot about her experiences traveling the world as an English teacher (she lives in Brooklyn), and three British medical students were really enthusiastic about acroyoga and we trained some gymnastics together, given the gymnastics-friendly outdoor ground. On Thursday night, it was the Brits last night so we went out drinking after dinner (the ecohostel was alcohol-free) at Casa Kayam (another hostel closer to town), staying out late enough that we got kicked out (at 11pm). I was honored because I was the person the hostel communicated this information to in Spanish, making me feel very accomplished about my progress. The following photos are from Sophie (one of the Brits) ---  Most of the Spanish house. Tobi, Rothko, Vera, Paola (owner), one of the Brits, Stacey, me ---  Yoga together ---  Salsa class in town ---  We had all our meals (all vegetarian!) together in "no phone zone"s. ---  One of the walks back from town, I'm carrying laundry I paid a woman in town to do for $3 ---  ---  Thursday night out drinking at the Casa Kayam hostel nearby --- # More farm notes The following photos are from my set for the farm. When I travel, it's pretty much the only time I set foot in churches. I got very into the Christian church growing up, and I am still healing from that, and going into churches when I travel is one of the ways I reconnect with my past. The nature in Colombia in general was gorgeous. Staying at the school/farm felt like being home, but elsewhere. I went on a nice hike "by myself," accompanied the whole way by Tony and Paco, the farm dogs. I swam in the pool at the top, so that I could feel like I Did The Thing. --- class: t-cell   ## Guatape's church. The touristy sign. --- class: t-cell   ## Flowers outside the house. A badass vulture. --- class: t-cell   ## Outside the house. Studying and cake covered in coffee. --- class: t-cell   --- class: t-cell   ## The bird and its name --- class: t-cell   ## Hiking to the waterfalls --- class: t-cell   ## Hiking to the waterfalls --- class: t-cell   ## Hiking to the waterfalls (ropes were climbed) --- class: t-cell   ## Hiking to the waterfalls: hiking pals, a waterfall --- class: t-cell   ## Hiking to the waterfalls: ropes --- class: vert-img  ## Meditation hike views of the Peñon de Guatape ---  --- class: center, middle # Medellin --- # Medellin Saturday night I went back to Medellin for one night, before heading to Santa Marta. I stayed at a hostel closer into the city, so I could also explore a bit on my own. I was eager to kick off the "traveling solo" feel for the trip, and was rewarded by befriending hostel friends, and visiting the Senior's bowling championships of South America, for which my new friend's dad was playing for Colombia. It was only the opening ceremonies, and then we got some beers outside a bodega together before I needed to head to dinner. My friend kf introduced me to her friend Maria, and we went out to dinner at the popular Cafe Zorba (all vegetarian pizza place!) which was so good, and then we walked around the bustling party district (think Bourbon Street) before taking a car to Teres Cafe Bar, a gay bar I'd blatantly read about in Lonley Planet. No photos from that, but I was very pleased that our gay bar experience was woman dominated (and also that Maria was kind enough to do all this adventuring with me). We also spoke Spanish pretty much the entire night, which was really helpful for my practice. --- class: t-cell   ## Bowling tournament opening ceremonies, Zorba's --- class: vert-img  # Ball bit bar in Medellin --- # Medellin to Santa Marta During the day Sunday, I went to Crepes and Waffles for breakfast before going on the metrocable to Parque Arvi. I didn't realize it took so long to go, otherwise I would've engineered my day a bit differently, because it stressed me out a bit. Honestly, the park felt very paved after spending more time in the country, but the metrocable was super interesting, and some kind tourists from Bogota and Medellin took me under their wing and chatted with me a bit (in Spanish). I flew to Santa Marta on Sunday night, and went to my hotel downtown. While I was happy to have a room to myself after being in a dorm room and sharing a room at the farm, I felt a bit isolated and not ready to boldly go out at 9pm at night in a new city, so I hibernated. The next morning, rather than explore the city, I went right to Parque Tayrona, a huge national park. ---  --- class: t-cell   ## Metrocable, and a park selfie --- class: middle, center # Parque Tayrona --- class: t-cell   ### Have you thought of what the park would be if there were no limits? And first views of the beach. --- class: t-cell   ## The beach, and find the animal --- class: t-cell   ## View from the mirador, and the hammocks in the mirador --- class: t-cell   ## Gators, chillin' near the beach --- <video controls width="99%" height="540"> <source src="../../media/colombia2019/thefuckingsea.mp4" type="video/mp4"> Sorry, your browser doesn't support embedded videos. </video> # The Carribean --- class: seventyimg  Rode back in one of these boats to Taganga, a sketchy beach town and took the bus back to Santa Marta. It was ... somewhat harrowing for ~40 minutes. Great views, but not worth losing my phone from the boat. I bought a ticket out of town for the next day to head to Cali. That night I met up with some folks via the Couchsurfing app (including a Venezuelan sailor) for beers and chatting. --- class: middle, center # Cali --- # Cali Cali doesn't have many photos of what I spent the most time doing, dancing. It's 'the salsa capital of the world,' or, whatever self-fulfilling prophecy that is. I stayed in Viajero, which I slowly/quickly realized is a resort for those who idealize the backpacker lifestyle. There was a pool (I did not go in because I was somewhat concerned with what I might catch from it), a bar, and there were activities every day available to keep you occupied (like a senior's cruise!). I did take salsa lessons every day and really enjoyed that. Made a lot of travel friends, that kind of place. Went on a walking tour I ditched because of an insufferable Dutch tourist who kept interrupting the tour, and went to yoga instead. I did go on a very tasty street food tour, with lots of vegetarian options. --- class: t-cell   #### So many wristbands. La Topa was "the" salsa club to go to for us. I also had a wristband for the hostel. I discovered that clubs and hostels and tours were all super into this wristband thing, in Colombia. Graffiti from the street food tour. --- class: t-cell   ## Street food tour --- class: t-cell   ## Street food tour --- class: t-cell   #### Last day in Cali -- International Women's Day apparently means free stuff for women in Colombia, like this extra dessert on my way out of town. Some plantains for the bus to Armenia. From Cali I got to Salento via 2 buses, first to Armenia, then from Armenia to Salento. --- class: middle, center # Salento --- # Salento Salento was straightforwardly a touristy town, and by now I've given in. From Armenia, I found the bus to Salento by following the herd of foreigners with backpacks. It is what it is. I met up with Stacey the yoga teacher when I got in, as she'd been touring the coffee area while I was salsa dancing in Cali. We went to go look at tejo, the Thing to Do which is basically Colombian bocce, except that it involves gunpowder and more explosions. That Saturday, I was pretty tired from lots of partying, so I hiked around town and started gathering souvenirs for folks and had a chill day in the very pretty town. On Sunday, I went on the requisite coffee tour. It was kinda meh! But whatever. I had sprung for the premium tour (all of $20) which included a class in coffee tasting. I decided to stay an extra day too since I felt very chill. On Monday I went on the Valle de Cocora hike (5-6 hours). --- class: seventyimg  ## Tejo ---  --- class: t-cell   ### A good summary of my Saturday. This St Bernard lived at the hostel and was extremely calming. --- class: t-cell   ## Coffee tour --- class: t-cell   ## Coffee tasting expert right here --- class: t-cell   ## It was hard to get a jeep back, which was annoying. The sign outside. --- <video controls width="99%" height="540"> <source src="../../media/colombia2019/jeepride.mp4" type="video/mp4"> Sorry, your browser doesn't support embedded videos. </video> # The jeep ride back --- class: vert-img  The hostel at night, and our friend the St Bernard. --- class: t-cell   ## Valle de Cocora hike, through the palm trees. ---  --- <video controls width="99%" height="540"> <source src="../../media/colombia2019/vallehike.mp4" type="video/mp4"> Sorry, your browser doesn't support embedded videos. </video> --- class: t-cell   ## It was just stupidly pretty. --- class: t-cell   --- class: t-cell   ### Stopped by a "hummingbird house" aka a place for hot chocolate where there were also some hummingbirds around. --- class: t-cell   ## Many Indiana Jones-y bridges --- <video controls width="99%" height="540"> <source src="../../media/colombia2019/vallehike2.mp4" type="video/mp4"> Sorry, your browser doesn't support embedded videos. </video> --- class: t-cell   ## This cow blocked my way for a bit, and the other guy on the trail (Aussie?) thought it was _hilarious_ --- class: t-cell   ## Salento, stupidly pretty --- <video controls width="99%" height="540"> <source src="../../media/colombia2019/tejo.mp4" type="video/mp4"> Sorry, your browser doesn't support embedded videos. </video> Tejo with hostel friend herd (recommended with sound) --- class: middle, center # Bogotá --- # Bogotá I did not dig Bogotá. I left Salento for the Periera bus terminal, and then taxi to the airport, with no problems. I stayed with my new friend (friend's friend) Harvey, of [Magicville](https://magicville.co/), which is a coworking/co-living space, but used to be in a larger space. Medhi, of Montreal, was also staying there, and we all hung out a good bit. For my one full day in Bogotá, I made the journey downtown (hour+ on two buses, Bogotá doesn't have a train system, but instead a somewhat infuriatingly complex bus system I did not figure out in my short time there). The street food tour was fun in so far as something to do and walk around, and the guide Hector was very nice, but I missed my transfer on the way back because the woman sitting next to me was talking to me, and I'm 90% sure was trying to set me up with her son ("a professional soccer player"), I then went the wrong way, and ended up home and grumpy my last night in town. Not _too_ grumpy but still! This is how I knew I'd had enough vacation, though. I was ready to go. --- class: t-cell   ## Food with Medhi and obleas on the street food tour with Hector --- class: vert-img  The plane ride home. --- class: center, middle # Fin