whereismichel-3: Colombia

COLOMBIA.

18/Mar/2016 to 06/Apr/2016.

ITINERARY :
Cartagena – Santa Marta – Minca – Santa Cruz de Mompox (Holy Thursday procession) – Medellin – Guatapé (Piedra del Penol) – Salento (Valle de Cocora) – Manizales – Bogota - Villa de Leyva & Tunja – Zipaquira (Salt Cathedral) – Bogota

1 € = 3450 Pesos (Colombian Peso).

1 US$ = 3120 Pesos.

1000 Pesos = 0.29 € = 0.315 US$.

Colombian Time = Panamanian Time = European Time - 6

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombia

(Click to EXIT)

Friday 18/Mar/2016.
Cartagena de Indias.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartagena,_Colombia

Disembarking from the Santana catamaran,

after a five days sailing from Panama to Cartagena.

The hotel for the next two nights.

Religious graffiti.

Panoramic view from the ramparts.

|---| Hotel Villa Colonial, Cartagena de India, Colombia, 93500Pesos/room/night (26€).

Saturday 19/Mar/2016 .
Cartagena de Indias.

Museo de la Inquisicion.

A funny Quattro Formaggi pizza,
with a strange Cinnamon Cappuccino.

Convento De La Popa (Convention de la Candelaria).
A white painted Augustinian convent from 1606, located atop a 150m high hill, clearly visible from almost everywhere in the city.

Taxi parking at the end of the winding road.
The road leading here is well guarded by tens of policemen.

Inner court of the convent.

View over the poorer part of Cartagena.

Traffic jam in town.

Castillo San Felipe de Barajas.
The largest and most important fort defending Cartagena, built in phases beginning in 1657.

Looks like a Maya pyramid.

Labyrinth of tunnels running inside the pyramid.

Acces to the upper platform.

Last selfie of the day.

|---| Hotel Villa Colonial, Cartagena de India, Colombia, 93500Pesos/room/night (26€).

Sunday 20/Mar/2016.
Cartagena to Santa Marta journey.

Shuttle bus from hotel door to hotel door 46kPesos.

A super fast food stall along the road.

A garage along the road.

The hotel for the next two nights.

The recommended fish restaurant.

Lunch at the popular restaurant.

The cathedral, with many policemen around.

Franciscan church, blessing of the palms.
Start of the Holy Week.

Franciscan church, after the palm blessing,
entry of the mule.

|---|Hotel Nueva Granada, Santa Marta, 85kPesos/room/night.

Monday 21/Mar/2016.
Minca.

Minca, a small pueblo in the Sierra Nevada mountains,
with some nice hiking trails,
45 minutes from Santa Marta by collectivo.

Nothing is straight in this mountain town.

The upper Cascada de Marinka,
a 140 minutes hike (return) from Minca.

Cool water massage, appreciated.

The lower Cascada de Marinka.

Back in Minca for lunch.

Vegetable farm.

The Pozo Azul,
reached through a 120 minutes hike (return) from Minca.

Too much people there to have fun,

but still interesting for people watching.

|---| Hotel Nueva Granada, Santa Marta, 85kPesos/room/night.

Tuesday 22/Mar/2016.

Taking a street-Colombian-coffee.

Some transportation still goes by donkey.

Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino. Simon Bolivar memorial.

Flags square.

Altar of the Fatherland.

Visit to the Colombian Coffee planters' office,
right in front of the hotel.

Evening walk through Santa Marta.

Santa Marta beach front.

Sunset.

Sad news : Terrorist attacks in Belgium this morning...

|---| Hotel Nueva Granada, Santa Marta, 85kPesos/room/night.

Wednesday 23/Mar/2016.
Santa Marta to Mompox journey.
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/world-heritage/mompox/

Awaiting my bus at 2:40AM,

in front of the hotel's Lourdes cave.

Gasoline stop for the 3:00AM bus to Mompox,

a six hours journey from Santa Marta.

A meat market, pictured through the bus window.

The hotel in Mompox for the next two nights.

Bright coloured real chicks.

The cemetery, theatre for tonight's parties.

Lovely reduced-size rocking chairs for the beloved deceased.

Santo Domingo church.

Saints are also transported,

for tomorrow's Holy Thursday procession.

Mary Magdalene is in good hands.

Colegio Pinillos.

Mompox was the first American city formally taking

distance from the Spanish ruling.

Rio Magdalena river ferry.

Holy Wednesday cimetery parties.

At approximately 6PM on Holy Wednesday, Mompox residents dress in their best clothing and gather in the cemetery.
Residents remain in the illuminated cemetery all night sitting in front of graves of deceased loved ones. They light candles, adorn the graves with flowers and celebrate the dead with a purposeful serenade. They do so until the early hours of the morning when funeral music is played to honor the dead.

|---| Hotel Jardines Evans, Mompox, 200kPesos/room/night.

Thursday 24/Mar/2016.
Mompox (Santa Cruz de Mompox).

Mompox preparing for the famous Holy Thursday procession.

San Agustin church.

Santa Barbara church, with a remarkable octagonal bell tower.

Santa Barbara church.

The Magdalena river delta.
A countryside visit, boats and local transportation.

Confuse arrival of my half-day cruise ship.

Mompox, as seen from the river.

Mompox.

A public ferry to cross the river.

Changing vehicle.

Local people.

Local houses.

A milk bar.

Once more changing vehicle.

Comorant birds.

The Holy Thursday procession.

18:00-02:00.

|---|Hotel Jardines Evans, Mompox, 200kPesos/room/night.

Friday, 25/Mar/2016.
Mompox to Medellin journey.

How to reach Medellin from Mompox in one day (14 hours)?
- collectivo from Mompox to Bodega (Bodega is a village name), 9:20-10:10, 0h50.
- fast river boat from Bodega to Magangue, 10:20-10:40, 0h20.
- shared taxi from Magangue to Sincelejo, 10:50-12:15, 1h25, 20000Pesos.
- bus from Sincelejo to Medellin, 13:15-22:40, 9h25, 110000Pesos.
- taxi to the hotel, 15 minutes, 8000Pesos.

Bodega river harbour.

The car ferry at Bodega.

Pontoon for the river transportation at Bodega.

Disembarking at Magangue after a 20 minutes river trip.

Magangue river terminal.

Stinking dried fish.

My neighbors in the shared taxi,

6 people on one seat.

Sincelejo bus terminal,

Security taking photos from all of the bus passengers,

one by one.

Bedroom for the next two nights.

|---| Hotel Plaza Mayor, Medellin, 104kPesos/room/night.

Saturday 26/Mar/2016.
Medellin.

City view, from the noisy hotel room.

Medellin metro system.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medellín_Metro

The network is composed of two metro lines,

metrobuses, and also 'Metrocable' lines.

The first metro line was opened 20 years ago.

Never, never seen such a clean metro system !

Also the metro cars are extremely clean.

In hilly parts of Medellin the metro system uses a

'Metrocable', still accessed with the same ticket (0.70€).

Also these stations are very clean and safe.

Comuna 13.
Discovery of the transformation of Comuna 13, once considered the Most Dangerous Area in Medellin
(with tour guide, of course).
http://www.comuna13tours.com

Some staircases of the slump were substituted

by a network of (free) escalators.

Some slides were introduced too.

Plaza Botero.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_Botero

Evening procession with the Military Police.

|---| Hotel Plaza Mayor, Medellin, 104000Pesos incl. breakfast.

Easter Sunday.
27/Mar/2016.

Happy Easter day

(here I didn't found such Easter eggs...).

Botanical garden of Medellin, entrance is free.

Botanical garden.

Botanical garden, free yoga lessons,

under a beautiful weaving structure of steel trunks.

Botanical garden, too easy maze !

Botanical garden, coffee time.

Botanical garden, in the butterfly house.

Medellin to Guatapé journey.

A two hours ride, 12kPesos one way.

Medellin North bus station.

El Peñol bus station,

a lot of confusion and overload.

El Peñol bus station.

The hotel for the next night, with a pleasant garden jacuzzi

(belgian ownership).

Guatapé village.

Guatapé.

Guatapé collectivos.

Dinner at the indian Don de Sam restaurant.

|---| Hotel Le Refuge, Guatapé, 80kPesos/room/night.

Monday 28/Mar/2016.

Piedra del Peñol.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Peñón_de_Guatapé

A first glimpse on the gigantic monolith.

Entrance of the hotel is on the right hand side of the tuktuk.

Halfway the steep staircase a peaceful resting place.

Reached the very last step,

on the top of the mirador.

The summit was reached a first time in 1954.

The artificial lake, however, dates from the late 1960-ies.

360 degrees Panorama.

El Peñol village.

The modern church of El Peñol,

substituting the historical church, now swallowed by the lake.

Cappadocia? No, this the bell tower of the church,

made to look like the Piedra del Peñol monolith.

The altar space looks like cut into the rock.

|---| Hotel Plaza Mayor, Medellin, 80kPesos/room/night incl. breakfast.

Tuesday 29/Mar/2016.
Medellin to Salento journey.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salento,_Quindío

The direct bus from Medellin to Salento,

downloading the passengers, all were backpackers !

The ride took 7h, from 9:00 to 16:00, 43kPesos.

The hostel owner explaining the hiking activities.

Salento.

Looks as if all inhabitants take advantage of the tourist flow,

these here offer (probably doubtful) bathroom services.

Jesus Martin's very refined coffee bar.

The espresso coffee is made exactly right.

'Bernabe' gourmet restaurant,

without any doubt the very best in town.

Dinner.

|---| Hostal El Zorzal, Salento, 89kPesos/room/night incl breakfast.

Wednesday 30/Mar/2016.
Valle de Cocora hike.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocora_valley

Collectivo jeeps are called 'Willys' here.

Once collected 10 or more passengers they leave.

Two passengers seated with the driver, plus six behind,

plus two or more hanging outside.

First examples of the wax palm trees.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceroxylon_quindiuense

Reached the Acaime natural reserve,

where many species of hummingbirds may be observed.

Acaime's kitchen, where they offer a drink :

Chocolate, coffee, also home made beer.

Trying their home made pineapple beer,

very sweet and tasty.

Reached the Moñtana lookout after a steep ascent.

Unfortunately the mountains are hidden by the clouds.

Those wax palm trees are so elegant and beautiful !

Comparing the size of the trees with the size of the cows beneath
might give an idea on how tall these trees are.

They can reach an height of 60m !

|---| Hostal El Zorzal, Salento, 89kPesos/room/night incl breakfast.

Thursday 31/Mar/2016.
Salento Coffee Tour and Salento to Manizales journey.

Finca 'El Ocaso', organizing a coffee tour at 11:00, 10kPesos,

a one hour downhill hike from Salento.

It starts with a formal introduction.

Next, one can seed two beans.

Despite the particants having paid for the tour,

they require them to pick just the red beans.

My pick after ten minutes.

Professional pickers collect much more.

Each of their huge bags gets weighted and likely they are paid.

The guest-trays are just added to the collector tray (no pay).

Once mechanically peeled,

the beans are dried for 5 to 10 days.

Ladies then eliminate the 2nd class beans,

suitable for the local market.

At the end of the visit, beans are roasted,

and a nice cup of coffee is served.

Back in Salento.

Back in town, a very last and excellent cappuccino,

from the Jesus-Martin coffee shop.

Some confusion, when taking the 12:50 Salento-Pereira bus.

|---| Mirador Andino Hostal, Manizales, Colombia, 33kPesos/room/night.

Friday 01/Apr/2016.
Manizales City visit and Manizales to Bogota journey.

Bolivar-Condor statue on Plaza Bolivar,

in front of Manizales' cathedral :

a human body with head and wings of a Condor.

Manizales' recent neo-gothic cathedral,

made from reinforced concrete, inaugurated in 1939.

Through a central hole in the dome,

one can notice the stairs to climb the 106m tall tower.

Guided tour.

The hole in the dome, and the start of the metal staircase.

Looking downwards through the hole.

Looking upwards towards the staircase.

The nice cafeteria on the roof of the cathedral.

View from the tower summit.

The 'Metrocable' station,

direct from downtown to the bus terminal.

Boarding the bus for Bogota,

for a 9.5h journey along a permanently winding road, 55kPesos.

Dinner stop.

|---| Posada Anandamayi, Bogota, Colombia, 108kPesos/room/night incl. breakfast.

Saturday 02/Apr/2016.
Bogota la Candeleria and Bogota to Villa de Leyva journey.

Bogotá, La Candelaria.

Bogotá, Plaza de Bolívar, the cathedral.

Bogotá cathedral, half an hour later...

Botero museum.

'Mona Lisa', Fernando Botero.

'El Studio', Fernando Botero, 1990.

'Caminando cerca al rio', Fernando Botero, 1989.

'El disco rojo persiguiendo a la alondra',

Joan Miro, 1953.

'Cezanne', Fernando Botero.

'Conversation', George Grosz, 1925.

|---| Hospederia La Roca Plaza Principal, Villa de Leyva, Colombia, 90kPesos, 26€/room/night incl breakfast.

Sunday 03/Apr/2016.
Villa de Leyva and bicycle tour.

The hotel, located on the pueblo's main square,

The huge main square, 14000m2, Colombia's largest.

Paved with large cobblestones.

Bicycle rental shop.

A four hours bicycle tour with Maria (already met in Salento) :

Winery, Fossil excavation museum, Terracotta house.

Speed bump, built through recycling used tires.

1st potential stop: Ostrich Farm.

Skipped, as they refused an ostrich ride.

2nd potential stop : Desert Garden (and labyrinth).

Skipped because nobody home.

Indeed, nobody was home.

3rd stop: Winery.

Right time for lunch with an excellent red wine.

Bizarre road signs announcing the 4th stop.

A Plesiosaur, at the Centro de Investigations Palentologicas,

scientific research center with a small museum.

Another potential stop, skipped:

a garden containing bizarre phallic sculpted stones.

The last stop: Casa Terracota.

An amazing Gaudi-esque house made out of local clay.

Casa Terracota: the kitchen.

Back at the Plaza Mayor.

180 degree panorama.

|---| Hospederia La Roca Plaza Principal, Villa de Leyva, Colombia, 90kPesos, 26€/room/night incl breakfast.

Monday 04/Apr/2016.
Tunja and return to Bogota.

Tunja, Plaza de Bolívar.

Colombia's oldest Church, dating back to 1574.

Tunja, Plaza de Bolívar, Casa de la Cultura.

Long wooden veranda building dating from 1546.

Tunja, Plaza de Bolívar view from the famous El Atrio café.

Fruit salad at the El Atrio café, 8kPesos, 2.50€.

Bus from Tunja to Bogota.

|---| Posada Anandamayi, Bogota, Colombia, 108kPesos/room/night incl. breakfast.

Tuesday 05/Apr/201.
Zipaquira.

TransMilenio, Bogota's public transportation system.

To reach Zipaquira it took me 70 minutes of Transmilenio,

plus one hour of minibus from Portal del Norte station.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/TransMilenio

The salt Cathedral.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_Cathedral_of_Zipaquirá

Entrance tunnel for the Salt Cathedral.

A true cathedral seems to require a dome...

The central nave of the cathedral,

with the world largest subterranean cross.

Medallion in the floor,

representing Michelangelo's Creation of Adam.

Miner at work.

Zapaquira town.

Looks as a pretty restaurant...

Indeed, nicely and descretely overlooking the main Square.

|---| Posada Anandamayi, Bogota, Colombia, 108kPesos/room/night incl. breakfast.

Wednesday 06/Apr/2016.

The gold museum.

Golden puma.

Gold model of a raft, found in the Laguna Guatavita.

The Spanish called the Lake "El Dorado",

because of the many Muisca offerings found.

Return home journey. 17:30 - 10:20 Iberia flight IB6586 from Bogota to Madrid, 9h50.
8h35 transit in Madrid.
16:55 - 18:30 Air Nostrum flight IB8916 from Madrid to Marseille, 1h35.