So... What next?

20/07/2009

The very same moment that I left Cartagena, the countdown also started. Medellin, Bogota and that's that with Colombia. And in the end, I realised that the best parts were already behind me. :(

I had heard only the best about Medellin, but personally, I don't see what all the fuss is about. Of course, with all the couchsurfers we had a great time. I even met a greek guy living them!



And the city itself is beautiful, taken well care of, clean, well organised but I feel it lacks character. It kept giving me the impression that everyone is so focused on maintaining their "perfect" image that the society dictates (in the clothing, their buildings, their external appearance -plastic surgery is a BIIIIG business here-, in their behavior) that they actually forget to "live" Kai even more so when we're referring to Colombians, the alleged ambassadors of being alive.









I spent a week in Medellin before setting off to Bogota and I can't think of anything fascinating to consider as memorable. Man, I really should not have left the beach!

Before reaching Bogota though, I just couldn't resist and made one more stop in Ibague for a day, to spend yet another crazy night with the nutters I met the first time round we passed through with L. And I certainly did not regret it! The guys gave their best selves and sent me off to Bogota with the warmest hugs I have ever received!


The Ibague group

M.

26/06/2009

A six hour trip ended up being completed after 3 overnight stays, 2 big parties and almost half the car repaired.

After leaving Armenia, we made a "short" stop at the thermal baths of Santa Rosa. Problem was, it was so damn enjoyable that we ended up staying in the waters until 11pm. Obviously though, that brought us in a position of needing a place to spend the night. In this case, A. came to the rescue, a couchsurfer from the neighboring city of Pereira. She had given me her phone number and had said she'd be able to host one or two people if I happened to need it. Poor girl ended up with five nutcases in her house.

The following day we continued our journey. We were determined to reach Bogota, but fate had other plans for us (dramatic DA-DA-DA-DAAAAAN style music). Just outside of Ibague, the car's gearbox gave up on us. Without many options to choose from, we drove to the center, left the car at a mechanic and in the meantime I put a post in the Ibague couchsurfing group explaining the situation and asking for anyone's hosting help. How did this end?
Half an hour later we were already at a couchsurfer's house.
Two hours later we were joined by 12 couchsurfers, spending a night to remember.

The day after the car had been fixed. But out of total coincidence, Ibague happened to have a huge festival those days. How could we possibly leave? So there we were, staying yet another night in Ibague, in a middle of one hell of a party, with incredibly friendly people all around us.













On thursday we finally made a move to get to Bogota, where I was planning to stay a few days and see a rock festival. But there comes L., planting the bomb: "We are going to a concert tonight and tomorrow we are going to a village 20 hours north where there is a traditional, big music festival. From there we will continue towards the beaches of the caribbean. Wanna Join?" Of course, it didn't take much to get me convinced...



Let's see where we'll end up with this. The music and dance of Colombia shows no mercy...

Μ.