CIUDAD PERDIDA AND THE NASTY BITING INSECTS!

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Day 1:

Arrived 8am at the Turcol office, Santa Martha, waited awhile for the other members of the group, 2 French guys coming from Taganga. Louis and Vincent from Paris, good friends from way back. Apparently there is only 3 of us. Since they were late I was able to buy a sunscreen quickly.

Drove through paved roads for 1 1/2 hours going east, got to a checkpoint manned by young military personnel. From then on rough roads uphill towards the town of El Mamey, the driver is a mad maniac, the ceiling of the truck is quite low and lost count how many times I bumped my head on the roof, this went on for about an hour.

Arrived in El Mamey had a huge lunch of sandwich, our guide Ismael is very quiet and reserved, but he takes care of us very well so far. Just before we left the other group arrived, Magic tours with 5 people, I did not know there are other companies, the LP said Turcol was the sole company doing Ciudad Perdida. Anyway it seems Turcol is quite good, judging by the amount of food being prepared to be mounted on the donkeys to bring up ahead of us to the 3 camps we will stay on during the trek.

Hot day, as we start the trek Louis forgot his bottled water, went past a tree full of noisy small green birds. A few streams we crossed 30 minutes later arrived at aswimming hole, nice water not too cold, went for a swim, the french boys did some risky jumps, Vicente at one point nearly touched the wall on the other side, 6 inches away, this guy is a very risky stuntman.

It was a hot day after meeting the other group in the swimming hole we moved on, this part is tough! Climbing none stop, for a first day hike it takes a lot from us, swear words in French flew as we hiked up this stupidly steep hill in the hot sun. The drizzle that came later did not really help, we were gasping for air, huffing and puffing sweating profusely, we rested for 10 minutes then on again, our guide is a maniac his pace is quite quick, we struggled to keep up.

Stopped briefly at a store on top oh the hill and a mirador, admired the eagles fly by. Eventually arrived in our 1st camp. Old Colombian folk music blaring from this house on the other side of the creek from us. After lunch we quickly got changed to our swimmers and headed for the piscina with a small waterfall. Great time we had, all to ourselves the other group did not stop here,in fact they stayed in another hut. The boys, Louis and Vicente took turns jumping the small cliff, I did 2x, no more, spent the rest of the time taking their photos, this guys are trully kids at heart, fun and games, 22 and 24 I felt like their dad! But they are cool kids i quite enjoyed their company, just hope they dont hurt themselves.

Dinner was fabulous, chicken and heaps of rice! The boys crossed the creek to play pool and i stayed and went to bed. Quite tired the hammock was comfortable that night.

Day 2:

The 2nd day trek started, nice walk that quicklly turned to a nightmare, lots of downhill walk on muddy soil, whenever we stopped we get attacked by mozzies and sandflies, irritating, by now though the 3 of us hiking shirtless are peppered with insect bites all over our torso not counting the million bites on our around our ankles.The strenuous walk was relieved by a swim in the stream after a snack of pineapple and oranges.

Then walked to a village called Mutanchin where we observed how the indigenous Tayronas live, huts for female and males are separate, the men teach the boys the fieldwork and the women are taught to weave, cook and do most of the work in this society.

An hour or so more of walk we arrived at camp 2. Had a Delicious veggie soup for lunch then the other group arrived from Magic tours(Canadians Matt, Alina and Charmin) Aussie Ben and English Nicole. Nicole attracted the 3 of us boys'attention because of her massive front, fake boobs very obvious but we enjoyed staring at it nevertheless, hey no girls in our group, only on 2nd day and we became too familiar with each other, we need some girls in our group.

The boys immediately started to swim in the middle of the Buritaca river where the current is strong, I washed my clothes and stayed close to the shore, they went up a big rock and did their jumping acrobats there, Matt later on joined them and Nicole too, took some of their photos on Louis' camera.

Alina and Charmin meanwhile entertained us with their lesbian simulation of bathing in the river, i clicked away! This group is fun, we enjoyed being with them.

We are sleeping in beds tonight, the other group sleeping in hammocks. For some reason while waiting for dinner our conversation went to shits, literally, gross stories about accidental number 2s. Brief generator during dinner then it was turned off and candles for the night, turned in early as there was nothing else to do. My bed was slanting to my left, struggled to sleep.

Day3:

Early rise once again we started walking at 7am. The 1st part was tough, we straddled along the side of this slippery cliff, there was an accident here years ago when a tourist fell in the rapids below critcally injured but survived, that was in our minds so we were ever so careful, from there we have to cross the river, current is strong and the girls were carried on the backs of the guides. From there we will cross the same river 8 more times, most have knee deep water and strong current so we have to be careful, Chester the dog from the camp came with us and at one point was carried by Vincent across the water.For awhile we have to wear our swimmers and sandals due to numerous crisscrossing of the river.

On the last crossing the other group stopped at the beach for lunch, we continued on, we crossed to start the 1000 plus stairs on the other side of the river, Louis while getting dressed decided to have some fun, cupping his front, grabbed a giant leaf and covered his jewels while posing for the camera, These guys never stopped to amuse me. He forgot his hat so Ismael have to get back to one of the river crossings, luckily it was found and the hike continued on, Killer stairs! narrow steps quite slippery. Eventually we arrived at the top.

Immediately we noticed lots of military people, young guys on tour of duty here. They were staring at us and saying somethings in Spanish, Louis is the fluent one, Vincent hardly speaks it and struggles in English, Ismael the guide speaks only Spanish, poor Louis had to be the translator! Actually i do understand Ismael most of the time only when I zone out that I need Louis to repeat it for me.

Went to our camp then had the lunch, had a very quick cold shower, Ismael's sense of humor came out, he told Louis the other shower stall has hot water, screams from the poor guy confirmed otherwise!Later on we walked to see the ruins, amazing, in the middle of the jungle, if it was excavated fully it would be bigger and grander than Macchu Picchu says our guide, but in a way kind of nice to be partly covered with vegetation, adds more mystique to it. Too many mozzies and horseflies that stings quite painfully, Ismael caught one and showed us the proboscis,quite nasty! I was wearing a black shirt and it seems that these pests love the black color, they bit me relentlessly.

Ismael came back to camp to cook dinner, we continued to walk around, the boys again doing their acrobats, I joined briefly. I admire these guys, full of energy! Went up to the top where there is a military base and hang out with the 3 members of the other group(Alina, Charmin and Ben) we were entertained by the miliraty people, and we asked to hold their guns and grenades, i know, not supposed to, but when in Rome....

One dude had a dance off with Charmin! The girls tried to get souvenir caps but the boys wanted their torch in return so they begged off, we came down and had some group photos forming the pyramid. The girls went back while i stayed with the French boys while they do stunts, I looked like a baby sitter always with these boys wherever, but I quite enjoyed watching their antics. We stopped by the other groups' home base for the night, we promised to come back for a few drinks with them.

Dinner was with candle light, good meal then we polished off 2 small rum bottles brough by the French boys, we finished it then off to bed, too dark a path to risk going to the other group's cabin. Our beds were set up on the 3rd floor of the house with a huge mosquito net encompassing the 3 of us. I snored a bit that night says Louis.

Day 4:

As we had breakfast we saw the other group with the soldiers atop the ruins, we later found out they managed to trade with them and got the caps. Soldiers walking about the ruins in the morning, we went down the stairs and crossed the river, one of 8. We caught up with the other group and we crossed the last one together, we stopped and again had a swim, the water seems to get colder by the minute, the current was strong again this did not stop the French boys from jumping.

That was the last time we saw the the other group, we stayed a bit longer then took a break at the top where there is a store run by the local indigenous people. We had lunch there, Vincent got stung by a bee, quite funny, he was helping himself for 2nds then suddely we heard a scream and swear words in French, bread on the floor..

The boys and Ismael played hackey sack to kill time while I walked around the path trying to see some birds that were singing beautifully in the canopy above.

We moved on and stopped at a clearing, there was a horse and the boys were daring each other who will jump and straddle it. meanwhile they bought a pineapple from the local kid. Its full of seeds and nasty sting to the tongue, oh we saw a massive frog also along the trail earlier.

Rain came while we are coming down a muddy hill, Vicente slipped but did not stop him from flying away, i got scared when I nearly rolled my ankle, so I slowed down, met them at the river crossing before the camp. Ismael offered plastic bags but I refused, too late now.

Got to the camp a group was already there on its way up also from Turcol. Not very sociable people, kept to themselves so ended up hanging out together. We went for a swim. Then killed time trying to dry our stuff, my day bag wreaks by this point combi of sweat and rain yuck. But by now the 3 of us boys all smell anyway so no one complains.

Most bed were already taken so Ismael had to find a space for us which he did eventually, after dinner we played cards we borrowed from a French couple.Vincent went to bed and me and Louis told each other horror stories and Louis was a bit freaked out! He promised to wake me up in the middle of the night if he hears or dreams something creepy, thanks Louis!

Day 5:

The other group left early , the boys and Ismael had a swim first to wake themselves up then we headed off, not 5 minutes into the trail Ismael saw a snake crossing the path, its quite long!Luckily not poisonous, we followed it for a bit. The walk turned brutal once again as we got uphill in the heat of the day, I was sweating profusely and got a bit dizzy thought i was having a heatstroke, I can remember Louiis ahead of me egging me on to keep going as he sees me faltering away in the distance, i eventually caught up with them a top a hill, passing many new faces, gringos on their way to camp 3.

Recovered from resting we kept going in the heat eventually making it to camp 1 in record time! As Ismael cooks lunch we headed to the waterfall for a swim, i jumped again and the boys did their acrobats.

I was below the waterfall watching them when Vincent moved close to the falls to take a better photo of Louis, and suddenly as if in slow motion i saw Vincent fall down the waterfall from about 5 feet above, he slipped and fell back first and managed to control his fall well enough to avoid hitting his head, he lost his camera battery in the process and wet the camera, worse he hit his shin in the rocks!

Shocked, i did not know how to react, Louis quickly went to help him, took the camera away, Vincent swam up to the ladder and went back to the camp grimacing in pain and cussing in French. I followed him to help him treat his wounds, he was sat in the long chair with betadine soaked gauze on his wound, when i had a look I was shocked, the flesh had come off and you can see the bone or cartilage, i stayed calm and helped him dress it to avoid infection.

After lunch we went to the bar accross the stream and the boys played pool while i drank with them some beers, the little boy, son of the owner was chatting me up, he claims we can catch big shrimps in the stream at night and he promised to come with me.I saw a sample of the camarron, they found under the rocks but is dead. The boys played pool against a dude and this young kid, he is quite good!

After dinner as usual we chatted a bit then off to bed at 8pm!



Day 6:

left the camp at 8am after I dressed Vincent's wound, he went ahead up the hill while me and Louis sorts out what we owe from last night. Brutal hill once again, Ismael eventually caught up with us at the mirador, we chilled at the tienda place since its too early to arrive back in El Mamey. We saw rabbits in the field along with other farm animals. We moved on when we saw the other group coming, they caught up quickly, some running down. We eventually arrived at the swimming hole and we all went for a swim.

Vincent's wound bled while he washed himself in the stream to rid himself of horse shit, that's right, the boys decided to throw manure at each other during the hike down as if the hill was not interesting and brutal enough. Louis and I tried to bring one of the massive spiders down in the water by throwing rocks at it on the edge of the rock, it actually fell but skimmed over the water!

Arriving in El Mamey we high fived each other, then lunch came and 4 hours of waiting later the truck came to pick us up, why quite a long wait? only the guide knows....Back in the city sad goodbyes to the boys, we dropped them off the clinic to have Vincent's wound fixed i got dropped off at Turismar hotel.

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Photos

Day 6
Louis in the AM

Comments

[Sharing the Journey]

Great time
Looks like y'all are having a great time!