Parque Nacional Tayrona and Santa Marta

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As we returned from our Ciudad Perdida trek the jeep dropped us off at the entrance to Parque Nacional Tayrona. We intended to use the time to relax and shake off the last five days in Colombia’s premier Caribbean national park. On arrival we find ourselves with another hour’s walk into the park - not really what the doctor ordered! As we reached the coast it was plain to see why this area was named as a national park. While the forested mountains of Parque Nacional Sierra Nevada sit in the distance, the foreground consists of flat lush jungle opening out onto coconut-palm shaded bays of white Caribbean sands. We settle for the beachside shelters of Arrecifes, ditching the chance of a thick mattress and resting in the more than adequate hammock! After a couple of celebratory beers, we retired to swing in our hammocks with the sound of the Caribbean Sea and the freshness of the night breeze.

The next day we explored the immediate beaches and coves in the national park. Cabo San Juan de la Guia was particularly impressive. The only trouble with the national park was that it wasn’t quite the Caribbean getaway we craved. Being the height of the summer, the park was crammed full and of course, over riced. But it’s easy to see why so many people come.

We opted to return to Santa Marta early and leave the hordes to it in the national park. We spent our last day in Colombia getting our bags back from the hotel and tying up any lose ends. Taking the chance to have a look around Santa Marta I finally saw the ‘other side’ to Colombia! There was a public demonstration in the main square, which by accounts looked to be a very civilised affair. As I crossed the demonstrators, riot police watched on with a relaxed attitude. After taking care of a few necessaries I walked past the square again; nothing much had changed other than there seemed to be more people around and the demonstrating MC seemed to be slightly more agitated. I continued and started to walk back to the hotel. As I crossed a junction I saw two army trucks pull up and soldiers in full hardcore armour get out of the back. Arming themselves with shields and mega batons they marched in the direction of the demonstration. The look a young boy gave me as we watched, told me that the hotel was the best place to be heading.
As a Colombian did tell me ‘We are very friendly people. But also very crazy’.

With a few hours on the bus we left Colombia and another highly enjoyable and diverse country. It was a shame not to have more time to explore it further. What we have seen, on the other hand, has given us an insight into a country full of life and energy, a place that has shown there is more to life than stature and life is for living, which is exactly what Colombians do. It was plain to see back in San Agustin while in a supermarket when an employee sweeping the isle stopped to talk to us. As he realised we were foreigners he wanted to know every detail about us. Now Colombians can talk quite a bit and the conversation became more like an epic story. During this time I noticed the shop manager start stacking the shelves close to us, at times asking the employee where some of the products needed to be placed. Not at any time did the manager get annoyed or try to stop our conversation and effectively did the employee’s job while we continued to talk. See, there is another way.
Full Santa Marta Photos on Flickr
Full Taranga Photos on Flickr

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