Equator? Tropical?

---

So we entered South America via the war torn, crime ridden, drug capital of the world where if the paramilitaries, drug cartels or left wing guerrillas don´t kill you then the fer-de-lance snakes surely will.

Or so people would think.

The reality is that we found Colombia to be one of the friendliest, most welcoming countries we have been to, where people will cross the street to help you catch a taxi, tell you exactly how much to pay and feel extremely happy that you want to visit their country.

We started our colombia trip with Cartagena, the beautiful colonial city made famous by the film Romancing the Stone. Nice park, Big balconies, cobbled streets, lovely.

Then we headed up the caribbean coast to Taganga, a small caribbean fishing village with nice beaches and some big hills. We ate some great fried rice with chicken. We also drank beer while swinging in hammocks on our hotel balcony. Brill.

Then it was off up the coast again to the Tyrona national park and the most stunning beaches we have ever seen. Proper travel agent window stuff. Palm trees, massive boulders, blue sea and white sand. The best bit was that we got to sleep in hammocks in a hut on a big rock out in the middle of the sea. Well, not really in the middle but slightly off the coast. It was great - crashing waves, wind and the thought of huge man-eating iguanas crawling around in the middle of the night. It comes at a price though..... it was a gruelling 3 hour hike through the rainforest and along the beach, fully laden with our packs to get there.

then it was down to a few more spanish colonial towns - not surprisingly there are absolutely shed loads of them in central and south america - all really nice but kinda the same - and down to Bogota, the recently toppled (by Baghdad!) kidnapping capital of the world!

Happily, we didn´t get kidnapped. I don´t think we even saw any kidnappers (I assume they all walk around wearing balaclavas and sporting northern irish accents).

While there we met a great Bogata-an called Andres who took us out in his car to show us the surrounding countryside and the magnificent, treasure filled crater lake that started the legend of El Dorado. Apparently the local indians used to toss loot into the lake as offerings to their gods.

After Bogota it was down to Cali, the plastic surgery capital of south america and, believe me, it really shows. Either that or there is some kind of growth hormone in the Cali drinking water. We only stayed there for one night after heading out our for an all night rumba (cali is also the Salsa capital of colombia) and boarded a bus for the Ecuadorian border with absolutely stinking rum-overs.

As we have got steadily deeper into the Andes it has been incredible to watch the mountains grow before our eyes. Well, before the bus window anyway. So here we are in Otavalo, Ecuador - about 50 miles from the equator, wrapped up in all the coats and jumpers we bought with us listening to the pouring rain outside! Who said the equator was tropical?

---

Photos

Old habits die hard!
Cheers!!! missing you all!!!

Tyrona in all it´s glory
......and our little bedroom hut on the rock!

Comments

[Shelly]

It sounds amazing!
I'm glad you're having a wicked time! I wish I was there, looks truly spectacular. We are missing you lots, and toasting you lots!! xxxx

[Sam]

Wow!
Wow! It looks beautiful! Glad your both ok and havin a great time x x Take it easy x

[Glenn]

Happy Days
WOW looks great......i was just showing Carole the photos and she stayed on the same beach in Tyrona (i think she got lost for a few months :-)) Hope your keeping well, Scott nice hair growth....keep it up for the next beer fes. Take care Glenn

[Kirsty]

I want to live in a hut on a rock! :o) Just makes me more determinded to leave this horrible miserable country! very jealous.... again!..... love to you both. miss you Kirst.