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Published: November 21st 2010
Another trip to Colombia, this one coming on the heels of Peru. Click
here to access the previous trip report. Well past 3 months now since I returned. Just published it in the nick of time - heading to Argentina on December 8 to try again to summit Aconcagua. Not planning on taking over 3 months to get that entry published.
Popayán
Accommodation and food Stayed at Hotel Panorama (Cra 17 #3-11) again. A bit more expensive this year - 25.000 COP (also written $25.000) for a single with hot water bath and cable TV. It was 20.000 COP last year combined with a much stronger dollar. Last year 1$US ≈ 2.200 COP during the summer then 2.000 in December. This past summer 1$US ≈ 1.840 COP and after returning home I noticed that the peso actually broke below 1.800 COP per dollar. So, in a nutshell, the hotel room that cost me $9 last year cost $13.50 this year.
Popayán has the distinction as the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy and it certainly does not disappoint. Restaurante Italiano (C 4 @ Cra 9) continues to serve fantastic food. A set dinner is $7.700, same as last year but
there are plenty of selections from the menu. The vegetarian restaurant Naturaleza y Vida (Cra 8 #7-19) has lunches for $3.000 where 7 various items are selected from a list of about a dozen. La Fontana (C 6) has bread, pastries, and incredible ice cream. For juices, head to Fruiti Jugos Uno A on Carrera 6 near the market where a liter of fresh juice is $2.400. This seemed to be a small chain with different names but exactly the same decor (and prices,
mas o menos) in Armenia and Medellín. If you're not averse to street food (and there's definitely no reason to be in Popayán) fresh fruit salads can be found for $700.
Not hotel or food related, but there is a gymnasium in the center called Gymnasio Athena where a single entry pass goes for $3.000.
Transport Pretty much everything to/from the north goes through Cali. Maria and I left Bogotá on Rapido Palmira at 21:30 and arrived in Cali at 10:30 with an irritatingly long stop in the middle of the night at a cafe in Ibague. Cost was $50.000 each on a nice bus but it had this weird seat arrangement since the
Restaurante Italiano
An Italian restaurant in Colombia run by a French-Swiss ex-pat.first few rows had wider seats and hence only 3 seats per row. But where the seats transitioned to 4 per row was a dog leg in the aisle so if you were sitting at that transition as I was, people kept bashing into the seat or tripping over your legs (the dude whose seat in the first row of 4 did not have a seat in front of him). Nearly all Colombian buses are comfortable enough without the extra wide seat. The Cali terminal has several places to chow down on
bandeja paisa after the long ride. From Cali we took the 3 hour ride to Popayán with Taxis Belalcazar for $10.000.
Coconuco Last year Maria and I went to Aguas Tibias (warm water) for the day from Popayán. This year I was fortunate enough to meet a couple who had a small cabin near Aguas Hirviendas which is much hotter and open 24 hours. Both spas charge a few dollars entry. There is basic accommodation at Hirviendas and also in the town center, a $2.000 moto ride away from either spa. Get to Coconuco from Popayán with Trans Timbio for $2.500, leaving hourly.
Armenia
Accommodation and food Hotel Imperial (Cra 17 #17-31) right in the center charged $25.000 for a double with fan, TV, and cold water bathroom. Very good deal for the city. Wish we had stayed there for all 3 nights instead of 2 nights in Salento. Armenia is fine by day but seemed really sketchy to walk around at night near the hotel and central plaza. Restaurants were unremarkable but there seemed to be more places open during the day than at night.
Transport Went from Popayán to Armenia with Taxis Belalcazar for $30.000. Think it might have taken 6-7 hours. Still stopped in Cali but it was brief. Taxi from the Armenia terminal to the center was $3.000. The terminal has a hotel with small, single rooms which didn't seem like a bad option if basing in Armenia for trips to Salento or Parque Nacional del Café.
Salento I did not see the big deal with Salento which was much more expensive and touristy than Armenia. A day trip from Armenia would have been enough for me. However, Salento's culinary specialty -
patacón - is not to be missed.
Patacón is boiled, mashed, flattened plantains fried and smothered with
meat, chicken, and cheese.
Patacón or not, Maria and I still preferred Armenia. There are a lot of outdoor activities centered around Salento but the weather was not cooperative. Good access to Parque Nacional los Nevados although I went last year on a day trip from Manizales and was not impressed at all with that particular tour.
Medellín
Accommodation and food There is a great deal with either of the Dann Carlton 5 star hotels in Medellín. On the weekends (Friday, Saturday, maybe Sunday) a room goes for ~$44/person inclusive of taxes, insurance (?), a welcome drink, an excellent buffet breakfast, fresh fruit, and a newspaper. The hotel has a pool, small gym, and steam room. We stayed at the Beaufort hotel but Poblado may be nicer. Easy access to the center by bus from either hotel. We also had 2 days in the slightly intimidating center at Metro Hotel (Av. Oriental #46-08), excellent value at $34.000 for a double but the
sancuros (vicious mosquitoes) were unrelenting until we moved the bed directly under the fan. OK restaurant in the lobby but many cheap places to eat close by including the ubiquitous
pollo broaster. Really excellent
arepas (cornmeal patties)
between the hotel and metro stop but ask for
poco mantequilla (little butter) unless you want a coronary right on the pavement. For crabs and juices, Jugos La Fruta en Jarra @ C 52 #49-76 can get your
amorcita in the mood.
Jardín Botánico de Medellín is a nice botanical garden close to the center and accessed via
Universidad metro stop. There was much construction including a stage so concerts may be held there now. Entrance is free which is nice.
Transport Armenia to Medellín with Flota Occidental for $34.000. Best to leave as late as possible or early in the morning. We left around 22:00 and got to Medellín's southern terminal at 4:00 which was not ideal as we had no idea where we were going to stay and the bus terminal tourist office opened at 6:00. Not a bad place to hang out - clean, safe, and a few places to get snacks and
tinto. Getting around Medellín is cheap and easy because it is the only city in Colombia with a metro, more like a monorail as it rides above the street. There are also 2 cable car lines. One line is accessed from the
Carrera 7, Popayán
Nothing special, just liked the building. The city center is teeming with well preserved colonial architecture. Aceveda metro stop just past the northern bus terminal and transfers between the 2 systems are free. For great views, take the cable car to
comuna nororiental (northwest community), formerly very dangerous during the days of the drug cartels, but now safe. I went to Bucaramanga from Medellín on Expreso Bolivariano but originally bought a ticket for ~$55.000 with Expreso Brasilia (a ticket office is conveniently located in the center) only to have the trip canceled at the last minute due to insufficient passenger numbers. I tried to avoid Bolivariano because I remembered last year I took them from Bogotá to Manizales and the bus was freezing. The trip to Buca was no different.
Santa Fe de Antioqua Like Salento, very touristy but this time we only went for a day trip. Getting there is half the fun as the new highway passes through a 7 kilometer long tunnel. From Medellín's northern terminal, buses leave ~hourly for a pricey $10.000. But the tunnel has shaved almost 2 hours off the previous travel time of 3 hours.
San Gil
Accommodation and food Stayed again at Hotel Madrigal in the center close to the bridge. Since the town was not
Municipal Building, Popayán
Even the city government has schwank offices. very crowded, I only paid $20.000 for my room as opposed to $30.000 back in January when seemingly half the country was traveling. El Maná still serves huge set meals for $9.000 and Donde Betty is still great for breakfast and people watching. Get cheap meals, snacks, and juices in the central market which closes soon after lunch.
Transport From Bucaramanga's main terminal, Transsander charges $14.000, leaving frequently for the scenic 2½ hour ride to San Gil passing Cañon Chicamocha. There are many buses from San Gil to Bogotá. Just show up at the terminal ($1.000 microbus ride from the center) and a bus will be leaving shortly. I took Berlinas and talked them down to $25.000 or so as the bus was leaving imminently.
Parapente Finally went paragliding during my 4th trip to San Gil. Went with
Fenixtreme, located on the Malecón. Again owing to the low tourist numbers, I got a very good deal. Normally $170.000 for what I was told would be a 20-30 minute ride. I paid $140.000 for what turned out to be a 1 hour ride because the conditions at Cañon Chicamocha were ideal. I'm sure the ride would have lasted longer
Iglesia La Encarnation
No shortage of churches in Popayán. had I not felt ill. Definitely shop around as I went to Planet Azul who was asking $200.000 for the same trip.
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Maria jose carvajal
non-member comment
colombia eres genial, popayan ciudad para no olvidar
estan geniales las fotos, te felicito mi vida, por ese gran blog...........................colombia pais divino para conocer.