Bogota to Taganga

One of the main attractors to Bogota, and one of my reasons for coming to a big smelly city, was the famous Gold museum, only to find that they have closed it for 2 months...

However, the Salt Cathedral, a carved out underground Cathedral, was entertaining enough.

As was the excellent Botero museum.

On our last evening we were mugged by street urchin...we lost my muggers wallet which held an expired credit card and $15...I still wish I´d given him a kick in the face as he bent down to pick it up, but we´d probably ended up in a bum war as there were a few undesirables about.

So from one big city to another, Cartagena, and after one evening in the old town, and discovering that their Gold museum was closed for the day, and decided to head up the Caribbean coast to Taganga (where we bumped into Jodie Rowles, an old friend from school).

Although we had initially planned a bit of relaxation we found out that a group was leaving for the Lost City the following day, and decided after discovering that the Foreign Office recommends that you don't go, due to guerrilla activities, essentially invalidating our insurance that we were definitely up for a sweaty, mosquito hell zone 6 day jungle trek.

And, loved it, top company, ace guides 19 & 21 year old brothers Miguel and Diego (and at times Dad, Luis), friendly group, amazing surrounding. The sweaty walking was rewarded by loads of natural swimming pools, and the mosquitoes were kept at bay by long trousers, sleeves and a bar of repellent soap.

Most of the group, myself and Hannah being some of the few exclucions, went on a tour of a cocaine factory...which was essentially a tent museum displaying the myriad of offencive chemical processes involved in its production, and the therefore offencive working conditions the manufacturers have to endure.

We later found out that the region is in fact much safer than its ever been, with the military being in control for the last few years and soldiers being permanently posted at the Lost City. This has led to the destruction of coca farming and has in turn led local farmers, like our guides, to move into tourism.

The soldiers at the lost city seemed to be bored out of their minds (6 months in the middle of nowhere), when we arrived they were doing push ups in the rain, obviously for the sole purpose of impressing the girls, and they joking invited me to join them (worryingly I was wearing only boxer shorts, due to the torrential rain and having accidentally left my swimming shorts in the Amazon at Ecuador). Some of the girls decided to be friendly with them which led to this hilarious photo...

The Lost City was good but it was definitely the whole experience that made the trip so enjoyable, and passing the Aussies on day 5 that we{d been on the Amazon tour with (and with whom we later met up with at the National Park).

The following week was spent on the stunning coast of the Tayrona national park, relaxing on secluded beaches and sleeping in overpriced tent accommodation.

Now back in Taganga, finalising our arrangements for a week in Antigua attending Hannah's Brother's wedding which will be preceded by 5 days in Miami...life's a bitch, and a beach since thats where we´ll be spending the next 6 months.

Tx!

Science is Cool...

Having got dusk in my lens last trip I now carry the required tools to remove it myself. Once again it was a nerve racking, and therefore sweaty, undertaking, especially the final stage of having the CCD in your hands.

Before (the dusk is middle top) & After

Quito (Ecuador) to Colombia

Took a few days to stop feeling like we were still rocking away on the boat, so we spent a few days in Quito until we would be ready to head off on a jungle adventure.

The only thing worthy of note was a visit to an equator line visitor centre, where we undertook various experiments that can be undertaken there.

A night bus, 2 hours in a jeep and 2 in a motorised dug out canoe and we arrived at our jungle hide out in the Cuyabena National Park found along the Aguarico river, where the local tribes have been known to shrink a head or two .

After a snooze went out to a lake to watch the sunset, which was followed by a night walk.

In the evening we spent our time fending a domesticated monkey, Poncha , off our dinner and drank beer guarded by a tarantula with some Aussies, that we met in Quito, Brad, Damo and Dan.

Day 2 we headed out to the local indigenous community of the Sionas and learnt about their ways of life, which included me ( ) having a go at making Yuca bread (similar to a corn tortilla). The girl showing us how it was done probably could have knocked me out flat without trying...

On our way to the local Shaman we come across a group (or a venue?) of vultures, including a king vulture, which we later found out had been feeding on a Dolphin which had had its head and tail cut off . Sadly this may have been done by the locals as apparently the teeth are used as an aphrodisiac? The shaman wasn´t much better, covered in birds feathers with a string of Jaguars teeth round his neck, but interesting nonetheless.

Another walk found us holusenagenic vines, walking trees and a posin arrow frog.

Day 3 decided to chill out, snooze () and canoe whilst doing a spot of piranha fishing, with Brad and Damo. We only managed to catch a few, two being Catfish one of which stabbed me in the thumb with a painful and mildly poisonous spine and the other being Hannah´s first ever catch ! Although I think we were more in danger from the butterflies which had surrounded us.

In the evening we did some more piranha fishing, on our way we saw amazonian grey dolphins, and this time catching a good size red belly (piranha) which you unfortunately cannot eat. Followed by swimming in the lake under another sunsetting sky.

Day 4 was spend paddling round the lake in a dug out canoe and checking out the wildlife. In the evening we went on another night walk with more weird and wonderful bugs spotted.

On the morning of our final day we got up at 6am for a spot of bird watching (Boat-billed Heron), lots were seen but the Bat Falcon was the highlight (for me at least).

On the way back to civilisation I blinked when everyone else saw a 2.5m anaconda, but at least I can say I was within 3m of one in the wild?

After the night bus to Quito we got straight back onto another one heading for Otovalo, famous its massive indigenous market and I´m sure Del Boy would be proud of my haggling efforts...not sure how its all gonna fit into the bags though. One evening we got blockaded by a carnival, its amazing how many they have, any excuse for a party .

Tomorrow we fly to Bogota. As we would have to fly from Columbia to Panama (Cartagena to Panama City) we made some enquiries about adding a couple of flights to our tickets, and for just over $100 we managed to get two extra flights - Quito to Bogota and Bogota to Cartagena - I´m sure mum will be pleased we´re not busing it!

Tx