bogota

Couchsurfing is one of the most amazing networks I can think of for budget travelers. They’ve come up with a way to make your couch the exchange currency for a way to buy and sell your way around the world. I’ve hosted quite a bit in Reykjavik since there are more tourists than locals over the year so couch demand is high, but Ive also cashed in for some couches in amazingly cool places. I decided to couchsurf through Colombia since there are a surprising amount of hosts, and the people here are so hospitable – except for when they’re a bus or taxi driver and you think they’re trying to take your life.

Luis teaching us about obleas – delicious, crunchy crepes full of dulce de leche

My first couchsurf host explained that’s just how they drive in Bogota, as well as other very useful (comforting, some might say) information. Luis lived downtown halfway between the old town and the newish, richer districts with his girlfriend and I spent two nights there. Since he is an english and Spanish private tutor, he had enough free time to show me around La Candelaria (the old town) and the glitzy North side, as well as share endless conversation on some of the most interesting topics concerning Colombia. We learned about how life was when the guerrillas really did impact the daily lives of locals, and how difficult and unsafe travel was just ten years ago. Now, Colombians travel safely in buses, and international tourists are slowly starting to pour in, gradually increasing in number. Sadly though, travel outside of Colombia is still difficult for Colombians because of passport/visa restrictions.

one of the coolest churches Ive ever seen – kind of looks like Russian Orthodox meets gingerbread house

My second host was Tim in Aracataca, the heart of Maconodo and home town of legendary author Garcia Marquez. His home was called the Gypsy residence, an up and coming hostel (opening in a few days), and he pushed magical realism and crazy hats on us in the most ‘Hundred Years of Solitude’ kind of way. It was the weekend, and so much was going on, so many people, and a concert/dancing stage event where some beautiful girls kicked ass at afrodance. There was a torrential downpour of rain every few hours – little did I know October is the wettest month in Colombia.

rain rain rain… I can see why Marquez described Aracataca as a place that once rained for 3 years straight

The last host, who I’m with now, is a Canadian guy who owns a 30 foot schooner. Its a Chinese Junk rig (whatever that means) and his couch is on the sail boat. I had to get picked up from the beach in his dingy and we have the best view of Santa Marta’s central beach since we’re only a few hundred metres from shore. From here we jump in the water several times a day to cool off, laze around in the hammock, and can even surf the net from his navigation laptop. Couchsurfing is amazing for these kinds of experiences, but even better yet, I’ve found my guy to teach me how to sail and take me to Panama.

Captain Kevin, on his schooner

a highrise building in Bogota lit up with the colours of Colombian flags

Colombia is often a trigger word for cocaine, guerrillas, or kidnapping, so when I told people I was backpacking through Colombia to start my trip to Central America, some people expressed concern. Actually, Colombia is getting much safer, politically stable and tourism is being supported from all directions by locals and officials as a good thing. So far I haven’t been kidnapped or seen any drugs or guerrillas, but I have tasted the most delicious Colombian coffee, danced to cumbia, enjoyed some of the friendliest and helpful locals, traveled without trouble by buses, and swam in some of the most scenic beaches imaginable. Its truly a beautiful, under-appreciated country by backpackers too cautious to make the trip, but not without reason – a friend of mine got robbed six times in Turbo, a Taiwanese tourist got robbed in Bogota and harassed by immigration officers for 6 hours for her passport stamp that she couldn’t produce, and one of the most protected parks on the Caribbean Coast (Parque Tayrona) is a main drug traffic center by park officials and the police protecting them.

walking through a beach trail at Parque Tayrona

About an hour or two north of Bogota are two of the more common touristy destinations. First is Zipaquira, a town with huge salt deposits that they mine for export. One of the exhausted mines was turned into a salt temple, with all the blown out canals dug out into hallways and rooms dedicated to the Catholic Church and Jesus’ Christ life, death and resurrection.

an Angel salt sculpture in Zipaquira

Even further north is the Caribbean coast of Colombia, also a tourist friendly place and home to Parque Tayrona. We are spending most of our time in Santa Marta and around, near beautiful beaches and hot, tropical sun, and love the cheap food, fried street treats and cold cervezas keeping us going. Prices are a bit strange here – using a toilet costs about as much as a delicious empanada, beer is cheaper than coca cola, and bus fare is always negotiable.

Villa de Leyva, a colonial city between Bogota and Santa Marta – one of the most beautiful and well-preserved in Latin America

My family’s main concern was why I was starting in Colombia to go to Central America since there is no passage by land between Colombia and Panama. Actually, there is a ‘road,’ its just extremely dangerous, difficult and lucrative so going by Sea seemed safer. I still haven’t quite figured it out but I’ll probably go by private sail boat – just gotta make friends with a sailor. As my dad politely put it, ‘dont trust those middle american people,’ but I haven’t met any Colombians with sail boats so hopefully the pirates of the Caribbean aren’t disguised as nice, Canadian couchsurfers since I’m now surfing with a Quebecois on his Chinese junk rig… and a trip to Panama looks promising.

Oh, and today’s my sisters 20th birthday – Happy Freaking Birthday, Ruth 🙂