Cuenca
From the Tatacoa Desert, I took a bus back to Bogota and flew out the next day to Cuenca, Ecuador. Cuenca is the third largest city in Ecuador, and one that I chose to make my base for exploring the country (passing over the larger Quito and Guayaquil after hearing some not so enticing stories about them). Cuenca is located in the highlands of Ecuador, at 8400 feet above sea level, which I figured would be a good acclimate before moving on to the yet higher altitude stops i
Tatacoa Desert
Technically, Tatacoa Desert is a tropical dry forest. But for my money it's a desert. Jazmin and I joined up again here to camp out in the desert for a few nights. During the day you can explore the interesting rock formations, and at night you can visit the observatory and attend a show where you get a lesson in astronomy as you gaze up at the stars. All in all it went well...well, aside from the part where I got food poisoning the first night...and the tour guide who ab
Salento and the Valley of Cocora
From Manizales, I took a bus to nearby Salento, a small colorful tourist town whose primary function is to serve as a launching point for those looking to do the Valley of Cocora hike. You can play the uniquely Colombian sport of Tejo here. It involves throwing metal disks at a board filled with clay and lined with a circle of explosives. Your goal to set off the explosives. It's often played in a casual manner, beer in hand. Think bowling, Colombia style. The "Willys", the
Manizales and Santa Isabel Volcano
From Santa Marta I flew to coffee country, starting off with the small city of Manizales. Manizales is an odd city just by its shear topography. It's built precariously along a mountain ridgeline, with the main street running along the ridge and the rest of the city receding down the sides, which makes for great views and strong calves. While in Manizales, I hiked up Santa Isabel Volcano, which gets up to 15,000 ft and features a glacier at the top. This environment is ano
Santa Marta and the Lost City Trek
From Bogota, it's about 4 hours in a cramped van to Santa Marta, another coastal Colombian city. Santa Marta isn't nearly as pretty as Cartagena, but it is still well traveled by tourists as a popular launching point for bigger and better things. In my case, it would be a four day trek to the remote jungle ruins of the Lost City, something akin to the Colombian equivalent of Machu Picchu. Here are some pics from Santa Marta. Shout out to the sweet old lady who rents out
Cartagena
Cartagena is one of those places that can morph into what you need it to be. Having served as a main port for shipping Spanish loot back to the Spain, the city has a long and colorful (especially red) history, much of which is still on display in the form of castles, cannons, and well-preserved colonial architecture. For those who just want a beach resort experience, there are plenty of high end resorts to choose from. And for those who are looking for seedier pursuits, we
