Tuesday, February 18th, 2014

I had trouble last night getting pictures into my blog posting.  The system froze on me several times.  I had to do a hard close a couple of times with the result that yesterday’s posting says “draft” and I see that it isn’t available.  I’ll try to delete it and add it again without the pictures and maybe add them separately later.

Last night I went to bed at 10:15, fell asleep quickly but woke up at 2:45 and then had trouble getting back to sleep, finally waking/getting up about 6:45.

We had a nice breakfast at Likkes for about 8mil each consisting of beans with rice and bacon or ham, scrambled eggs with tomato and green pepper, a buttered arepa, coffee and large orange juice.  We were there from at least 8am to 8:30 but didn’t see the “perfect physical specimen” walk by.  :(

At Exito I introduced Jim to one of the guards that I knew as Juliana.  She wrote down her name as Sixta Julia Mora. 

I struggled having a conversation with her while Jim made a trip to the restroom.  She isn’t married, has a 27 year old son, lives far away in Roblado and works every day but Friday & Saturday.

About 9am we took a taxi down Avenida 80 to the Floresta metro station for 5mil.  We took the metro to San Antonio station, transferred to another metro line where we proceded north and got off at the Caribe station.  From there it was a short walk to the Terminal del Norte bus station.  At ticket counter 14 we bought tickets to Guatape for 12mil each.  The bus left 15 minutes later.  It was a nice greyhound type bus with comfortable seats.  We’re pretty sure they wait until they have sold all the seats for an individual bus and then it leaves.  On the way additional people would occasionally get on and off paying a reduced fair.  We arrived 1 hour and 50 minutes later.  

 We got off just below the “rock” – El Peñol.  It reminds me of Devil’s Tower in Wyoming except it doesn’t have the rock strewn field at the base. 

El Penol

We walked about a mile uphill to its base, paid 10mil each and proceeded to climb.  The stairs are cement somehow inserted into a slit in the side of the granite rock.  Maybe 30 minutes later, after many stops, we reached the summit – 740 steps total.  (I took pictures of the view at almost every stop.)  We collapsed into plastic chairs and Jim had one of several beers and I had a cold iced tea.  There are 3 separate stores selling drinks, snacks and ice cream but no real food.  We met a nice Colombian family from New Jersey.  The father and one of the daughters spoke English.  Of course there is also a gift shop.  The view from there is really outstanding.  The pictures won’t be able to do it justice.  After 30-45 minutes we headed down which of course was easier but still difficult on our wobbly legs.

View just starting out.

A much needed break at the top

What?  This isn't the top?  The top is up there?

This is the top!  The 740th step!

A View from THE Top!

At the bottom we ran into the same family and took some group pictures.  

For 10 mil we got a ride in a jeep to the town of Guatape.  The driver is one of the men who carried supplies up to the top of the rock.  He said it takes him 10 minutes each way.

The town is pretty impressive in itself with a number of activities visible: zip line, paddle boarding, jet skis, sailing, private boat excursions, etc.  We had lunch at La Fogata.

La Fogata - entrance

La Fogata - inside

I had the BBQ ribs (18mil) and 2 Cokes and Jim had the Robalo (fish) for 14mil.  Both dinners included a small salad, an arepa, and French fries.  While we were there the New Jersey family came in and sat at the next table.

We walked around the town square and the surrounding streets.   

Such colorful streets

 

The Church in the Town Square.

We stopped at a hotel with beautiful Junior Suites with beautiful views that only cost 70mil a night per person except in the high season which I understand to be weekends and 1 week around Christmas and Easter.  

We took the 4:45 bus back to Medellin – at one point a young man got off the bus and the driver was yelling at him for about 5 minutes because he apparently didn’t pay his fare.

Again in 1 hour and 50 minutes we were back at Terminal del Norte.  On the metro there was a young boy of about 8 carrying a Spanish/English dictionary and I tried to have a little conversation with him but he was too shy or scared to participate.  

For 5 mil we took a taxi from the Floresta station to Mall de Laureles.  Jim had a rum & Coke at one of the few stores there that sells alcohol.  (Of course I’ve never patronized their store.)  The owner has seen me playing chess there and promised to join me someday.  He also introduced us to a Colombian lady (not sure of the relation) who had just returned from Branson, Missouri – where I visited in 2008.  I had Chili at El Comedor de Chava and a strawberry juice for 13,500.

I think this entire trip would be nice to do again with a special lady – if I could only find her.  :-(