Our stay in Bogota this time is brief and today Christi and I are off to Armenia in the Zona Cafetera. The Zona Cafetrea is the major coffee growing region in Colombia. It's one of those destinations which take an hour to reach by plane and 16 tortuous hours by bus. The reason being the Zona Cafetera is on the eastern side of the Andes (while Bogota is located on the western slopes). Indeed at … [Read more...]
Valle de Cocora, Colombia, Day 166
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One of the things to do in Colombia is to hike Valle de Cocora. This valley, located in the department of Quindio in the Central Cordillera of the Andes Mountains, is home to the rare Quindio wax palm, which is the national tree of Colombia. These lanky, spindly trees are actually the tallest palm trees in the world, reaching heights of 60 meters. Much like the Coastal Redwoods of North … [Read more...]
Cafe la Morelia, Zona Cafetera, Day 167
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Cafe la Morelia is an authentic, traditional plantation some 30 minutes ( by rented car - ching!) from the Hacienda Bambusa. Have you ever noticed at fancy restaurants and fancy hotels that nothing is ever free? Everything is available but always in addition to the already huge sums of money being paid to eat / stay there. I am a conflicted backpacker - or maybe I'm just cheap! Our … [Read more...]
Armenia to Medellin, Day 168
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Christi and I say goodbye to the Hacienda Bambusa today and rejoin the backpacker world for the 7-hour semi-cama bus ride aboard the Flota Occidental service to Medellin. Of all the drug-related stories in Colombia, those involving the Medellin Cartel are perhaps the most savage and infamous and I travel with a feeling of apprehension... As the crow flies it's only about 125 miles from Armenia to … [Read more...]
Festival of Lights, Medellin, Day 169
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The best time to see the Festival of Lights is, of course, at night, which gives Christi and I the whole day to explore Medellin. We decide to explore on foot, although whether this is a good idea is debatable. Indeed, few pedestrians are out and about (plenty of traffic, though) as we walk along calle 10 and the Milla de Oro (the Golden Mile - carrera 43a), which is the Rodeo Drive of Medellin. … [Read more...]
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