Filandia, Colombia

 

One of the best meals I have enjoyed in Colombia was in Filandia. It is a short 2 bus rides from Salento and worth the trip. I wish I had found this little gem of a town early in my trip. Filandia is adorable with a beautiful town square and brightly painted building with balconies. I loved Salento but knowing what I know now, I would have spent more time here.

My friends (Georgie and Mosan who were also my roommates) went with me for the day. We took the Pereira bound bus to the Punta de Salento, crossed the highway and waited for a Filandia bus. A half an hour later, we were in the tranquil village of Filandia. As we got off the bus we noticed a particular table at one of the restaurants. I stopped and smiled at the table and asked if I could take a photo. The men agreed and wanted me to join them. 

The three of these men had started the day off with beers! Twenty-one beers later and it was lunch time. Georgie and Mosan came back and laughed as the men tried to persuade us to join them for a drink. We all declined but thanked them for the invite. Maybe later. 

We started walking towards the mirador. As we looked out, a fierce thunderstorm rolled in. We stood under an overhang and talked to Eduardo (a man we had met in Salento) about the area. He told us to have fun and offered us a ride back to Salento. Fantastic! Eduardo told us to meet him in the square at 4:30pm if we wanted a ride. How nice of him! 

We decided to go to lunch at Helena Adentro. A friend had told us they had fantastic food- I was excited! We found the restaurant and were ecstatic with the menu. They had so many dishes we wanted to try and we only had this one meal. Everything is sold as tapas. We salivated at the menu. Fish tacos. Rabbit.  Yucca. Mmmm!  We finally chose 4 vegetarian tapas to share. 

We started with patacones (smashed plantains that were baked) and accompanied with a tomato chili sauce and sour cream. The best patacones I have eaten in Colombia! 

Next was eggplant with caramelized onions and goat cheese on baguettes. 

 

 We devoured these and ate up the yucca stuffed with cheese, roasted red peppers and sour cream. The final plate was a corn and bean salad. It was perfection! The owner/chef said I could return anytime for a cooking class. As we talked he told me he could really use a chemist on his coffee farm. Hmmmm...I am liking these opportunities. I told him I would have to think about it. I would like to live in Colombia. The people are so nice and happy. 

We walked around town and looked at the shops. Unfortunately, the grounds of the mirador were closed due to renovation. It came to a halt because indigenous remains were found in the land and the city had to figure out what to do next. As we walked, we passed drying laundry. I take a lot of pics of laundry drying around the world. This is one of my favorites.

We returned to the town square and were stopped by a tv crew. They wanted us to answer a few questions about travel I. Colombia. Why not? I made my television debut speaking in Spanish! I was asked what I liked about the region. I  responded the landscape is breathtaking, the architecture is beautiful but the people are my favorite. Everyone is nice , happy and welcoming. I laughed when Mosan told that he loved the old men drinking in the bars and playing tejo! Mosan and I felt confident that they would use Georgie's because she speaks Spanish better than the two of us! We were given the website to watch our video later that night. 

Afterwards, we sat down at a bar to wait for Eduardo. We saw him across the plaza talking with the tv crew. When he saw us he walked over and asked if we were the gringos that they interviewed. Yes! Then he wanted to know who said the liked the old men drinking in the bars! Ha, ha! Mosan would be in tv! He loved it and wanted to know if we were ready to go. The ride back was fast and Eduardo dropped us off at our corner. We all thanked him and walked back to our house. 

We tried to find our tv interviews/video but had no luck. We figured they had cut us out of the program, until we talked to my butcher friend! We were walking past his shop and he came over to shake our hands. We were famous! He had watched us in tv last night. He repeated what each of us had said! Wow! We had all talked favorably about this beautiful region.

Mosan and the local men discussing our tv interviews.

Filandia was a great day trip and would be someplace I could live. The town is quaint and beautiful and the people were wonderful. 

Santa Rosa De Cabal, Colombia

During my time in Salento, I decided to take a day trip to the hot thermals in a small town, Santa Rosa de Cabal. I was told it would be an easy day trip from Salento. So, some friends (Allison and Christopher) and I decided to pack our swimsuits and take the bus to Pereira and then another to Santa Rosa de Cabal. Bus travel is easy, the hard part is the time it takes. In Colombia, the bus driver stops for people along the side of the road. It's financially advantageous to the driver because he gets to pocket the money. There is no way to track this since there is no ticket. So, we got on the bus and slowly made our way to Pereira and caught the Santa Rosa bus with 3 minutes to spare. The bus driver dropped us off a couple blocks from the town square where we could take a taxi or another bus to the thermals. We chose the taxi since it was faster and cheap.

There are 2 thermals at Santa Rosa de Cabal. We chose to go to the Balneario thermals upon the recommendations of locals. This thermal is less expensive and more beautiful than the thermals at the hotel. They suggestion was fantastic! Look at the view.

When we arrived at the hot springs, I was happy we had made the trip. Yes, we left late (1pm) and knew the bus ride back to Salento would be tricky and require a few transfers since the last direct bus left Pereira at 4:20pm. We knew we would not make the last bus, no worries. Returning to Salento would require some transfers and standing on the side of the highway at night, but it was worth it! We walked up the hill, past small waterfalls and flower gardens. 

After changing into my swimsuit and checking my belongings, I walked out the waterfall.  I felt like I was in Hawaii. It was beautiful!

I stepped into the water at the bottom of the waterfall. WOW! That is cold! I turned to leave and bumped into a couple of Colombian men. They smiled and asked if I would like to join them in the thermals. I thanked them but told them I was here with friends and would see them around. I walked over to one of the three pools and stepped into the warm water. This was more like it. A nice 40C water. I waded over to Christopher and Allison and relaxed in the water. I needed this. The hills in Salento were hard on my bum. I was sore. And the warm mineral water felt like heaven.

As I have traveled, I have been to several spas and thermals. I missed soaking my tired body in warm water and this was heaven. Ahhhh! I switched between the warm thermals and the cold waterfalls. I was relaxed and happy. Christopher started talking about needing a massage and went to talk to the spa about an appointment. Meanwhile, Allison and I ran into my friends from the waterfall. They introduced themselves and told me that Jose was traveling with his father and he had grown up in New York City. He was a chef and he and his father had decided to move back to Colombia to open a restaurant. We all talked and laughed. Then the guys ordered a bottle of Auguadiente ( an anise-flavored liqueur derived from sugarcane). Allison and I both said no but eventually agreed to one shot. Whoa! It was strong and I did not want any more. Jose was headed to Salento in the next day or 2 and invited us to dinner at the finca they had rented. I had to turn them down because I was not comfortable going alone and Christopher and Allison were returning to Ecuador. We said our goodbyes and we went to get massages. The massage was great except for the loud music that was playing to cover up the noise from the tourists at the thermals. I felt like an old lady. I could not hear the masseuse. It took away from the relaxing environment but I was not going to complain - an hour massage for $24! I was going to miss this when I returned to the USA.

 

After our massages, we got dressed to catch the last bus to Santa Rosa de Cabal. It was 7 PM, much later than we had expected. We returned to town and walked to the bus stop for the Pereira bus. The one thing I have learned in traveling is always ask directions 3 times. It is common to get a variety of directions. In some countries, people will not tell you they do not know so, they just make up directions and you get lost. Others will tell you to go straight for a few blocks and then ask for directions. Sometimes all three people give the same directions. Tonight, we were lucky because everyone gave the same directions tonight.

 

As we walked, we came to a plaza with shops and a chiva restaurant. The chivas are colorful old buses that are used for local transportation. Some are also used in tourist areas for sightseeing but this is the first time I have seen a restaurant chiva.

Wouldn't that be fun! They had local musicians to play while you eat. We thought about eating here but wanted to get to Pereira before all the buses stopped for the evening. As we walked through the plaza, I started to laugh. I LOVED the centerpiece. Where but Central or South America do you see this?

Yes! A machete centerpiece!! Why not? Colombians love their machetes. You never know when yo have to chop down brush or kill a snake.

We continued down the road and were crossing the street when a Colombian guy asked where we were going. We told him we were trying to find the bus stop and he pointed to stay on the side of the road. He waved down the Pereira bus and we jumped on. As we thanked him he asked for a tip for his services. Ha! We thought he was just being nice and then realized was this his business. You have to love ingenuity! I have seen Colombians work to sell anything on the streets. They work hard and it really does make life easier.

We got on the bus and arrived in Pereira 45 minutes later. We walked to the windows for buses headed to Circasia and asked to purchase 3 tickets. No luck. The last bus had left 30 minutes ago. The woman told us we would have to take a taxi. Darn! Well it was that or a hotel room for the night. We decided to have a quick meal at the bus station and then get a taxi. Over dinner, Christopher explained that I need to label all photos with a simple and descriptive title. It became our game to see who could come up with the best title. Extra points for humor. Any guesses on what I titled this one?


Threesome

The taxi to Salento was long. It is a 50 minute bus ride but it took us 1 hour and 40 minutes by taxi!! And $60!! Alison speaks Spanish so Christopher and I let her sit in the front. First the driver told us that he needs to go get permission to take us to Salento. What?!?! Seems the Pereira taxi's are only allowed to go out of town 3 times a month. We had to go to an office and provide our passport numbers to get authorization. Afterwards, the taxi driver felt bad and drove us around Pereira to see the sights. We kept telling him we wanted to go straight to Salento but he kept driving around town showing us churches. Christopher and I were delirious by this point and could not stop laughing. I felt bad but....I was so tired. Allison was in the middle of a history of Pereira lesson and was ignoring us and our silly behavior. An hour later, we were on the highway to Salento. Once again, Christopher and I got to laughing when Allison would ask a question and the taxi driver would slow down to 25 mph to answer her question. Ahhh! This was taking us forever! We were excited when he finally pulled up in front of our house! It was 11:00 PM and we were exhausted and everyone went straight to bed. A fun day with plenty of adventure.

Back to Salento, Colombia

 

Home. Many describe home as they have a job or their family lives. Being a nomad for a year causes me to change the way I think about home. Everyone has to have their own home.  I defined home as where my backpack is resting. Home for the next month was Salento, Colombia. A small town with a population of 3000 in the Quindido region of Colombia. I was excited to stay in one place for a month and be a local. I wanted to make new friends and experience the town as a local.  This was a side of travel I had not experienced since my time in Laos. So, I rented a place in Salento for $250/month and settled down.

I was excited to return to Salento and make a life for a month, just living. I realized I was tired and ready to read, write and improve my Spanish. I arrived in Salento at 5:00 PM and luckily no rain. As I walked to my house I saw the key in the door and Carla (my landlady's dog) waiting on the step to welcome me.

I opened the door and put down my bags. Ahhhh! Home. I unpacked and made myself at home in my little cabin. Luz Elena and Adrianna were not home so I locked up and walked to town to get some groceries and then returned home to cook a warm dinner, I ate by candlelight and salsa music. I enjoyed the serenity.

The next morning I sat at my table writing and looking out at the lush mountain view. I was at peace and happy.

I had a month to enjoy this time and contemplate when to return home, make travel plans and think about my future. I was going to need some time to come to terms with returning to the "real world." Where had the past year gone? I loved every moment of my travels and do not want to end this amazing adventure. But it is time. My budget is almost spent.
 

I was sitting at the table, looking out when Adrianna came over to ask me how I slept and what my plans were for the day. I did not have any plans. I told her I was going to enjoy the tranquility of the area. She smiled and her mother came to visit with fresh bananas. I loved them immediately, it was the Colombian hospitality and warmth that I had experienced multiple times. There home was surrounded by beautiful orchids. I watched as they worked in the gardens, laughing and dancing to the music. They were happy and enjoying a beautiful day in Salento.

Luz Elena and Adriana- my landlords in their beautiful garden

In the afternoon, I walked to town to find wifi service. I did not have internet access at my house which made it difficult to do research for travel and work on my blog. The wifi service in Salento is limited. I tried a few places around town and knew the best service was at Brunch but, I needed a cup of coffee. I went to my favorite place, Jesus Martin Cafe. They have the most delicious coffee in town but no wifi. The café is comfortable and plays relaxing music. The owners told me they would have wifi in a few weeks, I had high hopes it would arrive before I left. No luck.  Jesus Martin was a place to watch the locals and Colombian tourists.

I bought a bag of coffee to make at home but I could not replicate the adorable designs made by my favorite barista. Seriously, a bear!

 

Salento is alluring with the town square and  beautifully colored buildings. The town is quiet during the week but comes to life on the weekends when the chiva tours arrive from Armenia and the weekend Colombians arrive from the cities to enjoy the beauty of the countryside.  

One of the most relaxing and entertaining activities is having an evening beer in the park. Colombia allows you to drink alcohol on the streets and parks and it is an activity that I enjoyed. I learned to go to the local supermarket (Super Cocoroa) and buy a beer and sit anywhere in the park. The locals love to stop and chat with tourists and asked my opinion of the country and cities. They all laughed when I told them I was a paisa (local born in Medellin). It was obvious I was full of it but they appreciated that I was willing to try to pull their leg. Paisas are notorious for stretching the truth and telling a lie. Several would go buy a drink and join me. It was a great meeting spot for other tourists. Army or police officers would stop and talk to me. I was becoming a local and enjoyed it more when other tourists would join on the fun. This was our meeting spot in the evenings or on sunny afternoons. I always found friends at the plaza.

Christopher and Allison enjoying a Poker in the Plaza. 

The town of Salento is aimed toward tourists with numerous souvenirs. The main shopping street is quaint with bright colors and store owners inviting you in to shop in their stores.

Shopping on Camino Real- ponchos and trout diners

When I arrived in Salento, I fell for the street dogs. One of the most difficult thing to see as I have traveled is poverty with begging children and street dogs. There are no begging children in Salento but there are plenty of street dogs. I met Pollita (little chicken) on my first day here. She was very skinny and was recovering from an operation (spay). I asked the locals about her and learned that a German woman had taken care of her, found her a home and had her spayed. Unfortunately, the home did not last when the German woman left town and Pollita was put back on the streets. I started buying dog food to feed the homeless dogs each day. I also always asked for the remainder of my meal for the dogs. Why not?

Pollita (left) and another dog enjoying some food.

My other favorite street dog was Lucas. He was the king of the town until a German Shepherd kicked his bum a few weeks ago. He was owned by an Alaskan that lived in Salento for 6 years. When his owner died, he was put on the street. He is a big old sweetheart and I fed him each day. He got to the point where he met me on the corner a block from my house and would walk with me to town because he knew I would give him my leftovers. He is a smart dog.

Lucas, such a big sweetheart

I was sitting in a café enjoying some music and a friend leaned over and told me that a guy was putting Pollita in a bag. What?!?!? Nobody treats Pollita badly when I am around. I went out to see what was going on. The guy explained that he had fallen in love with her sweet personality and was adopting her and taking her to live in Filandia. He had named her Xena and even bought her a collar with her name on it. I was elated!! My sweet little girl had found a home! I felt like it was a huge success! One dog was off the streets and had a home.

Pollita ready for a motorcycle trip to her new home.

Living in the small town meant I met several of the locals. Each day I passed Olivia's house and waved to her and her neighbor. As time passed, they came out to talk to me and invited for coffee and to practice my Spanish. We discussed families, food and places to visit in Colombia. Olivia was always so nice and wanted to make certain I had a plan for each day. As I got to know her better, I made certain I saved beef bones for her dog Guapo. I appreciated the kindness of the locals and their patience with my Spanish. I will miss these beautiful friends and their dogs.

Olivia and Guapo



And how can I forget Maria and her dogs. I met Maria on my way home one day. She had fresh bread she sold to the market. She invited me to visit her home and have coffee. We became friends quickly and she helped me with my Spanish. I loved her happy outgoing nature and laughter.



Maria, Pauly and Salvador

Colombians have a passion for music and time spent with family and friends. Throughout Salento, it was common to find locals playing music in cafes and bars.

Walking home one night, friends and I met Jihro and his musician friends. They invited us to come and listen to them play. It was a fantastic night of music, laughter and friendship. Being in Colombia, the dancing eventually started. I wish I had Colombian rhythm and hips that could move like theirs. They told me everyone can dance but I really do not have the moves...and I admit it!

The following weekend was Carnival. Jihro had organized local musicians to play and have a parade on the Camino Real. The costumes were fantastic and I saw all of my musician friends. We laughed and danced and shared a few beers to celebrate.



Carnival fun with Jefferson

Salento is surrounded by beautiful landscape and amazing hiking opportunities. As I walked the hills, I realized why the Colombian women have sexy legs and tight bums...it is the hills! I walked a few hills every day to try to get that sexy look but it did not work. I spent my time exploring the surrounding area. One of my favorite hikes was the Santa Rita Cascada (waterfall).  I went with my friends Christopher and Allison. I had met them in Medellin and told them I had a 2nd bedroom and offered to let them stay with me for a week. I was thrilled when they arrived in Salento and moved in with me. So, I was excited to have them hike to the Santa Rita Cascada with me. We took the bus to Boquia and walked through fields, along the river and to the Santa Rita farm where we paid $1 to continue to the waterfall. We followed the trail through an old train tunnel.

The area is lush and green from the daily rainstorms. Absolutely beautiful. I felt like Indiana Jones as I kept and eye out for snakes. Luckily, I did not see any. We crossed tree trunk and plank bridges (not my favorite) before we finally arrived at the waterfall.

We all decided to take a dip. I stepped into the water and my ankles went numb. Brrr! It was freezing. Christopher and I went waist deep but Allison was the brave polar bear and went for a plunge. Then the rain started. We were wet and cold as we walked back to town. It was a great day and a beautiful hike.

 

When in Salento, you have to play tejo. During my month stay, I played 3 times. Honestly, I stink at it but it was enjoyable each time. I admit, I like the explosions when the gunpowder explodes. When I realized my friends Georgie and Mosan (UK) had not played I insisted we went for a night. We were explained the points system and Victor demonstrated his talent from 20 meters. Then we took our turns. Yes, I hit the wall and the floor before finally hitting the clay. Mosan and Georgie had it down in no time. And who can come to Los Amigos without noticing the animal parts hanging at the bar? Is that...? Yes it is! I need a photo!

Wow! Those are some big.......!

Another fun night at tejo. Old Juan invited us to return for the tejo tournament. We added it to our calendar and came back towards the end for the celebration. As we entered Los Amigos Bar, we realized the party was over.

Half the bar was passed out. I found a table and sat down with the guys. Shhh! Maybe I could barrow the bottle of rum?  Ha, ha! We found our friend Old Juan and he had enough to drink also. Georgie and I helped him across the bar to a chair.  

 

Most of my time in Salento was spent enjoying life and getting to know the locals. I walked town in the mornings talking to the locals and taking photos. The town is a farm area and many of the farmers come into Salento for a night of French billiards and beer. They dress in gum boots, hat, a folded poncho over the shoulder and a hat. A few of them accessorize with a whip or a machete. I loved the cute old farmer look. This was one of the men that always waved to me. He stopped to pose for a photo, waved and blew me a kiss before continuing down the street.

Living in my neighborhood were several children that welcomed me immediately. They stared the first day I arrived, I would too if I saw a crazy blonde girl with a huge red bag. Valentina was shy but always waved from her doorway. Is she stylish or what? So cute with her little blue boots and hands on her hips. I printed a photo for her and gave it to her grandfather. He got tears in his eyes when I told him it was for him. He did not have a recent photo of her.

Beautiful Valentina

A brother and sister lived across the road from my home. They always laughed when the saw me. Eventually, they would talk to me or bring their kitten to play with me. One day I made mud pies with them and Valentina. It was fun but made me miss my nieces and nephews. Kids really do make life fun!

Neighbor kids 

My final week I had to go around and say goodbye to my new friends. It was sad to be ending a month in Salento but I had a few other places to explore. I went to Bar Danube with Mosan and Georgie to meet our friend Juan Carlos. I was happy to see my favorite bartender. Check out his mustache, this is the mustachioed Colombian I had seen in pictures. He tried to get me to buy a bottle of Aguadiente. A bottle!?!?! No! I can't tolerate a shot of that firewater. I think we disappointed him when we all ordered beers.

Bar Danube is where all the farmers went to play billiards. We sat waiting for Juan Carlos to arrive. Colombians have their own time...usually 45-60 minutes later than agreed upon time. We sat watching the men play billiards and quickly realized this guy is the best in town.  

I decided that his undershirt on the outside must be his lucky shirt - not sure why it was on the outside but it was a good look with the gum boots. Eventually, Juan Carlos arrived to tell us his stories. This guy was the funniest person I had met in Salento. It may be due to the fact that he had great drinking stories. I really found the humor when he tried to work at Brunch but got busy watching a movie with me and forgot to work. Might have been due to the fact that he went to a grocery store to buy a liter of beer (because it was cheaper than the restaurant) and filled up a glass for me.  I never saw him do any work, he just watched movies. Eventually, the owner explained it was not going to work and he needed to find a job somewhere else in town. Juan Carlos was always good for a story. Sometimes it was how he lost his shoe, his 60 & 70 year old roommates, girlfriends or town gossip. He was a lovable goof that always had plans for a night of fun.

 

Another character that I met in town was the local butcher. He walked around town with me the first week asking questions about my life and where I had traveled. We bonded when I came around a corner and he was dancing on the curb. I stopped and watched for a few minutes before he noticed. If he saw me with my camera he would ask if I would leave it so he would never forget me. Everything was a joke and we spent many hours laughing and joking outside his shop. On my final week, I said goodbye as I sat with him and his brother on the bench.  

The last person I needed to say my goodbyes to was Maria. We had spent so many moments talking in town or over coffee. I had bonded with her over her homemade baguettes that she baked and took to the market each day. When she told me where to buy the best cheese, it became a lasting friendship. I made numerous sandwiches with her fresh bread, sliced tomato, double cream cheese, fresh fruit and wine. Simple and delicious! 

Maria's homemade bread

Mosan, Georgie and I scheduled a going away lunch with Maria. Since she had hosted me to several cups of coffee, we offered to make a goodbye lunch and bring it to her house. We brought wine, roasted vegetables, a beet and tomato salad, cheese, bread and fresh fruit.  

We sat on her porch enjoying food and friendship. We had all loved our time in Salento and this was the perfect goodbye with Maria. She told us stories of her time in Spain and Colombia. She gave us a tour of her garden and the apartment she was renovating for tourists. As we said our goodbyes, she told me I am welcome to visit and stay with her anytime. This felt like saying goodbye to family. In the short month in Salento, all of these people became a part of my daily life. They looked after me, laughed with me and shared their village and lives with me. I was leaving Salento happy for the time I had spent and sad to be leaving.

 

Salento is similar to my hometown. It is a farming community. The men meet at the coffee shops to gossip and discuss life and work. The people are warm and inviting. Salento will always feel like home. I left a piece of my heart there and I will return one day. I packed my bags on March 24 and headed to Pereira.

Goodbye Salento!