San Agustin, Colombia
Monday, November 16, 2015
We travelled on the bus with Shenya all the way to the little mountain town of Pitalito where everybody else on the bus got off. Then we were asked to get off too.
We were sure we had paid to go all the way to San Agustin and worried that now we would have to get another bus and pay again for the rest of the journey.
Bus as always in this country, our fears were unfounded and the bus driver took our bags and carried them to a waiting car which was standing by to take us the rest of the way.
We love Colombia!
They could so easily have convinced us we had to get another ticket but again they have proved what honest people they are here.
our first room
The car dropped us in the centre of San Agustin where we parted company from Sheyna and we set off to find somewhere to stay. We hadn't booked anywhere again but as always, had somewhere in mind that we had seen on the internet. Now we just had to find it.
Well we found it ok (why is everything always up a hill???) but it turned out to be no more than a converted store room or shop or something like that. It was actually made really nice but the large metal door opened up straight onto the main road with a large air gap at the top with just bars in. All the noise from the street came straight through the gap and it seemed the man that lived opposite, loved nothing better than to have a few beers and sing at the top of his voice all night long. Coupled with the noise and fumes from the motorbikes that wanted to roar up and down the street all night long, it wasn't rocket science that we would be looking for a new room the next day.
Again the internet was really helpful (yes our store-room/shop conversion had internet too) and we decided that for a couple of nights' peace and quiet we were going to have to go out of town and pay a little bit more. We decided on Casa Pampa.
Casa Pampa
A taxi took us there - it was only about 1 1/2 miles up the road but the roads are really bad here - and steep. That's 1 1/2 miles to the turning then there is a steep 1 mile downhill track that our cases would never roll along as it was all mud and stones.
When we pulled up there was no one there - all locked up tight but we loved the location. It was set in a valley surrounded by mountains and trees; beautiful. The taxi driver waited with us whilst a neighbour (the only neighbour) phoned the owner and she indicated to us he was on his way.
Yabelfi arrived on his motorbike and proceeded to show us around his beautiful property. His English was about as good as our Spanish but between us we all managed to communicate. He told us he had built this place himself and lived here with his family.
We settled on the beautiful room right at the top of the house which also came with a lower room and a shower room. We had a balcony with views and a stunning view from the room at the top. We decided this was going to be so quiet as apart from the neighbour and her chickens, there was nothing else for miles around. We were sold!
That afternoon, Yabelfi arranged for some horses to be brought down and he was going to take us on a ride. They soon arrived, Francesca for Bryan and Paloma for Jody. This was the first time we had been riding since we both took a tumble in Mongolia 4 years ago and we were determined to stay in the saddle this time.
we stayed on this time
We needn't have worried though. Paloma and Francesca were lovely calm horses and very keen to move which was great.
The scenery we rode through was - yes here that word again - stunning. We were high enough in the montains that occasionally the clouds were beneath us or just across the valley from us and the flowers here were incredible.
Yabelfi taught us some more Spanish and we taught him some English. It has really helped us with our Spanish by not having and English speaking guide so we decided we would stop using English guides from now on.
Francesca and Paloma clearly knew the trek well and we could always tell when we were coming up to another steep hill. They got really twitchy and were wanting to go much faster. Even before we saw the hill we knew it was coming and we were happy to oblige them and let them canter up the hills.
another old stone
The tour took a good 4 hours all together. We went from sacred place to sacred place to view the large stone heads which had been left behind by an ancient culture. No one seems to know who left them and why but they were very photogenic.
As it was a well trodden path to see these heads we kept bumping into the same people, especially a French girl and her Colombian boyfriend who were also riding the trail. We also stopped for coffee at a Finca along the way to wait out some rain, and visited some tombs. They were very interesting and the French girl was able to tell us a bit about them as she also spoke Spanish and English. These stones were symbolising the sacrifice of your children to the gods,.....she told us.
Then just as we were walking back to the horses and preparing to leave, guess who we bumped into again? Yes Shenya. He was staying just up the road from us in, of all places, a Japanese hostel. He was saying how good it was to speak his own language again after 7 months.
Bryan with Sheyna
We we spent a few minutes chatting to him then made our way back to the horses. Yabelfi was saying isn't it fantastic that people from all around the world are together here, that we have all met in this place. And we have to agree with him. It's one of the things we love about travelling too.
It rained on and off the whole time we were riding. But it was actually really quite nice. It wasn't the cold rain of England but more of a refreshing downpour which would last 5-10 minutes then stop. We had our waterproof coats on, and our hats we bought in the USA so we didn't get very wet anyway. All along the way Yabelfi was pointing out the names of trees and flowers in Spanish for us to learn. And of course the name for rain - lluvia.
The ride was wonderful and at just £8 each for 4 hours it was brilliant value too. It was great to get back to our room though and have a hot shower and massage our aching bottoms! Well at least we weren't damaged from falling off this time.
Yabelfi pointed out a great spot to sit and watch the beautiful birds that visit his land, then he took Jody for a short walk across his field to point out some orchids growing in the trees. He took obvious pride in his land and later told us he was an orchid farmer. Wow - no one ever told us jobs like that existed when we had our careers lessons at school. An orchid Farmer. What a lovely thing to do. An not in greenhouses either, all out on the land.
orchids in the garden
Yabelfi also had bananas growing on his land and made it clear we must just help ourselves to the bananas on the bunch he had hanging in the hallway. They taste nothing like the pale pasty ones you get in Tesco that's for sure and we were happy to oblige.
Just up the road is an Italian restaurant. We had tried to find it when we were in the town the day before as it was rated number 1 in the area on Trip Advisor. When we were heading home on the horses, Yabelfi had stopped to chat to a man who turned out to be the chef/owner and we booked a table for tonight there and then from horseback.
So dinner this evening was wonderful. The chef was from Verona and we had proper food for the first time in ages. Italian food that tastes like Italian food. Wonderful!
Later during the meal, a Colombian band started playing which was lovely and then it was time for us to leave. But the chef came out and begged us to stay just a bit longer and he left us at the table wondering why.
All was revealed when he took up the mike himself and gave a rousing performance of La Bamba and a few other songs all rolled into one. It was a brilliant ending to a brilliant day. Just the 1 mile walk home in the dark now and that incredibly steep hill down to Casa Pampa. It wasn't very late - maybe 9:45 when we got back but we felt terribly guilty. Yabelfi had waited up for us with the lights on. Oh no - we did feel bad.
the staircase
So what of our wonderful peaceful nights' sleep we were hoping for?
No chance!
Remember those chickens of the neighbours? Well, where there are chickens, there is a cockerel, and it was roosting right outside our window. Away in the distance another cockerel was crowing and the bloody thing outside our window was answering back every time. Will we ever get some decent sleep???
Breakfast was good at Casa Pampa. Sitting with Yabelfi and his wife Diana who is a nurse, and their grumpy son Juan, we had fresh fruit and granola or eggs and bread all cooked by their Nanny, Nathalie.
The main reason for our trip to this town is to see the Archeological Park to the north of the town which is a site of National importance and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. So a taxi into town first, to try and organise a tour. We had kept seeing this chap on a motorbike where ever we went in the town and he was always helping us out; where can we find an internet cafe? where can we get vegetarian food? we need a taxi. He was brilliant; Carlos he was called and we had his card so we called him.
Unfortunately Carlos couldn't do a tour today and neither could his friend so we resorted to getting there ourselves which wasn't difficult as it is less than 5 miles out of town.
.
The Park is where most of the heads that have been found have been sited, and some have been recovered from places all around the world including Belgium, Paris and Italy. Without knowing where they came from originally to be put back there, they have been placed here in the museum instead.
Some though, are still where they were put hundreds of years ago, guarding tombs or gravesites and they are still here.
The park is really nicely laid out and just a short walk took us from one tomb site to the next. Again as the culture has been lost along with the stories of the tombs and the heads, little is known about the people who lived and died here which is a shame but it was interesting to see it all the same. We had a great afternoon wandering around the park and buying a couple of souvenirs from the market stands outside.
Dinner was again at the Italian as you really can't underestimate the value of tasty food out here. Then it was another walk back down the dark road and track to Casa Pampa. We were not late in tonight so no need to feel guilty; a French couple had arrived today and they were still out!
The cockerel was at it again the second night but we didn't seem to hear it quite as much which we were grateful for and at last we got a reasonable nights' sleep.
Bryan with Yabelfi
As always, now our mission in this location had been accomplished, it was time to move on. We said our cheerios to Yabelfi and his family, and loaded with bananas he drove us into town to meet our bus for the next destination...Popayan.
We have loved San Agustin. Everyone here has been so lovely and staying with Yabelfi and his family felt like we were staying with friends.
Maybe one day we shall be back. Who knows...!
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