chasingsummerp.020

Chasing Summer p.020

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Dec 16th - San Gil to Taganga (close to Santa Marta)

Interactive map: http://www.gpsxchange.com/phpBB2/download2.php?id=1532

A long riding day awaits me today. A bit more than 600 km may not seem like much but here it's another story. A bus makes it in about 12 hours so I'm hoping for close to 8 hours of riding.

The road is beautiful, with at the beginning the sweet smell of the sugar cane freshly cut, transported by groups of donkeys on the road.

The roads climbs and climbs but if twisties are normally fun, the impressive number of trucks makes it quite a challenge.

Once again I'm so happy to be with a 950 with powerful engine and brakes! When fully loaded, passing all those trucks in twisties can be quite stressful in a smaller/lower bike. I didn't stop much on the way so I have only very few pictures:

After 200 kms like that I was seriously doubting that I would ever make it to Santa Marta on time! But the road became progressively straighter and the pace faster. I could still see many cops and military checkpoints along the road, but for once I was quite happy to see all those uniforms around

. I was never stopped so it was just creating a feeling of safety. The cops use bikes quite a lot, mostly a Susuki 650 Freewind...

It was still daylight when I arrived in Santa Marta. People recommended to stay instead in the small fishermen village of Taganga, just a few kms further along the coast. Arriving at this viewpoint I could understand why!

I stop at the Casa Felipe, on the hill that was also recommended. The owner is a very nice Frenchman and his hostal is very agreable despite being full. I go for a grilled fish on one of the many very small 'restaurants' right on the beach / harbor

I like the appropriate name of this one

Life is good here...

Dec 17th - Taganga

The temperature is warmer, the people are more influenced by Africans roots: The cost makes me discover a 3rd Colombia. I realize also that it's the first time since the beginning of the trip that I will touch the Atlantic ocean...

The Tayrona National Park close by is quite famous, mostly for including the Lost City (or Ciudad Perdida): an archaeological site of an ancient city believed to have been founded about 800 A.D., some 650 years earlier than Machu Picchu. Unfortunately it takes 6 days round-trip of trekking to visit which I can't afford.

But the Park also hosts some beautiful beaches and forests. It takes about 2 hours of hiking to reach El Cabo, the furthest beach site. Some people ride on mules instead:

The trail is muddy and rutted because of the mules and donkeys that also carry everything needed for the restaurants and sites further.

It's the first time that I see time elapsed indicated that way on a trail but it's a smart way for everyone to estimate with his own pace.

The first beach is Arrecifes...

It looks pretty good but looking is all you can do: 200 people have already drowned on this beach

so it's better to move on.

A strange big duck (?) on the way...

The trail along the beach is pretty hard sometimes (especially for those carrying a back bag) with big boulders to climb.

After 1.5 hours of hiking, a good fresh OJ is more than welcomed!

The final beach, where it's possible to camp.

In fact that represents a bit of an issue for me: It's the Xmas holliday here in Colombia and there is actually a good number of people staying here. So the beach that I imagined 'desert' is far from empty.

Not too bad though...

Still, I want my dream beach with no one on it

. So I continue on a very small trail to finally arrive to the real paradise:

And there is even a 2nd beach (bigger) after this first rock formation. But I've been teasing you enough with those pics of warm weather and water. So back to Taganga...

Jean-Philippe, the owner takes me for dinner at Santa Marta to have the best 'Cazuelas de Mariscos' he knows. It's a sort of seafood soup but this one is really fantastic, creamy (coconut milk?), spicy and with the freshest seafood.

'Felipe' fell in love for Colombia on a trip like this one when he was 23 years. He bought a small piece of land for virtually nothing and returned to France to work like crazy to save money. He then returned in Taganga to build a small house, then an annex etc. His love for Colombia is still as strong today as it was before.

Dec 18th - Taganga to Cartagena

Interactive map: http://www.gpsxchange.com/phpBB2/download2.php?id=1530

Quite excited this morning to head towards a town of legend, just as much as the original one on the Mediterranean sea was. First, a last breackfast on Taganga's beach:

To find my way without GPS since Bogota I have to ask for directions way more often. It cracks me up that half of the time they make a big sign with their arm and say ''Straight away, straight, straight...''. Of course it's often impossible to go straight and I have to ask again. Or they tell you ''First street on the left'' which is one way only

The road to Cartagena offers nothing special except:

- the total craziness of traffic's behavior around Barranquilla

- the huge areas of cactus entirely covered by flowers!

Cartagena's main attraction is the historic part of the town. 2 neighborhoods are in the more fancy inner walled town: El Centro and San Diego. The Hostal I'll stay in is in the 3rd old neighborhood (but part of the outer walled town), much poorer and called Getsemani. I quite like it, actually...

I then head towards the inner walled town in which I enter through those doors

Wow! Cartagena deserves its reputation! Despite numerous pirates' attacks they are still buildings remaining from the 16th century, of course with a spanish colonial style.

Many balconies and in reality very few cars...

What I really like too is that the streets are full of life!

At the end of the afternoon I see this old barber shop and go for a haircut. I end up having him shaving my beard too. Always an experience to have those old razors on your throat

A drink on one of the many plazas to end a great day!

Dec 19th - Cartagena

That morning I was thinking again on how different from my expectation my Colombian experience is: I knew it was beautiful, but I thought that I could only enjoy its beauty through a filter of 'caution' and tension. It's been the exact opposite! I've been feeling really good indeed since my arrival in this country.

Most people here are warm, respectful and seem smart too. Maybe it's because they haven't been 'perverted' by tourism yet but their interest and curiosity for the travellers is genuine and not based on interest/money.

Back to Cartagena... I start the day by walking the opposite side from the old town. It stays colonial for a bit...

And then it's a real contrast between the old fortifications and the tall modern buildings.

Contrast also with some very poor places...

I stop to visit the Castillo de San Felipe, the largest of a series of fortresses built to protect the city from pirates. It seems very ingeniously built and indeed it was never conquered despite many attempts. (this is only the top)

It also has a tunnel system meant to facilitate supply and evacuation of the fortress. It was designed in order to hear any enemy going in from any other place in the tunnels. They also made them with low ceilings to force the English/Dutch (being taller) to walk the head down.

The fortress also offers great view of the city

I then walk towards this 'L' shaped peninsula where the beaches (and tall buildings) are...

The most famous beach is Boca Grande, but personally I don't like those 'city beaches' lined with tall buildings everywhere. Let's walk back towards the old town...

Even if it's the only place really touristy that I've seen in Colombia, it's still beautiful and very agreeable to visit.

Typical balconies seen from the walls surrounding the city

As often in Spanish architecture, the best part is often inside the courtyard of buildings

Street vendor seems to be an exhausting job...

Jeez, I'm exhausted to for walking so many hours between the parc Tayrona and Cartagena. My bad knee calls for a rest...

On the evening it's time to go out again, and right on our street people are watching a football/soccer that seems quite important. According to the party that lasted very late on the evening, their team must have won!

Colombia is big on lights decoration for the Holidays...

It's pretty nice to have dinner (but I didn't) on the pedestrian place, right by the cathedral...

Dec 20th - Cartagena to Medellin

Interactive map: http://www.gpsxchange.com/phpBB2/download2.php?id=1529

Leaving Cartagena this morning illustrates what has been often frustrating in this trip: when I end up in a place I really like or when I meet great people it's always hard to leave.

But Summer is starting tomorrow in Ushuaia and I've still a continent ahead of me! Plus I also really like this nomadic life where everyday brings you new things and places to discover.

Long day of riding today with the goal being Medellin for the night. After a couple hours of riding I pull over on a gas station on my right and that's where I have my first accident

.

I'm kind of kidding since it was nothing bad but I had indeed another motorcycle (2 up) who entered the gas station from another angle and that couldn't stop when the rider saw me! I don't know if he had no brakes or if he was just stupid but despite the very low speed of both vehicles he bumped me just hard enough for my bike to tip over on its side.

I was so pissed off that I didn't even said a word and went to take gas like if nothing had happened... Another bike seen at the gas station. I hope that they have good brakes.

Other 'forced' stops: police/military check points. They're always nice and polite so it's not a problem at all. When I showed this guy the papers of the bike/customs he was "It's in English, I can't read that!" and he gave them back to me. Another time a guy asked me for my proof of insurance. I told him that I didn't need one (I've no idea) and that was fine for him. They're usually more interested in the bike than in anything else.

That's the problem when posting too long after the facts: I've no idea where this is...

But their cemetery was quite modest...

The scenery started to improve with the elevation. I admit that besides the road from Bogota to Bucaramanga the other roads in Colombia were pretty flat and unattractive. That was going to change rapidly

.

Unfortunately the road also became probably the most dangerous in my trip so far: in addition to oncoming trucks on your lane I entered the clouds layer at around 1500 m of elevation. The combination of both required maximum attention

. This pic doesn't show much besides that it was indeed foggy and that the houses around there were really miserable. This one is not too bad but some were minuscule, with some black tarp (similar to garbage bags) to keep the roof waterproof.

. I could only laugh !

Still on this road, I'm passing one of those big trucks when he suddenly decides to pass too! I was almost at the cabin level at the time and I could see that the #%&@ was on his cell phone

. In cases like that the horn is your best friend!

I must say that the drivers are really good at letting space for the passing vehicles and things work pretty good.

The road is amazing, often on top of the crest, sometimes just as large as the crest itself, with steep slopes on each side. One of the villages on the way:

The road is becoming even more twisty, to the point that the big trucks cannot physically turn without getting partially on the opposite lane. It becomes cold too but with still some nice views:

I arrive in Medellin quite tired by the concentration and focus that was necessary in the last hundreds kms. But the hostal is good and I meet there another rider: Martins from Riga (Latvia). He's currently expecting his friend and their bikes that flew with Copa airlines. A bit cheaper ($480) but seems not as reliable as Girag for delivery on time. Too bad for Martins since their schedule is extremely tight, going around the world in only 6 months! They're of course seeing only part of the crossed continents but with their KTM 990 they're doing it 'right' by choosing mostly small or dirt roads. Their web site is here.

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