Mirador el Santo - Villa de Leyva, Colombia - Jan. 24, 2017

Mirador Sagrado Corazon (a.k.a.)  Mirador el Santo

I had read about a viewpoint overlooking the town of Villa de Leyva in The Lonely Planet, so this morning I set out to find it. According to the guide, the trail to the mirador started just behind the Hostal Renacer. I located the hostal in "MAPS.ME" and set out to find the Mirador. However, I walked  up a road for an hour and came to the spot in "MAPS.ME" where the hostal was supposed to be, but it was nowhere to be found. Moreover, this just didn't seem like a spot to lead up to a viewpoint. So, I returned to our hotel, and searched some more on-line, and found what seemed to be better information in a blog. So I decided to head up there late this afternoon, hoping for a nice sunset. So I set out from our hotel just after 5 p.m., with the sun to set about 6 p.m., and told Susann I'd be back in two hours.

From Plaza Mayor I turned east on Calle 12 and walked up it for about 10 minutes until I reached a sport's field, and went through the gate.

I passed through the gate to the right of the truck. You can see the trail up above the stadium, and can just make out the statue.

I met six different people who were coming down, including these two runners

and this woman in bare feet! (She was carrying her sandals.)

Ouch!

I took the next shot at 5:46, not too far from the mirador.



I took this picture of the statue of Jesus at 5:50 p.m., about 35 minutes after I left Plaza Mayor.

I then climbed above the stature and quickly donned my jacket to protect myself against the cool breeze. I set up my tripod and looked for the best vantage point from which to photograph.

I took this photo at 6:00 p.m

  I tried a few different spots before settling on the one from which I took this next photo.

I made this last image at 6:16 and was tempted to stay a bit longer, but I had a ways to go down before it was too dark.

Two other men were up there, and they started down just as I was packing up my gear. I donned my headlamp and set out, racing against the impending dark. The two men were ahead of me, but I could hear them talking. I was surprised at how quickly they were moving without any light. As it grew darker, though, I started to gain on them, but I would just about catch them and they'd speed up. I didn't understand how they could move so fast in such poor light. But, as dusk turned into night, I caught up to them, and then they were grateful for my light! (I was thankful that they were there, too, because then I was sure that I was on the right trail.) 

I returned to our hotel at 7 p.m., almost exactly two hours after I left. 

A Celebration of Light - Medellin, Colombia

Plaza Cisneros

By the late 1980's and early 1990's Medellín was a blighted city with a murder rate in 1991 of 380 per 100,000, perhaps a world record.* (This would be like the city of Nanaimo having more than one murder daily!) Remarkably, by 2015 Medellin's murder rate had decreased to 25.5 per 100,000. Plaza Cisnero used to be the main marketplace of the city, but was a lawless place. So as part of the renewal program begun in the early 1990's, it was turned into the showpiece it is today.

We went on a city walking tour Tuesday and passed through the plaza, with its forest of 300 light poles, some as high as 24 meters. I asked the guide if it was safe to be there in the evening, and she said yes, until about 7:30; after that you could get mugged. She said that they turn the lights on at 6 p.m., so I arrived about 5 p.m. on Wednesday, time enough to scout out the place and decide from where I wanted to shoot. I went up onto the library steps, with the best overall view of the plaza.

The plaza certainly beautified the city center. 

From the library, I went across the street, and thought I would start there, and work my way back, quickly, because twilight disappears rapidly here.

I noticed piles of leaves on the sidewalk, wet from the afternoon drizzle.




And this man sweeping them up.

Street cleaners are out at all hours of the day, one of the other features of the city's renewal

While I was waiting for the lights to come on, the sun was setting, and I took this photo of the 35 m. tall sculpture depicting the area's history.

 El Monumento a la Raza (Monument to Race)

A policeman approached me, and asked me where I was from, and what I thought of Columbia. His name was also John, named after John F. Kennedy, because his mother admired the former U.S. president, he told me.
Law enforcement was another feature of the transformation of not just Medellin, but of the whole country, and la Policía are ever-present in the city.

This truck load of police passed by me on Saturday. 

 I then started to head back to Plaza Cisneros.

Across the street from the plaza.  

Just after I took this shot, another policeman approached me and told me I couldn't take photos from there. I was moving on anyway, so it didn't bother me, although I wondered why I had to move. 

Twilight fading out

A solitary light framed by bamboo. 

One of the rare blue lights. 

Lights shining through the dancing bamboo.

A panorama (with my auto setting) from the other end of the plaza. Twilight pretty much gone--just 17 minutes after I started from the library steps 

I shot this one of the plaza heading back to catch the metro to our hotel.

Yes, Medellin's renewal is amazing, and Plaza Cisneros exemplifies the transformation from dark into light. 

* from "Medellín: Front Line of Colombia's Challenges."

El Metro, Medellin, Colombia

Crowded, even at 9 on a Sunday morning!

Yesterday, Sunday, Jan. 15th, we made an excursion to Parque Arvi via the metro system in Medellin. We started out by taking the metro from Poblado Estación (about $1).

The metro is very clean, comfortable, cheap, and efficient. At the Estación Acevedo we transferred (no extra charge) to the Metro Cable that rose up the hill towards Parque Arvi.

Christa enjoying the ride up. 

From the cable car we had a fascinating view of the poor barrios below and of the sprawling city of Medellin in the valley. We had to transfer again at Santo Domingo and then had to pay about $2.50 to ride the rest of the way to the park.

Grafiti art is popular in Medellin, as evidenced by this roof top art. 

Estación Santo Domingo

The metro cable was originally built as transportation for the residents of the barrios, but has become the top tourist attraction in the city.

The barrios became poorer looking as the gondola went up the hillside.


And then as we neared the park there was farmland.

At the entrance to the park there was a market. The fruit cups were about $2.

The park itself was a disappointment, however, as you could only walk on one of the trails without hiring a guide. There were very poor directions for reaching the trailhead, and we had to walk along a road for about 20 minutes before reaching the trail.

The park is unlike any park I've ever been in -- street vendors and restaurants blasting music.


I had to ask for directions at this info booth. 

I was glad I wore my running shoes!

We took "Flora" trail, and there were a few pretty flowers.

gigantic ferns

and colorful berries. 

We walked along the trail for about an hour and a half, and then walked down the road back to the cable car. As we stood waiting to board the gondola, we noticed that some people were not even disembarking. I guess they didn't want to pay the return fare and were just out for a Sunday ride.

Back at the transfer station at Santo Domingo, there was a big line-up of people waiting to ride up to the park.

When we rode up, we didn't have to wait at all. We were glad we had gone early!

I can see why the Metro Cable is the #1 tourist attraction in Medellin.

Santa Marta, Colombia - Jan. 1-7, 2017

Santa Marta - Spectacular Sunsets and Beautiful Beaches

We, my wife Susann and our friend Christa, stayed in Zuana Beach Resort south of the city of Santa Marta. I never tired of journeying out in the late afternoon to catch the sun setting and the people playing and partying. 

We stayed on the 11th floor of the tower on the right. Quite the view!

Young people enjoying the beach.

I watched this fisherman for over half an hour, waiting for him to cast his net. But he never did. What patience!

This man was to my left and I heard him exclaim when he hooked himself.

And then I walked a little further down the beach after the sun set. 

Lights and flags at one of the resorts. 

A vendor at sunset. 

I managed to capture this chica as the flash illuminated her. 

"Ghosts" after sunset. 

These chicas posed nicely for me.

The last day in our resort, I headed out in the late afternoon, not expecting much of a sunset as the cloud looked to thick. But I did find some great photo ops anyway.

Makes me wonder why I played football and hockey when I was younger!

o

Riding into the sunset.

Indigenous women weaving their baskets.

And then, thinking that the show was over, I headed back to the hotel.

But then, as I neared the hotel, the sky just came alive! And once again, I wasn't disappointed. 

Los Vendedores

Many vendors ply various goods on the beach, but they aren't aggressive. 

And I enjoyed capturing the pelicans at work.

Excursiones

Taganga

I soloed it to Taganga, a fishing village a 1/2 hour taxi ride from Santa Marta. I arrived there just after 7 a.m., just as the village was awakening. 

Many fishermen selling their catch.

And other vendors selling breakfast. 

Don't know if you can call her a "vendor," but to use the "baño" for an "especial" movement cost me 2000 pesos, about $2. For that I received some toilet paper and a pitcher of water. I thought the water was for washing my hands after, but when I unsuccessfully attempted to flush the toilet I realized it was for dumping into the toilet. 

Why just have a "happy hour" when you can have a "happy night"?

Playa Concha

After wandering around Taganga for about an your, I thought I'd take a taxi to Playa Concha, but upon learning that it would cost me almost $40, I opted for a bus back to the outskirts of Santa Marta. 

The sole rider in the first bus. 

I then took another bus towards Playa Concha, and the bus driver told me I could catch a "camioneta" (small truck) the rest of the way.

I sat in the back of the camioneta  for several minutes, and then the driver told me to get out. I did, and somehow ended up riding the rest of the way to Playa Concha on the back of a motorcycle, without a helmet, for 20-30 minutes down a dusty dirt road, with a driver who loved speeding and passing on corners. I saved about $20 doing this, but it wasn't enough to want to repeat it for the return trip.

Idyllic Playa Concha

Playa Concha was beautiful, but became increasingly crowded. After taking a few photos, savouring a cold one, and eating my lunch (although it was only 10:30) I caught a taxi for the return trip. We had just passed through the park entrance, whereupon this Jeep in the photo below tried to pass the car, right in front of us, and collided with it to avoid hitting us. Finally, after 15 minutes or so we were able to get on our way, but had only traveled about 15 minutes when, at a 3-way intersection, a van came out from the side street and smashed into our taxi's rear end. This ensued in another delay, and then we followed the van to a couple of garages where, I assume, they had the damage estimated. And on the back of the van was the sign: "Como conduzco?" (How's my driving?) And with a number to call. Well, his driving wasn't any worse than anyone else's; taxistas and bus drivers routinely pass on double lines around corners, speed, and tailgate.

"What to do?"

To Parque Nacionales Tayrona

We bused it to the park on Thursday, leaving our hotel at 8:30 in the morning. The bus into Santa Marta was standing room only, in stop and go traffic. From there, we caught a rustic bus to the park, again in bumper-to-bumper traffic for the first hour. But at least we had seats.

Santa Marta traffic. 

When we reached the park entrance, however, we discovered that it was full. And after three hours of traveling. (At least it only cost us a total of about $5 each for the buses.) Therefore, we walked up to a nearby "eco-resort."

Crossing the stream on the way to the "resort."

The resort entrance. 

Tasty cervezas, and not expensive (about $2).

A U.F.O.

We enjoyed a walk through the lush rainforest.

And then we caught the bus back to Santa Marta. On Saturday, I ventured into the city for a look around El Centro.

Lots of street vendors!

I like the "crazy" coco!

El Catedral

Devout pigeons!

And then I bought a smoothie from a street vendor

and strolled along the malecon. Beautiful, but busy, and I even saw some American tourists in off a cruise ship. The first English speakers I've seen all week.

And that brings to a close our week in Santa Marta. We're off to Cartagena next,  another seaside city, and even more popular with tourists. 

Hasta Luego!

Enjoying a glass on our hotel balcony.