They call me ´Bozoman´ here in Colombia?

So after yet another 15 hour overnight bus from Quito, I have made it safe and sound to Colombia. The bus journey was completely miserable however and I will now make every effort to avoid any further experiences of the kind. Yes, yes I know you are all thinking ¨hey listen, at least you get to be out there exploring the world while I am here doing XYZ¨ but just give me a moment to elaborate.

I´m told they keep buses cold to stop people from getting sick due to the ever winding roads that the drivers insist on racing down but I was colder on this bus, for a solid 15 hours, than I am in a Canadian winter. That coupled with the most foul smelling bus toilet and you can imagine the thoughts that were bouncing around in my mind as I dreamt of home. I even had to buy a blanket from a street vendor conveniently situated outside the boarder crossing offices at 4.30am. Hmmmm conspiracy?

Okay so now that I am here, allow me to change gears and tell you about my first five days in Colombia. The wonderful land that brought us Latina Luis!

Our first stop was the city of Popayan. We were told this was once the capital of Greater Colombian before Ecuador and Venezuela gained their independance. At least this is what I think I was being told. Seriously my spanish has improved but some things remain out of my vocabulary. 

All of the buildings in the city center are painted in a spanish colonial white-wash, a requirement because of the city´s historical importance and gives the town a very classy feel. Hence the name 'ciudad blanco'. The majority of the buildings were destroyed in an earthquake on Good Friday 1983 and have been painstakingly rebuilt.

As one would expect there seems to be a ratio of 1 church to every 5 other establishments. My favourite is the San Francisco church because of the yellow contrast. I´m not really a church girl but I do love my architecture.   
 

What you probably didn´t expect is that this country is also the capital of plastic surgery with a major focus being placed on a specific version of beauty. The sign to the left, and many others like it, are found hanging inside those beautiful white buildings offering non-surgical options for enhancing one´s beauty.  Avisa (Aussie) and Estelle (French), who I was traveling with, found it impossible to ignore those in town who seemed to have ¨bought¨ into the lifestyle.

Check out the bum ¨plumpers¨at the bottom... I mean you can´t make this stuff up. I don´t feel a desire to plump anything sadly.

On our second day in town we took a local bus to the thermal spas ´Agua Tibia´, which weren´t as nice as those in Quito but did have a waterside that Estelle and I tried. Made of cement and angled quite steeply I´m not sure I´d recommend it since I found myself plummeting down the slide yelling in pain, trying to drag my feet along the dry sides to slow down, and then finally submerged under bog water! Bet you all wish I had a photo ... sorry to disappoint.

The three of us decided we weren´t yet ready to seperate so we then took a two day trip to Terradentro which is a seriously bumpy 5hr bus ride east of Popayan to see some precolombian ruins that it seems no one knows a thing about. The road was so rough we actually had to whisper with eachother for an hour afterwards because we were dealing with total sensory overload.

The ruins are basically about 10 statues like the one on the right and 30+ tombs. Sadly the statues were moved from their original locations and grouped together under a green corrugated roof to stop them from crumbling under the weather.

The tombs are obviously where they were originally dug with cool staircases leading into what seems the center of the earth.

Inside there are painted and carved little caves. Avisa and Estelle at the bottom of one of the tombs. They aren´t very deep and at the bottom of the stairs they are barricaded so you can´t damage anything. Sortof reminded me of a prison.

The walk was beautiful and the lady at our hostel was the cutest thing. She even made us popcorn one night because there is NOTHING to do in Tierradentro but stare at your neighbour after 7pm.

Once again took a 5hr rock n´roll bus back to Popayan at 6.30am the following day. Below is a photo of the local bus I only slightly wish we were on... amazing paint job but with the rain I was glad we had windows in ours!

The girls have now left for Cali. The city people describe as being dirty, boring and dangerous by day and the capital of salsa by night. Hence why I gave it a pass.

Instead I´ve purchased a ticket to Salento, 7 hours north of Popayan so I can enjoy the coffee plantations Colombia is famous for and some ancient palm forests people have highly recommended seeing. As I glance down at my ticket I realize that the agent has finally spelled my first name properly and not added the standard E in front Estacey as they normally do...  BUT I am now BOZOman. Oh Colombia thanks for the chuckle. 

Sad to be missing the May long weekend and the sunny weather up at Rose with my family but with only a few weeks left I´m off to continue the adventure. 

Take Care & See you soon

b