Cali
(DAY219 : Villa de Leyva - Cali : 420 miles)
(DAY220 - 222 : Cali)
The ride to Cali was a 12 hour straight, iron-butt type of affair. Taking the route through Tunja ensured that my iron was thoroughly frozen on the way to Bogota. After crossing Bogota in one and a half hours, the road wound down among beautiful sights and reached the flat lands where the weather was nice and warm.
After my disappointing chorizo break at Ibague, we continued towards Armenia which on the map looked really close. At 15mph, nothing is. It was a non-stop twisty climb, one hairpin after another, through some of the most gorgeous views I have seen. The steep, deep green hills glowed in patches as the clouds above and below orchestrated a light show. The banana stands, little kids, men on horse back, donkeys tied to wooden sheds... It was all a dangerous distraction trying to do us in.
So far Colombia had appeared to have pretty good animal control. But here, they were all over the road, and mostly driving trucks. Watching the empty big truck in front of me go, I knew I would not have been alive tomorrow had I been coming from the other direction.
After descending to Armenia and locating the correct turn, the ride was fast and smooth all the way to Cali. We pulled in at around 7pm. It was dark, and it was Saturday. Never a good time to hunt for a place. The tiny dark room at Hotel Sartor cost $20, but at least had hot water and a large enough lobby for Katirga.
That evening, a short walk from the hotel got me on Avenida Sexta, which is lined up with Salsotecas. I had my first beer at a liquor store with tables out front, watching the Chiva busses go by paralyzing the traffic. To visualize a Chiva bus correctly, picture a colorfully painted old wide bus, knock out all the windows, and clear all seating. Then, hang a mirror globe in the middle of the passenger cabin, and light the space like a disco floor. Now fill it with drunk people and have it bouncing to loud Reggaeton, Ballenato, or Cumbia, while slowly rolling on the street. I know, I know, I should've taken the camera.
Other drinks followed in numerous joints where I watched Cali's salseros move. At one of them, I came across an incredible Salsa show. Ultimately, I concluded that there would not even be a contest between Calenas and Paisas, but I'm not telling more :)
The next day I moved to Hostel Iguana, assuming that they too would have hot water. You know what they say of assumptions... A musky and equally small private room was $14.
With more people around, come more ideas to do. Not always great ones. I mean I really could do without seeing Cali's zoo even if it's Colombia's best. In fact, I think that I'm now set for life zoo-wise. You know those Panda billboards plastered all over LA? Gizem and I did drive all the way to San Diego, and the little bastard wouldn't even come out. So we went to the Wild Animal Park to at least see the Bengal Tiger. In the tram, this is what we were told: "Ok folks! You see something moving over there behind the bushes?" (No.) "I think that's it's ear." Are you kidding me?? Well in all fairness, here in Cali, I at least got to see the Bengal Tiger. He looked as bored as I.
But the trip to San Cipriano was a good idea. (see: San Cipriano)
I'm not sure what I expected to find in Cali. Coming here was exciting, but leaving was better.
(DAY220 - 222 : Cali)
The ride to Cali was a 12 hour straight, iron-butt type of affair. Taking the route through Tunja ensured that my iron was thoroughly frozen on the way to Bogota. After crossing Bogota in one and a half hours, the road wound down among beautiful sights and reached the flat lands where the weather was nice and warm.
After my disappointing chorizo break at Ibague, we continued towards Armenia which on the map looked really close. At 15mph, nothing is. It was a non-stop twisty climb, one hairpin after another, through some of the most gorgeous views I have seen. The steep, deep green hills glowed in patches as the clouds above and below orchestrated a light show. The banana stands, little kids, men on horse back, donkeys tied to wooden sheds... It was all a dangerous distraction trying to do us in.
So far Colombia had appeared to have pretty good animal control. But here, they were all over the road, and mostly driving trucks. Watching the empty big truck in front of me go, I knew I would not have been alive tomorrow had I been coming from the other direction.
After descending to Armenia and locating the correct turn, the ride was fast and smooth all the way to Cali. We pulled in at around 7pm. It was dark, and it was Saturday. Never a good time to hunt for a place. The tiny dark room at Hotel Sartor cost $20, but at least had hot water and a large enough lobby for Katirga.
That evening, a short walk from the hotel got me on Avenida Sexta, which is lined up with Salsotecas. I had my first beer at a liquor store with tables out front, watching the Chiva busses go by paralyzing the traffic. To visualize a Chiva bus correctly, picture a colorfully painted old wide bus, knock out all the windows, and clear all seating. Then, hang a mirror globe in the middle of the passenger cabin, and light the space like a disco floor. Now fill it with drunk people and have it bouncing to loud Reggaeton, Ballenato, or Cumbia, while slowly rolling on the street. I know, I know, I should've taken the camera.
Other drinks followed in numerous joints where I watched Cali's salseros move. At one of them, I came across an incredible Salsa show. Ultimately, I concluded that there would not even be a contest between Calenas and Paisas, but I'm not telling more :)
The next day I moved to Hostel Iguana, assuming that they too would have hot water. You know what they say of assumptions... A musky and equally small private room was $14.
With more people around, come more ideas to do. Not always great ones. I mean I really could do without seeing Cali's zoo even if it's Colombia's best. In fact, I think that I'm now set for life zoo-wise. You know those Panda billboards plastered all over LA? Gizem and I did drive all the way to San Diego, and the little bastard wouldn't even come out. So we went to the Wild Animal Park to at least see the Bengal Tiger. In the tram, this is what we were told: "Ok folks! You see something moving over there behind the bushes?" (No.) "I think that's it's ear." Are you kidding me?? Well in all fairness, here in Cali, I at least got to see the Bengal Tiger. He looked as bored as I.
But the trip to San Cipriano was a good idea. (see: San Cipriano)
I'm not sure what I expected to find in Cali. Coming here was exciting, but leaving was better.
posted by Serdar at
7:49 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home