YOUR TRAVEL GOSSIP

A positive recommendation for the Plantation House from Elke at El Gato Negro, plus confirmation from Sandra at Casa de Felipe, made this hostel our first choice in Salento. Sandra had made reservations for us while we were in Taganga, so all was well.

Once we scrambled off the bus, local residents took one look at the two of us and inquired, “Plantation House?” We shook our heads yes and they pointed the way. It was only a few blocks from the bus stop and, although it was dark, we found our way easily. We had been there only a few minutes when we recognized familiar faces ¬- Sven and Ildi, who had been so helpful when we met them in Medellin. Small world, indeed.

Our room was ready and we were given a tour of the hostel, then offered a beer. We were delighted to see we could get on the internet quite easily. It promised to be a pleasant stay.

Tired, we decided not to walk to a restaurant and immediately other travelers offered us some food. This was an indication of one of the highlights of Plantation House: great networking. Staying at the old, original plantation house, we spent time on the deck chatting with other travelers and catching up on their lists of the best of Colombia and other countries. We took good notes because this was some of the best travel gossip we had heard in Colombia.

The next morning, we took advantage of the hand-drawn map of the town and decided to explore. Breakfast supplies were easy to get at the shop a short distance away. Breakfasting on the veranda gave us an excellent view of birds. Located in the heart of the coffee-growing region of Colombia, Salento looked most promising for a good cup of java. Typically, Colombian coffee growers sell all their best beans and then drink what is left but we hoped for something better in Salento. We were not disappointed. (We will add posts on coffee growing, so stay connected.)

Plantation House also featured hand-made maps of hiking areas as well as excellent verbal directions to wherever we were going. Phil, one of the owners, returned on the second day and proved to be an excellent travel gossip himself. If we accomplished only a quarter of what he suggested, this was going to be an excellent 3-4 days.

Truth to be told, because we enjoyed the setting, Plantation House, the staff, and Salento so much, we ended up staying more than a week. A month would have been better!

We had reserved a private room which, although a big tight, was comfortable and located near the social area. All was clean, bed comfortable, and bedding changed regularly. We chose to get our laundry done there, which yielded quality results, even from mud-soaked apparel. But that is another story…

Colombians had already proven to be welcoming very friendly and those in Salento were even more so. It turned out to be one of our favorite travel spots so expect a lot of blogging!

Ever wonder just how high the Andes are? In my mind, they looked a lot like California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. Climbing up, up, up for an hour or more, it seemed like our bus finally got to the top of the pass only to come around yet another corner and look down on a smaller and smaller Medellin. At an elevation of nearly 5000 feet itself, it seems incredible to climb slowly another 5000 feet or more in order to leave the valley.

Although there is not a great distance between Medellin and Salento and technically an elevation gain of only 1500 feet, it was a long day of travel due to crossing high mountain passes on our route. We had expected the trip to last only five hours to Pereíra, then another hour to Salento but the bus stoped so that we could enjoy a lunch stop. Once we reached Pereíra, passengers insisted on descending at irregular stops and the ayudante had to remove their luggage from the locked compartments. Eventually, we made it to the bus terminal on the opposite end of town with fewer than 5 passengers remaining out of a full bus.

It turned out that this type of delay was consistent whenever we rode a bus other than an express!

Pereíra appeared to be a typical small city and the river that ran through it added was pleasant to look at. We were quite surprised to see a statue of a camel in the middle of town and never did understand anyone’s explanation of its significance. It may have been a symbol of the program of the current mayor; residents shrugged and looked away.

Once at the terminal, before we even had a chance to use the rest rooms, our ayudante took our luggage and led us to a bus departing for Salento. He gave us a big smile and waved as we squeezed in, the locals kindly making room so that we could sit down in a full bus. They wanted to know where we were from, where we were headed – and why! – and what we had enjoyed about their country. It is very unlikely that we were the only Americans they had seen, but instead just part of the friendly welcome we found all over Colombia.

It took only an hour to get to Salento, backtracking for half the journey. (Note to you: ask the driver to let you off on the road to Salento and flag down a local bus. Save yourself an hour or more.) Once the bus entered the town limits, passengers asked us if we wanted to get off. Perplexed, we said we would stay on to the town center and then walk to the Plantation House. They all laughed and told us our hostel was only a couple of blocks away; why go into town and walk further? The driver stopped, the ayudante found out luggage, and off we went, following the directions of the passengers.

Even so, because the street was under construction, we wondered whether we had lost our way. Not so, even children knew our destination and kept pointing ahead.

Finally we arrived at the Plantation House to a warm reception and a ready room. Other travelers greeted us warmly and showed us the town map on which Tim, the owner, had marked shops, cafes, restaurants, the local espresso shop, and more. It appeared that we had made a good choice. Little did we know that we would make friends here with whom we would spend time off and on for the rest of our days in South America! Or that we would enjoy the coffee-growing tour of a lifetime.

Carrera 67 No. 48D – 63; telephone: (4) 260 28 05

Recommended by a favorite travel gossip in Cartagena, Elke of El Gato Negro, we had booked a room at The Palm Tree, a hostel known to cater to backpackers from around the world. Of course, the cab driver had wanted to take us to his favorite hotel, the one that undoubtedly tipped him, but we were firm and even had the address in writing in case our Spanish was misunderstood.

Arriving early in the morning due to our all-night bus trip from Cartagena, the staff had our room ready and offered us coffee and our daily allotment of eggs so we could cook our own breakfast. Other guests offered us butter, milk, and fruit. Within fifteen minutes, we knew we had chosen a good place to stay. And, later, throughout our travels in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, we encountered some of the same travelers we met there!

Although we were eager to start exploring Medellin, we opted for a couple hours of sleep, knowing that our navigation skills worked best when we were rested.  Although the all-night bus trip from Cartagena to Medellin has been comfortable, we seemed to awaken for every single speed bump and security stop.

Our room was nice, clean, and yet a bit crowded because it could sleep four even though we had reserved a private room. Even so, there was plenty of room to unpack what we would need. Everything was clean and tidy. And, in the guest areas, there were plenty of hammocks and superb hot showers, always appreciated. Plus, the staff are very helpful and take time to make sure all is well with one’s stay.

Two things travelers really enjoy about the Palm Tree are the common rooms and the laundry. People congregated in the big room with the television (sometimes on, sometimes off, with 100 stations available) and in the garden / patio area. Both places encouraged guests to chat and, for us, provided plenty of talk about favorite places within Medellin and in the surrounding area. Every traveler seemed to have enjoyed a different facet of the city, choices that were not found in the travel books we had with us.  And everyone was grateful for the laundry service, either paid or do-it-yourself. With a hostel this popular, there was always a lot of laundry drying! And I think I forgot to mention the internet access!

We always enjoy the “gossiping” and the Palm Tree was a place where we gathered quite a bit of travel information. Some of the people we met had been traveling for many months while others had done excellent research and also had ideas to offer. The way the hostel is arranged, with fair-sized rooms for gathering and plenty of sofas, conversations were always underway. While many centered around Colombia and South America, some guests had traveled to many, many countries and enjoyed sharing their adventures. And, of course, some guests did not congregate at all and there was space for that, too.

On Tuesday, a sign announced that there would be a barbecue on Friday with food provided by the Hostel; guests could contribute dishes and drinks, if they wanted. This turned out to be a lot of fun; the local sausages were delicious, perfectly cooked, and the other dishes made for a feast of local cuisine. With plenty of beer, wine and conversation, we shared travel stories with people from Germany, Hungary, China, England, the Netherlands, and more, as well as with a few Medellin residents who had been invited. Camaraderie and good wishes filled the rooms, ensuring all had a good time.

The Palm Tree is only three blocks from a Suramericana Metro Station and a block from the supermarket, Éxito, making it an easy place to stay­–far from the noise of downtown and close to a big market as well as local restaurants. We always felt safe, even walking there from the Metro late at night. And, next to Éxito, the espresso stand was a favorite of ours.

Mornings, even before we were quite ready to get up, we heard, “Piña, piña, piña” as the pineapple vendor came by with his cart. This was our signal to jump up and get the day’s pineapple so we could make fresh fruit juice in the blender. It has been said before, but once again: pineapples taste better in Colombia than they do in the USA. They are not as sweet, naturally ripe, and lack the “metallic” flavor we taste when we return to California, a taste that may identify the gas used to ripen them in the store room. Plus, they smell fresher.

More on the juices we made, in Spanish called “jugo”. Neither of us likes to drink packaged pineapple juice in the US or Europe.  Made the way the Colombians, the fresh juice is not so concentrated. Elke showed us how to fill the blender about a third full of fresh water (safe to drink in Colombia) and add about half a pineapple, cubed. Blended until it iss a thick, smooth mix. That way, the pulp is eaten as well as the juice, making it very easy to digest and meeting the “whole-foods” standard for best health. Add to your breakfast a couple of scrambled eggs (raw eggs provided by the hostel), a piece of toast and coffee, and there was a tasty and healthy way to start the day.

In some seasons, the Palm Tree gets really crowded. We strongly recommend making a reservation online and pre-paying to ensure a room. It is no fun to show up late in the evening and find out the place is full and you forgot to confirm so…no room. Our favorite online reservation sites: http://www.hosteltrail.com/colombia/medellin/index.shtm and http://www.palmtreemedellin.com/.

Prior to leaving for South America, we spent quite a bit of time poring over travel guidebooks to gather information about which regions and cities to visit and, equally important, which hostels and hotels were of good quality, friendly, and convenient. What a lot of time this took! And who knew how long ago the review had been written!

We could have saved a lot of time had we known that English-speaking, web-savvy individuals had already put together an online network of quality hostels, each of which had been inspected by travelers. We would have been equally surprised to find that we could reserve online AND that we could even pay in advance to ensure we had a space when we arrived. And we certainly would have appreciated the time and footwork this would have saved us, lugging packs around.

We learned about this website in Colombia from René, the owner of the delightful El Maco in San Agustin. Concerned that our late arrival in Popayan might make it hard to find accommodations in a good hostel, we told him we had heard about Hostel Trail as a good place to stay but wanted to be sure of a room. He mentioned the online reservation site which is operated by the same people who own the hostel. And it worked beautifully; we did arrive after dark, our beautiful room was ready for us, and the very accommodating owners were even able to recommend several restaurants that were not only still open but excellent and well priced. Now that was appreciated!

Finding out there is no room in a small town in Colombia (or anywhere in South or Central America) seemed a bit more challenging to some of the late arrivals we met. There really were not simple alternatives. Travelers ended up having to: continue on late at night, sleep on a porch during a rainstorm, or sleep in a chair with a blanket. Not very agreeable! Therefore, once we learned about www.HostelTrail.com, we used it.

The good: Knowing we could arrive in the evening and find a quality bed, a warm shower, and hospitality. Accommodations were always clean and comfortable, the hostels well staffed. Mattresses were almost always top notch, except for one place where they were being changed out and we ended up with an older, somewhat solid model. Staff members were familiar with tourists with Western habits (for example, eggs and toast for breakfast rather than stewed fish and rice…) so our stay was relaxing. And like-minded travelers stayed there, exchanging delicious bits of travel gossip, particularly about where to eat, what to see, and experiences in other regions, other hostels.

The bad, perhaps too strong a word: Occasionally, the language spoken at a hostel would be primarily English and not Spanish. When this occurred, we noticed immediately that we had a more difficult time understanding and speaking with the local population.  However, for travelers learning English such as the couple from Barcelona that we encountered a few times, this was indeed a bonus.

Get the 5th edition June 2009 guide to Colombia.

Because we enjoyed Medellin and its people so much, we decided to take a trip into the countryside of  Antioquia and visit the 200m (nearly 660 feet) solid rock ridge near the artificial lake / tourist area of Embalse de Peñol. We planned to take the stairs up to the top of the rock for the view of the surrounding area.

We took the subway to the train station and, thanks to the helpfulness of local people, were directed to the bus and on our way. The open country with its many farms was a welcome change from the city. One prominent business was greenhouses, often simply sheets of plastic over wooden ribs, in which flowers were grown for local trade and also for export. Some of these looked abandoned while others seemed to be flourishing. We wondered if imports were down partly because the US economy was in a tailspin in April / May of 2009.

On the road, we saw quite a few cyclists with high-tech bikes and clothing. Having read that Lance Armstrong and others were training in the area, we wondered about the identity of the riders tearing down the steep roads! John, who does 100-mile rides, was checking out the territory with an eye to returning with a bike.

Once we reached El Peñol, we were pretty disappointed. Although a few people were going up the stairs, it was pretty evident that part of the stairway had collapsed and a temporary repair had been installed. Although we do hike some fairly technical trails in the Grand Canyon and in California’s

Sierra Nevada mountain range, we decided not to take the challenge. At the start of a 3 ½ month trip, risk-taking was out of the question. Without the climb to the top, there is not much to do. Many young men asked us whether we wanted to go down to the lake and rent a cabin (no) or a boat (no). We did have lunch which once again features the unique cooking of Antioquia with its delicious round beans and sausage. That completed, we decided to leave.

Easier decided than done. We had two hours until the next bus so decided to walk down the hill and look for a local bus.

What we found instead was a local man who insisted we should ride with him for 20 times the bus fare—each! With no place to go at the bottom of the steep road, we were soon tired of him trying to convince us there were no other choices. Fortunately, a taxi came along and, although the driver had an elderly woman as a passenger, he saw our plight and offered us a ride—all the way to Marinilla!

He was a careful driver and, once he realized we loved to take pictures, stopped at picturesque scenes so we could photograph them. His passenger did not mind. Once we arrived in Marinilla, we had to convince him to take some money as a thank you. We were left off about a kilometer from town and given detailed directions on the best streets to take.

We passed a school playground full of happy children playing, a few cafes, and even an autobody shop whose owner was restoring a 1950’s Mercury automobile. That car looked fabulous!

One of the reasons we had rushed from Cartagena to Medellin was to view an orchid exhibit at the Jardin Botánico, an exhibit the Lonely Planet guidebook said was held in March and April in the garden’s Orquideorama.  We headed for the Orquideorama soon upon our arrival only to find that the garden employees were baffled by the thought of an orchid display at this time. Turns out it was held in August, according to the website of the American Orchid Society. Fortunately, the garden is very beautiful and well laid out, making the trip well worth it. Plus, we at least saw a few orchids that were offered for sale and stunningly beautiful anyway!

An event was being featured at the Orquideorama, a presentation by schoolchildren focused on respecting their elders. Not having tickets to get in, we managed to peek through the fence to enjoy the singing and dancing and the children’s (and adults’) delight. We caught several excellent songs and cultural routines.

Touring the shaded garden was a refreshing contrast to the high temperatures we had experienced in Cartagena. Even at an elevation of nearly 5000 feet above sea level (1500 meters), the daily May temperatures in Medellin were in the high seventies and low eighties, sometimes a challenge for two Northern Californians used to San Francisco fog! Frequent changes of clothing continued…

Renewed in 2005-2007, it is a true getaway from the beautiful yet crowded city of Medellin. Featuring more than 500 species of trees and plants, a small lake, a herbarium, a beautiful restaurant, and spacious meeting rooms,  the Jardin is well worth a visit. Even yoga is available some days of the week! Because education is a primary emphasis, the many ornamental plants are usually identified and are laid out with sculptures, fountains, walkways, shaded areas, and areas for sitting and viewing. Even the trees seem to be situation just right to provide the needed shade for the plants below them. Carefully tended, the plants are in excellent condition and enjoyable to learn about. And, since scientific studies are underway, there are always new things to learn about this tropical paradise.

When you go, be sure to pick up the literature available because we did not see it when we first arrived and ended up backtracking in order to visit some areas we later saw on a map we were given.

One of the prettiest areas was around a reclining statue of a male god-like creature that was surrounded by bright, flowering plants and water. We were not the only ones who tried many different framings and angles to try to capture the spirit and beauty. You will find our best results below!

The store, or Tienda del Jardin, is also a delight. Although our motto when backpacking it, “You buy it, you carry it hundreds of miles,” we bought skincare products made from brazil nut oil and also books for the grandchildren. The tienda staff members were incredibly helpful. Our Spanish dictionary did not include the vocabulary necessary for a review of ingredients in the skincare products so a delightful young woman went online and on the phone to answer our questions. We appreciated this very much and enjoyed chatting with her. Plus, another employeed verified there was no orchid exhibit but that there were orchids for sale at an outdoor booth.

Our regret was that we could spend only one day there.

If you want to read about El Jardin Botánico before you visit it, here is the link: http://www.botanicomedellin.org/. (5/2009)

On our first day in Colombia, we got a good example of the level of hospitality of the members of this Association (www.colombianhostels.com). Prior to departure, we used the Lonely Planet Colombia guidebook to locate a good, convenient hostel in Cartagena. The one we liked, Casa Viena, emailed us back that they could not guarantee a spot because their guests sometimes stayed longer than anticipated. But, the email went on to say, if they did not have a room, they would find us comparable accommodations in the area.  We decided to trust in that promise because our inexpensive flight would keep us in transit nearly 24 hours and featured an early departure. We would probably be exhausted when we arrived.

Once we had cleared immigration in Cartagena, Colombia, we caught a cab to Casa Viena and they were true to their word.  No space available, but they got us into a nearby hotel that we absolutely loved.

This was our first introduction to the convenience, courtesy, and professionalism of this network of hostels in parts of Colombia, although we did not even know it at the time. Casa Viena staff forgot to tell us that they were part of a network… We learned that about it a week or so later from Elke at El Gato Negro café, one of the best informed and most capable travel gossips we met during our travels!

A week or so after arriving, we happened to stay at another hostel that was also a member of the Association: La Casa de Felipe in Taganga. There, we mentioned that we would head to Medellin the following week. Sandra, the charming and capable wife of Felipe, asked if we wanted her to book us a room in the Palm Tree hostel in Medellin, a place they were familiar with, and pay her so that it was a guaranteed reservation. Absolutely!

What had happened was that Sandra filled in the details to what we had learned from Elke, making us aware of the Association and making our travels much simpler many, many times. The convenience of having a room assured and prepaid helped make our between-town travels much more relaxing. (Exactly how all these pre-payments get sorted out is beyond me but it works. Perhaps they even out in the long run.)

One of the big benefits for us was that we met quite a few helpful travel gossips in these hostels, backpackers like us who loved Colombia and South America and were enjoying every bit of it. Although many travelers spoke English, Spanish was usually the language of choice at these hostels. At each one, however, there was at least one staff member who spoke English. Plus almost all of them had book exchanges, allowing us to keep true to our vow of only one book to carry. From Medellin, the staff at the Palm Tree booked us into the Plantation House in Salento. Tim at the Plantation House booked us into El Maco in San Agustin. Very simple and very satisfying.

Finding out there is “no room at the inn” can be challenging worldwide, whether in a small town in Colombia or in Paris, France. (And I shall refrain from ranting about the time we had to sleep in a park in central Athens or the night in Germany we had to drive three additional hours with a tired two-year-old due to mixed-up reservations and Oktoberfest.)

In Colombia, we have stayed at four of the member hostels and used services of a fifth, all of which we recommend highly. Other travel gossips we met had stayed at the other hostels and had positive things to say. This association and its members are highly recommended. And, if they do not have a member hostel in the town or city you will be visiting or the neighborhood is not what you prefer, another excellent resource for hostels and advance reservations is www.HostelTrail.com.

A native of the local Antioquia region, Fernando Botero is known primarily for his paintings, more than 90 of which are found in Medellin’s Museo de Antioquia. This is a must see, plus he donated key paintings from his private collection which include works by Picasso and other modern artists. But the works of Botero truly loved by the residents of Medellin are his sculptures, spread throughout the Plazoleto de las Esculturas outside the Museo and here and there in other parts of the city.

Passersby love to rub their hands over the brass sculptures. Some sections, such as a breast, knee or a foot, were polished to a sheen from the contact, compared to the darker finish created by the artist. Was it coincidental that a group of men gathered each day around the statue Hombre a Caballo (man on horseback)? Fun to observe.

The sculptures of reclining women were a favorite of children who were boosted up to sit on their legs. Botero exaggerates his subjects’ shapes, making them shorter and more fully fleshed than in reality. Reminding us of the works of Benaimino (Benny) Bufano, whose softly rounded granite shapes adorn San Francisco, CA, Botero’s works offer a contrast in the soft, smooth roundness of the figures contrasted with the hard, solid brass with granite mounts.

Photography is difficult since residents and tourists enjoy circling the artist’s works, watching the shapes and colors interact. Centrally located and easy to get to, the sculpture garden is well worth two visits if you are one who enjoys modern art.

“This place is so clean, you could eat on the floor!” That was my husband’s first reaction upon entering the subway station in Medellin. Floors, stairways, and walls were spotless. Metal fixtures were highly polished, so unlike the grit in the corners we see so often in our own subway stations here in the USA. People were friendly and helpful. It took only moments for us to purchase tickets and find the right platform to enter a train going to city center.

Outside the station, vendors sold food and drinks. The quality was top notch and we enjoyed an ice-cold jugo of blackberries with milk. Even the food preparation and eating areas were spotless; food preparers kept care of their own refuse and workers were quick to gather up anything that landed on the cement.

Our ride was primarily above ground, allowing us to spot sights that looked worth exploring. At times, we hopped off at the next stop so we could go back and explore. Other times, we just marked an area on our map so that we could later visit a stunning church or a park. And we talked with everyone who offered a smile. How else to pick up travel gossip?

Staying at the Palm Tree Hostel, we came into contact with travelers from many nations. A Chinese couple urged us to travel the part of the system where it turns into a tram. They reported that they not only got fabulous views but also walked back through the hillside barrios, home to lower-income residents. Kids had run up to touch their skin, shouting, “Chinos, chinos!” Perhaps not that many Chinese tourists had passed their way. A German couple had ridden the tram at dawn in order to enjoy the early-morning pastel sky.

We postponed the tram ride, hoping for a clear day, but the cloud cover stayed with us. Late one afternoon, we went and what a treat it was. Traveling over the barrios was an education in itself: the architectural creativity went from none (hastily constructed shanties) to permanent structures looking as if they were designed by artists. One thing most of them shared: a beautiful view down the hillsides.

I am not going to address poverty in this entry but will cover it separately. It was apparent on that trip and also apparent was the camaraderie in the neighborhood. One thing that struck us was the range of things important to the residents. Some homes were dirty and disorganized while others were covered with flowers and artwork.

Some travelers reprimanded us for riding the subway, saying it could be dangerous and cabs were much safer. That was not our experience. We enjoyed it, felt safe and secure, and recommend you do your own investigation. Our pictures are not very good, due to the weather.

This unique Colombian café entices the diner in many ways. First, upon entering, one notices that the décor is colonial yet up to date and full of regional accents. Second, upon opening the door, combinations of seasonings enter the nose and salivation begins; there is no getting around it. Third, first glimpse of the regional empanadas  offered revealss them to be culinary works of art, beautifully shaped and baked to a golden glow. That is without even tasting, the final enticement. And that is not to mention the desserts!

The menu introduces the diner to empanadas, or meat pies, from Argentina and other regions in South America; you cannot make a bad selection. Every one we tried was savory and satisfying. Salads are offered to round out the meal and are also delicious and well prepared. In order to taste a number of the varieties, we ordered different varieties and cut them in half.

Leave room for dessert as there are some beautiful pastries to tempt as well. The service is excellent, the staff friendly and the prices very reasonable. Convenient from the subway in the center of Medellin, Versalles is on Pasaje Junin, o. 53-39, on the walking street that offers a beautiful respite from heavy traffic. Versalles may be a little more pricey than a corner café but the quality and presentation of the food make it well worth it. Sorry, no pictures. It took us a few days to realize how safe Medellin is and to start taking our camera.

Although we are not historians, the name of the café caught our attention and we investigated. Fifty years ago, it was a literary salon where writers such as Jorge Luis Borges met and perhaps shared their works. Argentinians living in Medellin met at the salon to exchange ideas. Even soccer players from Argentina gathered here when in the region. Today it appears to be simply an excellent café and retains its original name but it may be worthwhile to investigate whether literature is still a focus. Here is some background, in Spanish: http://www.leopoldobarrionuevo.com/LaRevistaVirtual/tabid/76/Default.aspx