Day 13- Holiday mode: Activated (21/7/25)

 

After 12 days of travelling around, organising transportation and accommodation, sightseeing, hiking and generally taking everything in, it’s time to relax. I don’t regret going to the places that I have been, but there has been a lot going on. So, today is a holiday day.

Once I found my way to the edge of my huge bed I got up, showered and went for breakfast. This consisted of scrambled egg, cheese, fried plantain and some small chunks of pineapple. I’m getting used to the somewhat random assembly of food that appears on any plate that I eat here. No arepa on this occasion, which did surprise me a little. This plate was followed by a huge bowl of fruit: melon, mango, and more pineapple. I certainly got my vitamins in me.

I needed to buy a couple of bits for tomorrow’s trip, so I headed off into town. The shops here seem to be organised into streets, according to what you want to buy. There is one road that seemed to only sell electrical goods, another that had health and beauty shops, and yet another with clothes. It’s actually not a bad idea I guess.

By now, the sun was high in the sky and there were very few shady spots along the roads; feeling thirsty, I bought some water from a woman with a little stand in a square. The following 30 minutes were spent just sitting on a bench rehydrating and people watching.

I’d done all that I needed to do, so I headed off in the direction of the Hostel. On the way, there was a small locals bar on a corner that had some nice seats in the shade. Two men were sitting outside talking passionately about something; I couldn’t understand very much of what they were saying as the locals speak very fast and with a strong accent. I sat at the next table to them and drank a couple of beers. We attempted a conversation, but it was just too difficult to understand them. Normally, there is at least some room for understanding when talking to Colombians, but not this time. I guess that it would be no different to someone learning English then coming into the Lord Nelson and listening to Roger and Bryn talking.

Having had a couple of ice cold beers and escaping the sun for a while, I just got myself back to the hostel. Along the road that I had walked last night, which was empty and quiet, at this time was full of stalls selling fruit and vegetables. A man sat amongst the largest pile of watermelons that I have ever seen. It probably took up about 20 ft of the pavement. I hope he managed to sell them all because I don’t think that he’d enjoy having to load them back into his van at the end of the day.

Back at the hotel, I sat in the shade and had another cold drink. I’d hoped to have a dip in the pool but it was closed for maintenance. Yesterday, there seemed to have been some kind of birthday party going on around the pool. These were not guests but people who had booked out the area. I did notice this morning that the pool was not looking great. In fact, it was dirty and I couldn’t see the bottom of it. At breakfast this morning, the pool man was putting all sorts of chemicals into it cleaning out the filter. It is already looking much cleaner but it is still out of action this evening.

Whilst sitting by the pool, a young woman came and struck up a conversation with me. She too had hoped to use the pool. Her name was Daniella and she was up for a few days from Bogota with her boyfriend. They had been involved in some kind of dance festival in the city yesterday and were having a short holiday together. Following this, I decided to have myself a little rest in one of the hammocks on the terrace. I have never attempted to get into a hammock, fearing that it would be as embarrassing as my failed attempts to get onto a Lilo in the past. A quick search on YouTube for “how to get into a hammock”, and I was in. It was far easier than I had anticipated. I now wish that I had tried it when I was in Villa de Leyva and Filandia. I am a convert; they are unbelievably comfortable. I had a little nap and laid there thinking about what I might have for my evening meal. That is when you know you are in holiday mode: when the most important decision you have to make is deciding what you are having for your next meal.

There is 2 for 1 cocktails in the bar this evening. I fancy a mojito (plus a free one), but I must stop after that as I have a big day tomorrow.

Update- It is 8pm and I have just had notification that tomorrow's adventure has been cancelled. No reason has been given. I've just booked again for Wednesday. If that get's cancelled too, then I won't have time to do it before heading back to Bogota. So, now I am left with nothing to do tomorrow. I might go and have a chat with reception and see if they can suggest anything.
Disappointed, but still hopeful.