Colombia – Guatape

2020 FEBRUARY 14 –

The next morning we found a little cafe nearby that served breakfast. Then we ordered a Cabify (similar to Uber) and went to the North Bus Terminal. The bus terminals in South America are huge. Buses are a cheap way to get around. We found airfare cheap, as well; but when your average monthly income is only $300/month, buses are the way to go.  We asked where to buy a ticket to Guatape. Ticket booths 9 and 14. We quickly found #9 and were informed a bus was leaving in 20 minutes. We bought our tickets and had just enough time to go to the bathroom (this was a small bus with no toilet) before boarding and departure. This road was even worse for hills and switchbacks; but it was only 2 hours, so our stomachs were FINE.  Come to think of it, we both took some Gravol as soon as we boarded. LOL.  

A man on the bus had a tape deck and he started singing some Spanish song that went with the music. OMG! He was so good!  If I had my eyes closed I would have sworn it was the radio. He walked up and down the aisle singing a few songs, then he asked for money.  I gave him about 2000 pesos for his talent and entertainment. 

We passed through an area that had lots of small fields of vegetables. We could see fruit and vegetable vendors, with their carts overflowing with produce, from the bus windows. There was a huge area that was covered with a sun protecting mesh.  I found out later that these were flowers being grown. 90% of United States flowers come from Colombia. 

I could see El Penon de Guatape miles before we reached the town. It is a peculiar looking 200 meter (656 feet) granite dome that looks like a giant black egg that got dropped by an enormous space bird. It is 285 metres (935 ft) long, 110 metres (360 ft) wide and weighs 10 million tons. Everyone was canning their necks to get a look as we drove past it. 

We arrived at the quaint town of Guatape a short time later and unceremoniously dumped at a petrol station. There were a few tuktuks waiting for passengers. We grabbed the first one we saw and showed him the address to our guest house, Casa de Campo.  The driver seemed to know where it was.  5 minutes later we were at our new home. 

Carlos greeted us and made us feel welcome, as if we were longtime friends who had come for a visit.  He showed us the patio that overlooked the lake reservoir. He apologized that the water was not higher, but it had not rained in 4 months and the lake levels were down by 9 metres (29 ft). He said the water is usually up to the patio and one can fish right off the deck. The enormous rock in front of his house was usually almost submerged.  But the turbines still needed to draw water to generate electricity and with no rain runoff to replenish the lake, levels continued to go down. During the course of our stay, we saw the level of water drop even more. That being said, the low water levels could not have been that rare of an occurrence. Many homes had cement steps that led right down to the low water level and their boat, which told us this happens often enough for them to prepare for it. 

Rain was in the forecast for the next day. I wanted to climb El Peñón. I thought it would be best if I went when it was dry.  We walked into the town and caught a tuktuk. I asked him to take me to El Penon. He dropped us at a petrol station and motioned to a set of steps. I could see El Penon above it. Ed said he would wait for me in a small bar next door. I started up the steps. I think I counted 300. At the top of those steps was a road where I saw cars, buses and tuktuks coming and going from a huge parking lot at the very base of El Penon. Never trust a taxi or tuktuk driver! 

I had to pass through a gauntlet of souvenir shops and restaurants before getting to the ticket office.  I paid my 20,000 COP. Then I began the actual climb up. All 705 steps! There were plenty of spaces to rest or take a picture.  The cement retaining wall was quite high; there was no fear of falling over. 

At the top was a large area where one could buy drinks and snacks, as well as plenty of tables and chairs protected from the sun. There were about 20 more steps up to the pinnacle viewing area. (Included in the 705). From that vantage point, I was told one could see 500 miles.  I’m not certain of that; but I can say that I could see a hell of a long way! I had a sweeping view of the reservoir lake and the many islands created by the flooding water. 

Coming back down the 20 steps, I could either go down the way I came or through a tiny gift shop. I opted for the gift shop. Sometimes gift shops have a postcard that is better than any picture you can ever hope to take on your own.  I was not disappointed. I found a great card with an aerial view of El Penon. As I was leaving, I asked the young girl if she has to come up those 700 steps everyday. She nodded slowly and said “Everyday!” then she slapped her own ass and grinned.  Yup, she definitely had buns of steel! 

I found Ed in the little bar and had a cold beer with him. I deserved it! We caught another tuktuk back into town.  

We then spent the remainder of the afternoon wandering through the colourful town. It is a small town of about 5200. When the reservoir was formed, it flooded about half of the town. The process prompted Guatapé to make a restructuring decision that has made it become one of the most visited tourist destinations in the country.  Travelers from nearby Medellin and other places come to climb the big rock, enjoy water sports on the lake, or just to chill. The shops and houses are painted wild and crazy colours.

There are zócalos (bas-reliefs) that adorn the lower part of the outside wall of several of the buildings. Some indicate what the business is – a billiard hall, a shoe repair, the hardware store, etc. Some were pretty flowers. Some are whimsical. 

We found the main square which had a huge fountain in the centre and surrounded by huge flowering trees. One corner had a gazebo.  It was surrounded by restaurants and shops, and the church – Nuestra Señora del Carmen. 

The church was beautiful but very simple. The thing that really caught my attention was the pictures and statues were not the gruesome, suffering Jesus and tormented saints. There were gentle statues of angels and saints who seemed to be holding their arms out welcoming you. One Saint was dressed in colonial clothes and held a shovel. There was a statue of the Virgin holding baby Jesus. They were holding hands. Jesus had sandals on, but one sandal was hanging from his little foot, almost falling off. It was sweet.  There was a stained glass window with a bull head. The outside of the church had large bas-reliefs of a lion, a man’s face, a bull head, and an eagle. 

Guatape has a long wide malecon.  There are shops under the boardwalk, which rises and drops, making for an interesting walk.  There are a few statues along the way, as well. One was of a Zocalero (the guys who made the zocaleros), another was a lady collecting shells, the third was a windsurfer riding a huge wave. It was easy to see the high water mark along the malecon. Some boats, big and small, seemed to be stranded on dry land.  There was a wide, dirty beach where the water was supposed to be. 

15 February – Saturday 

It rained HARD during the night. Carlos reported that the lake level went up a bit. It also caused the sewer to back up in our shower, and a frog to find its way in.  At least it was contained. Carlos had his handyman, Eric, clean it up. Carlos made us a wonderful breakfast of juice, cut fruit, eggs, toast, salsa for the eggs, and coffee.  This was to be our morning ritual for our entire stay. We met another guest, Sandra, who was from Virginia. She was a very interesting lady and we always enjoyed her company at breakfast. 

After breakfast we headed into town.  It was only a 10 minute walk across the bridge. We had no big plans. We wandered up and down the streets, enjoying the colourful buildings and zócalos. I took loads of pictures. Every building, zocalo, and flower seemed better than the last.

Plazoleta de Los Zócalos is the most colourful spot in an already colorful town. The lane leading to it is covered with bright umbrellas and flanked by a gauntlet of ritzy shops. The Plaza has huge colourful steps, like benches, that almost reach another Plaza above it. The entire area is surrounded by, you guessed it, colourful apartments. I keep using the word colourful because it was! Maybe vivid, dynamic, striking, or scintillating are better; but I will stick with colourful. 

We spent a bit of time looking for a sturdy plastic box for me to use in my backpack for items that could possibly leak.  The ziplock bag I was using had a big hole in it. 

We spotted a lovely outdoor restaurant – Restaurante Bar El Portal – sitting back from the street.  We walked along a covered walkway to the tables and chairs that sat beneath a wooden roof.  The entire seating area was surrounded by a grassy area with flowering trees. It looked so inviting that we could not resist going in.  We weren’t hungry, but we were thirsty. We saw that they had lemonada natural. It sounded refreshing on such a hot day, so we each ordered one. It was delicious! It was the perfect end to our do-nothing day. 

16 February – Sunday 

Sandra had told us about a Benedictine Monastery not far from town. She said the monks chant at Sunday service. Well, it was Sunday, so I decided to check it out. Another couple were also wanting to go so we shared a tuktuk. Although Sandra said it wasn’t far and that we could easily walk, we weren’t sure where it was and thought it would be better to catch a ride. 

It turned out to be a few kilometres away. Once there, the buildings looked very plain, with a large lawn in front. The monks were greeting people and offering coffee. There was still a half hour before the church service was to start.  I took the opportunity to go inside the church before people flooded in. It was extremely austere. There were no statues, paintings, or decorations. There was one fresco of the Virgin and child above the nave. The pews were simple wooden benches. The only (sort of) ornate thing in the entire building was the choir seats for the monks, and they were pretty basic as well. 

I took a seat as close to the front as possible. The first two rows were reserved for nuns and people who were staying at the monastery to participate in a time of silent prayer and reflection. The church filled up to standing room only. 13 monks came in from the back of the church, holding a cross and Bible high above their heads and swinging the thurible (incense burner).  9 monks stopped at the choir while the remaining 4 headed to the simple altar. One of the monks was obviously the designated incense guy. He would duck out through a side door, every now and then, and return with a freshly smoldering thurible. 

As for the chanting, they really just sang the parts of a mass that are sung in any church service. They had lovely voices, and I’m glad I sat near the front because the entire congregation was singing along. Had I sat further back, I would not have heard the monks at all. They would have been drowned out by everyone else.  

Back to our incense guy.  During the liturgy, the poor guy kneeled before the altar, with a fresh batch of incense smoldering away right under his nose. He had his head tilted to one side, in an obvious attempt to escape. I would guess he inhaled a year’s worth of smoke, had he been a cigarette smoker, in that one short service. 

After the service, I opted to walk back to town. It was mostly downhill and the countryside looked pleasant. There were some breathtaking views of a valley. I noted some houses perched on outcrops along the valley walls.  What a view to enjoy with your morning coffee! There was one house, in particular, that sat on a tiny spit of land wedged between the road and a cliff. Honestly, if you walked out the backdoor, you would have a hundred foot drop. But it was sure a pretty spot.  It took me a full hour to walk back, and I didn’t dally.  

I spotted a hotel on the outskirts of town that had a table and chairs overlooking the valley. When I got back to the guest house, I told Ed I found a beautiful spot for lunch. We walked back only to find out they did not serve lunch and the table and chairs were simply a viewing rest area. Oh well…. We walked back into town, toward the main square down some back streets. We came across a football pitch with some young men practicing. 

We went back to Restaurante Bar El Portal and ordered lunch. Then we spent the remainder of the day wandering up and down the streets of Guatape, looking for anything we may have missed. 

The next morning we headed back toward Medellin to catch a flight to Cartagena.

SIDE NOTE:  The national rowing team practice in Guatape.