La Flor de la Cruz

"La Flor de la Cruz" ~ Barichara, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Barichara Luz

"Barichara Luz" ~ Barichara, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Recuerdos

"Recuerdos" ~ Barichara, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Flow

"Flow" ~ Barichara, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Tres

"Tres" ~ Barichara, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Cemeterio

"Cemeterio" ~ Barichara, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Amigos Negros

"Amigos Negros" ~ Barichara, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Barichara to Los Pescaditos

The wonderful views walking to Guane from Barichara & a river swim near San Gil/Cureti at Los Pescaditos.

Guane Rustico

"Guane Rustico" ~ Guane, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Fin Descansa

"Fin Descansa" ~ Guane, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Puerto

"Puerto" ~ Guane, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Nino de Guane

"Nino de Guane" ~ Guane, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Hay Chicha

"Hay Chicha" ~ Guane, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Camino Real

"Camino Real" ~ Guane, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

San Gil Perch

"San Gil Perch" ~ San Gil, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Just an hour below Barichara is the bustling "adventure sorts capital" San Gil. I really don't have any desire to bungie jump, white water raft or hang glide... and I really didn't want to spoil the great peace I was feeling, but it's on the way so I figured I'd at least check it out. There are some hikes to swim in waterfalls & rivers that sounded more my speed.

Patacon

"Patacon" ~ San Gil, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Compania Musica

"Compania Musica" ~ San Gil, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Pescadito

"Pescadito" ~ San Gil, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

San Gil Night Terror

It had to happen sooner or later. The peace of Barichara & Guane would be obliterated into an cacophony of chaos. San Gil is not only loud & chaotic, it's also crowded, narrow & cramped. Everyone is rushing around between small buses, taxis & horse carts along steep passages that don't look like they were designed for anything larger than the horse carts.

The hostel was equally crowded full of adventure rushing youths without even a hint of common courtesy. Come to think of it, the adventure high backpackers didn't seem all that much different than the cocaine-fueled ones. A Japanese boy rushed passed me to grab the last bottom bunk leaving me to climb up to on three bunks up. I thought the Japanese were one of the last cultures to respect elders? Guess not, because not only was he rude, he smirked & gloated with his bottom-bunk prize as well.

During the night the packed dorm room was abruptly terrified in unison when one of the girls began screaming at a pitch that could easily land her voice-over work in the slasher film industry. Everyone just froze trying to figure out who was screaming, whether she was being attacked & if we too were in danger.

After my eyes adjusted I could see her up on her knees rocking. Then she just curled back up & went to sleep. I'd tried the crunchy fired ants, Chicha fermented drink, got a fresh haircut, swam in Los Pescaditos & bought some fique treats. Capping it all off with blood-curdling night terror screaming, my Barichara peace was officially a memory. Time to keep moving on toward Villa de Leyva.

Fount

"Fount" ~ Villa de Leyva, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt