The Macarena

"The Macarena" ~ San Agustin, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

A Distant Flute

On several occasions so far, I've heard delightful flute playing in the distance or in the forest. I managed to record a little, but it's a bit faint.

Casa de Macaw

"Casa de Macaw" ~ San Agustin, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Early Bird

"Early Bird" ~ San Agustin, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Maiz

"Maiz" ~ San Agustin, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Tadero

"Tadero" ~ San Agustin, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

San Agustin, Colombia

Assortment of video clips & photos around San Agustin, Colombia. The shaky bus footage at the end was on the way through the mountains to Popayan. That was the most steady it was... after that I had to hang on for dear life!

Vista de Verde

"Vista de Verde" ~ San Agustin, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Buddha Nature

"Buddha Nature" ~ San Agustin, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Las Mariposas

"Las Mariposas" ~ San Agustin, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Magdalenita

"Magdalenita" ~ San Agustin, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Pretzelogic

"Pretzelogic" ~ San Agustin, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Cascada

"Cascada" ~ San Agustin, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Boy's Club

"Boy's Club" ~ San Agustin, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Fruta del Selva

"Fruta del Selva" ~ San Agustin, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Hey, Hey we're the Monkeys

I'm not sure why the proprietor of Posada Japones decided to tell me most of his life story, but I'm glad he did. From the time he left the farm in the mountains for the city, and then dragged back home where he says he had no shoes or clothes to speak of. He told me of how he learned fighting skills with knives, getting shot a few times, trafficking cocaine and managing a billiards parlor. All fascinating, especially after he said the moment that changed his life was seeing the twin towers fall on September 11. The following day he cut off his long hair and started yoga. After he got out of prison, he returned to San Agustin and began by sweeping the street for money until he had enough money for materials and built his Hostel/Posada with his own two hands. He is very proud that he is no longer a slave and owes no one any money or anything at all.

Another fellow named Oliver who first said he was Swiss but also French, had spent several months in a Bolivian jungle. He was smoking weed pretty much the whole time I was there, but never seemed all that stoned. Just calm with an easy smile.

I never saw him the slightest bit stressed until after he told me of a strange ritual he took part in that was supposed to cleanse his soul and give him a second life. The ritual involved a shaman cutting the head off a monkey and then placing it in Oliver's hand. He seemed still stunned by the memory of how much blood was draining out of the monkey's head and down his arm.

Click to read more ...

Jacob's Stalk

"Jacob's Stalk" ~ San Agustin, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Compound

"Compound" ~ San Agustin, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Helix

"Helix" ~ San Agustin, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt

Duende

"Duende" ~ San Agustin, Colombia (c) 2012 Skip Hunt