After nearly two months on the road I started to feel a little tired. Not that I would be running marathons every second day, but the constant moving around has its price to pay. I must say my Colombian "holiday" was a random encounter anyways. Such is long term travel - not knowing where you're going to end up - you have to embrace every moment/place...
One of those places ought to be Popayan. A small place between Bogota and Ecuadorean border. I needed to divide my journey down south somewhat and this city was perfect for it. My plan was to chill some place cheap and not busy. I had a running nose and needed to relax. Some retrospective thinking and future planning came hand in hand and I was focusing on myself while in Popayan.
Most travel destinations are not created equal. Popayan is rather boring town. I wouldn't recommend visiting this place unless it is a transit stop as in my case. Sure there are some appealing places to visit outside the city, but be prepared for a "Gringoland" experience. Natural parks that are hustle to get to, requiring entry fee or presence of a guide.
I am not a fan of such places and activities. It is hard truth in Colombia - they do try hard to protect their natural wonders and hence you can't just go on your own.
So I will stick to the old town of Popayan. It is actually famous for some colonial architecture - but after two months around Lat-Am I am actually so lost in it - I can't see it anymore...
Wandering around I have spotted a political event. Locals are quite naive and attend all those rallies - mostly for free air balloons and sugary stuff. I passed by in WOW and headed to the biggest monument of Popayan - a local hill nicknamed pyramid...
I have hiked up in my fake crocks, which are actually manufactured here in Colombia. It didn't take long and I was rewarded with pretty nice views.
I took an off road path up and my crocks suffered a little. I wonder when I will have to buy some better shoes. So far I am surviving with a pair of Nike skate shoes and fake crocks - which are both good and bad. I guess my main point is to look as poor as possible to avoid being encountered by robbers. So far it worked amazing. This however reminds me my arrival to Popayan.
As it is custom here in Colombia the bus rides take longer than advertised. As for first time few days ago, so this time I have arrived already after sunset. If you have ever been to Latin america you will agree that day and night are two separate realities here.
I knew taxis are cheap, but somehow when I got off the bus I didn't feel like grabbing one. I was being offered things right at the door and my priority was to get the hell out of the main station. There was also a pedestrian bridge leading exactly my direction and so I have started walking to the center...
If it was a good or bad idea - I am not sure - but nothing happened to me obviously. It wasn't still that late and I tried my best to look like I know exactly where I am going. I felt a little uneasy at times. Specially in some darker street corners, but as I have said, I had my ninja hat on and skipped through all the potential trouble unnoticed...
Back to daytime Popayan again shall we. At the top of the hill I figured there is an easy way up (or down) on the other side. Nice paved sidewalk to be precise. That led me back to center where I have observed some usual gringo traps such as tourist shops of all sorts. There was also a book market outside which caught my attention, but my "terrible" Spanish didn't allow me to find a suitable publication.
Back in the hostel I have met Dominic - a Dutch traveler and hypnotiser. He was much more valuable than any book I could have bought at the market and our discussion went into late night hours. I have spent overall four nights in Popayan before I felt powerful and motivated enough to keep on going...
All the best,
Global Local
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I know that you said it's a boring town, but looking at your photos, it doesn't look like that... Also, I see in one photo that there are some nice forests and hills around the town... At least nature never disappoints... :)
I have picked this post on behalf of the @OurPick project which will be highlighted in the next post!
@ph1102 you're right, however the proximity to the border here makes natural areas effectively cartel areas... So I wouldn't venture too deep to the bush here. However who knows - it might be all just propaganda and it is actually safe.
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Your journey through Latin America is an incredible adventure! Popayan may not have been the most thrilling stop, but every place has its own charm. Your resourcefulness and determination are inspiring. Wishing you safe travels and exciting new experiences ahead!
@himalayanwomb Thank you for your motivating words! Who knows where the next road leads to :)
doing such a journey as you are it must be so tiring and draining I am glad you stopped in this place even if it was relatively boring, was perhaps just what you needed for some rest and recuperation
Thanks for joining the Wednesday walk :)
Sometimes it really is, specially with all the distances here in Lat Am.. Everything looks closer on the map than it actually is ;)
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Beautiful photographs. Excellent shots of that gift they gave him. Greetings.
It sounds like you've had quite the adventure during your travels in Colombia and your time in Popayan. Traveling long-term can be both exhausting and exhilarating, especially when you embrace the uncertainty of not knowing where you'll end up. Popayan may not have been the most exciting destination for you, but it's interesting to hear about your experiences and observations.
Your decision to explore the city on foot and navigate the bus station on your own despite arriving after dark shows your adventurous spirit. It's important to trust your instincts while traveling and prioritize safety.
Meeting fellow travelers like Dominic can often lead to meaningful conversations and new perspectives. It's these encounters that can make your journey more enriching.
@awuahbenjamin - I can't help it but you write like chat GPT :)
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Jsi vyměnil Balkán za Latam, jo? Paráda :) Ale musím tě varovat, je to tam dost návykové. My takhle jeli kdysi na kukačku do Mexika a nakonec jsme tam zůstali celkem dva roky. Během té doby jsme projeli i pár dalších zemí okolo včetně těch, kde jsi zatím byl taky, jak vidím... Zkus se co nejdřív naučit aspoň základy španělštiny, to ti všechno výrazně usnadní a zpříjemní. Hezký pobyt přeju :)
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Well sadly I can't be at two places at the same time :) I have some Spanish skills, very important here indeed. Thanks for advice man!
V pohodě :) A (na) češtinu nezapomeň, tak se ti ještě taky někdy může hodit :) Až se třeba toulek po světě nabažíš a zasteskne se ti po vlasti...
I had another blog for CZ which didn't went well here, so I'll keep it ENG on this one. The good thing about home countries is that they can't kick you out after few months :)
Jo, pamatuju... Tak ať se ti pod tímto účtem vede lépe :)
Dikes, tobe taky!
Wao, the weather looks interesting, enjoy your self
will do thank you