Colombia is a Magnificent Country.
I probably looked like an idiot on the taxi ride from the airport to my hostel. Mouth agape, I stared out of the window with cool tropical air blowing my hair back, with a "you-got-me-the-perfect-gift" smile plastered on my face. That feeling never left me. Don't get me wrong, I was also nervous and terrified of what was to come. I mean, I had decided to go to a Spanish speaking country ALONE with Spanish so bad, I was better off speaking Pig Latin. My hands would get so clammy when speaking to local Colombians that pearls would start forming in my hands. But that nervousness and fear of embarrassment heightened the entire experience. I had to learn to trust the very people that I was told to be wary of and let go of this Hollywood "Narcos Colombia" image.
I had to let Colombia speak for itself.
Graffiti x Infinity
The graffiti culture in Colombia is a big part of the city. Almost any visible wall is plastered in detailed art portraying various elements of Colombian culture and history. Whether it is describing the plight of the native tribes that live in Colombia, or depicting oppression or corruption, their freedom of speech is painted on the walls of the city itself. The city government and the people within Bogota understand the underlying sentiment of this art, and rather than fight the expression, they embrace it.
The level of effort and detail that is put in to these commissioned works is highlighted by the wall below. It's a wall of cats, but if you notice, the black cat in the center is obstructed by the pole and the sign if you're looking at the wall from the angle that I am standing at. To compensate for the obstruction, the artist painted the hidden portion of the cat on to the pole and sign, so that there were no barriers between the artists art and the audience.
The Final Day
Tuk Tuks vs. Caballos
I was told that there was a giant rock called El Peñón de Guatapé, AKA La Piedra (literally meaning the Rock), and a little town by the name of Guatapé about 2 hours outside of Medellin. So, on an early Saturday morning, I got up to catch the bus to Guatapé. Well, I walked to the metro, which then took me to the bus station, which would then take me to Guatapé. I had hoped that I could get someone to come with me, but this was the last full day of my trip so I wasn't going to be there long, and I didn't want to cut someone else's trip short. I somehow managed on my own, not without a couple of nervous conversations with the locals to find my way around. The bus climbed up the mountain, giving me the most astonishing view of Medellín. But that wasn't even the best view I'd see. We drove deeper in to the country side of Colombia, which was a replica of the European countryside. Rolling hills that were patterned with different colored land. It was like a giant, lush quilt of yellows and greens. This country was full of surprises.
Of course, it would be unusual for me to not get in to a confusing and an overwhelming situation. The bus dropped us off at least half a mile downhill from the entrance to the rock. Now I'm standing here, contemplating whether I should exhaust some of my energy walking up this road, or if I should take one of the many rickshaws. A quick look at my cash told me I should probably brave the walk up. I had a lot of souvenirs to buy and I had more places to be (I still had to make it back to the hostel). That was until an older gentleman stopped me and started speaking the hardest possible dialect of Spanish that you could speak. I probably understood two words, and I heard caballo a lot. But, being me, my brain malfunctioned due to the pressure, so even that clear clue went over my head. All I knew was he was offering a way up the hill, so I obliged because at this point I'm too far in.
We start walking towards where the rickshaws are parked and I'm thinking to myself, "Congratulations, you played yourself". But then, he grabs a hold of a rope. A rope tied to a harness. A harness strapped to a horse. I instantly remember the definition of caballo: Horse. I've agreed to riding a dang horse up this hill.
Conquering The Rock
Once I made the trek up the hill, I was greeted by a bustling little tourist area filled with souvenir shops. I mentally marked the shops I wanted to visit and made my way to La Piedra, the big asteroid like rock jutting out of the earth's surface. It was 800 steps up to the top of the rock, and I hadn't done cardio in forever, so suffice to say it wore me out. But the views of the surrounding country side made it all worthwhile. It wasn't mountains that I saw, but this giant lake that curved and flowed around this river of land. I have never seen anything like it. Unfortunately, because I had decided to do everything under the sun on my last full day in Colombia, I couldn't soak it in for too long. I would've loved to get some ice cream from one of the stalls at the top of La Piedra, but that would have to wait for another time. I had to climb right back down, load up on souvenirs, and head towards Guatapé.
Guatapé
I still regret not having spent more time in Guatapé. Every time I thought Colombia couldn't get any better, I would find yet another hidden gem. The town was out of a fairy tale. The pictures speak for themselves. When you go to Colombia, because you definitely should be going soon, make sure you spend a couple hours around this area. It's breath taking.
I can safely say I fell in love with the country of Colombia. Maybe it was heightened because of the doubt that this was a safe choice for my first solo trip. Maybe it was the Hollywood impression of the country I had stuck in my head, one that I was proven wrong about time and time again. More than anything, it was Colombians themselves. The loving, patient, proud people of Colombia. Who wanted to share everything beautiful about their country and did not hide their imperfections. It was that lady behind the obleas stand, who stood their with the utmost patience as I struggled to give her my order. And the man who taught me the Spanish I needed to fulfill my order. And the bus driver who ensured my safe arrival in Medellin, preventing me from making the trip more difficult for myself. It was every uber driver I had, every random interaction, every waiter, every tour guide. The smiles, the open arms, and most of all, the peoples sense of pride, radiated throughout the whole trip.
Colombia won my heart.
