So you know how we said in our last post that we were really committed to keeping the blog updated? Yeah, well, hopefully this time we’ll keep our word and catch up all the way to the present day, which is June 20, 2019 for the record!
After two and a half months in Ecuador, our next destination was Colombia and our third (and what turned out to be final) Workaway, to help out in a vegetarian cafe in a small lakeside town.
Our first stop in Colombia was Medellin, where we were able to spend about three days exploring. This was of course not enough time to fully investigate this sprawling metropolis, but we were able to see some highlights and get a sense of life there. We stayed (thanks to Airbnb) in a room in a house in a quiet neighborhood. Our hostess was friendly and had three adorable cats. We started our visit to the city with a free walking tour (these exist almost everywhere and are an amazing way to get an overview of a new place). Our tour guide took some time to explain the city’s complex recent history and told us that most locals choose not to mention the now-shameful name of Pablo Escobar. A highlight of the city is the many Botero sculptures, both poetic and political. Another memorable experience in Medellin was trying to ride the subway during rush hour. It was packed with people and we let three trains pass before we finally crammed into a crowded car. It took superhuman effort to extricate ourselves at our final stop.
Our next and longer-term destination was the small town of Guatapé – a two-hour (winding!) bus ride to the east. Guatapé sits on the sprawling man-made Peñol-Guatapé Reservoir which consists of many large lakes and streams that dot the surrounding countryside, and provides one third of Colombia’s electricity. It’s famous for its “zocalos” which are painted panels that adorn the front of every building in town, water-sports, and the Piedra de El Peñol, a giant sticky-up granite rock southwest of town.
We came to Guatapé via Workaway to help out Bernice, the British owner of Hecho Con Amor Deli. Our main tasks were to walk her dogs Pulga and Bella every day, to help with weekly food prep, and to work in the café itself. Walking the dogs was an amazing journey that started with a stroll along the lake front with both dogs on-leash. As you’ll see from the photos, Pulga is an unusual looking fellow. He was a fixture in town and cries of “hola Pulga!” and sometimes “hyena!” followed him. We usually stopped to pick up the dogs’ best canine friend, Amber, and sometimes other local dogs came along. Once we got a bit outside of town, both Pulga and Bella were taken off-leash where they ran ahead up and down winding country roads. They loved to swim in ponds and rivers and it was a joy to see them bobbing up and down in the water and then emerging for a vigorous shake. Pulga is an independent spirit and he would often slip away, returning home hours later with a distended belly and flatulent evidence of an afternoon spent enjoying local food handouts.
Food preparation for the café was hard work and usually took most of the day on Friday. It takes lots of vegetable peeling and chopping, sautéing, and mixing to prepare the dishes that are sold in the week ahead. Other items are prepared on a daily basis. The café was very popular and it was fun to chat with customers, most of whom were visitors to Guatapé and delighted to find a source of vegetarian and vegan food (often challenging in South America). Besides the beauty of the lakes and zocalos, our time in Guatapé was extra special as we were there for the weeks leading up to Christmas. The whole town was beautifully decorated with lots of lights. One highlight was Día de Las Velitas on December 7 where everyone in town lit up rows of candles in front of their houses. We also enjoyed the town Christmas pageant where adorably dressed children sang and danced. All of these experiences (and more) made our time in Guatapé very special before we headed back to South Carolina for Christmas. We were sad to say good-bye to Bernice, Pulga, Bella, and the other folks we met in Guatapé and will savor our time in this lovely locale.
Kelly burrello says:
What a descriptive review. I feel like I’ve been there.. be safa
June 21, 2019 — 8:44 pm
Both of us says:
Thanks Kelly!
June 21, 2019 — 8:49 pm
Neveen Hamdy says:
Almost went to Columbia late last year. Really sounds like you have such an interesting and different life style..
Looking forward to reading about your next adventures!
Enjoy snd stay safe.
June 22, 2019 — 5:37 am
Both of us says:
Thank you Neveen!!
June 22, 2019 — 10:09 am