San Gil and Barichara

29/08/2011

We woke up at 6am to found a wonderful breakfast of Colombian fruits. It was delicious but once again, the quantity was huge. We couldn’t finish the 2 last kiwis.

Gladys accompanied us to the bus station but we assured her she didn’t have to come with us and she could go to work.

2 hours later and 4 photos of me sleeping… we arrived at San Gil.

It’s a wonderful little colonial town with a great cathedral. We first stopped at a coffee place where my dad took a Latte and I took a very good and refreshing Frappe coffee. The bar was very nice and we had a nice resting time (which was needed after sleeping in the bus…isn’t it?).

  

Special for the best roomate ever: Meggie!!!

 

As we were looking at the map, a car stopped next to us, a girl got out and came to ask if we needed information or if she could help us. When we told her we were ok and just settling our program, she went back to her car and left. We were just amazed!!! I’ve never seen that in any country. In France it’s already hard to ask information to someone not doing anything and don’t even hope for someone stopping his car to help you!

We then walked around the city and went to the wonderful park of Gallinera. It’s a “must” if you go to San Gil, it’s worth the only 6000 pesos of the entrance (=2,5€ or 3,4$).

We walked around the town to discover all its secrets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 We then headed to Barichara, another little colonial town with a great orange-golden cathedral. Its clerestory (a second row of windows high up in the nave) is unusual for a Spanish cathedral.

 

 

 No comment.... :)

 

 

We finished the day by walking down part of the “Camino Real”…headed to Guane. Unfortunately, due to the time and the deterioration of the weather, we weren’t able to go until Guane and headed back to Barichara after only 1 kilometer. There we took a bus to San Gil and once there another one for Bucaramanga.

It was already 8:30pm when we arrived in front of the house. We spoke a bit with Gladys and friends of her and I was able to use a computer to check my mails. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to write the blog as it would take too long. To put an article, it takes about an hour so as I have 5 days to go, it would have been impossible for me to do it tonight. Especially as I’m writing every day or every two days the articles on a word document and then copy and paste it on the blog when I have internet. As I used another computer, I would have had to copy on an USB stick, then transfer it to the new computer..etc so it definitely would have taken to much time. Maybe once in Medellin, we will have internet in the hostel and I’ll be able to post all the articles :-)

Even if I didn’t write on the blog, I was able to give some news through facebook and see/answer my mails. I thank all the people sending me mails and want to apologize for the delay in my replies.

 

Tomorrow: Chicamocha, I’m very excited about it! When we planned the trip I especially wanted to go to 4 spots: Cartagena, Chicamocha, Medellin and Laeticia. 1 Done already but still 3 to go :-)