Day 59 - Barrancabermeja - 180m Waterfall
Trip Start
Jun 13, 2009
1
71
178
Trip End
Jan 26, 2010
Barrancabermeja, Santander, Colombia
Monday, August 24, 2009
So we headed to the fruit market, gathered up some wonderful smoothies, empanadas, papas and headed back to the hotel to consume our feast. Jody and Niamh were enjoying this style of breakfast. Afterwards we headed off, swimmers underneath our clothes in the hope that we would find a swimming hole. We arrived at the collectivo terminal which would cost $3.5mil pesos each, each way, a total of $28,mil pesos. Christie chanced a waiting taxi who we found was willing to do the trip both ways for $40mil pesos and wait for one and a half hours while we explored. Deciding that time was our most precious commodity we jumped in and were at the falls by 9-30am. The falls were on the way to a small town called Charala, stopping before reaching the town. We could see the falls from the road, it was a good one, falling a total of 180m. We advanced up the goat track, about halfway up it turned quite muddy. I was in jeans with my only trainers on, Christie, was in shorts with thongs, Jody and Niamh were just in swimmers with thongs, none of us in ideal climbing gear. It was quite steep in parts and very narrow but the more dangerous parts were supported by rope which had been put in place by the abseiling tours that frequently abseiled down the lower part of the falls. The falls themselves were split in two drops, the top part falling about 100metres which fell onto rocks and cascaded almost horizontally about 30 metres before making a second drop of about 80metres. The path to the falls broke into two about three quarters of the way up, the lower path leading to the lower part of the falls, the upper path leading to the steppe in between the falls where the abseiler’s would start their drop. We went to both, the upper climb was quite strenuous and especially difficult (and foolish) with thongs, Jody and Niamh opted to carry their thongs. We spent about 10 minutes at each before of the falls. We returned about 11.15 to our waiting taxi driver. The path to the waterfalls went through a farm, and we found out on our return that there was an entrance fee to pay,$3mil pesos for adults, $2mil pesos for children. We brushed off any lingering mud which had mostly dried on the descent jumped in the taxi and arrive back at our hotel by midday. We collected our laundry, packed and we were on the road by 12-45. We were pleasantly surprised when our hotel only charged us $60mil pesos for the second night, which rounded off an excellent stay. El Galeon is highly recommended.
We walked about four blocks to the collectivo terminal that would take us to Bucuramanga. This is a different terminal to the one we had used before and not easy to find. However fortune favoured us yet again as there was a collective just about to leave with four places available. On we jumped, $60mil pesos for all four of us.
This part of the journey was the most breath taking, and the most nauseas. The three hour journey ascended to what must have been the highest peak in this part of the Andes and descended again to the foot of the mountains. It seemed that every 100metres there was a turn, some hairpin turns and we climbed and hugged one side of a mountain, travelled along its peak high above the clouds and descended again hugging the other side with alarming drops from the side of the road. This route was also frequented by large trucks and, with schedule in mind, the collective took every opportunity to pass the slow trucks, as did many cars. There were many times when there was no view of the road ahead because of the bends and it seemed more hope than skill that no vehicle was coming. I wouldn’t like to try this route on a large bus, and certainly not at night. By the time we had reached its peak Niamh in particular was feeling very sick, and crying silently as a result. We tried to get her to sleep which seemed to help. The views were quite spectacular.
We arrived in Bucaramanga about 3-40pm. The terminal was great and it didn’t take us long to find a connecting bus to Barrancabermeja, which left at 4pm. The price was $15mil pesos each. We all had a quick toilet break. There are no toilets on Collectivo’s. We are getting used to making the most of our stops. Christie took time to grab some snacks whilst I Ioaded the bags into the Collectivo. This journey was also going to take two and half hours.
The collective rose again on another side of a mountain and as we left Bucaramanga it gave an awesome sight of the city. Unlike many other places we have been, Bucaramanga is a very modern and clean looking city, with open green parks, modern roads and buildings. It might have been interesting to stop one night, but now our minds were focused on finding a hotel at the next town and the subsequent route tomorrow to Mompos.
We arrived in Barrancabermeja about 6-30pm,it was already very dark. The first thing we noticed was the number of motorcycles and mopeds. There were loads, almost outnumbering the cars. When we stopped we put on our rucksacks and headed down the street. After about 5 minutes we came across a hotel, El Faraon, directions assisted by a helpful local. Fortune favoured us yet again, they had a room for four people, very basic, but with a shower, and it would cost just $60mil pesos. We were able to ascertain from the landlady that the Chalupa’s (fast boats) that would take us to El Banco on our route to Mompos were only a short taxi ride away and they opened at 6am. We arranged a wakeup call and consumed with tiredness hit the sack.
