San Agustin
Trip Start
Nov 22, 2007
1
51
64
Trip End
Ongoing
San augstin, Colombia
Saturday, May 31, 2008
The road to San Agustin was a rough but spectacular one. Only a few years ago it was basically off limits due to FARC activity, but these days the area (like most of Colombia in general) is much different and safer today. There are definitely more soldiers with automatics along with pillboxes and machine gun nests then I have been accomsted to, but the sight of these guys along with the random ID checks and pat downs just seem to be daily run of the mill stuff here. One interesting note however is that the FARC, Paramilitaries and the government troops all wear the same uniforms so you can never really tell for sure who is waving you down on the side of the road. A few years ago in Cali the FARC called in a bomb threat at goverment house and then showed up to evacuate the politicians from the building, only they simply evacuated them as prisoners to their secret camps where they remain today, but I digress.
The ride was bumpy yet beautiful with waterfall spray soaking the bus on some of the hairpin turns. I also met a pair of Colombian law students (Gaby and Fecundo) that I cahtted to for a good while. To go a distance of just over 100 k´s it took us nearly seven hours before we flagged down a pickup to take us to San Agustin town. In town we found a place to crash and the next day ventured out to see the famed archaeological statues of the area. They were pretty impressive, though the constant rain I have encountered since entering Colombia has gotten a bit annoying and most of the time was spent talking English with local school kids who find the language absolutely hilarious. Horses were also a cheap and efficient way to take in the countryside and the further flung archaeological sites. My favorite was the Choqueria sight where stone faces stared out to the canyon walls and the four huge waterfalls that pored over its precipice. I also had the best horse of my life who for some reason actually listened to my commands. We chased other horses and parakeets through the fields and cloud forests like some scene out of Black Beauty. I forget his name, but it was the same name as the guia.
Hanging out trying to outlast the rain, frequenting the market, town restaurants and copious amounts of honey stands also took up a good deal of time. At least the friendly locals would let us ride down the cobblestone streets bouncing along in the back of a horse drawn veggie cart as opposed to walking through the rain. One day Gabby and Fecundo showed up in the town square as we were chatting with the Colombian hippies, with a bottle of Guarapo and we hung out talking and chilling for a while. We eventually agreed to meet up in nearby Pitalito for a night on the town, where I attempted my gringoesque salsa and meringue moves. I also agreed that I would stop by a few days later when I returned to Popyañ and not try to walk into the FARC bars of Pitalito that I unkwingly diod the night before.
The bus back to Popyañ was only about five hours late even though I kept calling the bus company wanting to know where it was. It had alywas just left thirty minutes earlier. Even the locals didn't like this and made me write a complaint that they were going to deliver to the company officials. I appreciate the effort guys but for some reason I have the feeling threat they just don´t give a damn. It took me about ten hours to get back to Ppoyañ.
