Brief visit to San Augustin

Trip Start Sep 25, 2007

Trip End Jul 25, 2008

Loading Map

Map your own trip!

Map Options

Show trip route

Hide lines

Where I stayed

Hotel Colonial

(Tarma hotels)

Flag of Colombia San Augustin, Colombia
Tuesday, February 26, 2008

After a 3 hr trip from Gartzon, I arrived in San Augustin...and checked into a cheap, shabby hotel in the centre. I hopped straight on to a bus to see the famous Parque Arqueologico, showing the sculptures and burial slabs of the San Augustin civilisation, which survived 80 generations from 3000 BC to 1500AD, before being wiped out by the Incas. My guide was quite good...explained the history and the meaning behind the stone carvings. I was surprised that they had so much outside influence and contact with other continents...African gorillas, Indian snake charmers and Egyptian symbols. The artwork also showed that they had knowledge of how to perform heart and brain surgery.
There were hardly any tourists to be seen, which wasn�t too surprising as the guerilla had been active in the area a few years back.

I did meet a very interesting Colombian traveller who had just left his job with the government after becoming disillusioned with them. He was starting his travels into South America with his cuatro (4 stringed guitar), and promoting his music. We met up later on that evening, and had really interesting conversations about his work with victims of the armed conflict in Medellin. His music touched on some of the contradictions and hypocracy of the state...who keep on denying the horror stories victims talk about. I listened to his CD that he gave me...and was truely impressed by his music. He spoke about that fact that age old problems exist, but are now just a bit more hidden to the outskirts of cities, behind the sparkling new buildings and shopping centres.