The Big Rock

Thursday, March 07, 2019
Guatapé, Antioquia, Colombia
After a last breakfast in Salento, Emil and I took the journey to Medellin by bus. It was a 7.5 hour ride through many mountains and rickety roads. We stopped a couple of times and sadly after the second stop the air conditioning seemed to stop working so we were all being boiled in the bus. 
The only things that saved the experience were the incredible views and interesting things I noticed along the way including the boys on their bikes gripping onto the back of lorries to get them up the never ending hills. 
We finally arrived in Medellin at 3.30pm and after checking into my hostel we went to a food market for some well needed food. That was our entire day. 
The 7th was a better day. Emil and I went to Guatape which is a small town 2 hours east of Medellin. It is very close to the Piedra del Peñol, a giant rock, which you can climb 700 steps to reach the top. This was our first stop. After climbing the steps, ouch, we could appreciate the pretty good view. The weather wasn't perfect but it was still an impressive panorama of the surrounding islands. 
Then we made our way into Guatape, the town. The house are all very colourful and have interesting designs featuring local wildlife, traditions and religions. After a traditional (without the meat) Colombian 'menu del dia' - rice, lentils, plantain, egg and salad - we caught the bus back to Medellin. 
(I'm a bit delayed in writing these blogs because I have arrived in Minca now where I am working for the next 4 months so I'm pretty busy and also quite limited with wifi, but i'll get there!)
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Comments

Daf
2019-03-12

Some pretty amazing scenery, Piedra del Peñol looks really weird a massive rock and all those steps!! All the street art looks so colourful and I guess you've had an idea about conquering Bathwick hill on your bike! Take care XX

Carynm
2019-03-12

What an amazing view to look at whilst eating breakfast in Salento. The climb up The Rock must have gone on forever, but I guess the views made the climb worth it. Guatape is so colourful - the street art looks fresh and well maintained - obviously backpacker territory so you weren't out of place! Looking forward to reading more about Minca once you have settled in and know more about the work you'll be doing xxx

2025-02-15

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