Popayàn

Back to my altered travel plans: having had enough of Salento and the hotel I was in, I decided to go on to Popáyan a day earlier than planned. Unfortunately, my hostal of choice didn't have a room for that night and I could find vacancy at only one place, a place that made me regret my hasty decision to leave Salento. The owner of Pass Home Hostal was very nice but the place itself was marginal, one of those electric shower heads for the hot water, paint flaking off the walls, a cell like room. Icky in a word.

 

The drive there from Salento, though interesting for the scenery, was long and uncomfortable in one of those big, 12 passenger vans, squished in and unable to move much at all. Passing through the big city of Cali, Salsa capital of the world, I was reminded of why I have an aversion to hot, humid places. It was both of those and I suffered until we climbed up into the mountains. By the time we reached Popáyan I was flattened. I did have a surprisingly good dinner at a vegetarian place, not one that catered to foreigners, a locals sort of place run by three women who made good food from scratch including outstanding, heavy, dense whole wheat and pumpernickel bread. Then it was bed time.

First thing in the morning, I moved to the hostal I like and and set off for a bike ride. The hostal sponsored a tiny bike share program, 5 bikes, one station, and I enjoyed riding around the community for a couple of hours.

Then walked up to a hilltop for big views of the town and surroundings. .

 

But it is not what you'd term a vibrant city. Restaurants close at around my dinner time and the sidewalks are rolled up early. This being Sunday, things died even earlier so I made my dinner and retired early in anticipation of another day of travel.

 

 

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