Punta Gallina
La parte dell'estremo nord colombiano si chiama cosi perché ha la forma di un collo di gallina ed e' la terra di contrabbando di beni provenienti via terra dal vicino Venezuela e via mare da Panama. A parte questo, il mare, il sole e il vento sono ancora più potenti di quelli di Cabo.
Con Berny abbiamo fatto 3 ore di jeep fino ad arrivare a baia Honda dove una barchetta ci ha portati a Punta Gallina in 10 minuti. L'accampamento che abbiamo trovato dall'altra parte non era niente male: gestito da Leo, una Wayuu tosta e cotta dal sole, che ha organizzato colazione, pranzo e cena per tutti nella grande sala tipo mensa scolastica. L'accampamento era poi formato da una cucina, una zona con 4 file di amache e bagni con acqua salmastra.
Una volta arrivati e fatto colazione, abbiamo iniziato il giro di 4 ore visitando il faro, il mirador tra deserto e mare, e le famose dune di Taroa.
Dico solo che le foto non rendono onore allo spettacolo che le dune presentano. Sono un sogno!
Parque Tayrona
Dopo quattro giorni intensi in ottima compagnia di Antonietta e Facundo era giunto il momento della 'despedita' (saluti di addio) del gruppo: io e Facu diretti a Parque Tayrona e Anto di ritorno a SM. Invece, quasi il destino sentisse la nostra tristezza, il bus in cui viaggiavamo si e' rotto e abbiamo fatto tardi per entrare al parco nazionale, quindi tutti a SM.
Dopo una nottata in compagnia in un ostello gremito di argentini incontrati prima di partire per la Guajira (piccola questa Colombia!), io e Facu ci mettiamo in cammino per il Parque Tayrona.
Qui vivono i Tayrona, una comunità indigena che vive ancora all'interno del parco, precisamente in un piccolo villaggio chiamato Pueblito (appunto!). Gli indigeni non sono ben visti dai colombiani credo per la vita selvaggia ed isolata che conducono, ma vengono anche descritti come pigri ed poco civili. Non so e non ho capito molto, ma le facili etichette non mi piacciono, quindi accantono l'argomento promettendomi di approfondire in seguito.
Per accedere al parco si paga l'entrata e per arrivare alla prima spiaggia utile per accamparsi ci si impiegano 2 ore. Noi ce le siamo fatte a piedi e con gli zaini, versione light – gran parte delle cose le avevamo lasciate a SM in ostello.
Il parco nazionale naturale Tayrona e' fantastico, ci sono diverse spiagge e punti dove si può campeggiare con tende, amache o affittare bungalow. Noi ci siamo fermati in un campeggio molto spartano vicino la spiaggia Arecifes, dove non si poteva nuotare per diversi motivi: per le forti correnti, per essere una zona protetta per la riproduzione delle tartarughe e per la presenza di caimani.
Un'altra spiaggia incredibile e' Cabo San Juan, molto più popolare e popolata di gringo, quindi siamo stati contenti del campeggio rustico gestito da Rambo. Il tipo che gestiva il campeggio era un personaggio curioso e particolare ma molto disponibile, sempre pronto ad offrire un po di caffè e il cocco fresco.
Il parco e' meraviglioso compresi caimani e zanzare, ha tanti angoli da cartolina con palme e rocce che si affacciano sul mare da sogno. Bello Bello!!!!
Taganga
Il luogo più economico al mondo per fare immersioni.
Ovviamente sono andata, curiosa di vedere i fondali del mar caraibico e di conoscere la famosa movida di Taganga. Morale: immersione niente di speciale (facilmente prevedibile dopo le Galapagos!), tempo nuvoloso, vita notturna movimentata (anche se nulla di eclatante), ma tanti incontri e ri-incontri con nuovi e vecchi compagni di viaggio – ovviamente argentini.
Darei un 7 pieno a Taganga.
The Trip to the North! I have to write about the travel arrangements for Punta Gallina as it felt to live in a movie: 1) I met a guide named Enrique, whom the hostess renting the hammocks knew; he had a group from Bogota but he said he could have been available to bring a group of people to Punta. So my task was to form a group, we were 3 and needed to find at least other 3. 2) We met three Scottish guys, after an afternoon of ruminations, they have agreed to join us. 3) The night before the trip Enrique did not show up for the details; we contacted him but he suddenly cancelled the trip at 5am the next day at 9 pm (particularly important was that at 10pm, the lady turned off the electricity generator).
4) The lady decided to contact Berny, who arrived after 10 minutes but during the price negotiation he asked for a deposit ... I cannot write what I thought after the previous experience from the other guide and him asking for guarantees! Ah Berny!
5) We went to sleep quickly putting the alarm clock, but instead we were awakened by a competitor of Berny, who at 4:30 am came to tell us that our guide would not come and that sent him to warn us.
6) We were speechless and half asleep.
7) Surprise: Berny came really surprised by the move of the competition! We were always speechless!
8) We speeded the preparations slowed by the news of the first guy, but the Scots were not seen on the horizon. We regained the words, actually a river of words spoken in three different languages!
9) Facundo and I went looking for them not knowing where they were staying: a search clumsy and foolish but with its rewards: we found them.
10) We were told that they were not coming, they were very 'sorry' but could not make it (my sleepy hamster waked up shouting 'drunken!!!!'). Facu and I wanted to beat them, but never mind.. Instead Antonietta addressed them with ferocious words and awakened them altogether. Short story: we left with the two boys smelling of alcohol loaded at the back of the jeep as dogs and the girl in silence with us in the truck. We had many words to say to her, but we decided to ignore the incident, at least we were going!
11) Once in the car Berny said it might have rained and that maybe we should have come back in the evening! (In the desert the rain? But it did not rain since November? Ah Berny!) We laughed and between a chat and the other he revealed to Anto he had an urological visit in Uribia the following day and was afraid of being late. Once again, we are speechless!
12) At the end, we stayed until the next day as agreed.
Punta Gallina
The far northern part of Colombia is called so because of its shape: a chicken neck. This is also 'the land of smuggling goods coming by land from Venezuela and by sea from Panama.
Apart from that, the sea, the sun and the wind are even more powerful than those of Cabo. With Berny we did 3 hours on the jeep until we arrived to Honda bay where a boat took us to Punta Gallina in 10 minutes.
The camp that we found on the other side was not too bad: run by Leo, a Wayuu tough and baked by the sun lady, who organised breakfast, lunch and dinner for all the great hall type school cafeteria. The camp was formed by a kitchen, an area with 4 rows of hammocks and bathrooms with water.
Once arrived and had breakfast, we started the round of four hours visiting the lighthouse, the mirador between desert and sea, and the famous dunes of Taroa.
I only say that the photos can not give honor to the show that the dunes present.
They are a dream!
Parque Tayrona
After four intense days in good company of Antonietta and Facundo it was the time of 'despedita' (farewell): Facu and I were headed to Parque Tayrona and Anto returned to SM. Instead, almost like the fate felt our sorrow, the bus in which we were traveling broken and we were late to enter the national park; so we all went back to MS. After a night with friends in a hostel full of Argentinians met before leaving for La Guajira (Colombia is so small!), Facu and I set out to Parque Tayrona.
Here the Tayronas live, an indigenous community that still lives inside the park, specifically in a small village called Pueblito (of course!). The natives are not well seen by Colombians I believe for the wild land isolated life they conduct, but they are also described as lazy. I do not know and I did not understand much, but I don't like the easy labels, so I set aside the issue and promised to deepen later.
To enter the park there is an entry ticket and to get to the first beach -useful to camp, it takes two hours. We did the walk with our backpacks, light version - most of the things were in the hostel at SM.
The National Natural Park Tayrona is fantastic, there are several beaches and places where you can camp with tents, hammocks or rent bungalows. We stopped at a very basic campground near the beach Arecifes, where one cannot swim for several reasons: due to strong currents, to be a protected area for the reproduction of the turtles and the presence of caimans.
Another amazing beach is Cabo San Juan, much more popular and populated by gringos, so we were pleased with the rustic camp run by Rambo. This guy managing the camp was a curious and particular character but very helpful, always ready to offer a bit of coffee and fresh coconut.
The park is wonderful including alligators and mosquitoes, it has many corners like postcards with trees and rocks that overlook the beaches. What a beauty!
Taganga
The cheapest place in the world for diving.
Of course I went, curious to see the depths of the Caribbean Sea and to know the famous nightlife of Taganga. Bottom line: immersion nothing special (easily predictable after the Galapagos!), cloudy weather, lively nightlife (though nothing sensational), but many encounters and re-encounters with new and old companions - obviously Argentineans.
I would give a full 7 to Taganga.