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Colombia Chronicles Pt. 1

Flight To Colombia (2022)

The adventure begins like all others, arriving at the mode of transportation. We made it to the airport with plenty of time for our international flight. Of course, with COVID-19, there are new steps and protocols that make the process even longer, but luckily it didn't seem like too many people were traveling in the evening, and the lines were practically empty all the way until we reached the gate. We found seats to wait out the time left before boarding. Ros entertained the baby, and I did some homework until the staff started calling groups.

I'll admit, I was a bit nervous going onto a plane with a 5-month-old baby, and I mentally prepared myself for lots of crying, stares, and eye rolls from neighboring people. To my surprise, the row in front of us also had a family with a baby and a toddler, while the four or five rows behind us were empty. This took a huge load off our shoulders because we knew if he did cry, at least the people directly near us would actually understand the struggle instead of judging us as if we could prevent the baby from crying!

By the time the plane was pulled into the taxi line, Alekos was fast asleep in his car seat. I held my breath as we picked up speed and started lifting off the ground. New York got smaller and smaller, its lights brighter than the stars above, but it wasn't until we stabilized at the proper altitude that I realized the baby had stayed asleep throughout all of take off. He actually ended up sleeping most of the flight, alerting us it was feeding time twice and returning back to sleep in time for landing. Once again, he slept through the turbulence and touch down. I must admit, I was highly impressed with the little human.

He woke up as we joined the line for immigration check-in, and then knocked out by the time we got into our ride. My father had come to pick us up, and due to some light rain, our reunion was brief, and left for the warm and dry car ride instead. He told us at that point that we were about an hour and a half away from his home, and it was already midnight. Time to buckle up! Santiago de Cali was empty at this hour, and it helped shave about 20 to 30 minutes off our trip. When we reached the foot of the mountain, the pavement disappeared and was replaced by orange-brown clay and rocks. The transition from smooth surface to off-roading at 1 am, was a huge wake-up call and adventure all on its own.

Somehow the baby slept all the way up the mountain until we reached my father's property. We unloaded the vehicle and then made our way into his home. Along the way, we met Thor, Zeus, Ares, Perla, Pepa, Toby, Ramona, and Caridad. Oh, by the way, those are his dogs! By 2 am we were all delirious, but at least dad had the opportunity to carry the baby for a moment before we all said goodnight.

 

Day 1 in Colombia (1/25)

We were supposed to go to a pool today but the weather was too cold to really enjoy a wet day out. So the backup plan was to go into the city and spend the day strolling and window shopping. We stopped at a local restaurant called "La Barra" which translates to "The Bar". They sold delicious food, and we were so excited to try authentic Colombian food. I ordered a churrasco (skirt steak) with rice and beans, roasted sweet plantain, a fried egg, and a large slice of avocado. My mouth drools just remembering the meal. We had freshly made orange juice in jugs for the table, to share. I really loved the detail of how the food was served over a banana leaf. A really special meal.

After we all finished eating, we hit the Centro Comercial Chipichape, a nearby shopping center where it was partially outdoors and open air. We walked around exploring the different stores, along with many new brands that sold interesting products like European brands that are not available back in the States. We needed a chill and relaxing day since the traveling experience was taxing from the night before.

Something that caught my attention and that I enjoyed was some stunning orchids that lined the parking lot; something so rare and expensive over in the states was just the local flower that decorated the parking lot. Amazing. I wanted to share these beauties with my mother, as they are her favorite flowers, so I captured this image! After so much walking around, we made our trip back up the mountain and enjoyed a leisure evening with family and friends.

 

Day 2 (1/26)

Today we stayed home because we had plans of hosting an "Asado" with my dad's friends and acquaintances. An Asado is like saying a cookout without the BBQ sauce. Usually, you have an open fire with a grill grid over it, and you cook different types of meat, roast corn, sweet plantains with cheese, sausages, and potatoes.

We played dominoes and a game called Sapo (which means frog). For Sapo, you toss metal rings into holes on a custom-made table (similar to how you would play the bean bags toss game), and each hole is worth different points. There is a small metal frog in the center-back, and if you can throw a ring into its open mouth, you win a ridiculous amount of points, in other words, win the game. Otherwise, it's based on whichever player reaches the goal number of points first. Ros had never played before so it was really fun teaching him how to play. What I didn't expect was for him to be good at it, and then proceed to beat me hard from then on! We played a few rounds and he beat me in all of them but one! He even landed a trick shot without meaning to and it was the talk of the evening.

My father teaching us how to play Sapo.
 

Day 3 (1/27)

It was time for an adventure, so my father had us jump into the back of a jeep truck and told us to hold on. Fair to say, it was a bumpy ride! The road that wraps around the mountainside is mostly red clay and rock, though there are patches of cement road trails for the tires to line up with during the steeper parts. I held the car seat between my legs with all the force I could muster while using my hands to grip the metal bar frame of the jeep to stay within it. It brought back memories of traveling through the callejónes in the Dominican Republic during my youth.

As we reached our destination, the forestation thinned and we kept catching glimpses of the breathtaking view below. We parked at "El Otono" restaurant, which was located on the summit of the mountain. At first glance, it looked like a small house with a good view, and perhaps at the end of the day, that's what it is. In their yard, they have a couple of plastic tables and chairs, with a sign listing the meal of the day. Their hot chocolate was the main reason we came (not to mention the view). Here in Colombia, they use a special cheese that you slip into the hot chocolate and you're supposed to let it melt, using a spoon to eat the melted cheese between sips. The combination is completely delicious. We have a spot back home where we enjoy this delicacy, but nothing compares to the original product.

Down below, we were able to see part of Cali, and it was more visible as to how it's in a valley. Mountain ranges surrounded the city on all sides, giving it a pocket of paradise with a 360-degree view of hills that reached towards the heavens. While we ate and took in the amazing view, bicyclists would come and go, singles, pairs, and even whole groups would arrive at a time. They would enjoy some breakfast, a hot chocolate or coffee, and then return to the mountain paths. I can't imagine riding a bike up those roads when I could barely walk them! I was impressed. My father shared with us how it was a growing community and trend for nature lovers and athletes to use the mountain trails in this manner. Adventure awaits!


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