Salento - The Return of the Hippy :)

I knew the I was going to enjoy Salento, Colombia, but I had no idea how much. I enjoyed it so much that I stayed for a week! My stay there

was enhanced greatly by the hostel where I stayed, La Serrana. It is advertised as a backpacker's resort, and it couldn't be a better way description. It is by far the best hostel I have ever stayed in, and I have stayed in A LOT...

First of all, the hostel serves very good meals five days a week for about 8 dollars a meal. And, it comes with great

views, a farm, and a very cute dog named Pablo. It was located about 20 minutes from the town of Salento where I walked at least once a day.

I relaxed for the first two days of my stay in Salento. I had just finished the Lost City trek and Parque Tayrona, so I really needed the sleep. I caught up on things, applied for a

couple of jobs, and watched movies! I also ate

mango and coconut; something I have done

almost everyday since I arrived in Colombia. I like to think that Colombia has Coconut sticks instead of the fish sticks that we have at home...

After I had my rest, I decided to begin the touristy part of my stay in Salento. My first day was "farmer day". I milked a cow and went on a horseback ride. These are two things that I have

not done since I was a small child at summer

camp. Nonetheless, I successfully woke up at

5:00 am to milk the cow, and a horse galloped while I was riding it... We actually drank the milk in the hostel. Very creamy, but good.

The following day, I went with a group of folks from

England, the Netherlands, El Salvador/D.C., Norway, and Germany to the Cocora Valley, a green pasture about twenty

minutes from Salento covered with Wax Palms,

Colombia's national tree.

Side note: for many years people cut part of the Wax Palm to use during Palm Sunday. Unfortunately, when the part was cut, it killed the entire tree. This is one reason it was made the National Tree, to protect it.

It was a six hour hike up to this an eery, mystical place. Cows eat the grass below the trees, so it

makes for a clean looking landscape. It reminded me a golf course from a Dreamworks film. On the way to the valley, we stopped at a small hummingbird farm/restaurant that served us all "free" coffee and cheese - after we all paid 3,000

pesos, of course.. The hummingbirds and flowers that surrounded the house were very impressive.

The valley has to be one of the most impressive views I have seen since I arrived in Colombia. The hike, as well, was enjoyable. The company was cheerful and the scenery was nice, so I

cannot complain.

I also went out with a couple of folks to play Tay Ho! It is like Colombia horse shoes, but you use rocks and the rocks hit gun powder and not steel. Very fun, but I had to cheat :)

I also had the opportunity to visit two coffee farms during my stay in Salento. I am only going to speak of one farm in this blogpost because I am going to dedicate an entire blogpost to

Sachamama... Keep posted for this one.

I visited Don Elias's Finca with a girl from Ireland. They had a very cute puppy, which I held. The twenty year old grandson of Don Elias took us for a thirty minute tour that ended with

two cups of rather delicious coffee. He taught us about the processes that the farm does to be

organic and the process that they do to make the

coffee. It was very interesting - not nearly as interesting as the tour I did the following day, but it was overall worth the 3$ I spent.

The rest of my trip, I spent teaching yoga, watching sunsets, buying jewelry, and eating

meals with interesting people. The hostel itself was so beautiful that I did not want to leave. The

bottom line is that I could talk about this place forever and never get the right word across! You gotta visit :). I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Colombia.

I called this blogpost "the return of the hippy" because the hippy part of Anna came back in force in this place! I loved being in nature, milking cows, and learning about coffee. It made me ready for the mountains of NC... Speaking of which!

Right now, I am finish this blogpost from Mouth of Wilson, Virginia! I finally have fast enough internet to do a blog. I am very tired and groggy, and I hope to have more insightful words in the future! Take care my friend :)