Winter Break Adventures: Part 1 -- Hiking Up Pico Pance

The end of the school year was full of grading, grading and more grading, planning trips with friends and family, and celebrating the holidays---hence the lack of updating this thing!  Here's part 1 of our winter break filled with so much joy I don't think I ever stopped smiling.

End of Semester 1!
The end of first semester was full of celebrations.  Colombians LOVE Christmas and it was evident from the strobe light like lights blinking from balconies all around the city, the never-ending salsa music outside our windows until the wee hours of the morning, and the generosity of everyone.  Aaron and I were given gifts from students and the school held a Christmas party with over 200 staff members which ended in salsa dancing and a mariachi band!

Pico Pance
After finals were over, Aaron and I were ecstatic to have our dearest friend Kaylyn come and visit. We had big plans to explore all parts of Colombia and began with a hike up to the highest peak you can see from Cali--Pico Pance.  The hike should be done in at least 2 days, but our crew wanted to try to make it in one day from a base camp about 1.5 hour hike from Pueblo Pance (a small town 30 minutes outside of Cali).  Cali is at about 1,000 meters (3, 340 feet) and Pico Pance, the peak, is 4,105 meters (13, 468 feet).  The first day, we took a bus up to Pueblo Pance and hiked 1.5 hours up to Amor y Paz (Love and Peace), a little camping spot up in Farrallones National Park.

Our way up to Amor y Paz included a fun river crossing!

Our base camp for the hike.

Looking towards Pueblo Pance from Amor y Paz.

The plan was to head to bed early, wake up at 4:00am and start the 6-8 hour hike to the top.  Sasha, an American woman who lives in Pance and does guiding, coordinated the trip for us and her friends, Alejandro and Douglas, were our guides up the mountain.  In Sasha's words, "I've done the hike once but won't be doing it again ANY time soon."  It was going to be difficult, I knew that, but I don't think I knew exactly what to expect. 

We woke up at 3:30am and scarfed down a breakfast of coffee, eggs, arepa and cheese.  At 4:00am, with only our headlamps to guide us, we started up hill only to stop 5 minutes later to circle up and stretch. Our guide, Alejandro, explained how important it was to warm-up. :) 

Our sunrise view of the summit.

Dan, Aaron, Juan David, Juan Pablo, Kaylyn and I began the hike.  It seemed the darkness was to our advantage because although the trail was straight up hill, I couldn't see beyond my light beam, so I lived in the dream that it would soon level out.  The hum of the insects was fantastically meditative while the parrots' shrieks seemed to bring me back to my screaming hamstrings.  This false optimism kept me going pretty well for the first 2 hours.  Then, once daylight crept through the canopy making me turn off my headlamp, it seemed everything changed.  Actually, I'm not sure if it was the daylight or the fact that we were climbing vertically up roots and rocks with no breaks in sight.  At this point, we had to make a decision.  Dan, Aaron and Juan David were moving fast while Kaylyn, JP and I were sticking together.  Therefore, we split into 2 groups.  The first would make a strong push for the summit where they had to get before 1p.m. while the rest of us would keep pushing at a more moderate pace.

The trail was developed, but there were many points where we wished we had a machete to cut down the overgrowth.  After a fairly suave (soft) first hour, it was basically straight up for most of the way.  Trekking poles were not too helpful as we were literally climbing up roots and rocks.  Honestly, this made the hike really fun and interesting!  It wasn't just a switchback trail.  However, it also made it incredibly exhausting and coming down wasn't as speedy as it can be on other trails.  In fact, it seemed like we went slower going down at times to make sure our footing was secure. 

After 8 hours of straight hiking, Kaylyn, J.P. and I were still 2 hours from the summit, so we had reached our own summit for the day.  The views certainly made the pain worth it.  We were above the clouds and could even see Nevada del Huila, a snow-capped volcano, on the other side of the valley.  The other group ended up making it, and we all reunited around 6:30pm at Amor y Paz for a MUCH needed dinner!

One of those beautiful pain numbing views on our way to the top. 

Perhaps the best part of the hike was our K-9 companions!

Sasha is a fantastic host and had a feast waiting for us: quinoa soup, chicken, rice, salad, and plantains.  We swapped stories over fresh lemonade (with a little rum for our aching bones) and slept like the many gigantic logs we had aggravatingly climbed over hours before. 

In the words of Aaron, "That was the most difficult single day hike I've ever done in my life." Despite the incredible elevation gain, and the steep/ruggedness of the trail, we both would like to do it again but camp half way up.  We didn't see one other person or group while hiking which makes this hike that much more enticing.   Oh, and seeing the sunrise from the summit would be unbelievable.

Summit Teams: USA and Colombia!

Thanksgiving on the Caribbean

Jungle, mountains, and beaches...OH MY!!!

Tayrona National Park in Northern Colombia is what dreams are made of.

We were lucky enough to spend our Thanksgiving break at the Caribbean.  First, in Santa Marta to celebrate Thanksgiving with good friends.  We cooked, swam, relaxed in the sunshine, and took turns huddled up next to the internet router in order to Skype our families!  It was a relaxing start to our vacation.  

We rented an apartment in Rodadero from Airbnb and enjoyed this sunset.

Then, we spent Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in Tayrona National Park. It was easy to find transportation there because if you are a gringo (foreigner), every Colombian assumes you'll be heading to Tayrona and offers you bus rides there every 5 seconds!  The hour bus ride is beautiful and highlights the diversity of Colombia: beach, countryside, mountains, and jungle.   We arrived at the park entrance and watched an informational video about the park and how to keep it pristine (Tayrona's version of the video you watch before entering the Boundary Waters).  The park fee is $35,000 COP for foreigners and $13,000 COP for Colombian residents (which we are! :)  Then, it was another short bus ride to the beginning of the trail.  By this time, we were feeling the humidity.  It wasn't even that hot, but the humidity blanketed you in sweat.  We began our hour hike to Arrecifes beach where we were to stay.  You could get a horse to carry your gear, but we decided to carry our backpacks as the hike was not too bad.

Some of the trail is boardwalk through the jungle.

So many rocks to climb!  

Our first peek at the ocean!

Finally on the beach!

We all were staying at Yuluka (Aviatur) on Arrecifes. When we arrived, our friends were staying in a cabana while Aaron and I were camping.  Our friends were greeted with a fresh fruit drink after our sweaty hike while Aaron and I were greeted with the task of setting up our tent. :)  But it was worth it!!  We were both excited to be in a tent again.  After setting up camp, we headed to El Cabo which is the most popular beach.  It's about a 40 minute hike from Arrecifes along the coast and into the jungle.  That's the best part of Tayrona--in order to get to the next slice of Caribbean heaven, you hike through beautiful jungle!

The group on El Cabo!

Aaron with his ladies.

The next 2 days involved hiking, laying on the beach, dodging falling coconuts, swimming and climbing rocks.  Arrecifes is non-swimmable due to crazy currents and riptides, so we spent most of our time exploring the beaches along the way to El Cabo.  Oh, and we also spent time eating as much ceviche and fresh fruit juice as possible.  Food is a bit pricey in the park.  We brought snacks which was smart, but the restaurant where we stayed was definitely the nicest around, and we found it was worth paying the little extra for really good food.

This rock at La Piscina beach was just begging to be climbed and jumped off of!

One of the beaches along the way from Arrecifes to El Cabo.

Ultimately, it was the most beautiful beach destination we've been (well, aside from the beaches of Thailand...).  Although it's a plane ride away from Cali, I know we will be coming back soon!

More Than Just Academics...

Our teacher softball team for binationals!

Something we've been learning lately is that Colegio Bolivar takes education seriously yet realizes education is more than academics.  In light of that, we've had class time cut and replaced with assemblies, tournaments, halloween festivities and field trips.  First, our school hosted a Binationals Sports Weekend.  We invited teacher teams from all over Colombia to come compete in soccer, volleyball, basketball and softball.  Aaron and I played on the softball team.  We played four friendly games over a weekend and ended up 2-2.  It was a fun way to spend a long weekend.

In Korea, Aaron and I always looked forward to Sports Day--somewhat like "field" day that we had in elementary school where students spend an entire day competing against each other in different sports.  Colegio Bolivar has a Sports Day twice a year for elementary, middle and high school students.  The students compete in track, ultimate frisbee, soccer, basketball, softball and volleyball for an entire day.  They also get points for spirit, teamwork and sportsmanship.  It's a lot of fun for all involved.

Callie's 10th graders on Sports Day!

Aaron's 8th grade house on Sports Day!

Aaron's house won Sports Day for middle school!

Finally, this past week Aaron traveled with his 8th graders to Santander, Colombia for a week.    Santander is known as the adventure capital of Colombia with gorgeous mountains and valleys to explore.  Therefore, this year's field trip included high adventure sports and some social service work.  They hiked, camped, repelled down a waterfall, rafted and even learned how to build a rammed earth wall for a local family!  Needless to say, Aaron was in heaven and had a fantastically tiring time!

Along the famous hike, "El Camino Real,"  from Barichara to Guane.

Students creating a rammed earth wall for a local family.

Learning about textiles at Cofibras in Curiti, Colombia.

Students at Colegio Bolivar also participate in social service and must complete a specific amount of hours of service work during high school.  They host English classes on the weekend and are involved in a variety of non-profit organizations in Cali.  I have always been a strong proponent for extra-curricular activities, and it's refreshing to be in a school that seeks out and embraces educational opportunities outside of the classroom realm!

Colombian Culinary Creations: Ajiaco and Lulada

Patricia's house in Jamundi.

Aaron and I have been taking Spanish classes offered by our school.  Our Spanish is coming along slowly but surely.  I have to admit that having a background from 4 years in high school has helped a lot!  Anyhow, the other weekend our Spanish class took a field trip to the house of Patricia, a former Colegio Bolivar teacher.  It's in a small town just south of Cali called Jamundi.  Our mission was to learn about Colombian produce and make ajiaco, a hearty soup popular in Colombia's capital of Bogota.  The soup is made out of 3 varieties of potatoes, chicken, and a special herb called Galinsoga or Guasca.  It's topped with capers, aji (a mix of green onions, cilantro, tomato, pepper, vinegar, and lime), cream, and my favorite, avocado.  It's honestly my favorite meal in Colombia so far.

Our homemade ajiaco.

Some of the ladies learning the ropes!

We also learned about Colombia's produce and how to make lulada.  Lulo is a common fruit here that kind of looks like a bright orange tomato.  It's fuzzy and a bit prickly on the outside.  Lulada is lulo juice except instead of simply squeezing out the juice, you mash up the whole inside of the lulo and get all the yummy chunks in it!  It's a sour yet sweet concoction with lots of unique textures.  Add some sugar, a little water and some pineapple juice if the sourness gets to you, and you have a delicious drink!

Chomping on some starfruit!

Smashing up the lulo with our bare hands! Slimy, squishy fun!

So we never got the actual recipe for the ajiaco we made, but I've been doing my own research and this one seems to be pretty spot on.  I'll be trying it on my own soon! 

Coffee Country and Turning 30

The main street in Salento, Colombia.

It's been a string of adventures lately for us including Aaron turning 30!

A week ago we took our first trip over semana de receso (week of recess).  Since 2007, the Colombian government requires that schools cancel classes for one week per year to promote tourism around Colombia.  We had 3 days of workshops/meetings on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and then Thursday, Friday and the following Monday off of school.  Therefore, we, and our friends Mike and Sara, decided to head for coffee country!  Originally from California, Mike and Sara taught in Honduras for 3 years before coming to Colombia.  The four of us had a great time adventuring together!

We managed to navigate the Cali Bus Terminal pretty easily.  After a breakfast of empanadas, pan de queso (croissant filled with cheese) and tinto (black coffee), we were on the bus to Salento, a small mountain town about 4 hours from Cali.  Upon arrival, it was rainy and, dare I say, cold!  It felt amazing to be bundled up in fleece and scarves (as close to fall as we're going to get).  An adorable woman cozy in her pancho picked us up from the local fire station and brought us to where we were staying.  It was a quaint house that we had all to ourselves with a kitchen, living room, dining area and private rooms.  It was recommended by other Bolivar teachers, and for 25,000 pesos a night (about $12), it was a fantastic accommodation.  We started our time in Salento with a trout lunch.  Because of its location in the mountains, Salento is known for its trout.  I can't say I've ever had trout quite like it.  Meaty and pink, it tasted more like salmon.  Mine was cooked in a cream sauce and I ate it with a patacon (flattened and fried plantain).  One of the best meals I've had in Colombia---dad, I need to take you here to eat this!

Our trout lunch!  Photo by Sara Javins

At the top of El Mirador lookout in Salento.

Another perk was that our accommodations were right next door to a Tejo bar.  Tejo is Colombia's national sport.  It includes throwing disks of iron at a clay pit with 4 gun powder filled pieces of paper.  Needless to say, we ended up playing for hours on end.  It was a blast.   Below is a video of Juan, the tejo master.  Here you see him exploding it on his first try!  Usually he would be standing much further away, but this was his demo for us.

Salento is known for tourism.  Colombian families come here to get away from the big cities.  So while walking down the colorful main drag, you see moms, dads, kids and grandparents strolling the street for their next souvenir.  Salento also has lots of artisan goods that are high quality and well priced.  Most importantly, it's the earring CAPITAL of the world!  Anyone who knows me knows that I have an obsession with earrings.  Thankfully so does Sara, so we were able to keep each other in check.  Mike and Aaron decided to embrace the Colombian mountain culture and purchase a pancho and straw hat.

Colombians or gringos?

Finally, Salento is mostly known for being in the center of the coffee triangle.  Therefore, we hiked to Finca El Ocaso to see how coffee is grown and processed.  Aaron, Sara and Mike had all picked coffee in Costa Rica so we skipped the picking and went straight to the roasting and tasting.  After the tasting, we (and 4 stray dog companions) meandered our way along a stream for another hour to a small town in the valley and took the bus back to Salento.  It was a fantastic day!

One of the modest coffee farms along our hike.

Sara and I practicing.

 Learning about coffee at El Ocaso.

I would recommend Salento to anyone visiting Colombia.  Although touristy, it is safe, gorgeous, and a nice respite from the big, bustling cities.  Oh, and the natives are wonderful, down to earth people.  One thing I noticed while walking down the main street looking in all the shops is that people really leave you alone--there wasn't the pushiness or feeling like you had to buy something that I felt in Asia.  If anything, they just want to know about you!  All in all, we are thrilled to know that Salento is only a 4 hour bus ride away from Cali and will definitely be back on a 3 day weekend.

In other news, I had a personal milestone last week.  We had a grade level meeting and usually they are all in Spanish while one of the other foreign teachers translates for me.  However, I managed to get through an entire meeting without needing translation AND managed to express concerns and ideas in Spanish!  Choppy and mostly all in present tense, but I was pretty darn excited!  I've found it's important to celebrate the baby steps when learning a new language. :)

Squirt gun and apple pie. 30 doesn't get much better than that!

Finally, last night we hosted Aaron's 30th birthday party in our apartment's community area with swimming, squirt gun wars, a potluck with burgers on the grill, apple pie, and new friends.  It was a blast.  Then, Aaron woke up early this morning for a time trial mountain bike race.  One thing I do know, no matter how old he is, Aaron will always have the heart of a child.  That's something I love about him, and I'm excited to share the next 30 years with his childlike heart by my side.

Our next adventure will be parent-teacher conferences this week!  Hasta luego!   
 

Falling in Love with Colombia

The top of Pico de Loro in Farallones National Park just outside of Cali.

I keep thinking fall is on its way.  Every time I walk down the sidewalk and hear a leaf crunch under my foot, I see it as a warning of what is to come: chilly nights, apple donuts, cozy scarves and puffy vests.  But then I look up and realize that leaf was actually from a palm tree, and the sun is smirking down at me.  Alas, fall will not come to Cali.  However, I have a feeling when I hear about continuous negative temperatures in Minnesota, and I'm in a skirt and sandals, I will be that sun smirking at everyone back home.

We have definitely been taking advantage of the gorgeous weather here.  We spent last weekend up in the mountains about 40 minutes from Cali.  We stayed at a Mirador Topacio Finca (farm) in Pance for the night and began hiking up to Pico de Loro in Farrallones National Park in the morning.  At almost 10,000 feet, it's a peak we can see from all over Cali.  It was a fantastic 9 hour hike with 3 hours of the 4 hours being class 3 climbing. We had to use roots, rocks, and vines to get up!  However, the view made it all worth it, and we enjoyed being above the clouds.  We were guided by an American woman who has been living in Colombia for the past 6 years who after spending the weekend with us said, "I didn't think teachers could be this cool."

The finca where we stayed for the night.

The pasture at the finca where we enjoyed a beautiful sunset.

Reaching the summit!

Our fantastic group of teacher friends!

In other news, school is going fantastic.  Aaron is finishing up his first unit in chemistry, and I'm finishing up my unit in reflective writing.  If you have Sound Cloud, feel free to check out my students' This I Believe personal essays.  They recorded them into podcasts, and you can check them out here: Colegio Bolivar English 10 Podcasts 

It's Sunday morning so I am off for my morning run and rumba class in the park!  This is something I've really grown to love about this place.  Every Sunday they have Cicliovida in Cali.  They block off major roads from 7-1pm and people can run, bike, walk or dance on the streets.  One of my favorite things to do is go for a run and then stop in the park to do a rumba class.  It's young, old, men, and women all dancing in the middle of the park.  Honestly, you go to one of these classes and you know why Colombians are said to be the happiest people in the world.  Dancing just makes you happy!  Check out what I mean...