Popayan - the white city

05.10.2018

Arriving at the bus station goes quite quickly. Since the day before we helped an English couple at the ticket counter with our pitiful Spanish skills and exchanged numbers, we know how it works there. The only problem is that we are so lucky and catch the bus 5 minutes before departure. That means that all the seats - except for two seats at the very back of the 'minivan' (for 12 people) - are already taken. Which means for us, we feel every bump on the road as if we were live in the suspension, have no legroom and sit so high that we can't see the road or daylight.

After a short time, Carsten feels queasy. Because when traveling in Colombia, one seems to be constantly confronted with extreme differences in altitude and hundreds of curves. The smell of flex brakes is a constant companion. If you choose one of these vehicles to get around faster, it usually means giving up air conditioning. So we sizzle for almost 7 hours with constant ups and downs and back and forth. #

Fortunately, after 2 hours, some people sitting in the front get off at the side of the road and we throw ourselves into the free seat. Clear view of beautiful mountains and valleys as well as vast sugarcane fields.

We decide to escape and look for a nice restaurant and the first really great meal in ages.

If you want to eat something halfway healthy in Colombia, you have to search persistently. In general, people here seem to only eat fried food and sweets.

Actually, we find something. In a small hippie bar, there are super delicious vegetarian burgers, good beer, and on top of that, a live performance of Colombian rhythms.

We end the evening with the English couple who we helped in Armenia and make plans for the coming days and the border crossing to Ecuador before sinking into our bed in the truest sense and trying to escape the loud music from the bar with earplugs.

06.10.2018

The next day is for relaxation after the long bus rides and the many impressions. Thanks to our owner (thanks to 'family'), we can even move to a new room. One with a hard bed and a bit more secluded.

Popayan is a very beautiful city, which is mainly known for its white houses and the incredibly elaborate processions during Holy Week, and it has been awarded by UNESCO. We climb to the highest point of the city (El Morro) and look for big and small impressions.

A short rain shower. 2 delicious scoops of ice cream, a warm brownie, and a slightly too weak coffee (normal here), and we are fortified and can end the day with an interesting 'Free Walking Tour' and delicious and very cheap food in the local restaurant.

Why is it actually called 'The White City'? Because of a Nigua plague, all houses had to be lime-washed so that the vermin could not spread any further. Afterwards, it became a law to have one's house always appear in white splendor before the Easter procession. That's why you hardly see any graffiti in Popayan like in the rest of the country.

Popayan has enchanted us. We would have liked to stay longer.

07.10.2018

In the early morning at 8 o'clock, we have to wake up our 'hostel papa'. The party at 'Popayan Beer' went on until 4 o'clock. Hungover, he opens the door for us. Poor guy had no fun with us. But he's still laughing.

We have breakfast and get ready for the stopover in Pasto, on the way to Ipiales and the border crossing. Once again, we are driven along incredible mountain roads on the Pan-American Highway heading south. Always and always further. On our journey, we occasionally see huge prehistoric monsters full of people. Huge constructions with the driver in the middle, no glass windows, mostly just plastic curtains. Colorfully decorated like Christmas trees, which by the way are already available everywhere.

Arriving in Pasto, we just prepare dinner and go to bed. The next day should bring a lot of experiences...