Greetings from Salento

The small mountain range of Salento in the coffee region of Colombia was to be our new home for roughly two weeks. Pipi had found a pretty good language school here, which he visits frequently every day and which he manages quite nicely.

Our view of Salento is somewhat overlooked. Like most places on the contrary, Salento is absolutely picturesque - small houses with roofed trees and windows, surrounded by mountain landscapes and a net viewpoint. However, in contrast to most other places by the way, Salento is largely overrun. It is on the list of every Colombian tourist; the Place-to-be in the Coffee Region. Most come, stay two nights and are then back again.

The town center is full of bars, cafes and souvenir shops - the properties were largely surrounded by the centre. The credibility of Salento depends above all on the nearby Valle de Cocora, where the watch palms, the National Parks of Colombia, are located. Many tourists do not know that the watch trees are watched everywhere in the Andes, not only in the Valle de Cocora. In addition, in the Valle de Cocora everything is kept outside the watch palm, so that they stand alone in all the walls. Although the place is already really breathtaking, leaving this info a bit of a shock to visit.

Our highlight in Salento however was by the place itself still the watch trees, despite the fact that it is quite difficult for us to find a new friend here. And what for one! Gilberto is already 70 years old and I think really charming and fresh. He is next door to our furnished apartments and immediately greeted us with a warm welcome and a cup of tea in his room.

His family comes from Salento for generations and he too has spent his entire life here and was educated at the proper school. He had plenty of shocking stories to tell about it, as his headmaster and even Colombia have been hanging out over the years. Often life was for him everyone else as simple and even today it is not always, of bitterness there is however no trace of him to be found.

As Gilberto notes that I not only speak Spanish, even though I have my laptop, but he spontaneously supports me in one of his Herzens projects: He has handwritten the notes from three different schools in and around Salento t mich, he to digitize.

So I spent many hours, while Pipi was at school, on Gilberto's couch; He has dictated historical treatises from school grounds and I have several abjects. Not surprisingly exciting, but how can you not tell a person like that?

After the disappearance of the work, I was shown another of his personal projects: his travels, in which he went to Salento, the watch palms, Columbus, architecture, politics, love and much more. Many of them were really nice and creative. He also gave me copies of it, and signed them ALL.

Most interesting though was that when we walked a few days and came back to Salento, Stolz presented a story that he had written for and about me. How important is that bit?

After approx. We waited 2 weeks then it was time to leave Salento. Only the absence of Gilberto was a bit awkward. Had sogar Tränen in the Eye.

Bussi Baba

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The small mountain village of Salento in Colombia’s coffee region was going to be our new home for almost two weeks. Pipi had found a pretty good language school here, which he visited diligently every day and which challenged him quite a bit.

Our impression of Salento is a bit varied. Like most places in the area, Salento is absolutely quaint: casitas with colored doors and windows, surrounded by a mountainous landscape and a pretty lookout. But, unlike most other places in the area, Salento is pretty busy. It is on the list of every tourist who visits Colombia; the place to be in the coffee region. Most come, stay two nights and then leave.

The city center is full of bars, cafes and souvenir shops, and locals have mostly been displaced from the centre. Salento’s popularity is mainly due to the nearby Cocora Valley, home to wax palms, Colombia’s national tree. But many tourists don’t know that wax palms grow all over the Andean region, not just in the Cocora Valley. Besides, in the Cocora Valley, everything except the wax palms is carved so they can stand out in all their splendour. Although the place is really impressive, this information leaves an uncomfortable feeling during the visit.

However, our highlight in Salento was neither the place itself nor the wax palms, but the fact that we finally managed to find a new friend here. And what a friend! Gilberto is 70 years old and still charming and mischievous. He is the neighbor of our rented apartment and he welcomed us immediately with a smile and invited us to have a cup of tea in his house.

His family has been originally from Salento for generations and he too has spent his entire life here, teaching in the local school. He had a lot of interesting stories to tell about how his hometown and Colombia in general have changed over the years. Often, life has not been easy for him and, although he still has his challenges, there is no trace of any bitterness in him.

When Gilberto realized that he not only spoke Spanish, but also carried my laptop, he spontaneously asked me to help him with one of his heart projects: he had handwritten the histories of three different schools in and around Salento and he asked me to digitize them.

I spent many hours on Gilberto's couch while Pipi was at school; he dictated the stories of the founding of the schools and I wrote them diligently. It wasn't very exciting, but how could I say no to someone like that?

After completing the work, he showed me another of his heart projects: his poems, which dealt with Salento, wax palms, Colombia, education, politics, love and much more. A lot of them were really beautiful and creative. He even gave me copies of them, and signed them ALL!

The most tender thing of all was that, when we returned to Salento after being away for a few days, Gilberto proudly presented me with a poem he had written for and about me. How tender that was!

After about 2 weeks, we felt ready to leave Salento. Only saying goodbye to Gilberto was a bit hard. Even had tears in her eyes.

Besito y byebye