Ciudad Perdida

So, Cartagena -> bus to Santa Marta -> Ciudad Perdida trip. The trek involves about 4-5 hours of hiking per day for 6 days (3 to get to the city, 3 to get back) and sleeping in hammocks with mosquito nets during the night. The Lost City is one of the largest pre-Colombian towns discovered in the Americas, built by the Tayrona indigenous people some 400 years ago. It was finally discovered in 1975, and has only recently begun to see an influx in tourists visiting the site. Located in territories held by guerrilla forces until recently, it's definitely still off the beaten path (but now heavily guarded by the Colombian military and paramilitary forces).

My group consisted of 6 other travels (4 italians, a dutchman and an isreali), a guide, two porters and a couple of mules. All guys. Even the mules were male. As such, I didn't bother to shower or change my clothes too often.

The food was incredible, (our guide could COOK) even to a fault. On the 5th day I got pretty violently ill (I think it was from eating too much and drinking too much river water), and that night I couldn't stomach the thought of swinging around in a hammock all night. I tried to devise a makeshift mosquito net while lying on the ground to sleep, but the mosquitos had already gotten a taste for sweet gringo blood. They too ate well.



Juan Valdez country.


Falling in a river (with my bag)

Recovery

Recovery

An indigenous Kogi girl, the heirs apparent of the Tayrona people (and the recipients of visitor entrance fee support). Actually, the Tayrona were completely wiped out by the Spanish conquistadors. The Kogi people were actually their slaves, who they sent to fight the Spanish. Instead of fighting, they found safe cover elsewhere and avoided being wiped out too.



A Kogi village along the way.





Just 1,200 steps to the top...

The center of the lost city. Now used a heliport for foreign dignitaries or just those too lazy to make the trek.



Nice looking flower, right? A derivation of its pollen can be used to make a very powerful drug. Taken one way, it induces hallucinations. Taken another, you are knocked unconscious for many hours. A trick of the trade for would be thieves/kidnappers/worse...the resultant powder can be blown in your face from someone's hand, giving you just a few minutes before it kicks in. Scary stuff...


The bugs ate well.

Very well.

But then, everyone ate well.