The smell of gunpowder

Colombia | Anno 2024

 

Friday, March 1 | Montenegro – Buenavista

Saturday, March 2 | Montenegro – Armenia – Valle del Cocora – Salento – Filandia

 

 

Friday, March 1 | Montenegro – Buenavista

Cocaine. That's the first thing that comes to mind when Colombia is mentioned. Those words almost seem synonymous with each other. Instantly, an atmosphere of drug lords, guerrilla warfare, bombings, revenge killings, kidnappings, and full-blown civil wars arises. In short, not much that's pleasant.

Instantly, an atmosphere of drug lords, guerrilla warfare, bombings, revenge killings, kidnappings, and full-blown civil wars arises

Yet, in recent years, this South American country has slowly but surely managed to free itself from its criminal stigma. It's not a paradise on earth just yet, that much is certain, but travelling safely is no longer unthinkable. And the country has a lot to offer – at least, if we are to believe the travel guides and seasoned travellers.

 

 

Nevertheless, it felt strange last night. After three consecutive flights, we landed in Armenia around nine in the evening, a city with about 320 000 inhabitants in the southern part of the country. From there, we took a bus to our accommodation, about twenty kilometres away. There was hardly any street lighting, and in the complete darkness, there was little to see of Colombia. Only the relentless speed bumps made their presence felt, despite how carefully driver Andrés drove.

 

 

Then, all of a sudden, there was that unpaved road that seemed never-ending. The canopy of trees closed over our heads like a tunnel, and in a chaotic choreography, the beams from the headlights danced up and down in the darkness as Andrés carefully navigated the bus through the potholes and bumps.

 

Hacienda El Percal

Suddenly, the road dipped steeply downward, then sharply upward again. That was it. It was 10:30 p.m. when we arrived at Hacienda Hotel El Percal in Montenegro, 1 250 meters above sea level, one of the many traditional farms in the hilly region around Armenia that had been converted into hotels. The warm welcome, the late hot meal, and the walk through the pleasantly scented avenue to the comfortable rooms made everything worthwhile. A 30-hour day finally came to an end – the time difference with Belgium is six hours.

You don’t need an alarm clock here in the morning

Vermillion flycatcher

You don’t need an alarm clock here in the morning. Just after five, birds of various kinds begin their morning concerts. You may not see them right away, but you can definitely hear these cheerful chatterers. Later, we will learn that Colombia ranks first in the world for the number of bird species. The same holds true for the number of amphibian species and orchid species.

 

Great kiskadee

With their bright colours, the songbirds seem to compete in flamboyance – the vermilion flycatcher, the yellow-and-black thick-billed euphonia, the saffron finch, the great kiskadee with its white crown, the blue-grey tanager, and so on. The eared dove’s cooing is hardly different from that of the common wood pigeon.

 

Thick-billed euphonia

Saffron finch

With its black jacket, black-and-white chest, and reddish-brown cap on its head, it looks like a distinguished gentleman ready to attend a formal event

Acorn woodpecker

One particularly elegant bird is the acorn woodpecker. With its black jacket, black-and-white chest, and reddish-brown cap on its head, it looks like a distinguished gentleman ready to attend a formal event.

 

Yellow-crowned amazon		Spectacled parrotlet
Tropical mockingbird		Eared dove

The spectacled parrotlet prefers a modest green camouflage outfit, with a comical blue ring around its eyes. The tropical mockingbird, on the other hand, does not do what mockingbirds are famous for – mimicking the songs of other birds. Perhaps it finds the weather too warm for that.

 

Buff-necked ibis

But it’s the larger birds that really capture our attention. Like the noisy pair of buff-necked ibises that have chosen the tallest tree to survey their surroundings. Mating season is approaching, so they’ll need a nest. Perhaps they already have one, as if they’ve built it carefully and no storm has passed through, they can use their nest for several years. Typically, such nests are located high above the ground and are quite large, made of branches, twigs, stems, and leaves. The female lays two to three eggs, which hatch four weeks later.

Where humans discard their waste, you’ll find black vultures

Buff-necked ibis

Black vulture

Another large bird high in the trees is the black vulture. This will become our constant travel companion. We will encounter black vultures everywhere in Colombia. This is no coincidence, as the black vulture is the least picky of all vultures – it eats almost anything. Moreover, it has learned that you can find better and faster food near slaughterhouses, fish markets, and landfills than searching for carrion in the wild. Thus, the black vulture has become an opportunistic follower of human culture. Where humans discard their waste, you’ll find black vultures.

Planted bougainvilleas, heliconias, and China roses explain the sweet scents we inhaled last night in the darkness

Bougainvillea				China rose
Heliconias

In this lush green environment, even the adjacent banana plantation looks rather modest. Wherever you look, trees and bushes taller than a man form an impenetrable wall. This is a vibrant nature teeming with life and energy. Its development knows no bounds. If you let this green force go unchecked for a few years, the farm will completely disappear, as if it were an Incan city in the rainforest. We have only been in Colombia for a few hours, and we are already overwhelmed by its nature.

 

Banana plantation

At the hacienda, they have been working for over a century to keep this nature in check. Here and there, well-maintained grassy areas can be seen. Planted bougainvilleas, heliconias, and China roses explain the sweet scents we inhaled last night in the darkness. On their green leaves, dew drops now sparkle in the shimmering light of the morning sun.

This is the heart of the Eje Cafetero, the most important coffee-producing area in Colombia. Coffee has been grown here for over three hundred years. In 2011, this coffee cultural landscape was granted a place on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. While Colombia may be synonymous with cocaine, it is also synonymous with coffee. It ranks third worldwide, with an annual production of 11,6 million bags of 60 kg each. Brazil stands unchallenged in first place with nearly four times as many bags.

Less than a kilometre from here is such a coffee plantation. This is a perfect opportunity to get an up-close look at coffee production. We set off on foot with Gabriel, our regular guide, and Jairo, our local guide.

There are various legends about how the fine aromas and the stimulating effect of the coffee bean were discovered

 

There are various legends about how the fine aromas and the stimulating effect of the coffee bean were discovered. Strangely enough, Ethiopia, goats, and monks always play the leading roles in these stories. This is because all these tales can be traced back to a story written in 1671 by a certain Professor Antoine Faustus Nairon in Rome.

His story tells us that sometime in the 9th century, a goat herder named Kaldi from the Ethiopian province of Kaffa watched in amazement as his goats became incredibly energetic after eating the fiery red berries from a certain bush. Without hesitation, Kaldi tried the berries himself. Delighted by the effects, he hurried to the village to report his discovery to the abbot of the local monastery. However, his enthusiasm fell on deaf ears. The work of the devil, was the stern judgment. The abbot threw the red berries into the fire.

Soon, a powerful aroma filled the room – an aroma that could not be ignored. The abbot had the beans removed from the fire and thrown into water. The resulting drink confirmed what Kaldi had claimed – the monks became more energetic and could now pray for much longer, a fact they were very pleased about. Slowly but surely, the coffee bean would begin to conquer the world.

Of course, this is an apocryphal story. But it is a fact that the coffee bean originally comes from Ethiopia and that its specific qualities were discovered in the 9th century. It remains uncertain whether coffee is named after the Ethiopian province of Kaffa. And what about our goat herder Kaldi? Well, there are still many coffee roasteries and coffee shops around the world that bear his name.

In those days, people painted their houses red or blue depending on their liberal or conservative political beliefs

Traditional colonial house

A traditional colonial house by the roadside catches our attention. One hundred fifty years old, says Jairo, one of the oldest houses in the area. It is a beautiful house, but what makes it special is that it is painted white and pale yellow. In those days, people painted their houses red or blue depending on their liberal or conservative political beliefs. The yellow used here is the colour of half-ripe coffee beans.

 

Finca La Paloma

Gradually, Finca La Paloma comes into view with its colourful bougainvilleas. When this coffee plantation started one hundred fifty years ago, it was a pioneer in the region. However, once it got going, coffee cultivation boomed fairly quickly. This is by no means a given, as it takes hard work and years of waiting for the first yields to appear. During that time, the farmer must derive income from other sources.

Caffeine is what coffee plants produce to defend themselves against fungi and parasites

The Arabica coffee plant they cultivate here is certainly demanding. First, it grows at high altitudes, preferably between 1 200 and 1 500 metres above sea level, and only in the equatorial zone – here, we’re about five hundred kilometres north of the equator. Additionally, it requires between one and one and a half meters of rainfall per year, ideally spread evenly throughout the year. Low temperatures are acceptable, as long as it doesn't freeze. In contrast, Robusta can withstand tougher conditions, true to its name. It can be planted from sea level up to one thousand meters in elevation, which is why it is very popular in Brazil.

Caffeine is what coffee plants produce to defend themselves against fungi and parasites. Naturally, these are much less common at higher altitudes. As a result, Arabica has a lower caffeine content than Robusta, leading to a milder flavour and a more aromatic scent. There are many subtle varieties of Arabica – eight hundred, according to Jairo. In contrast, the differences in the robusta are hardly noticeable. In any case, 60 to 70 % of the coffee consumed worldwide is Arabica.

We call the second-class beans our Starbucks beans, Jairo quips with a broad grin

Coffee plant

Three key stages of the coffee bean

Bees are responsible for pollinating coffee plants, which happens through the white flowers that appear on the plant. Jairo shows us the key stages of the coffee bean: a white flower, an unripe green bean, and a ripe red bean. The beans are picked by hand, with the coffee plants pruned to hip height for easier harvesting. The drying of the beans takes place in a greenhouse that creates a sauna-like atmosphere – at least for the first-class beans. The second-class beans, however, are dried in a covered concrete container. We call those our Starbucks beans, Jairo quips with a broad grin.

The level of roasting is much higher for European countries than for Colombia itself

Unpeeled coffee beans (second quality)

Peeled coffee beans (first quality)

After drying, the beans still need to be peeled and roasted, but roasting is done elsewhere since it’s a specialized skill. Each country has its own preferences when it comes to roasting. For example, the level of roasting is much higher for European countries than for Colombia itself.

The seeds of the coffee bean can also be used to grow new plants. You wash the two halves of the seed, let them dry well, and plant them a finger’s depth in sandy soil. The resulting plant is then transplanted into the field. After 2 to 2,5 years, the coffee plant becomes productive, and it reaches peak production after another three years. After five years, the plant is fully pruned, and the cycle can begin again. This process can be repeated three times, after which the plant is discarded.

However, life on a coffee plantation is not all sunshine and roses. Jairo shows us a coffee bean where a tiny insect has burrowed in, intending to lay its eggs so the larvae can feed on the bean, resulting in a ruined crop.

In 2012, it got to the point where 75 % of coffee plantations in El Salvador and Guatemala were destroyed by coffee leaf rust

Coffee plantation

Much worse is coffee leaf rust. The culprit is hemileia vastatrix, a fungus that exclusively targets Arabica coffee plants. Worse still, the fungus cannot even survive without Arabica. Understandably, the coffee plant is not happy about this, as the fungus leaves something on the leaf that looks like a rust spot. This causes photosynthesis to fail, the leaf dies, and before you know it, the entire plant is dead.

In 2012, it got to the point where 75 % of coffee plantations in El Salvador and Guatemala were destroyed by coffee leaf rust. Hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers suddenly became unemployed. The economic and social damage was immeasurable. A similar situation occurred in 1870 in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka. Once the world's largest coffee producer, its coffee production collapsed. The British cut their losses and switched to tea plantations. The result of that decision is something we are familiar with today.

The British cut their losses and switched to tea plantations. The result of that decision is something we are familiar with today

Coffee plantation

Brazilian grapetree

Nowadays, chemical fungicides are sprayed on the plants as soon as the first symptoms of leaf rust appear, says Jairo. However, he quickly adds that they also try to work organically – he's aware of Western sensitivities.

Of course, our introduction will be crowned with a tasting. Luis from La Paloma accompanies us to El Percal for the occasion. Luis knows everything about coffee, and he prepares it with the utmost respect. A chemex, an hourglass-shaped glass pot – of German make, he emphasizes – is placed on a small scale. He manually grinds the coffee beans with a small grinder, ensuring the aromas are released perfectly. We're invited to take a whiff of the freshly ground coffee. The powder is then placed into the pot and covered with hot water, in just the right ratio, hence the scale. We can certainly appreciate the result, though the finer nuances may escape us.

 

Grand Mirador

The coffee beans still won't let us go. After lunch, we head south to Buenavista, a journey of about 45 kilometres. At times, the trip offers us spectacular views over the Cauca Valley, while at other times, we feel enclosed in a tunnel of lush vegetation towering high above the bus on both sides.

What the potato was for Europe, cassava became for Africa

In this valley, many citrus fruits are grown, Jairo explains, as well as pineapples, avocados, and yuca. Yuca is the Spanish name for cassava, an edible root native only to South America. It was the Portuguese who introduced cassava to Africa after the conquest of the Americas. There, it quickly became popular under the name manioc, to the point that it sometimes displaced traditional crops. What the potato was for Europe, cassava became for Africa.

 

Grand Mirador

Bamboo is also significant in this region, particularly guadua, a species of bamboo known locally as vegetable steel. It is said to be even stronger than low-carbon steel, the variety typically used in less demanding applications.

Colombia is about the size of France and Spain combined

Colombia ranks second globally in biodiversity, second only to Brazil. But Brazil is four times the size of Colombia, Jairo notes with a smile. Not that Colombia is small – it’s about the size of France and Spain combined.

 

Buenavista

Buenavista lives up to its name. Perched on a ridge, it offers beautiful views over the Cauca Valley. But there's more to see. We are told we need to climb to the Grand Mirador, a steep ascent that our bus supposedly can't handle. That will turn out to be a myth, as the bus will pick us up there later. But we don't let it bother us, as a few of the famous Willys jeeps are waiting for us.

Farmers transported everything with them – furniture, tools, crops, animals... and tourists

These Willys jeeps are true icons, especially in Colombia's coffee-growing regions. After World War II ended, the U.S. military found itself with a surplus of these jeeps – 650,000 had been produced. They began selling them to developing countries at very attractive prices. Colombian coffee farmers were thrilled with the four-wheel drive, a novelty at the time. On the rough mountain roads, this nimble, powerful vehicle proved invaluable. They were called mechanical mules. Farmers transported everything with them – furniture, tools, crops, animals... and tourists.

 

Willys jeep

Coffee plant in bloom

Curious, we climb aboard and let ourselves be driven up. The Grand Mirador, fifteen hundred meters high, turns out to be an unbeatable viewpoint, but also home to a San Alberto coffee bar. Dayana is in charge here. She treats us to exactly the same coffee ritual as Luis earlier. With a scale, she carefully measures the amount of coffee and water. First, it's 200 ml of water for 50 grams of ground coffee, then she increases it to 800 ml. The water is local groundwater heated to 80 °C and then filtered through a stone, she emphasizes. Obediently, we savour the coffee.

We don our kitchen aprons and sit behind our laboratory kits

But Dayana’s intentions go beyond that. She aims to make each of us an Embajador de Café San Alberto, an Ambassador of San Alberto Coffee, she explains. For this, she has prepared a table full of equipment that we can't make heads or tails of. It's going to be a proper coffee class. We don our kitchen aprons and sit behind our laboratory kits. In the first phase, we learn to recognize the four basic tastes – sweet, bitter, sour, and salty – using small fruits. Then, one by one, we peel off the stickers on a card and try to identify the scents that emerge.

Next comes the real task, the blind tasting. Each of us is given two cups with a generous amount of ground coffee inside. Our coffee master pours a small amount of hot water over each. The brew is not meant to be drunk; that’s not the point. First, we scoop the foam off both liquids, then we assess the aroma by smelling it and note the score in our Coffee Diary. Meanwhile, the coffee grounds settle, and we carefully scoop a bit from the top layer to taste. We do this several times, scoring for acidity, flavour, body, aftertaste, and balance. And yes, apparently, we managed to consistently give the highest scores to the quality coffee, as the so-called Starbucks coffee always comes in second.

A visit to the coffee plantation is now on the agenda. However, we're not too keen, as a strong wind has picked up, and pitch-black clouds are rolling in from the valley. On the terrace, they are already folding up the umbrellas. But Dayana waves away our concern. It will be half an hour before it starts raining, she declares with a certainty that would astonish any weatherman.

Even on the steepest slopes, they plant coffee in Buenavista

Coffee plantation

So we set off. Even on the steepest slopes, they plant coffee in Buenavista. It's hard work for the labourers who pick the coffee beans and for tourists visiting the plantation. Panting and sweating, we listen to Dayana's explanation. This hacienda isn’t actually that old. It was only in 1972 that it was founded under the name San Alberto, to honour a son of Alberto Leyva who had died in a plane crash, unexpectedly providing the necessary funds through a substantial insurance pay-out. It was only when the Villota brothers, Alberto's grandsons, got involved that coffee production truly flourished. Gustavo was an expert in luxury products, and Juan Pablo was a master sommelier. Together, they turned their coffee into a cult drink. We're starting to understand where they got the inspiration for the coffee class.

The secret to this success? The fivefold selection process

The looming clouds continue to cause some concern, but there are hardly any raindrops. The coffee farm covers twenty hectares (50 acres). Normally, about thirty workers are employed here, but during the harvest, like now, there are about a hundred. In addition to coffee plants, other crops are grown on the slopes to help keep diseases at bay. At the very top, we find the germinator, a sandpit where coffee beans are planted to grow into small seedlings.

 

Seedlings

Freshly picked coffee beans

The coffee produced by San Alberto is the most awarded in the country, Dayana emphasizes. The secret to this success? The fivefold selection process. It starts with picking only the ripest, reddest beans. Then, any unripe, overripe, or defective fruits are manually sorted out. The resulting beans are thrown into water, where only the best quality ones sink. These beans are then sent to the pulper, where they are peeled. Once again, they are selected for quality. Only the best beans undergo the drying process, after which they are selected a fifth and final time for size, colour, and physical quality.

 

China rose

It must be said, exactly forty minutes after Dayana's prophetic statement, it begins to pour. But it no longer matters, as we are now safely inside the coffee bar, where we receive our certificates as Embajadores de Café San Alberto and enjoy one last cup of coffee.

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Saturday, March 2 | Montenegro – Armenia – Valle del Cocora – Salento – Filandia

The bicycle is given plenty of room here every weekend. Highways are partially closed, and streets in the cities are made car-free. For two days, cyclists have little to fear; they no longer have to risk their lives amidst the insane car and truck traffic. Professional cyclists can train without holding back. This policy to put Colombia on the world map of cycling is paying off. Just ask Egan Bernal, the first Colombian to win the Tour de France in 2019.

Strange, isn't it, the name Armenia?

So if we don’t want to get stuck in the roadblocks that come with this, we’ll have to get up quite early. That won’t be a problem; we can count on the birds to wake us up on time. Just before eight, we set off. The fact that there are many cyclists on the road turns out to be true. They usually ride alone or in pairs. We pick up our local guide Jairo in Armenia a little later. He is very proud of his city, as will become clear. With 380,000 inhabitants, it is the largest city in the Quindío department and also its capital.

Strange, isn't it, the name Armenia? Why did the colonists choose the name of a country when they founded their city on October 14, 1889? It is often said to be a tribute to the Armenian genocide. But that’s not true, as that genocide only began in 1915. Were there Armenians who founded the city? That’s not true either; there were and still are hardly any Armenians in Colombia.

Moreover, Colombia has 43 localities that bear the name Armenia. Could it be that all those colonists felt inspired by the Biblical story of Noah? After the flood, he landed on Mount Ararat in Armenia and began a new life there in an unknown environment. Is that not the challenge the colonists also faced?

They call this sculptural technique El Barranquismo. It turns out to be a typical art form of Armenia

Diálogos de pensamiento

The Diálogos de pensamiento, or the Dialogues of Thought, is hard to miss. It is a sculpture carved into the rocks in the suburbs of Armenia. A monumental work of art, it measures 57 meters long and 11,30 meters high. They call this sculptural technique El Barranquismo. It turns out to be a typical art form of Armenia, conceived and executed by local artist Efrén Fernández Varón. With this, he seeks to connect with the ancient indigenous culture. The figures depicted are primarily pre-Columbian, often more than life-sized, and sometimes gilded.

Every Colombian knows the touching story of the nearby village of Barcelona

What is also striking are the many newly built houses. This is not a coincidence, Jairo muses. On January 25, 1999, Armenia was struck by a powerful earthquake – he remembers it as if it were yesterday. The earthquake had a magnitude of 6,2 on the Richter scale, and the city was almost completely destroyed, resulting in nineteen hundred deaths. Yet, in just fifteen years, the city has managed to rebuild itself almost entirely and turn it into an attractive, frequently visited tourist destination. Every Colombian knows the touching story of the nearby village of Barcelona, which received significant financial support for reconstruction from its famous Spanish namesake. Simply because they share the same name, Jairo smiles.

Meanwhile, we find ourselves on a busy expressway. Cars and trucks speed along the 2x2 lanes while cyclists share the asphalt with them. No one seems to care, but our hair stands on end in dismay.

Occasionally, a pale canopy of leaves stands out in the predominantly green landscape. This is the yagrumo blanco, Jairo explains, a variety of the trumpet tree. If you could look at that canopy up close, you would see green leaves covered in a dense layer of hairs. These disperse sunlight in all directions, creating a shine that can only be observed from a great distance.

For Lehder, becoming owner of an island meant buying out the residents, driving them away, or simply killing them

Black vulture

Posada Alemana

Where we take the exit to Salento, the blackened Posada Alemana stands high on a hill. Literally, it means German Inn – it couldn't be more cynical. Once, this was the showcase of Carlos Enrique Lehder Rivas, the son of a German father and a Colombian mother. He was one of the most notorious Colombian drug lords.

In 1978, he managed to become the owner of Norman's Cay, one of the islands in the Bahamas, and an ideal stepping stone for transporting drugs from Colombia to the United States. For Lehder, becoming owner of an island meant buying out the residents, driving them away, or simply killing them.

The Medellín cartel of Pablo Escobar was eager to use Lehder's logistical services. In 1987, however, the Colombian police caught him and extradited him to the United States. He served a life sentence there until June 2020, after which he was transferred to Germany. Today, the partially burned villa serves as a sad reminder of those turbulent years.

 

 

The landscape is becoming increasingly mountainous. At a quarter past nine, we arrive at a parking lot where three Willys jeeps are waiting for us. From here, we continue to the famous Cocora Valley, a crown jewel of Quindío. Not for nothing does this valley belong to UNESCO's World Heritage. That becomes obvious as we delve deeper into it.

 

 

In fact, we find ourselves in the southwestern corner of the Parque Nacional Natural Los Nevados. A nature park of only 87 km² may not seem like much at first glance. Yet, it is home to three significant snow-covered volcanoes – two of which are still active – that form its backbone. Add to that a few glaciers and a fairy-tale lagoon, and you get one of the most spectacular landscapes the Colombian Andes has to offer.

Snow-covered volcanoes, glaciers and a fairy-tale lagoon form one of the most spectacular landscapes the Colombian Andes has to offer

Valle de Cocora

However, it is not steep rock faces or bare rock peaks that we see in this part of the Cocora Valley. On the contrary, it is still densely vegetated hills in the many shades and textures of green that nature has to offer. Green, greener, greenest seems to be the motto here. Wispy mists hang around the highest mountain tops, while the hazy air reduces the most distant mountains to mysterious dark blue silhouettes. We owe this lush green backdrop to the relatively high altitude – 2 400 meters above sea level – the slightly lower temperature, and the abundant rainfall that results from it. Although we have no complaints about the weather, as the sun is putting on its best show. The same can be said for the two armed soldiers who appear to be keeping watch over our safety.

The true star of the valley is, without a doubt, the wax palm

Valle de Cocora – Wax palms

But the true star of the valley is, without a doubt, the wax palm. Whether standing alone or in small clusters, it pops up everywhere. It is the tallest palm tree in the world, typically growing to a respectable height of 60 to 62 meters, though occasionally its crown can soar up to seventy or even eighty meters above the ground.

That’s not its only unique feature. You won’t find this ceroxylon quindiuense anywhere else in the world but in this valley. In 1955, it was even declared Colombia's national tree. Not only for its distinctive qualities, Jairo admits, but also because the species was threatened by uncontrolled deforestation. Along with it, the yellow-eared parrot, a bird that only thrives where this ceroxylon quindiuense grows, was also endangered.

You won’t find this ceroxylon quindiuense anywhere else in the world but in this valley

Wax palms

From Venezuela to Ecuador, you can find about a dozen different species of wax palms, though only high up in the mountains. In the nearby Salento region, for instance, the ceroxylon alpinum grows. Indeed, Jairo adds with slight irritation, it’s the ceroxylon “alpinum” and not ceroxylon “andinum” as it should be. But it was Alexander von Humboldt who named the wax palms back then. As a European, he associated the high mountains more with the Alps than with the Andes.

Enough talking, we begin the walk toward Mirador 1. The sun is shining, and the weather is splendid. We’re prepared for the rapid weather changes in the mountains – we’ve brought our raincoats. Oh, the irony, as it will turn out later that it wasn’t the rain we needed protection from, but the sunburn. Colombia is full of surprises.

As we calmly climb upward, the grandeur of this valley becomes more and more apparent. You can’t get enough of this breathtaking green scenery, with its dark forests and open mountain meadows, where the delicate-looking wax palms stand like enormous pins on a green pincushion.

 

Seven year old wax palm

Rings on the trunk of a wax palm

Jairo draws our attention to a small green shrub that barely reaches hip height. To our surprise, it turns out to be a young wax palm. This tiny shrub has taken a full seven years to grow to this modest size. It will be many more years before it resembles anything like a tree. This highlights the vulnerability of the wax palm. However, if left undisturbed, a wax palm can easily live for 200 to 250 years.

If left undisturbed, a wax palm can easily live for 200 to 250 years

On a mature tree, the wax can be scraped directly from the bark. The indigenous people used this wax to waterproof their homes. Goldsmiths needed it for the lost-wax casting technique, a well-known method for casting metal and glass objects. And indigenous princes favoured the wax as makeup when preparing for battle.

 

Wax palms

The rings visible on the trunks of the trees are particularly striking. These are scars left by the crowns of leaves that have emerged and then fallen away over time. While they shouldn't be interpreted as annual rings, there is supposedly a trick to estimate the age of a wax palm based on these rings. Count the rings, Jairo explains, add 45 to that number, and divide the result by 3. Not an easy task, since the highest rings are often located tens of meters above the ground.

An old wax palm gradually loses its "hair" – in that sense, it's like people, Jairo jokes

An old wax palm gradually loses its "hair" – in that sense, it's like people, Jairo jokes. Its crown of leaves disappears permanently, leaving only an unattractive, bare trunk – a dead palm.

 

 

If we happen to feel a bit down, Jairo has one final piece of advice for us: simply hug a living palm tree. Pachamama, or Mother Earth, will absorb all your negative energy and leave you filled with positive energy. A trick that likely only resonates with South Americans.

Quietly we continue to climb to Mirador 1 and Mirador 2. These miradors do exactly what they’re meant to – offer us stunning views. On this Saturday it is even quite busy. The sun is still shining, and the visibility is decent, with only a few clouds lingering around the highest peaks.

The delicate-looking wax palms stand like enormous pins on a green pincushion

 

Down below we look for the jeeps again, which drop us off at the Palmas de Cocora restaurant, where the valley’s specialty is on the menu – freshwater trout, farmed throughout the valley. However, it turns out to be a disappointment, as we are introduced to a preparation method that seems wildly popular throughout Colombia: frying. There's nothing wrong with that, except that you actually need a chisel and a hammer to master this fried trout and ditto plantain

It was the indigenous peoples who built the earthen road that connected Bogotá to the Ecuadorian capital of Quito – a distance of 1 100 km as the crow flies. Later, the Spanish made good use of it during their conquests. After independence, this Camino del Quindío was granted the status of a national road. Along the Boquía River, a penal colony was established for political prisoners, who were tasked with maintaining the road as forced labourers. This is how the village of Boquía came into existence.

By around 1860, the inhabitants of Boquía had had enough of the constant flooding of the river that threatened their homes and destroyed their crops. They decided to move higher up and founded the town of Salento on a plateau. While civilization advanced below, time stood still in the town. This has now become their hallmark, with many traditional colonial houses still visible, especially along Calle Real.

While civilization advanced below in Boquía, time stood still higher up in Salento

Salento – Plaza de Bolívar

Salento – Simón Bolívar

But it is not at the market square that the jeeps drop us off; it's four blocks away, on the unremarkable Carrera 4. Somewhat surprised, we step out in front of the door of Los Amigos, a so-called Cancha de Tejo. In this sports café – or should we say gambling den? – the game of tejo is played. We had never heard of it before, but Gabriel calls it the most popular sport in Colombia. After football, of course. Jairo wants to introduce us to this sport; more than that, he wants us to actually play it.

Los Amigos turns out to be a hangar with a sandy floor where about six playing fields are available. In one corner, there’s a bar where Poker-brand beer is served. If you want a different drink, you’ll have to specifically ask for it. We see a man and a woman playing, probably in their thirties, both with a bottle of beer in one hand and a throwing stone in the other. What they’re doing looks a bit like pétanque.

All in all, the game exudes a rugged atmosphere of beer, the smell of gunpowder, and explosions

No sooner has Gabriel begun to speak than we are startled by a loud bang, like the shot of a revolver. Immediately, the room fills with the smell of gunpowder. Judging by her enthusiastic reaction, the woman hit her mark. At once, we understand the three essential elements of the game – beer, explosions, and the smell of gunpowder.

You throw at the target with a fairly heavy metal tejo. The object weighs roughly about a kilogram, by estimate. The target is located about five meters away and consists of a clay-covered surface, set at a 30° angle. The clay prevents the stone from bouncing off and hitting other objects.

In the centre of the target is a small hole. If your tejo lands in it, you score 6 points. If you hit one of the four white triangles surrounding the hole, which contain gunpowder, there’s a loud explosion, and you get 3 points. If you manage to hit both the hole and trigger an explosion, you score 9 points. If your throw dies out in the clay, you still get one point. The winner is the first to reach 21 points. We never get that far. Occasionally, our tejo lands with a loud bang right on one of the triangles, but more often, it just misses the clay altogether and lands on the ground.

Indigenous peoples are said to have once played the game with a golden tejo, drinking chicha alongside it, a lightly alcoholic corn-based beer. Nowadays, most cities have professional tejo teams, and there are championships at both the Colombian and the South American level. All in all, the game exudes a rugged atmosphere of gunpowder and explosions. The obligatory presence of beer is highly contested, especially now that the game appeals to a wider audience.

It’s no surprise that Disney drew inspiration from this place for their animated film Encanto

Salento – Calle Real

Salento – Plaza de Bolívar

What makes the traditional houses of Salento so special is the building technique used, called bahareque, which became popular in this area around 1840. Essentially, the walls consist of a woven structure made of bamboo or reeds, covered with a mixture of mud and manure, and finished with a layer of white lime. It’s somewhat reminiscent of the half-timbered houses you still see frequently in Germany.

Thanks to the elasticity of the building materials, earthquakes barely affected these houses

These houses provided excellent insulation for their residents, both in summer and winter. More importantly, it was found that earthquakes hardly damaged them. Due to the elasticity of the building materials, they didn’t budge during the powerful earthquake of 1999. According to Jairo, only one house in Salento was damaged, while just 20 kilometres away in the city of Armenia, most buildings were reduced to rubble.

Calle Real, the Royal Street, is bustling with activity. Tourists flock here from far and wide. It’s a pleasant stroll down this gently sloping street, lined with white houses adorned with colourful doors and window frames, not to mention the charming wooden balconies. Often, they house small shops or the studio of a local artist. It’s no surprise that Disney drew inspiration from this place for their animated film Encanto. Even when we eventually face a bit of rain, it hardly dampens the fun.

The imposing Iglesia Maria Inmaculada dominates Filandia’s skyline

Filandia

Filandia or Daughter of the Andes – a name could hardly be more beautiful for a little town. However, the residents of Filandia nowadays prefer to call their town La Colina Iluminada de los Andes, the Illuminated Hill of the Andes. A wooden lookout tower on a hill, the Mirador, is meant to reinforce that claim. From a height of 27 meters, you can look out over the wide surroundings – except today, as access is closed. Nevertheless, it doesn’t stop us from enjoying the beautiful surroundings, with Filandia stretching across a nearby hill and the imposing Iglesia Maria Inmaculada dominating its skyline. To the west, it is the undulating green hills bathed in the soft light of the evening sun that charm us.

The result is a vibrant palette of doors, windows, and balconies in a variety of colours

You can easily relax on a bench under the trees or exchange the latest news

Filandia – Parque Bolívar

Just like in Salento, the people of Filandia cherish their colonial houses. The retro atmosphere is similar, as is the tourist buzz. A leafy square forms the heart of the town, as is the case in almost all towns and cities of Central and South America. These are popular gathering spots, where you can easily relax on a bench under the trees or exchange the latest news. In Colombia, these squares are invariably called Parque Bolívar – what else could they be?

There’s no arguing over colours here. And indeed, no one does. People paint their houses freely according to their own taste and ideas. The only rule is: the brighter, the better. The result is a vibrant palette of doors, windows, and balconies in a variety of colours. In short, a scene bursting with energy and life. Even the stately Iglesia Maria Inmaculada cautiously joins in. With its blue-and-white facade, it almost resembles a Greek Orthodox church more than a Catholic one.

With its blue-and-white facade, it almost resembles a Greek Orthodox church more than a Catholic one

Filandia – Iglesia Maria Inmaculada

The Willys jeeps also contribute to the colour festival, neatly lined up as they wait for passengers. For the little ones, there’s a mini version available. A ride around the square, pushed by an adult, costs 3 000 pesos. It sounds like a lot, but you need to divide that by four thousand. So, a ride costs the equivalent of 75 euro cents.

 

Filandia – Parque Bolívar

Over pitch-dark roads, with not the slightest form of lighting, we return to Montenegro. It’s lightly raining. Tomorrow, we have a long drive ahead to Popayán.

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Jaak Palmans
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Children of the Water