Busy hiking in Salento

We are still in Salento without internet. We had two days of hiking around Salento. The first day we caught a jeep to Valle de Cocora, and I had my most technical hiking ever. We had to cross a mountain stream 6 times without proper bridges. I had to apply every bridge crossing skill I know plus event a few new ones. And since it was an "out and back" hike, I got to cross each bridge twice. It was not pretty.

When walking in the horse trenches trails got too hard, I learned to crisscross barbed wire fences. It's a good thing that I am not yet too old to acquire such skills. Of course John learned all this as a boy.

Today's hike along the road to Toche is practically a stroll compared to yesterday's, on a gravel road, among the hills that we see from our porch with very nice views back to the town, and at the peak of the road, a view to Valle de Cocora. Since it is a Sunday, there were more bicyclists and horses on the road than cars or people walking.

The Wax Palms of Valle de Cocora - altitude 2600 meters.


On the way up the valley we slogged along the horse track. On the way down we hopped over the barbed wire and walked in the pastures.


Sun-Ling crossing a log bridge over the Rio Quindio on her hands and knees.



View to Valle de Cocora on our second hike along the road to Toche.