The road to Popayan was regarded as a dangerous road, but i was assured that it was safe now. still i chose to take the day bus rather than the night bus in a rare fit of protectivism and rationality... since the last bus i was in took all night and had a near miss... i wanted to avoid a repeat... SO of course i had a repeat.
the 120 km trip (hich should take 1.5 hours on a normal road) was projected to take 5 hours... so i was to spend the day in the bus...
as it turned out... the 5 hours was a generous underestimate... really the trip took well over 12 hours. and well into the night we traveled a road that had no business being called such. when we blew a tire on a steep curve in the dark I knew we would all have to get out... it was a matter of changing the tire and being on our way again.
but the bolts were so tight.
another bus stopped to help. and then another. we had thre busses lining a road in the dark, with the lights off... on a steep curving mountain road. i was having visions of the morning newspaper and the pictures of the werck to come when another bus would come screeching round the courner.
in fact the accident that DID happen was not that severe... but ridiculous. as i think everything must been in extreme moments of ridiculous circumstances... the second bus that came to help us pulled in front of us and when backing up... hit our bus with extreme force. nothing happened. but i have to wonder...
finally we seemed to be able to make progress on the tire... when the broke a bolt clear off the tire... this hole time... well over an hour they had been trying to turn the bolts the WRONG WAY. that is why they were so tight... the rest of the bolts were easier... and eventually we were on out way... one bolt short. i think i arrived in time to get up in the morning... not sure if it was day or night any more... not that it matters. again we made it... or something very much like that.
SILVIA, Colombia
Another mountain village with a market that draws the traditional people from the surrounding countryside to exchange crafts and buy needed good for the week. The tuesday market is a scene... and Spanish is not much good here because the local people have maintatined their language, dress, custom and culture. I made friends with this couple and we shared conversation over melting popsicles in the late afternoon. they did speak spanish, as did the young guy selling minutes from his cell phone who wanted to talk to me at length. he wanted to practice his english, but since he didnt speak any, except for a few words..., the conversation was entirely in spanish which suited me just fine. any chance i get to practice is a treat.
******
although pictures are lacking they will come soon.
i spent 12 hours in a line. LITERALLY 12 hours aiting for a stamp on my passport to leagally enter Ecuador. talk about how to make a first impression. i think i was frustrated after 6, astounded after 8, bored after 9 and after 10 really started to have a great time. i had made friends with the people near me... and actually ran into someone i had met in Bogota... what are the chances...? the chances are pretty good apparently if you stay in the same place for long enough you are bound to run into someone you know... or know everyone around you. i had both. i got my stamp without any drama at all. one of the people i had been waiting with didn´t! her drama was enough. she was colombiana and was trying to vivist her kids in Quito. que peña! what a pitty. the words don´t really cover it.
OTAVALO, Ecuador
Just across the boarding into Ecuador is a town known for its saturday market and its artisans. I had originally thought I would not be able to stop here , not being saturday... but thanks to the hold up at the boarder and not realizing what day it was to begin with... I was afforded a perfect afternoon, albeit carrying my pack around through a crowded market... the unique people of this region are know for their use of color. it was a pleasure... and because i was already carrying the world on my shoulders I managed not to buy too much. a pitty and a blessing in one.
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