South America - places with photo gallery
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In the middle of the Pacific Ocean |
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Giant stone statues are the stars on Easter Island (also called Rapa Nui). The Moai, as they are called, were carved out of the side of volcano craters and moved somehow to the shore, where they were lined up to stare over the tiny island. It is a mystery today how they were transported, in some cases to the other side of island over rugged terrain. The history of Easter Island is full of ancient legends, controversies and guesses – though Thor Heyerdahl's wild speculations about how the island got populated by South Americans is today put to shame by genetic evidence, that tells they came from Polynesia. Due to local warfare most statues has been knocked over, where some still remain today. Beside the stone faces, the civilisation also left behind petroglyphs (rock drawings), ceremonial villages (more rocks) and a curly alphabet that nobody today can read. Even if old rocks and mad history is not your cup of tea, the Easter Island is still worth a visit just for the sheer fact that it is the most isolated place on earth, being 1900km from the nearest populated landmass, the Pitcairn.
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Armero town... or what is left of it |
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On the evening of the 13th November 1985 volcan Nevado del Ruiz erupted and send an avalanche of ash and mud towards the town of Armero, more than 45 km away. Within short time the town was buried in meter deep mud, which took the people by surprise since they have been reassured by authorities earlier the same day that there was nothing to worry about. 23.000 people were killed, more than two thirds of the town's population. Today the road from Mariquita goes through the ghost town, where the surviving houses still stand half covered in dirt in the shaded of big trees. There are tombstones everywhere and part of the town church is equally half preserved. Beside the handful of DVD vendors along the road (they sell a documentary about the catastrophe), the place is complete deserted and a grim memorial of a recent tragedy.
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Silvia village outside Popayan |
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Every Tuesday the small village of Silvia hold it's weekly market. Buses loaded with Guambiano Indians and sacks of potatoes in every color and shape arrive early for returning equally loaded in the afternoon. The Indians are dressed in their finest, which just happen to be the same for all. Ankle boots deep blue scarf, bowler hat and wraparound skirt, and that includes the men too. It is a great mix of trading and get together at the plaza for catching up on the latest gossip. It is just one of those lovely places that Colombia has so many of, but again not many visitors come here (luckily).
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The largest lake in Colombia and located at semi high elevation at 3000m. It is an enchanting place, where clouds come rolling in from the surrounding hills to lie low over the cold water. Any road to here is winding and takes you through tough farmland and rough villagers (like Cuitiva, Iza and Tota). The local farmers all sport ponchos, wide brim hats and sunburned cheeks. There is even a "Playa Blanca" at the shore of the lake with sand and space for camping under the pine and eucalyptus trees.
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The old walled town of Cartagena must qualify as one of the finest colonial towns in the world. Colorful mansions with giant wooden balconies, a plaza around every other corner, and a wide protective wall all the way around from where you can overview the leafy courtyards and rooftops. But the centro's polished facades with all the tourist shops and a suffocating amount of street vendors will eventually push you into other neighbourhoods like San Diego and Getsemani. But only for the better, because here you get the real deal. Local homes, scrappy buildings, old people in rocking chairs and colorful characters in the streets (some dodgy, yeah even scary). In the evening do as the locals, pick a plaza, buy a beer from the corner shop, and watch life go by.
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In the surrounding hills of the village of San Andres de Pisimbala are several groups of underground burial chambers. Not much are known about the ancient culture that left these behind, but it is believed that the tombs are from 6th to 9th centuries AD. The inside of the chambers were painted in bright geometric patterns and creatures, and to this day it can still be seen in the best preserved ones. A visit to all four sites (Segovia, El Duende, Alto de San Andres and El Aguacate) will at least require a days walking in the beautiful mountains and will also include the site of El Tablon where mystical stone statues, similar to the ones at San Agustin, can be seen. It is the only place in the Americas, where such tombs have been found, and a wonder why they are so unvisited.
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San Agustin and Alto de los Idolos |
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Ancient stone statues that was erected to guard the graves of tribal leaders. They portrait animals and spirits, and were made by a pre-Colombian culture that florished between the 6th to the 14th century. Even though it is the largest collection in South America of such religious monuments, not much is known about them or the culture and that just makes it even more intriguing. Original they were spread over a wide area around Rio Magdalene, but have mostly been relocated to a handful of sites, where Parque Arqueologico in San Agustin and Alto de los Idolos are the biggest. Similar statues have also been found at Tierradentro, which just add to the mystery. If you get stoned out while trying to see all 500 statues, the beautiful landscape offers great trails (trekking or horse riding) to viewpoints and waterfalls.
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This national park is famed by its beautiful beaches. Stretches of sand that slopes into turquoise water and surrounded by soft boulders and dense jungle. There are no roads, only trails leading you from one bay to the next. Small eateries and simple accommodation (hammocks and cabanas) make out the development on this stretch of else wild coast. Tayrona Indians are still inhabiting the forest and you might catch a glance of them while looking for birds and howler monkeys. The park is understandable very popular with locals, but it is not hard to find your own patch of Caribbean paradise under the palms.
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The gateway to the Amazon |
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In the weekend this little mountain town (1800m) turns into a funtown for local tourists, who pour in to fill up the concrete hot springs and karaoke bars. In the rest of the week it is a bit more quiet, where adventure seeking backpackers can get an adrenalin fix. Anything from whitewater rafting to horseback riding, jungle trips and downhill mountain biking all the way down to the Amazon are being offered. Adding to the thrill is the town's location, which is on the lower slope of one of Ecuador's most active volcanoes, the Tungurhua volcano (5023m). A big erupted in 1999 forced an evacuation of Baños. Today Tungurahue is still active and is occasional belching smoke and lava out of it's cavity. It can be quite a terrifying experience to see (and hear) one, but cloudy weather will often obstruct the view.
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Riobamba - Macas (or reverse), 160km |
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This piece of road is the hidden gem of road trips in Ecuador. From the soft rolling hills surrounding Riobamba, it will lead you up into the mountains, through patched farmland and rugged villages. When the peaks turn hard and pointy, the road will cling to the mountainside, while winding its way to the pristine alpine lakes of Atillo at 3500m. From here it rolls down to the Amazon basin through the lush Sangay National Park, with spectacular views over the forest canopy and with waterfalls in the distance. This is the "real shit", so if you thought the touristy trip from Baños to Puyo was pretty, this rough journey will knock your socks off.
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