Heading south

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All these mountain towns we have visited are on the only flat hill tops in the area. This means that getting out of town usually involves a crazy steep descent. We typically err on the side of caution when judging if the tandem's brakes are up to the job. Leaving Salamina was no different. 

The variety and quality of the murals continues to amaze. This one highlights the fact that we had left Antioquia and were now in Caldas. Not sure who the bloke on the left is but it is hard to miss the red coffee berries - this really is prime coffee country. 

Aranzazu was our first stop of the day. We rolled into the market square mid-Saturday morning and it was full of life. It appeared as though everyone in the town had gathered there for the sole purpose of hanging out and chatting. It was alive with people. Needless to say we attracted quite a bit of attention and answered all the usual questions about our bike and the trip. It is wonderful to see how interested people are in what we are doing and it is always entertaining to stop and talk to people. 

We stood on the steps of the church and just watched the scene for quite some time. Our bike is in the photo and when the photo was taken was one of the few moments when there wasn't a crowd around it discussing it. 

Rachel has mentioned the jeeps in an Instagram post but they are worthy of mention here as well. Every town has a fleet of them that serve as taxis-cum-buses. There seems no limit to the number of people they will carry, the range of goods they will transport or the variety of colours they come in. 

We had another wonderful descent. They seem to go on forever and are always a massive reminder of just how much elevation we had gained on the other side. 

Quiet roads, descending, distant hills and lush vegetation - what is there not to love?

Having dropped down. Of course we had a climb. Once again there was no flat transition from down to up. It simply went from one to another. We spotted a shop on the bend where the transition took place and stopped for a drink. Part way up we stopped on this bend to eat the last of the Trukky (the local delicacy we had been gifted), we were in need of an energy boost that it readily provided. I'm a big fan of sweet things but by the time I'd finished my slice off, I was glad to see the back of it as it is outrageously sweet and quite overwhelming. 

We got into Neira and had a wander around. Rachel tried to camouflage herself against this door. (If the door had a bit of yellow on it, she might have succeeded)

Neira was another amazing hill top town. It was Saturday so everywhere was busy. The main street is pedestrianised this great for just wandering along. Every other building seemed to be a pool hall. The format for these is that they are open fronted and all the entrance is lined with tables and chairs, behind these are the tables where every single one was hosting a hotly contested game. We enjoy the odd game of pool (reminders of Reds Bar from our student days) but there was no way we were going to expose our lack of skills in front of such experts.

People making use of any space to sit and chat.

I'm looking particularly delighted as the open door behind the rear panniers is the door to our room. We had been able to wheel the bike directly into the room without removing any bags or negotiating any steps - a rare treat in this part of the world. 

The first stop on the next day's ride was Manizales. We opted for a direct route up into town which involved crossing this stunning suspension bridge. We didn't get any photos from the bridge as it was too vertiginous to look over the edge. 

Once up the steep drag into town we were on the look out for somewhere to eat. The first place we saw was this bakery who insisted that we bring the bike in so we could keep an eye on it. It amused us no end to see the bike propped against the cake stand. 

Next stop Chinchiná. We didn't need to pass through but there was no way that I was going to miss...

... the biggest coffee cup in the world. 

It took a bit of waiting to get our chance to have a photo without other people in the photo. 

It was Sunday and clearly cycling day. The day was characterised by seeing cyclists from all directions. Age or build seemed to play no part in engagement. The roads were heaving with riders. We must have seen several hundred on the road and a another few hundred in cafes and restaurants. It was incredible to be riding somewhere where the cycling culture is so rich. 

The end of the day was Santa Rosa de Cabal. The central public spaces are a delight. They were noticeably lacking in Central America. Rachel has posted about the bird sculptures on Instagram if you want to see more photos.

The town is also home to the world's largest machetes in this monument to what must be the most widely used tool in the country. Can you imagine being able to buy one in a town centre in the UK or walk around with one hanging from your belt?

We had originally planned to have a single rest day here but when we learned that there were hot springs nearby we quickly booked an extra night. We got up nice and early to beat the crowds and had the first hour or so to ourselves. 

It was incredibly relaxing to just hang out in warm water watching the the waterfall surrounded by thick forest. The day just slid past. 

Rachel's thumb injury is taking its time to heal and is somewhat annoying for her. Thus we opted for another day of the bike to allow time to get it checked and to do some route planning for the weeks ahead. I think we are both feeling the cumulative effects of 9 months on the road and thus it has been nice to have some time to just do nothing. We want to make the most of the next few months but we don't want to ride ourselves to exhaustion so a bit of down time feels in order. 

Also, everyone else in the hostel where we are staying is Spanish speaking which has given us a much appreciated chance to practice our language skills.

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