Day-4 (Medellin to Guatepe to Doradel)

After a sumptuous breakfast at the Ibis Hotel, we started the day with a mini-tour of Medellin city. The second largest city in Colombia with a population of close to 3 million inhabitants, its also known as a city of ‘Eternal Springs’. The locals are known as Paisas (In India that’s more to do with the currency). Medellin is rated the most progressive city in South America and its notorious past is now put behind its back with the govt doing a thorough clean up over the past few years and the city is a vibrant place to visit. Although the city is relatively safe, we are ‘advised’ to stay away from deserted side streets and stick with the main thoroughfares., we make a quick tour of the prominent Plaza Botero which is prominent for the oversized sculptures & figures made buy the famous Colombian sculptor, Fernando Botero (one of his figures was also targeted in the past with a bomb by the infamous Pablo Escobar gang and it has been kept like that probably to remind people of the tumultuous & violent past this city has had). Downtown with its exciting & colorful attractions and other odd stuff was an enjoyable experience.



























Fruit sellers with a mic & loudspeaker is common sight in the cities!



The global Indian brand- Mahindra in Colombia





We then ride up the hill to El Pueblito Paisa where we do some curio shopping and take in the magnificent views of the sprawling metropolis below. What we noticed about Medellin is that nearly most parts of the city, buildings, parking areas etc are under heavy CCTV surveillance. There are lots of very friendly but fully armed cops around most parts of the city. Mrs Adventure also exchanges greetings with a lady cop.

The rider is a lady cop (we meet her later for a pic)















We then head back to the hotel and check out. As we ride out everything is on schedule, however a local cycling event meant some main roads have been blocked off for the ‘0 hp bikers’ and our GPS goes completely cuckoo taking us in circles around the city with its unending traffic signal intersections. We are behind the clock by an easy 1 hour on a day when we have lots of riding/sight-seeing to do.







Our hotel’s guest relations executive, Karen who spoke excellent American English and who guided us on what to see, do and not-do in Medellin. Thanks Karen



The customary departing shot from the city of Medellin

















Once out of the city we are heading eastwards taking the wonderful highway 60 with a riot of greenery all around. We pass thru beautiful mountain roads, cross a tunnel and continue on the same winding smooth tarmac for many more kms.

Motorcycles take the extreme right lane, and NO, we DON’T pay toll charges…he he!





















Colombian fruit- Zapote



About 50 kms into the highway-60 we reach the town of Marinilla where we take a detour left on a narrow but well paved country road that ascends with amazing twists & turns as it snakes its way to Guatape, famous for its 70 million year old monolith rock 'El Penol', which can be scaled thru its 650 odd steps. The views of the nearby Gautape lake and surroundings from atop that spot is simply astonishing. It’s a hot day and we constantly hydrate ourselves. We soon ride into the heart of town where the locals are enjoying a leisurely Sunday afternoon. There is Spanish music everywhere with loads of local and foreign tourists. This place is also renowned for the Zocalos carvings on all the houses in various patterns and we are delighted to see that the Indian made Bajaj autorickshaw (trikes) rule the roads hauling passengers from one place to another! We have a nice lunch of Arroz, Ensalada, Papitas, Tajada, Frijoles, Huevo (Rice, salad, French fries, deep fried plantain slices, beans & fried egg).

















The El Penol in the background





Well…..a Colombian biker chick!





Zocalos carvings on houses

























The humble Indian Bajaj autorickshaw with a South American touch!





















Soon after the relaxed lunch break we start our downward journey back to Marinilla from where we turn left and continue on Hwy 60. The ride is absolutely enjoyable going thru most parts under the tree canopy with lots of unending sweepers and climbs & dips. At one point just after a curve, we are suddenly facing an oncoming van barging at us in our lane and I luckily manage to steer onto the shoulder (watch intro video). The roads are well paved, but in many parts there is thick fog for kilometers on end which slows us down considerably. And our late start in the morning means, it is quickly getting dark and then we are riding on a dark highway with very little traffic and just the headlight of the bike and brightly lit screen of the GPS for company.





















Although I have a self imposed rule not to ride at night on our global rides esp with a very valuable piece of cargo on my back seat…we still somehow ended riding in pitch dark conditions for couple of hours which I must admit can sometimes border between stupidity & adventure. Anyways inspite of our best efforts in the dark we overshoot our destination- Doradel as the resort was not on the main highway and the GPS just goes blank. We end up in Puerto Triunfo where everybody seems to be having a gala dinner time eating & drinking and nobody speaks English! In the dark with great difficulty and some google translate services on the mobile phone we get directions from a local to backtrack 15 kms to our resort which is located just off the highway but at a very secluded place with no other signs or sounds of civilization except the sound of a rare passing truck or car, while its pitch dark all around. Doradel is absolutely hot & humid. The lady at the counter handles the resort, the kitchen and the restaurant- an all rounder at that!





We have a quick dinner with only the insect sounds or crickets or katydids in the background. Exhausted we hit the bed after another enjoyable day of riding...In the middle of night we did hear some sounds in the distance like a tat, tat, tat (!) sounded more like gunshots, but told my wife they are firecrackers, go to sleep…..Good night! I don’t think she bought it, but nevertheless she went off to sleep.