Day 45 - Guatepe (1 Hit and 2 Strikes..)

I planned on making another attempt at doing nothing this morning, but heading out midday to get into Medellin at a reasonable time. I figure this could be important for two reasons. The first is the most obvious one, I have no clue where I am going. The second is that I want to try to miss rush hour since I'll be lugging my two backpacks onto the metro. I mean the metro is like $1550 versus a $7000 - $10000 taxi ride to the hostel. I am a budget traveler here!

Well I was chatting it up with a fellow backpacker who said that he planned on doing this Vista Trek which is supposed to go up in the mountains and have great views. He said he planned to do this early and catch the same early bus back to Medellin. Welll me being me, I can't pass up a decent sounding adventure. We were told that the walk could range from 8km - 20km. Instead of km, I decided to use hours, lol. After an hour and some changing of walking forward, I planned on walking back.

So we are off and walking. It is like 5hunnid degrees outside, but it's okay I suppose. It makes for a pretty day AND I have plenty of sunscreen on. No additional burns for me. Along the way were these inviting still lakes. Don't they look tempting?

We get to walking and there are some nice views of the city, lakes, and El Penol (the rock). 

However, I quickly realized a few things: this trek is not "vista," the views are really no better that what I saw a few days ago, and no matter how high we get things look the same. Can you tell me the difference between these two sets of pictures from different angles?

But we try to wait it out and walk a bit further, this trek is no trek.. It's nothing to look at and we decided to head back. The real highlight was the Colombian playing Sade's Smooth Operator from his work truck in the middle of nowhere. Who would have thought. Oh well, one strike.

The second strike was almost deadly! By now I am starving. We find this little restaurant and I order this chicken on a stick. I have a bad habit of looking at my food before I eat it. THIS is why I wouldn't eat wings for a very long time. Looking at them made me sick. So back to THIS chicken.. This chicken skewer is a thing of beauty no?

I bit into the first piece and got to looking at it and it just didn't seem right. I decide instead of biting into it again, I would pull a piece off. WHY, I MEAN WHY, is this chicken pink? Not beige, not rose, effin PINK! These folks tryna kill me. Flag on the play. I would offer up more strikes, but I saved myself before it was too late. I successfully communicated to them I did not want this or anything else from them for that matter. *sighs* still hungry!

We quickly load the bus and are off to Medellin. I feel good because once again this feels somewhat familar. I exit the bus and head for the Metro. I've written out the directions and I am ready as can be with both bags in tow. 

Sidebar: I think I am getting pretty good at offloading and onloading my big backpack. I'm like a smooth operator, lol. I can get it on, whip it off without hitting anyone, and lodge it between my legs to take up as little space as possible. All while swinging my small sack onto my chest! Call me a professional *does the cabbage patch*

Anywho, I successfully get to the terminal and I head off in what I think is the correct direction. I walk a bit and then turn off and then turn back on and then turn off again. To my dismay, I was holding the map wrong, lol. After turning it right side up, I arrived. This was ALMOST a strike, but I quickly recovered.

I checked in and this hostel is a thing of beauty. I chose a new area of Medellin to explore called Laureles. I hear this is the true local area and you can experience the real Colombia. I get settled in and I am told that there are free Salsa Lessons tonight. Based on previous experience, I asked was this Zumba or real lessons. The owner confirmed real lessons.

I am soo psyched! So the night can't get hear quick enough, I am ready!

I walk to the said area and there are a few people here. I tell them I have no clue as to what I am doing and they say no worries. Okay, okay! We get started and I have two left feet, but the night progresses...

And two hours later, I have an inkling of what I am doing and I am ti'd! Who knew salsa, when done properly, can be such a workout.. Or is this my inexperience?! Who cares nonetheless. 

This is something I must learn when I get back to the states. My dance partner, the best friend of one of the instructors, was awesome. He made it easy to follow and worked with me very patiently when my feet got turned around, lol! He was also easy on the eyes. A rarity for me since I have been in Colombia. 

Now this activity/evening was a HIT!