Salento and Valle del Cocora

Salento was funny. The first impression we got was, "we should go see the famous Valle del Cocora and get out of here". It was a shock to see so many tourists after two weeks on the paragliding spots with no "gringos". The whole town felt a bit made up for nice facebook pictures. However Salento has been the home of pleasurable encounters.
First, thinking of my travelling friend Clement, I sent him a message to get some news. The last time I had seen him was on the carribean coast in Minca. Knowing Clement I thought "he will answer me in two weeks", but two minutes later he answers "I am in Salento all good, what about you". So funny how travelling makes things happen. The night that followed had to be something special and it did! We got invited, casually, by the owners of a craft shop to have some beers in their place. As it often does in Colombia, things got a bit out of hand when a friend of the couple arrived around midnight with all the cocktail kit. Anyway a lot of fun for this unexepected night.

Geo and Clement starting to get blurry

The next morning, we left early for the valley with an horrible hangover. As I was getting all the fresh air I could out of the 4x4 that was driving me to the place I recognized a friend from the engineering school that I hadn't seen in years. Just the time of a hand shake with the car still going and I was gone. Later in the day we met Antonin Pite on the walk and spent the day with him and his girlfriend.

Meeting Pite Pite on a bridge

We did the full loop of the valley (4 to 5 hours of walk) stopping to see colibris and weird marsupials.

Unknown beast

Colibri

The trail took us through river, forest and finally a beautiful view of the famous valley with the sticking palm trees.

We of course had radio corrazon (our portative radio) to help us go along the way with some reggaeton and colombian rap for the pleasure of the other walkers.

Happy to meet up

The team for the day

The famous palm trees

Bonus:

Happy folks

TÊTU