I headed out after an assembly and mini food vacation in Cuenca (loooots of crepes, indian and italian food and fancy hot chocolates... not all at the same time of course.) Night bus, 13 hours to Tulcan, the last town on the Ecuadorian border. I was nervous of course, any new territory here is a little terrifying, helped along by the grave warnings of the brother who was giving me the lowdown. "Find people! Don't go anywhere alone! Be super careful!'.
So with that soundtrack in my head, I tucked myself into my seat and tried to sleep and avoid glancing at the horror movie that was playing (which totally wasn't helping).
After an interminably long butt-numbing journey, we reached Tulcan as the light rose on the green grassy hills.
I crawled off the bus, and after circling a bit, finally chose a taxi, ignored the brothers advice, and headed for the border, alone.They immediately sent me back to Tulcan to get money, due to a 'special' payment only Canadians have to make to enter Colombia ($100! and of course no ATM at the crossing...).
So I go to the bank, get out the money, thinking of course they can change it there. Nope.
They give me vague directions to some market with money changers. Already not feeling great about carrying a large amount with me in an unfamiliar place.... but I find the area, and ask in a little shop where to find the exchange. A woman says 'just follow me I'm going there now'. I cautiously walk a ways behind her to see what's going to happen. We reach this market, and true enough, tucked behind in an alley, there's a row of little old men selling Colombian peso's. The guy gives me an good rate, and I walk away feeling pretty awesome, another notch on the belt of world travel. :D
Finally I reach the border (2 very safe taxi rides by the way), and I'm in Colombia!I don't know what it is, but the air feels totally different on that side of the border. I was asking the taxi driver how things were in Colombia politically, and he said it's much calmer and safer now, but then he pointed over to the distant hills on the right, and said 'that's the red zone'.
I got to my hotel in Ipiales to settle in and wash the Cuenca mud off my shoes, and then I walked into the center to explore a little and find food. It was a really busy town, full of all the modern styles and furniture, cars, interspersed with bicycles and a couple horse drawn carts. So much contrast. Everything looks like it's older and falling apart. And once again, even though it's only 15 minutes away from the border, it feels totally different. Ecuador is like a sleepy farm town in comparison. For one thing, they didn't seem to care that I was a woman and a foreigner, people were just chatty and fun and normal. There was just a feeling that everyone had more important things to think about.With hints of turmoil here and there. I gave a wide berth to a scruffy looking couple full-on screaming at each other on the sidewalk outside my hotel...
But aside from the rough-around the edges feel and the whole Farc thing, los Colombianos are really kind and open and easy to talk to. I loved every second I was there, it felt alive and real. And the normal everyday food, pretty great. (corn tortillas with eggs.... and whatever they cook their meat in! so good!)
I even loved my cheap hotel room, it felt like something from another era. creaky floors, low wood ceiling, old 40's style print of a woman with a hat. A little glimpse into another world.
I was inspired.
Unfortunately due to budget and time restraints I returned to Ecuador the next day, after just the briefest of taste's. But it was enough to get me hooked.
So get ready for a Colombia pt 2. (can't wait!)
