To get to small village of Guatape we took a flight from Bogota to Medellin. Since we were on very tight schedule we ordered a taxi rather than wait for a bus. Since both of us speak Spanish we were able to make a good deal on 2 hour drive to village of Guatape. Our taxi driver was a nice guy who loved racing because the tires were squeaking in every corner but somehow I felt pretty safe which doesn’t usually happen to me in this kind of occasions.
Once we arrived to “El Penol” we were stunned. “El Penol” is a name for the huge rock, famous tourist attraction close to Guatape. The rock doesn’t even look like it belongs to that area. In order to get to the top you have to pay the entrance and start climbing 650 stairs. Yop, pretty difficult, but every time you see the view you just want to continue. On the top there is a view tower which based on the sign, offers “The best view in the world”. I might see some beautiful views already, but this one was among the best ones. You have 360 degree view of beautiful small lakes and islands surrounding “El Penol”. The scenery is simply amazing.
Climb was done and it was time to get to the village of Guatape. 5-minute ride on a Tuk-tuk was a nice reminder of our recent trip to Asia. Tuk-tuks in Colombia are not that common, so I was a bit surprised. Village itself is very colorful and offers typical tourist stuff such as shops, restaurants and bars. After we checked in our hostel outside the village, we headed back for some tasty dinner. Just like in Bogota, also in guatape all the people including waiters were so friendly and kind. After a tasty fish and some beers we wandered around the town until I found a local bar with specific Colombian atmosphere. We had to enter and immediately I fell in love with that place. No tourists, just locals playing pool. Cheap beer and the best was a urinal in the middle of the room right next to the pool tables. Amazing idea for locals. Whenever you have to go you just turn around and there you go… a urinal. I had to try it there and it was one of the funniest and coolest moments in Colombia.
Next day we were leaving for Medellin. We bought a bus ticket for almost 4-hour drive to one of the highlights of our trip, city famous for its history of Pablo Escobar and still ongoing drug cartel war. There was a lot to look forward to…
