Actually I wasn't lost but at times I felt a bit left behind on such an arduous trek.
Oh yeah, let me back up a bit as it's been weeks since I last blogged. Time has been flying by here in Santa Marta working with Padre and his community. English classes have now been scheduled to Saturday morning as school started for most people this week. The summer holiday period here is December and January and schools are opening back up this week and next week. Summer in Santa Marta is over (but thankfully not the hot weather!)
Weather has greatly improved here from when I first arrived. It's now very hot and dry - no more torrential humid rain (thankfully for my laptop and cameras). It's gorgeous and I can't believe I only have about two more weeks in Santa Marta.
Preparing for the Feria, January 29th. When I first arrived here I asked Padre what artisan projects people made or knew how to make and he didn't know. It was my idea to host a Feria de Artisanales where people could show us what they were good at making (for creating and selling items to sell to tourists). The girls and boys have been working very hard at promoting the event throughout the barrios with homemade posters and flyers. Padre has also made some good announcements at church on Sunday. People here like to gamble so the first prize for the Artists Fair will be the money we collect from the entries (2000 pesos per entry). We've had a few people enter already but I am hoping they will all come on the 29th. I have heard people are busy making things and getting ready to enter. Colombians don't work to a schedule nor are they very good at planning things so it's sometimes a bit of a challenge for this gringa.
Back to getting lost in the Lost City. After visiting the Santa Marta museum when I first arrived I learned about the Lost City through their small collection of artifacts. I was mesmerized that there was a lost city located up in the Sierra Nevada mountains so close to where I was staying I suggested for Padre and I to go. It is a very expensive and timely trip as it takes 2 days trekking up the mountain to view the lost city and then 2 days trekking back down. It's a five day trip of mud, sweat, grueling uphill hikes under a blazing sun with mosquitoes everywhere. I can't believe I put myself up for this challenge to see a lost civilization in the mountains of Colombia!
You can read more about the lost city http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciudad_Perdida
I actually (and thankfully) did not get lost in the lost city nor on the way but at times I thought I was as the trekking guides don't really wait for you. Everyone must keep up a strong pace at all times. There were moments when I was walking by myself on the path in this jungly type of dense growth for 15-20 minutes just concentrating on my breath, not tripping over any rocks and not getting lost. It was grueling for me as I'm not as in good of shape as I was a few years ago training for marathons. This was certainly a good reminder for me to get back into shape!
We had some really good fruit breaks on the way up the mountain and my favorite was the first stop after 3 hours of serious hiking where we had fresh watermelon awaiting us. I had never tasted such sweet and succulent watermelon as I did this day.
I ate all kinds of colombian sugary snacks along the way that I would never think to eat during any other time but I was happily surprised that they were so good! Guava sugar cubes that melted in my mouth and gave me quick energy spurts.
The toughest days were definitely the first two days on the way as you are almost hiking vertically up a mountain in serious mud. You can not go on this trek expecting not to get muddy and wet.
Day three we finally reached our base camp to the Lost City. We dropped off our over night items and crossed the river waist high to greet the famous stone stairway to take us up to the Lost City - all 1250 steps. This was a serious stair master test. The stones are very small (geez these indigenous people must of had very small feet!) and they are slippery from the moss and moisture of frequent rain.
I can't tell you the sense of achievement of reaching atop of those 1250 stairs! Padre was kind enough to carry my camera so he snapped of couple of photos of me gasping for air and water.
We spent a few hours at the Lost City viewing all the terraces and meeting the famous Colombian army who are based there 24/7. These young soldiers spend 3 months at a time living there keeping tourists safe (and the Lost City remains). They are more excited to see us then we are to see them and all of them certainly enjoy getting their pictures taken with all of us gringos.
You can view many of my photos on flickr. I will have to apologize in advance for the many green and green pictures but hey that's what it was like trekking to the Lost City - very green!
I'm glad I made it and I'm glad I didn't break any bones on the way down. It was one of the best experiences of my life and was it worth it? You bet!
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