For some, Colombia is one Latin American country flowing with cocaine, guerrillas and emeralds, o sea, an unsafe place where life is worthless. Other, it is the scene of the novels of García Márquez, land of magical realism where the foot will never because of that abundance of cocaine, guerrillas and emeralds. But, I had been persuaded by Marta, a friend who had been working in the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation in Bogota and I had sworn that "there is another Colombia does not appear in the newspapers".
After a brief stay in the capital, we headed to the northwest of the country to visit the Parque de los Nevados, a series of spectacular volcanoes covered with perpetual snow, as the infamous Nevado del Ruiz, that destroyed the town of Armero in 1985. But our destination was farther south, in the Valley of cocora, where palm trees grow to giant 3.000 meters. The idea was surreal forest Crossed Impostor, unique worldwide, following the course of Quindio River to reach the volcano Tolima. Of course there was no public transport to Salento, the nearest town, so we spent five hours lying on a road junction that goes to Armenia, right in the Coffee. Finally someone picked up hitchhiking, something that is not recommended for foreigners both as practiced by the local. The truth is that the most dangerous of the winding track was the driver, who constantly came to chat with those who went in the back seat.
The idea was surreal forest Crossed Impostor, unique worldwide, following the course of Quindio River to reach the volcano Tolima
In Salento, a charming village colonial style, had to wait for the appearance of a Willis, one of those 4×4 classics that serve as taxis for unpaved trails in the region. As, meuniere lunch with banana plantains, menu inevitable Quindio. In fact, the entrance to the valley cocora next to a farm. A half hour of the same, find a farm to spend the night. While having a frugal dinner of hot chocolate with cheese, the cook asked if the area was safe. "Over here is healthy now, but in Tolima is another story "answered. We went to bed with a severe cold and the feeling of us to be getting into a mess. At dawn we were awakened by the sound of a rifle shot, though perhaps it was only the creaking of the old wooden walls, joined our imagination.
Morning, the view from the porch was spectacular; dozens of palms up 60 meters drilled fog banks crawling over the hills, composing a prehistoric landscape. Some cows grazing at the foot incongruous palm, discovered in 1801 by German biologist and naturalist, Alexander von Humboldt, during his famous trip to South America. Humboldt called them Ceroxylon Alpinum, scraping the trunk because you get something like wax and because the surrounding mountains reminded the Alps. Its popular name is Palma de Cera and is the national tree of Colombia from 1985.
At dawn we were awakened by the sound of a rifle shot, though perhaps it was only the creaking of the old wooden walls, joined our imagination.
We move between the palms and cattle inside the forest of fog, crossing the river by the seven bridges spanning the Green Heritage Foundation, biological reserve that protects Cocora. The road was leaning more and more, passing by ancient tombs quimbayas and flowers where hummingbirds libaban the eyes of the toucans. The height was noted, but we wanted to get to the Star of Water, a biological station for the study of Andean flora and fauna. Scientists working there told us that we needed only an hour to the Páramo Romeral, a 3.500 meters, vantage point of Tolima, but we were advised that we were aware. In effect, when we drew pictures of the volcano, appeared a large group of men dressed in camouflage. The regular army is distinguished only by the quality paramilitaries shoe. We had encountered in recent. Luckily, they were not looking for trouble, but cigarette.
Back in Bogotá, read in the papers that had fallen that week 4 FARC in Operation cocora.
