Jardin

My new personal goal is to get to know as much of Colombia as possible. This means taking advantage of any three day weekends or school breaks, and so although all of my friends had other engagements for the last national holiday I was resolved to visit a new pueblito outside of Medellin. I thus got on a bus on a rainy Saturday evening to head by myself to the famous town of Jardin. It did not stop raining for the entire weekend, but that did not stop me from taking a 4-hour hike through the gorgeous countryside, tromping through banana groves, sloshing through muddy cow pastures, and getting caught on barbed-wire fences as I trespassed on private land. I walked up to a trout farm where I ate lunch with the family running the establishment, consuming the most tasty fried trout, patacones, hogao, and guarapo in Colombia. The parque was full of visiting city-folk, so I sat around with the old couples drinking hot chocolate and watching the kids riding by on horseback. When I tired of the perpetual cold dampness, I headed back to the finca-like hotel with a gorgeous view of the river valley. Inspired by the wet beauty of the landscape, I painted the patio while sitting and talking with the guests filtering through, as well as the caretaker and her polar-fleece sweater-wearing Chihuahua. Despite what people say about the dangers of traveling through Colombia, I find that wherever I go I am greeted by the most friendly people ever who look out for me and make me feel so welcome and well taken care of that I am never left truly alone.