Reset search
South America
  • Taylor S

South America

A 184-day adventure by Taylor Read more
FollowInsightsCalendarShareShareBucket list
Newest first
  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    Silvia, Colombia

    January 26, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Silvia is a small village located in the Oriente of Colombia a hour or so from Popayan. It's famous for its Tuesday market which I didn't get to see as I went on a Friday, but regardless the town was very quaint and relaxing with a large central square and surrounding mountain sides.

    I took a walk up over city into the hills where two dogs followed me the whole way. From there you could see the farmers I their fields and city below.

    The city itself and surround area is home to 6 indigenous tribes the most pre leant being the Guambia people known for their colorful purple/blues halls with hot pink trim, flat reed hats and the men who carry darkly stained wooden staffs with silver attachments.

    After walking around I found myself in a small hole in the wall restaurant where I got coffee and empanadas with the traditional hot sauce made with peanuts. And that's where I took that awesome picture of the man looking out door from inside the restaurant.    Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    Cali, Colombia

    January 28, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    Santiago de Cali the salsa dance capitol of the world. I spent a week here and loved every minute of it. It was a nice mixture of exploring, relaxing, dancing , and art.

    I arrived and spent my first nights in a hostel in the are known as San Antonio. It's built on a hill has many colorful old houses, a large park and the center for art in the are with many artists living there and galleries tucked into buildings.

    The owner of the hostel took me to a house party across the street where people were dancing salsa, making bruschetta and chatting. From there to a club called mikasa where it was the closing night and packed with people on all levels dancing.

    The rest of the week I stayed with a couchsurfer Lorena and her mother. Within an hour of being at their place the couches were pushed away and I was getting personal salsa lessons.

    The days were spent exploring the city center, San Antonio at night where people fill the park playing music, telling stories in a small amphitheater and more.

    I was lucky to meet another artist and got the chance to print some of my photos and wheatpaste them on walls in the area.

    Another day we went to Río Pance to the south of Cali to bathe in the cold water.

    Two nights were spent dancing at different salsa clubs where the atmosphere is extremely cool but hot and I got to see the talent that some of these locals had. It's as if every one there can dance salsa although the locals do admit not everyone can dance.

    Overall Cali was a very fun and left me thinking of all the other places Colombia must have to offer!    Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    Buenaventura, Colombia

    January 29, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Buenaventura doesn't have the best reputation as it used to be one of the most violent cities... I won't go into more details you can google it, but today it's center is quite safe and from what I experienced I quite like it and the people.

    90% of the city is African American and has one of the more important ports in all of Colombia.

    I stayed two nights there with a Couchsurfer who is helping to build a cultural center there. I walked around the city center taking photos and ended up meeting a parking lot attendant, a girl who cells minutes to call on a cell phone and another woman and her children who were trying to lure people to their restaurant. I spent the good part of the day chatting with them about the city and my travels and their kids wanted plenty of photos taken of them.

    The city itself is very bustling as a port city but has a sort of chat that I imagine you might find on Cuba. I found a street cafe filled with gentlemen chatting, drinking coffee and getting their shoes polished while reading the newspaper. I sat down there every morning to write and soak in the atmosphere.    Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    La Barra, Colombia

    January 31, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    La Barra is a small fishing village on the western coast of Colombia. With a population 300 and only accessible by an hours boat ride to the town of Juancacho and the with motorbike along the beach at low tide it's nice and secluded.

    I spent three days here enjoying the beach, camping, bonfires at night, swimming in the warm Pacific, eating fish, and exploring the manglar forests that surround the area.

    The hostel I camped outside of was very lovely with a lovely older lady Dolores who made the meals and always called you "love".

    The beachside are lovely despite the trash that floats in from Buenaventura and because of its secludedness you could always find a place alone for yourself on the beach.

    One day we took a small boat into the winding maze of manglar channels and went to a natural fresh water pool to swim it was incredibly refreshing and I imagine so many more places lay hidden amongst these Forests.

    In the end it was nice to get to the warm coast for a few days and be completely without connection to the real world, but only with that of the real world of the folks of La Barra...    Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    San Cipriano, Colombia

    February 9, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    San Cipriano is a tiny one road town in the middle of the jungle of western Colombia. Accessible only by train tracks using a genius vehicle called a "Brujita" which is essentially a wooden cart which uses ball bearing wheels and is attached to a motorcycle.

    I spent a couple days there hiking up and down the river and into the jungle where there are plenty of birds, mini waterfalls and plants to be discovered. I swam in a crystal clear river with not a person in sight.

    The seclusion of this town in the jungle and its vastness really provides some great hiking, alone time and a world of discoveries.    Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    Armenia, Colombia

    February 10, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Armenia is one of the three coffee triangle capitals in an area of Colombia where coffee production drives the economy and the cities sell sell sell!

    I stopped just to stay the evening and spent the next morning walking around the center square, fleamarket and enjoyed some coffee in the park before catching the bus to Salento!Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    Salento, Colombia

    February 11, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Salento is quite a tourist attraction known for its brightly colored buildings, coffee tours, and its vicinity to the Valle de Cocora.

    I arrived on Salento on a Sunday when every tourist international and national were visiting. The streets were filled and the souvenir shops were open.

    I walked the hilly streets taking pictures, admiring the brightly colored architecture and the street performers. I met some local musicians and went to their house to play some music.

    I camped in the back of a hostel and woke at 5am the next morning to catch a Willy (jeep) to Valle de Cocora to go hiking.

    The Valle de Cocora is an incredibly amazing and beautiful area at the foothills of Los Nevadas mountains and national park.

    I hiked 9km along a river and up through a cloud forest to a refuge called Estrella de Agua. I then continued down and hiked to another farm house overlooking the valley and down into the Wax Palm valley (60m tall). All and all I probably hiked around 20km.

    I met a fellow Midwesterner and decided to walk back along the road towards Salento until finally hailing a Willy back to town.    Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    Filandia, Colombia

    February 14, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Filandia is a small town on the same coffee region as Salento. Although it's only a 20 minute drive away there are no direct buses from Salento and thus you must catch a bus towards Armenia get dropped off in the middle of the highway In front of a flower shop and then catch a bus to Finlandia.

    For this reason it's not as popular with tourists and relatively more of a secret. This is a good thong because in my opinion it was 10 times more beautiful than Salento. More colorful, leas tourists and instead of hostels, souvenir shops, and restaurants you have actual stores and places the locals use and go to.

    I spent the day wandering around with my fellow midwesterner and had lunch with a view overlooking the entire region.

    The coffee there was good, I got to take plenty of good pictures and didn't feel one bit over run by tourists.

    Filandia you stole my heart, please stay non-touristy-ish.    Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    Pereira, Colombia

    February 15, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Pereria is another one of the coffee triangle capitols. Less touristy, but still has its fair share of nice plazas and parks.

    I spent a day here staying with the sister and her family of a friend I met in Pasto.

    The town was very similar to many Colombian town with its markets, plazas, endless rows of store fronts and host of characters.

    I sat on the Plaza Simon Bolivar which sports a large statue of the independence hero naked riding a horse and listens as the local men chatted and made if of each other trying to tell me about the different characters who always seemed to patrol the square.    Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    San Peregrino, Manizales, Colombia

    February 15, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Having friends around the world is always nice, but especially when they are from your home town, share the same friends and have some actual history. My next stop(s) was San Peregrino a small vereda just outside of Manizales built on rolling hills of coffee, bananas, plantains, avocados and much more.

    Anthony Asher Yates who went to high school with me and hails from Nordeast, Minneapolis lives in his paradise of a finca with his amazingly friendly, funny, and giving girlfriend Carolina. They were kind enough to take me in for a bit more than a week as well as Deanna from Michigan who was traveling South America as well.

    The days were spent cooking delicious food, helping Tony and Caro make their signature marmalade, sauces and hot sauces that they sell at organic markets around the area (check them out on Instagram @ketioka), walking around the beautiful landscape, and going into Manizales to buy good, food and use the internet occasionally.

    I was fortunate enough to be able to relax there and really get into the groove of country living, nothing beats rising with the sun, making coffee, eating avocados from the tree in the yard and watching the plethora of colorful birds that visit.

    One Sunday I went with them to a very small village a couple hours away close to the Sierra Nevadas to participate in a Temazcal a 4 hour traditional sweat lodge with lots of singing, cleansing and healing.

    I'm incredibly thankful for the hospitality that Tony and Caro showed me the time we spent together and all that I learned and experienced from them!    Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    Medellin, Colombia

    February 27, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    I spent a good chunk of time exploring Medellin and the surrounding area.

    Medellin is a large city stuck between several mountains and hiding some pretty amazing secrets within its streets. I was lucky to have two different couchsurfers (Manuel & Natalia) who made my experience special and fun!

    Medellin is home to many different parks, museums, lots of little theaters, hidden cafes and of course has Pablo Escobar tagged to its name.

    One of the great things about the city is its extensive transportation system of metro, light rail, bus, and cable car which not only allows tourists to get around easily, but also allows for small populations on the other side of the valley to access the city and its economic potentials.

    My time was spent wandering the streets, the parks, the museums and meeting people on every step of the way.

    Fun fact Botero the famous Colombiam artist known for his "gorodo" statues or fat statues has a statue In Minneapolis right next to the depot!

    I was lucky enough to take two trips out of the city to Guatape and Santa Elena and meet up with an old friend from Berlin who was here visiting her family.

    I still feel I didn't get to explore everything Medellin has to offer, but hope one day I can come back and see what other surprises Medellin has for me.    Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    Guatape, Colombia

    March 6, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    I took a day trip with my Couchsurfer Natalia to Guatape! Guatape is a small town bordering the lake of Quebrada La Magdalena and sporting a nice giant rock called Piedra de Peñol.

    From the rock there is a great view over the lake, islands and blueish green water. Down on the town itself there are many cobblestoned roads with colorful houses, artists studios, musicians, old men playing cards, and wonderful art on the walls that show the culture of the city.

    In the cities small historical museum they showed us the first camera to come to the city and told us that it was not used much as the people thought it stole their souls! Fun fact I have the very same camera: Voigtlander Brilliant.

    It was a nice relaxing day outside of busy Medellin and got me craving nature again.

    Thanks to my guide / Couchsurfer Natalia for the awesome trip!    Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    Vereda Perico, Santa Elena, Colombia

    March 9, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    What happens when you end up at a bar talking to the Argentinian bar tender and mention you shoot film?

    They put you in contact with their artist / photographer friend who lives in the countryside and has his own darkroom.

    I was fortunate to spend today's on the cold and rainy vereda of Perico near the quaint town of Santa Elena and discuss art, develop a couple rolls of film and enjoy the silence.

    Meet Oscar Molano an artist and teacher at the University of Antioquia. He has dabbled in about all forms of visual art and was kind enough to charge his thoughts, art and lovely finca just outside of Medellin.

    Check him out at : http://oscarmolano.com    Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    Tolú, Colombia

    March 13, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    My first stop on the Caribbean Cost of Colombia was Tolú. A small town that sits inside the Gulf of Morrosquillo. After a 10 hour bus ride I arrived to the coast in the early morning and while the bus was full when we left Medellín I was the only one actually got my to Tolú and this the only one left on the bus.

    The town itself is mostly Afro-Colombian, has a small airport, a couple plazas and along the coast a line of hotels and restaurants. While not a huge tourist attraction many Colombians come here during their vacations to soak up the sun or visit the near by San Bernardo islands.

    As it was low seasons. It many people were there and I had my hotel / camp ground all to myself. I pitched my tent there at the end of town and met the owner Carlos and his father Carlos. They both spoke English even though I preferred Spanish. In fact the Carlos Senior spoke French and German as well.

    I spent two days wandering the streets, enjoying the beach, and sitting on the plaza where a giant tree with tons of vines hanging down provided enough shade from the sun. There you could find old men playing cards, dominos, and drinking tinto. You could also see as a line of fathers on motorcycles lined up to pick up their daughters from the Catholic school attached to the church, and I'm the late afternoons the marines would come and protect the square. Two actually approached me as they thought I had taken a picture of them. That is apparently not allowed. They were both on. Their early twenties and we talked a bit about their time in the military, my travels and... Trump.

    From Tolú I moved on to a place that have yet to name as I will be releasing my experience there as a photo essay and will be keeping it secret until the .    Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    Cartagena, Colombia

    March 17, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Cartagena is a colorful combination of beautiful architecture, people and tranquility. The historic center which is filled with colonial buildings, plazas, small restaurants, cafes, street vendors and, at night, dancers, musicians, and horse drawn carriages is contained within the old walls of the city.

    I stayed in a part of town called Getsemani which boasts a plethora of street art, small alley like streets where families sit, listen to music, enjoy a drink or play games, and a wonderful plaza in front of an old church where at night locals and tourists alike grab a beer, some street food and enjoy live music, break dance performances, meeting new people and watching as kids play soccer or jump on a small trampoline that is set up on the plaza as well.

    I spent a good few days at a hostel called Green House that became a small family along with a few Dutch friends, the two lovely staff Mario and Elaynne and after a couple of dsys the entire block of families tienda owners and barbers.

    I was lucky to catch a Miss Colombia Carnaval style parade for the contestants of the competition, play music on the street with a few locals, and visit a part of town where a Dutch friend has a charity called Milagros de Amor and helps children in the underserved community learn to kick box, paint murals in their neighborhood and enjoy time together in a safe and enjoyable environment.

    Though touristy, Cartagena ( the center) has a real charm, the people are amazing the constant soundtrack of music in the streets is enchanting and the heat... Well there is a lot of that.    Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    Minca, Colombia

    March 24, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    Up into the mountains above Santa Marta I spent two days in a little town popular for its view across the valley and down into Santa Marta and the Caribbean. I took a long 7hr hike complete with pouring rain and after seeking shelter under a school jungle gym was lucky to run and seek shade under the roof of the school's caretaker.Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    Camarones, Colombia

    March 26, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    On my way up La Guajira a small beach village home to mostly Wayuu indigenous sits next to a large nature reserve. With one rainy night in which the rain puddled up under my tent like a water bed ( but didn't leak through!), the next early morning was a canoe ride put into a large lagoon to see large groups of Flamingos feasting on shrimp hence the name of the town "Camarones".Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    Cabo de la Vela, Colombia

    March 27, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    After making my way to Uribia by hitch and truck my Punta Gallinas travel buddy Liza and I found our driver Carlos. He took us to his home to meet his family and then off we went to our first stop in our journey to South America's most northern point.

    Driving along vast stretches of desert and hidden Wayuu villages only marked by tires with white lettering painted on the out drive took us to a huge dried up lake / desert. So large the mirage on the other side looked like a lake. We sped through slide on so wet dirt from a recent rain pulling a few donuts and whipping on to our destination.

    Cabo de Vela is a strip of houses , restaurants, kitesurfing schools and hammocks on the beach. For 5 bucks (expensive) you can sleep in one of the hammocks and and enjoy the cool breeze of the ocean. While nothing much in itself around there are some great hills to climb with some great views.    Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    Punta Gallinas, Colombia

    March 28, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    On top of a continent. A 2 hour crazy bumpy ride through the Alta Guajira home of the Wayuu brought us past small Wayuu villages, we are cactus fruit, saw salt plains and ended up at a small bright blue bay.

    From there to put host on the upper edge of all of South America. We drove to Punta Gallinas the most northern point of the continent and to sand dunes that fell steeply into the blue waters of the Caribbean.

    The beauty of this dry area is indescribable, the stars at night filled the sky and provided an unlimited amount of gazing.

    The journey to this place is most the fun, but the serenity and uniqueness that it offers can not be beaten.

    Well off to the southern most point!    Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    Maicao, Colombia

    March 29, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    A city located on the border of Colombia and Venezuela, it is home to a diverse group of people including Colombians, Wayuu, Afro-Colombians, Venezuelans and a large Lebanese population.

    They have the largest mosque in Colombia and second most important and South America. Towering into the sky it was really quite beautiful. To top it all off Lebanese food in the restaurants!!!'Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    Valledupar, Colombia

    March 29, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Located on the south eastern side of the Sierra Nevadas Valledupar is the home of Vallenato a traditional Colombian music from the area. With a quaint center and some remaining colonial buildings it had a small town feel, yet is home to many more.Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    Mompox, Colombia

    March 31, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    Mompox is located on a large island next to the river Magdalena. A hot and muggy town it's one of UNESCO's World heritage sites as it was an important stop along the Magdalena for ships, The place where Simon Bolivar gathered men to take Caracas in his effort to free Gran Colombia, and has so of the most intact colonial architecture as until recently this island was only accessed by ferry and relatively unvisited due to political unrest in the area.

    I wandered the streets and celebrated my birthday in this little town. I was lucky that they were celebrating Semana Santica the child precursor to their Semana Santa Easter celebrations in which the locals have various traditional processions through the streets and ending in the towns cemetery.

    On my birthday I sailed down the Magdalena river to see the swamps and small towns that lay on its edge. And with a friend from Bogota found ourselves watching a late night Cock Fight!    Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    Bucaramanga, Colombia

    April 2, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    The heart of Santander in Colombia Bucaramanga, while hot was still a relief to that of Mompox humid days. I was lucky enough to get introduced to a great Couchsurfer and also a group of musicn a friends.

    I spent the days walking around and enjoying the various parks. I went to get some of my rolls of film developed as I had in the past only this time the person completely screwed them up which I was not happy about.

    I did however make it to a concert and a jam and got to play harmonica with a band on my last night which definitely made it a highlight. While not a huge tourist destination I think Bucaramanga could grow on you.    Read more

  • Taylor SSouth AmericaTraveler

    Barichara, Colombia

    April 7, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Barichara is known as Colombia's most beautiful pueblo. While I know there are many that are just as if not more it sure is true that Barichara is beautiful. Cobblestone streets lined In white stucco houses, occasional bursts of color, old churches and great views of the canyon it sits next to.

    I stayed in a 200 year old house turned into a hostel even thought it was once a hostel for travelers on their horses. The owner played blues so that was a plus.

    I walked around the streets checking out the old houses, the churches, cemetery and the paper factory where artists make paper out of various plant fibers including plantain, pineapple, corn, hemp and more.

    I then took a stone covered 5km path laid through the hills I'm 1864 by a German settler along side old farms and fincas to the even smaller colonial village of Guane known for its fossils and crystals hidden on the rocky landscape.    Read more

  • 2025© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Help Center
  • Legal notice