La Costa Atlantica/ Parque Tyrona
My boyfriend and I recently went up to Parque Tyrona for a week together. He and many other Colombians said it was one of the most beautiful places in Colombia, so I had to see for myself. I had seen many beautiful places in Colombia, but he was right: it was beyond words, and pictures and whatever else one can share.
The national park is set on the tip of the Atlantic Coast of Colombia and really well preserved for the most part. Although I could tell about the few noisy generators, or the many tourists (mostly Colombian and European) who just went for the beaches, or the expensive food costs (after all they crate everything in on horseback), that's not what I chose to focus on. Because in between the few camp sites, and people trying to make a living off of selling you food and water for more than it costs when you don't have to hike it in on a horse, there exists spectacular natural beauty at every corner...
little monkeys eating away in the canopy above you
black and white ant eater hidden in a huge rock crevice on the hike up to the 'Pueblito'
ancient wisdom laid in each stone that carved the path up the mountain to said 'Pueblito'
Cogi and Tyrona Indigenous people talking with us, selling their beautiful mochillas and orange rind jewelry, telling us of the animals that we will find there
exquisite white sand beaches with deep teal, blue, green, purple water
little colourful fish and life in said water
bright pink jelly fish thing (not sure the name of it)
huge rocks, where the mountain meets the sea
waves larger than I have ever seen, and more powerful than I can barely imagine- creating a dramatic and dangerous under tow- some beaches we couldn't swim at
the nude beach, there is something about being in an ocean with out your suit :)
tons and tons of lizards (like miniature iguanas)- teal, green, brown, black, bright blue chasing each other across the leaves in the campground, pausing to look at me or pick up a bug
huge centipedes
huge huge crabs in their holes coming out of their holes at 5 or 6 as we hike back to camp
sand crabs...that you have to make friends with
chiguïros (or smaller versions of chiguiros: picture the mix between a rabbit and a wild bore hopping and squeaking through the forest) on our early morning runs, and in the evening
running through the canopy in the early morning, dripping sweat, but loving every minute of it
eating pan de chocolate after a full day in the sun and sand and salt
bats at night, especially our first hike in, at 6:30 pm, dive bombing us, while the crabs shuffled under our feet
blood ants making their trails across the path, and biting me if I put my hand down on them, that hurt!
great gourmet food- in the middle of the jungle mountains
showers and clean toilet areas- the camping was honestly the best campground I have ever been to- and it was in the middle of nowhere in Colombia (playa alta)- the camping varied from $5,000 pesos per night to ours $19,000 pesos per night
the peace we found there, individually and together
hours of sitting, writing, laughing, not talking, talking
swimming a ton
floating in the salt water
coconut lime aid = heaven in itself
a slight breeze to take away the heat of midday
happiness freedom and connectivity
to others, to the native land, to the trees and sand
I'd go back in a second. Want to join me?
No comments:
Post a Comment