Day 127 – Puerto Boyaca, CO – Santuario, CO
December 28, 2010 8 Comments
Day 127 – Puerto Boyaca, CO – Santuario, CO 12/26/10 Mileage: 95
After a nice breakfast in the hotel restaurant, I hit the road towards Medellin.
The road started out fairly flat but soon turned into the mountains. The sun was shining, the truck traffic was light, the KLR was firing on all, well, one cylinder and there were more twists in the road than bowl of linguine. That’s a pretty great morning by any measure!
Here’s another reason to like Colombia….motorcycles don’t have to pay tolls! The narrow lane between the two yellow curbs on the right is the FREE motorcycle lane!
My good fortune continued when I turned off the road for lunch in the little mountain town of Santuario.
Wow was this a great little town! I parked the bike on the main square and me in a sidewalk cafe overlooking it. It was Sunday afternoon and everyone was out and about.
On a side note, I was told that the Colombian women were gorgeous. Trust me gents, as someone who worked for years in NYC for a women’s luxury fashion company, it is absolutely true! This town seems to be particularly blessed, maybe there’s something in the water…I don’t know. But, regardless of that, or admittedly because of it, I decided to stay the night if I found cheap digs…which I did. After stashing the bike and my gear, I walked around town and they have a thin slice of heaven here for sure.
Mmmm…meat and motorcycles… They go together like peanut butter and jelly…
And the police ride dual-sports…
Many of the older gents wear fedora hats with ponchos over their shoulders.
The town feels totally safe and there are people everywhere walking, shopping, relaxing or doing what I was doing…just taking it all in.
That night I had a light dinner from the street vendors in the main square and a few drinks around town. Tomorrow I will (finally) ride on to Medellin!
Parting Shot: Even the horses like it better in town…
From Deadhorse Down 
Wow I am very impressed with Columbia. looks beautiful!! still trapped in the snow and ready to lose my mind!! Love, lisa
It is a really great place! That “drug war” reputation is a thing of the past. It is by and large very safe, especially in the towns and cities. I like it! How long will you be trapped in the house!! Lol!
A 6 hour ride home took us 9 hours. It was horrible and lanes on the GSP just ended and shifted and only one or two of the lanes where cleared. We crept on the parkway……….cars were flipped over, ond was on fire, etc.
We had a great time up there and wondering if you hooked up with Lilly’s cousins??? They are all aware of you going to get in touch with them.
We left the suitcases, boxes you sent, etc. in the trunk and will empty the car in the morning. We are pooped.
Glad you are enjoying Columbia so much and also that you will hopefully not be so daring on the bike.
Love ya, Mom
Glad you made it home safe! Colombia is great, I’m really enjoying it. I had lunch with Santiago today and he showed me around Medellin a bit this afternoon. I’m going to go with them to their family get-together tomorrow night up in Rionegro which should be fun….and I’ll get to embarrass myself with my crappy spanish. Luckily Santiago speaks very good english. TTYS!
Glad you are making everyone aware that Columbia is safe! The media over here likes to scare everyone off.
You were in Guatemala…and you know that it’s OK for the most part. I would say this place is waaaay safer overall, and the towns and cities are more developed and not was rustic for lack of a better word. Put the Zona Rosa on your Medellin to-do list. There is about 40 restaurants, clubs and bars all packed into a 4 block radius!
Lenny you are right…….. I am taking this trip of yours in stride……..one day at a time. I am so thankful that you didn’t take the ship and I now don’t worry as much. Dad and I are kept busy and enjoying Maya and Raquel. We enjoy reading and seeing your trip on the blog. We know that you are capable of making good decisions and you research before you do things and we are thankful for your safety and friends that are there for you. Don from Ricor is great and a good feeling to know he is watching out for you too.
Enjoy meeting Lilly’s family and have a Happy and Healthy New Year. We will send out your package as soon as you send an address.
As a parent, you bring up your children to be good people and give them the help that they want and the ability to stand on their own two feet and we have to trust them. Jill, wait til the girls drive and you will think of me telling you this.
Happy New Year everyone.
Love ya, Mom and Dad.
HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE.. HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD TIME CELEBRATING TONIGHT LENNY.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND STAY SAFE. A FRIEND WENT OUT WITH PAUL’S MOM LAST WEEK AND SANDI TOLD JOANNE WHAT A GOOD TIME PAUL HAD RIDING WITH YOU. IT IS A SMALL WORLD.
LOVE AND PEACE TO ALL. MOM (AND DAD) AKA ARLENE