Letter To Ompany For Allowuncess

lunaire San Gil, "the tourist capital of Santander et ses environs

After a few hours by bus from Villa de Leyva, Tunja through, before climbing to 3200 meters, then descending to the Caribbean, skirting the multiple landslides, we finally arrived in San Gil in the region of Santander.

We understand why the bus driver turned the air conditioning back for a while, outside the heat is overwhelming! In the tropics, the altitude difference clearly affects the climate, vegetation and even people. Built on a mountainside, the town spreads on both sides of a valley. Cobbled streets and steep, its shady garden at the foot of a colonial church give it a charm unique to the region. Although very touristy, the town is very welcoming and the atmosphere is pretty good. Every evening, people gather on the central square, in the alleys of the park to talk, eat or drink.

Seduced by the corner, we take several days for the hospitality of our first host couchsurfer , Andres to explore the area. Especially since he lives in a charming little house a few miles above San Gil, lost in the vegetation, surrounded by fruit trees (mandarin, mango ...): the dream!

Thanks to the bus rather well organized and cheap, everyday we discover other villages and nature areas, each more charming than each other. Just above "our" house, 3 km, the village of Pinchot, like all others, it is organized around its central square with its shady park and church, we must say that's about all but it dominates the valley and offers a privileged view of the surroundings.

A little further north, about 40 minutes drive Barichara is situated on a plateau overlooking a canyon. This is one of the prettiest villages in the region, if not the country, and by necessity a place quite touristy. The contrasts between the red earth, white walls of houses and the green of the surrounding vegetation are striking! The icing on the cake, it seems that it flies around. The information is difficult to obtain, we learn from a police officer who teaches us to our surprise that it is forbidden to fly by here ... information to be contradicted later by a local paraglider.

Other Mecca of paragliding in the area, Curiti, a small village less touristy but just as welcoming as Barichara. The atmosphere is calm and relaxed, and its people are among the warmest we've met before! The main activity of the town is not the "adventure travel", as is the case almost everywhere in the region, but the craft tific , vegetable fiber end of the agave (a kind giant cactus leaves) with which one can do almost everything: hats, shoes, bags, jewelry, decorative items and even furniture! The region also saw a lot of tobacco production and especially coffee, which you can see the seeds dry in the sun on the sidewalk in front of houses. After making the acquaintance of a paraglider curiteño , we are en route to the site of official flight, about 30 minutes from the village tract ... but the storm will be faster than us and the huge cumulonimbus clouds that overtakes us we quickly cut any desire to get in the air!

last attempt to steal, we contact a club from San Gil to enjoy their commute, and loans relief. But the misfortune pursues us, because we are too late for our appointment on Sunday morning due to overcrowded buses Colombians going to mass. Raz and tired, we still enjoy the rest of the day to discover the Juan Curi Waterfalls, sails on the back. Not very convenient for exploring the site, especially as access is equipped with ropes and ladders to cross fortunes of the various waterfalls, whose primary is 180 meters. So in turn that we explore the waterfalls, the place is magical especially as we find them alone.

Then we leave San Gil pour revenir à Bogotá, de secours récupérer les parachutes that nous fait parvenir Sup'Air.

After a few hours by bus from Villa de Leyva, Tunja through before climbing to 3200 meters above sea level and back down to the Caribbean, avoiding multiple landslides, we finally arrived to San Gil, Santander region.
understood then why the driver of the bus had air conditioning at all for a good while, outside the heat is tremendous! In the tropics, the altitude difference enough influence on climate, vegetation and even people. Built in the mountains, the city lies on both sides of the valley. Floored and steep streets, its shaded park at the foot of a colonial church give the charm typical of the region. Although very touristy, the town is still very friendly and the atmosphere is pretty good. By late afternoon, people were grouped in the central plaza in the corridors of the park to discuss, eat and drink.
Seduced by region, for several days we enjoyed the hospitality of our first guest CouchSurfer, Andres, to discover. Besides, he lives in a very charming small house a few miles from San Gil, loss of vegetation in the middle of fruit trees (mandarin, mango ...): Is a dream!
Thanks to well-organized buses and flights, every day we discover other people and natural sites, all more charming than others. Just above "our" house, about 3 kilometers, is the town of Pinchote. Like everyone else, is organized around the central square with its shady park, your church, I must say that is pretty much all but dominates the valley and offers excellent views over the surrounding area.
A little further north, about 40 minutes walk, Barichara is located at the edge of a plateau overlooking a canyon. One of the most beautiful villages in the region, if not the country, which obviously does a pretty touristy. The contrast between the red earth, the white walls of the houses and the green of nearby vegetation are amazing! Above all, it seems that you can fly around. The information is so difficult to obtain than a police informed us that we learn, surprisingly, it is forbidden to fly over here. This information will be denied later by a local paraglider ...
Another place for paragliding in the region, Curití, less touristy village but at least as welcoming as Barichara. The atmosphere there is quiet and calm, and its inhabitants are among the most caring that we have found until then! The main activity of the municipality is not "tourism of happiness", as is the case almost anywhere else in the region, but the craftsmanship of sisal, a fiber taken from the agave plant (a type of cactus with giant leaves) with which You can do almost everything: hats, shoes, bags, jewelry, decorative items and even furniture! The region is home also to the production of snuff and especially coffee, you can see the seeds dry in the sun on the sidewalk in front of houses. Having seen a paraglider curiteño, we are coming to the site of official flight, about 30 minutes of track of the people .... But the storm will be faster than us and huge cumulonimbus cloud reaches us quickly takes away all desire to fly!
Last attempt to fly, we made contact with a club in San Gil to take advantage of transport, loans and reserve parachutes. But misfortune pursues us, because we arrived too late for our appointment for Sunday morning because of the busloads of Colombians go to mass. Disappointed, however we take advantage of the rest of the day to discover the Juan Curi Waterfalls, carrying our gliders. Is not the most convenient to discover the site, because the roads are equipped with ropes and ladders to allow the crossing of different waterfalls, the main 180-meters. So is turnos our toca explorar los saltos a dirty de agua, el lugar es mágico sobre todo our encontramos alli solo.
luego San Gil has dejamos para volver a Bogotá para recuperar los de reserva paracaídas Sup'Air that our desires.