Just wandering about

Wandering about the streets of almost any South American city means to have your eyes meeting people of all generations, luxurious shopping centers, street entrepreneurs of Del Boy Trotter type, shoe cleaners, but also musicians who bring you closer to the sound of traditional, local music mainly led by a guitar and castanets. And if you thought you caught a glimpse of a guy with a small-sized harp in his hands walking just by you – don’t worry. You did.

There are flashing signs of small local businesses everywhere. And they all have their door widely open to the pedestrian area, inviting and promoting better than any social media or MLM marketing. The architecture of the streets seems to be of no plan. There are a couple of buildings built in more than a modest manner. They are screaming for renovation! And leaning next to them are others, built in a modern way, with colorful facades and inviting inscriptions: sleep here, eat here, buy your food here, buy almost anything here. And don’t be surprised if you encounter places with live music playing loud as hell, crowded with people in the atmosphere of midnight although it is just around noon.

Far From The Madding Crowd

When you become overwhelmed by streets, people, crowd, and noise – there comes a spacious and green park area with benches to sit and rest, where (I suppose) people meet up and decide where to go from there and kids chase pigeons. Take a spot and feel the atmosphere around you. Everyone is walking by slowly, no hurries, just take it easy. Whatever is waiting for you out there, it will still be there.

No matter how small the city is, you’ll find a grand (mainly) catholic cathedral in the city center.

The traffic is quite hectic. Having a jeep or a motorcycle always seems like a good idea, but here it is a necessity since the streets are so often too narrow to welcome all more or less fancy show-off vehicles at the time.

Covid-19

I never mention it, but people are careful about themselves, wearing masks inside, some even out in the open. Maybe that is the reason that they seem not to bother when my camera is constantly rolling. Nobody is stopping me or asking for my motives or intentions. And I am walking the city by myself, just absorbing what is new and different from anywhere else I’ve been so far.

How to cool down in Pereira

Before I started my walk, I stopped at an unusual vehicle made of wood to grab a cool drink. Seems like they make juice, chop ice and make sugar on the spot. But it was my first cold drink that day and I didn’t care about almost anything except to refresh myself.

Downtown walk

Once again, the best way to feel a place’s pulse is to go to the streets, especially to the marketplace. And here it means the same – people are selling almost everything inside shops and stores and out in the streets: drinks, food, clothes, souvenirs, toys and sportswear of almost any football club that there is in the world. And you can hear the murmur of people and the sound of music all over the city. Listening to the people, listening to the music. Walking and feeling the city.



Pereira – The Coffee City

Pereira is a city of under 500,000 people located in the mountains of Colombia. It is famous for its nature and mild Arabica coffee beans. There is virtually no better place in the world to sit and drink coffee! The city is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the “Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia”.



Varieties of Pereira

The city itself inhabits people of different nations, skin colors, and social statuses. Vehicles in the streets vary from limousine to funny three-wheel motorcycle trailers with different purposes. The feeling of walking in the streets is rather amazing!

In case that you feel more of a tourist vibe, do not forget to visit some of the city’s most prominent areas – the main plaza, Bolivar Square, Cathedral of Our Lady of Poverty, the Pereira Art Museum, or Cesar Gaviria Trujillo Viaduct. And do check the weather – the city lives five months a year under heavy rains. Wouldn’t be much fun to pick those months of the year.

Don’t forget your manners: it is considered rude to speak with someone with your hands in your pockets. You also do not want to slouch and lean against things. Also, go with the flow and follow “Tiempo Colombiano” (Colombian time) – don’t expect people to be punctual for social and casual engagements.

Although the country is considered to be the sixth most dangerous country in Latin America, it is also often voted one of the world’s happiest countries. Figure that!

Santa Rosa accomodation

The accommodation in Santa Rosa was in the city area, in a hundred-stairs apartment, and inside the parking lot for the motorcycle. Spacious flat, classy with more room than I needed, double bathrooms, walk-in shower, and in general with a load of light considering the urban city location.

It is placed in a building with the nicest Colombian elevator ever, and a strong security setup (entry only with key and a code). I got it over AirBnB for under $250 per week. All furniture is matching and everything is “custom-made in Colombia”.

There are two highlights (of many, really) of this accommodation: I’ve had the best and most comfortable bed ever, and I’ve had my private patio with a view on house roofs.

To get up early or not to get up early

The best way to feel the vibe of the place is to get up early and see the city wakening up. People in the area get up rather early and – no surprise – they will greet you in street no matter that you’re a stranger. Note to myself: next time don’t get up early to search for the caffee and first-morning coffee; wait for later in the morning.

Mark my words of wisdom: when you see a friendly street dog then be sure that people are also friendly. If you meet a mean street dog, chances are that people will not be friendly. In Santa Rosa, street dogs are friendly and often are part of caffee inventory, which seems like a normal thing to see. People feed them and take care of them and I think it is nice.

Packing up to go

Packing up my Yamaha XTZ 125 motorcycle is rather easy – I have two small bags and everything fits in just perfectly. I tie them firmly in the back of my motorcycle and we are ready to go!

Coffee and brunch on the road

I stopped at this restaurant on the road. Lots of noise, but enough parking place and I found a table where I could keep my eyes on my bike. I ordered coffee, lemonade, and some fried eggs and meat for brunch ($4). It is an interesting place with an authentic design. You can even go out and see how they dry their meat specialties on spot.

Farmlife in Armenia

I choose a farm place over AirBnB for my accommodation in Armenia. What I did not expect was high-speed internet (50MB), which is wild. My host, Pedro, has planted a vast part of his farm with loads of different plants to a borderline that separates his estate from the real-life jungle. He owns a parrot, chicken, and many other farm animals. It feels like a privilege to be able to simply pick up say an orange from the tree. I got to pick up some coffee too!

Things you see on the road and Things You See On The Road

The roads are just fine but overcrowded with big trucks. There are stop points to take a moment from the drive just after the rain and enjoy the view. It turns out to be quite normal to drive just behind the truck that has two kids just hanging at its back going to school.

At No Name City

To give yourself and your vehicle a little break, it is always a good idea to make a stop, see where you are, how is this place’s dynamics and try something different: visit a local market, walk the park or find a place to drink perfect cappuccino at and just listen to the people talking. (It’s not eavesdropping if you are not 100% fluent in the local language.)

I decided to take a little longer break because…well, why not? I experienced a little bit of nightlife: a rap concert, a small walk over the town, a view over what was probably an egg black market. I decided to take off after receiving a couple of catcalls.

How to Get to Santa Rosa De Cabal from Manizales

It is approximately 40 KM from ManIzales to Santa Rosa de Cabal. This time can vary greatly depending on type of vehicle, weather conditions, traffic, and road construction. The road does contain a toll stop and the roads are mostly smooth and paved. But that doesnt mean theres no chance of problems. For the most part, it was smooth sailing for me. Just head south out of manizales on Route 50 and Route 29 through Chinchina. If you want a great cup of coffee, Chinchina is a great place to stop and its easy to get in and out of.