Well, it is time to pack up and head on down the trail. Minca here we come!
We had to get out of our place in Santa Marta by 11 a.m. so basically we packed, had a cup of coffee and tea and headed out. We took a taxi up into the Sierra Nevada mountains to Minca. It took about 45 minutes and the only strange thing that happened on that long and winding road, with loads of switchbacks, happened before we left Santa Marta. We had to stop for gas which was strange. But what was even stranger is that we had to get out of the car during the fill up. We were instructed to do this “for our security.” And even once we were out of the car, we were moved in front of the car for our safety. The car was filled up under the front hood which was something that is also different than in Canada.
We traveled through lush jungle with houses and fincas along the side of the road. It all felt very familiar to similar travels I have had through the mountains of Guatemala, Ecuador, etc. Once in Minca it took some looking to find our place.
Our place is lovely. I is a huge house off the main drag a ways. It has rooms (more dorm like on the top floor) and well as hammocks and a work out area. Our room is like a hotel room with a patio and a jacuzzi. The kitchen and dinning room and courtyards are shared and they are cool and open to the courtyard.
We couldn’t get into our room right away when we arrived so we dropped off our luggage and headed to grab a bite to eat. The restaurants are plentiful. This place is a bit like Antigua Guatemala or Banos Ecuador. There are loads of young backpackers enjoying the rustic waterfalls and hikes and other sights. We stopped at a Syrian restaurant and I got some sort of bread with zaatar and hummus to dip it in and Rudy got a spicy meat bun. The hummus was incredible. I have never tasted any as good. We sat (me reading my kindle and Rudy doing sudukos) until it was time for check in.
Once we were back at out place we lounged and unpacked until it was time to go for dinner. Mark and Bonnie Loewen and family had been here last year and recommended Minca. They also recommended a Mexican restaurant which we promptly went to . Yes, it was super good.
Feels like we can settle into this place for a bit.