El Penon & Guatape

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Skies were iffy when we awoke. Carolina and a new driver were right on time.  The ride to El Penon was about 2 hours, passing through small villages.  We made our first stop at a small village, El Penol. This town was purposely flooded in the 70's to create hydroelectric power. They relocated the town and bulldozed all the buildings before the flood. What is there today is a replica of the town as it was before the flood.  

It was on to El Penon, the rock. We climbed as high as we could, about 700 steps. The very top was closed off due to maintenance.  It took us about 10-15 minutes to reach the top, which Carolina said is pretty good -- some people, young and old, don't even make it up there at all:

The indigenous Tahamí, former inhabitants of this region, worshiped the rock and called it in their language mojarrá or mujará (meaning "rock" or "stone").

The rock was first climbed officially in July 1954. In 2006, Luis Villegas, Pedro Nel Ramirez, and Ramón Díaz climbed the rock in a five-day endeavor, using sticks that were fixed against the rock's wall.

A viewing spot was built on top of the rock, where it is possible to acquire handicrafts, postcards, and other local goods. It is possible to see the 500 km shore-perimeter dam. There are 740 steps to the uppermost step atop the building at the summit, a fact reinforced by yellow numbers also seen in the climb up the stairs.

In the 1940s, the Colombian government declared it a National Monument. 

Our weather luck held out and the sun was with us all the way. Carolina found out later that a group who had lunch at our restaurant started up the rock but never made it to the top due to downpours.  After the rock, we drove into Guatape the home of the zocalos, which are bas relief art on the walls.  Originally added to the walls to give another layer against flooding when the rains came.  Now, even with a proper drainage system, it is a law that all buildings maintain the tradition.  They are all individual and are an expression of the owner. Just to say they are colorful does not do them justice. 

In the town square there is clock in the church.  The clock doesn't work, but if you look closely, for something is amiss.  This clock was a gift from Louis XV, which he apparently gave away freely.  We saw another one of his gifted clocks when we were in Cairo at the Citadel of Salah al-Din.  That was a gift to Muhammad Ali Pasha in 1845. That clock didn't work either. Legend has it that Louis was unhappy with his clockmaker and had him beheaded. Nice guy.


When you walk are around the town, you feel like you have been transported to another part of the world entirely.  How fortunate we are to have been able to visit.

We went to a lakeside restaurant for a terrific lunch followed by the best coffee we have had here in the shop next door.  I would have loved to buy a bag of coffee to take home, but we still have a long way to travel.  Besides, next week we are at the coffee farms.

On the road back, I spotted this gigantic Jewish star on a gate to a house that was for sale. Have no idea what that was all about.  This is heavy catholic country. We had mentioned to Carolina that we would like to get a couple of Colombian bike jerseys but couldn't find any. Well, our first class guide not only came up with a bike clothing shop, she came up with the manufacturer!!  Since we decided to go on the bike tour tomorrow, we decided it is best to try and get the jersey while we had the car.  It was now rush hour and we drove to a very residential part of the city -- no tourists here.  They are in the process of rebuilding their streets -- lots of work for people.  We drove around and around the neighborhood but could not find the address of this shop.  Finally, we found this small shop on a side street.  

It looked closed!! But wait, the owner was next store, where they make the shirts.  She unlocked the store, there was only one shirt that said Colombia that would fit both of us -- Let's get it!! We will share.  Meanwhile, it is getting later and later.  Then the credit card didn't work in the machine.  Ok, Geoff had cash -- but no we needed change.  No change here, across the street in the pharmacy, no change there -- finally, the son came back with some change.  We called the driver, who circling the block, to come get us.  It was quite an wild and while all the hustle and bustle was going on, poppa tried to explain to me how they make the shirts -- no comprende. But I think I got the gist.  A great experience and shirt with quite a history.

Got through rush hour traffic and back to the hotel by about 5pm.  It is now raining. Probably stay around the hotel tonight. As I mentioned, we are going to try and bike tomorrow for our city tour - also going out to the Botero museum (much bigger than the one in Bogota). It will just be the two of us with Carolina as a guide.  Oh, they are electric bikes, btw. I am hoping for good weather.

Chao!

Next time... City Tour