Ang and I spent two nights...sleeping in hammocks in Parke Tayrona National Forest....we originally thought we were going to maybe hike in for the day....then someone said we HAD to sleep in hammocks.....we found ourselves there on the second day with NO reason in the world to leave this cool place and stayed for a second night.
We hiked into the jungle for about two hours....there were several beaches a long the way and we stopped and swam in one of them. Hiking in the jungle was honestly the sweatiest experience of my life...and Ang´s (and we all know that is saying a lot).....the jungle was really dense and humid as hell. These two dutch guys hiked with us....and actually hung out with us most of the time, it was at the end that we realized that they really didn´t talk much...just sort-of hung around us.....it was weird, but sort-of funny by the end. We would go to the beach....and they would all of a sudden be there....we would go to lunch...and there they were.
When we arrived in the park...we walked out into this opening and all of a sudden there were hammocks and tents and a restaurant surrounding the most beautfiul beach! If you have read ¨The Beach¨, picture that! This is the coolest hidden gem! We heard it is one of National Geographic´s top 5 beaches...and if I got to vote it would be true.....we basically lazed around on the beach, ate and read the entire time!
When we arrived we looked at the sleeping options and the one that appeared the best were some hammocks out on a peninsula...more wind equals less mosquitos. When we got to the ¨reception¨(table in the jungle with man sitting there)....he said that there were only 2 hammocks left on the penninsula....of course, there stood the Dutch guys....and we then had a problem, because we all wanted those specific hammocks. We decided to flip a coin and Ang and I lost.....the Columbian ¨receptionist¨told the Dutch guys that in Columbia the ladies would take the peninsual beds.....but that didn´t sway the results....the Dutch were sleeping on the peninsula.
Everyone had dinner at the same time, at the same restaurant and we had the freshest fish ever! I think everyone will be proud that every fish we have eaten in Colombia comes with a full head and eyes staring at you on your plate...and we still eat it! It is delicious! I´ve asked Ang several times to ask for it without a head, but she won´t. It was really cool that everyone ate all at once...and then just hung out. We met lots of cool peopel travelling to cool places.
The first night in the hammock was rough for me....we paid someone for mosquito nets (thank goodness!)....becuase the only knee that ever got near the edge of my hammock was eaten alive! Ang and I were wearing 100% deet (which was pretty popular for sharing) and still got bites! gross. It was also really hot at nigiht....I don´t think there was any wind blowing near the hammocks.....I know I exaggerate, but I did feel like I was suffocating. Honest.
When we woke up in the morning, much to our surprise....the Dutch guys had a horrible nights sleep on the peninsula...I guess the wind blew all night and they didn´t even have a sheet to cover themselves with (should have thought ahead- Ang stole one from the hostel we were at the previous night). They claimed that they didn´t sleep one wink. We all (yes, the Dutch too), spent the day on the beach lounging around......Ang and I secured two hammocks on the peninsula on the 2nd night and the Dutch moved to a tent.....we found out our second night they were right about sleeping on the peninsula....the wind blew all night! You would think you were blocking it with your hammock...and low and behold, the wind would find you! We did get some sleep...and did get to listen to the waves crashing under us all night...which was awesome!
Despite the no sleep....Ang and I both thought it was one of the coolest experiences we have had.....a random hidden beach on the carribean....with lots of cool people to hang out with. This is one of the best parts about travelling to a country that doesn´t have tons of tourists yet.
We hiked out the next day (with the Dutch).....and thankfully they were with us, because we did get turned around a bit, but everyone here is SO nice, we would walk into someone´s ¨front yard¨ in the jungle...and they would direct us towards the right path.
We took a bus to Cartenga last night....and went and had a cool experience in a volcano today. Yes IN a volcano......more on that later...it is finally cooling down and we are going to walk around the City. Tonight we are going salsa dancing....and will proabably knock their socks off with our moves......Gringo City!
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