Introduction to Colombian bus rides...

Well, we got the best damn bus driver in town, let me tell you he had NO fear of passing down two lane curvy road all through what I had expected Colombia to look like. Green hilly terrain just lush with flowers and healthy grass, much different than Texas right now! But man, we sat in the back of the bus, and I think we all thought we had eaten bad food, but definitely felt relief after stepping out of that miniature bus. However, I definitely realized I am a heavy sleeper, which was strongly confirmed by Sarah, because I would wake up from 30 minute naps with my head bobbing all over the place and my hair down in my face...haha! I never thought i was such a strong sleeper at home! We arrived to San Gil and took a taxi out to a hostal campestre they call them, or hostals with a backyard essentially where you can pay less to camp. So yea, we camped down by the river looking uphill to the hostal resort and swam in the pool, brushed our teeth in the bathroom, took a shower....Sarah said it was perfect, just like camping in the back yard...haha. The next day, we got to see some real Colombia beauty after standing on the side of the road waiting for about twenty minutes to catch a bus out to some Cascadas or waterfalls we had heard about. Finally, right as the bus passed us, we realized it was that one and waved it down until it stopped about a hundred yards passed us, so we sprinted up with our big floppy hats...oh how fun it is to be a tourist. We squished in this tiny bus with a bunch of locals, one who was pissed that the driver stopped for us because he was already late for work, and then arrived out at a BEAUTIFUL little hacienda looking hut where we paid about two dollars to hike some 20 minutes up to a beauitful water fall where we spent most of the day. Then we headed into town and ate some really delicious empanadas, drank some beer, and had some decilicious little sweet cornbread specialties of colombian street food wrapped in banana leafs called mantecado. The little cafe where we ate the empanadas began a trend of ours throughout the trip, our obsession with the salsa. We were lacking salsa and special sauces with our food, and when we entered that cafe, we only wanted a little snack because we'd heard about a great place with cheap food to go to later, but the empanadas were so great, then it began to rain, so we got more and some beer with them. But, even after the empanadas were gone, which we had already doused in salsa, Nick and I simply continued eating the salsa by spoon full, always checking to make sure our server didn't catch us...I am confident that no food server in Colombia could estimate the amount of salsa that the three of us need in one sitting because we ALWAYS return for fourths and fifths! That night, we headed to the bus terminal just in time, really within 5 minutes, of the last bus headed up to Tanganga, where I write you from right now!