Lost City - Ciudad Perdida

griffbos says on Jun 26, 2007, 08:04:

gringoinbogota, many gringos have made the trip to the lost city there is a set tour from what I understand, I have not done it myself someday hope to.

elmodefoque says on Jun 26, 2007, 09:18:

Hey Flaco! great pics of la ciudad perdia.
I thought Bogotá was a vibrant modern city with tall buildings, I only sees old ugly colorful homes with cobble stone streets.
Chit, Barranquilla is a lot more modern than that!!

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one.Curramba, el mejor vividero del mundo!

elmodefoque says on Jun 26, 2007, 09:21:

bogota, looks like quito or guatemala

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one.Curramba, el mejor vividero del mundo!

elmodefoque says on Jun 26, 2007, 09:29:

bogota looks like freaking havana cuba with all those ugly old cars.

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one.Curramba, el mejor vividero del mundo!

elmodefoque says on Jun 26, 2007, 10:36:

who the hell would hang out there, it looks depressing, cold and too damn third worldish.

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one.Curramba, el mejor vividero del mundo!

elmodefoque says on Jun 26, 2007, 10:39:

"who the hell would hang out......")i'm talking about candelaria and el centro.
I agree about taganga

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one.Curramba, el mejor vividero del mundo!

elmodefoque says on Jun 26, 2007, 11:13:

Flaco I’m fascinated by your photos specially the ones from Bogotá. Looking at them I get this sad weird feeling, it bums me out, like chit! I’m so happy I don’t live there kind of feeling.
Another thing I see, Bogotanos look no different than Ecuatorianos, they look identical.

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one.Curramba, el mejor vividero del mundo!

elmodefoque says on Jun 26, 2007, 11:16:

Not that I see any thing wrong with Ecuadorians, it must be that Andean mountain thing.

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one.Curramba, el mejor vividero del mundo!

el flaco says on Jun 27, 2007, 03:53:

Wow, fifteen replies I am flattered by your interest.

The photos weren’t taken by me so I can’t comment about internet availability or places other than the Lost City. By the way the site’s owner is German, the site is in English as he has lots of English speaking friends. And here we are struggling to learn Spanish, also our own Peter is Belgian, how do they learn languages so easily?

Yes I knew it was dangerous and that the trek is specifically named as dangerous by the Foreign Office (which means there is no valid medical insurance or any other insurance). At my mid fifties I wanted to do something aventurous and risky and live a life. I’ve raised my kids and gave instructions not to pay if I was captured. I had thought of doing the “running with the bulls� at Pamplona but decided against it. My friend from Barranquilla, local knowledge, said I was mad to do it and tried to talk me out of it. I still don’t think the risk is overblown, though most trips are trouble free.

One other person in our group had done the Pamplona experience and regretted doing it. Another had done the “most dangerous bike ride� in Bolivia. Some had come to Colombia from Venezuela a country that terrifies me (I’ve never been). So these were serious travellers who weren’t afraid of taking risks, they knew what they were letting themselves in for. They were all from Europe and very good company.

To get on the tour you just pay your money and get an equipment list, there is no talk of the dangers or fitness to do the trip, nor does the tour guide tell you anything at the start of the trek. By the way the tour guide’s name is Edwin Rey, there are others I just got lucky. Edwin told us all about the captured group with photocopies of newspaper reports. No one expressed surprise so I imagine they all knew about the trip that went wrong, it was high profile back in England because some English were involved.

Taganga is a hippy hangout like Goa used to be, yes there is electricity and internet but it is very quiet. It was not my idea of fun but at only twenty minutes from Santa Marta with lots of buses worth going to, I much preferred Tairona Park.