From the moment the bus pulled into the new terminal in the capital city of Caldas and we saw the metro tram that would take us to the top of the hill where the historic center is located, we knew we were going to love this city.
The ride from Salento included a transfer of buses at a flower shop and became more impressively beautiful around each turn, and there were many in the three hour journey.
Colombia's mountains continue to inspire superlatives, they are just so lush, steep and endless. We love this landscape and the Cafeteria, coffee growing land that built the city of Manizales, is some of the most spectacular!
Our hostel here is perfectly located just a block from the top of the tram. Around the corner is a huge mall with a cinema where we took in the 3-D version of Sanctum last night. Down the street in the other direction are more bakeries and empanada shops that I've ever seen on one city block. It is colonial center with many historical buildings.
The city central has a magnificent cathedral where people lined up all day to be 'ashed' on Ash Wednesday; it was easy to tell which church dominates the culture here.
There are many sculptures throughout the city including a large group of bronze statues at the top of a hill which offers a 360 degree view of the city's many neighborhoods and the distant snow-capped volcanic mountain range which is a national park site.
We have had two rather intensive Spanish 'lessons' in the form of guided tours. The first tour told the history of Manizales through the study of various sculptures. Today we loved our guided visit to the Recinto Del Pensamiento, an ecopark with medicinal gardens, butterfly sanctuary, hummingbird hangout and orchard walk. The ecopark tour included a ride to the top on a ski lift and a long walk down the hill learning about the flora and fauna of the area from a botanist who really knew her subject.
With our new friend from Montreal, Michel, we relaxed in thermal pools.
This was a great stop along the trail, we have met interesting people, including a mother traveling with her 11-year old son who are in their second year of eight years on the road. They are traveling for his education, a process she defines as 'unschooling'. Their sponsored blog receives 1000 hits each day and they have been featured in full page newspaper articles and on radio and TV in some of the countries they have visited thus far. You can see what they are doing at their site- Raising Milo on the Road of Life ~ www.raisingmiro.com
As we finish our fifth month on the road our list of places yet to explore grows longer as experiences and new ways of living and seeing the world are shared.
Great post! What was the name of the hostel you stayed in? Would you recommend it?
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