1/9/2024 0 Comments Marta animal come gallinasThe desert landscape between the two locations brings a surge of extreme colors and visual stimulation. The drive from Uribia to Cabo De La Vela is absolutely magnificent. One container of water may be the difference between death and survival. We bring water as a small gift for the children we see along the way, but also out of pure necessity. Otherwise, sadly, they are forced to drink oft-contaminated water from local wells that sometimes only deliver salty water from over-salinated pools. It has created a water crisis of sorts with members of the Wayuu community sometimes having to walk over two hours to obtain water from government tankers. A series of brutal droughts have plagued the already bone-dry region with rain falling sometimes as little as twice in an entire year. I ask the guide why we are handing out water - something that seems like a basic need to so many people - and he gives us a rather disturbing reply. In Uribia we buy snacks and water to hand out to the local children of the Wayuu tribe - the indigenous community that calls La Guajira home. The senora who owns the shop makes her empanadas with a light white sauce on the inside, almost like a latin version of a bechamel sauce, I will never forget them.Īfter our empanada breakfast we embark on our two-hour journey to Cabo De La Vela, stopping briefly in Uribia, the indigenous capital of Colombia. It may sound like an exaggeration, but they are easily the most delicious empanadas I have ever encountered. Knowing we haven’t had breakfast he leads us to an empanada stand less than a block away where I order one chicken and mushroom empanada and one chicken and chorizo empanada. He has always has a new joke to share, a smile on his face, and a strange eagerness to give enthusiastic high-fives at random intervals. ![]() The tour guide, Victor is supremely charming and funny. We left the Dreamer at 6AM and drove directly to Riohacha without stopping so I haven’t had any breakfast and I wonder when I will have the chance to have some coffee. The driver pulls up to the front of the tour agency where I meet my official tour guide, Victor, pay the fee, and meet my other two fellow travelers - a friendly couple from the Netherlands with a sunny disposition. Riohacha is a vibrant, well-built coastal city and I thoroughly enjoy the slow drive we take through its colorful streets, taking in every sight and sound. Riohacha, the capital of La Guajira, is the most convenient hub from which to explore the wonders of this expansive desert and I feel a sense of excitement wash over me as we cross over into the city’s center. I hear very little about this region of Colombia and am fully prepared to experience something completely new, different and extreme. I am on the first day of a three day two night exploration of La Guajira, the mysterious, infrequently-visited desert located in the northernmost part of Colombia on the Caribbean Sea. “Asi Asi Asi.” A popular song blares from the radio of The Dreamer shuttle van as it rumbles down the two-lane highway from Palomino to Riohacha. Day 1: Riohacha, Uribia, A Desert Drive and a Starry Night in Cabo De La Vela
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |