day 3

Salamander
Wed 27 Nov 2019 03:56

At last, day 3, later than expected we found the Lost City, via some 1200 steps varying in size and state of repair. In some respects the site has little to look at, what it does have is a special feel, an ambience, a sense of sacredness. The trek is a journey of some note and you feel and ending arriving at a site that underneath the earth is unchanged with special spiritual artefacts sitting under your feet.
The site is full of soldiers as once cocaine was produced on a relatively large scale, locals were caught between the Colombian army, guerrillas and right wing paramilitaries and there were many kidnappings of tourists. Much fighting went on until the cocaine fields (which had their own tourist trips) were razed and the army took control and peace reigned.
All too soon it was time to leave and return to camp 3.
The river crossing was just two ropes, there are more bridges now for the many river crossings, but no bridge is allowed for the final crossing to the Lost City site. Caroline had her boots round her neck, but fell in and filled them with water, so spent the day squelching. It was another hot day, but a good walking day. Thankfully camp 2 was a lot quieter this time.
Caroline’s feet though, were a bit manky (to say the least) and all our clothes now stink, really stink.

day 3

day 3

day 3

day 3

day 3

day 3

day 3

day 3

day 3

day 3

day 3

day 3

Our final day of walking out, a beautiful sunny day. Uphill for the first part, then easy as ‘Colombian flat’ and downhill. There was a group of very competitive Spanish walkers whom we all overtook and then they overtook us. This happened 3 times, each time they stopped for a break, until we just outstripped them. Due to the deep sticky mud Caroline was on one bit of the path, but could hear walking sticks clacking and this Spanish lady appeared over a small hill at the side in really deep mud, trying to overtake her. Caroline found her maniacal look somewhat unsettling. The whole concept of competitive walking is somewhat alien to us. Anyway we can feel smug as a group as we had already finished our lunch by the time the Spanish group walked out.
the people walking up asked questions such as ‘are we nearly there yet?’, ‘is it worth the walk?’ and so on. We both thought it was, but we were looking forward to a rural hotel and a hot shower.
The guide book aptly describes Teyuna – Lost City as a ‘place of profound historical silences’.