Village life
Hi everybody. I´m at an internet in the town square of Villa de....uh...... can´t remember right now. I´ll have to post the name later because it really is a beautiful little town that I´d recommend. The square is a big plaza with a church on one side, and lined with hotels, restaurants, and shops. The feeling is very neighborly, with lots of people hanging out out together on the plaza steps. Lots of mountains on the horizon in every direction. Was something of a journey to get here -- 3-4 hours and 3 buses, but beautiful views along the way. The only disappointment was the hotel we were in to stay here last night. We did a bit of a splurge (and a Colombian splurge is $77 a night) to stay in the fancy hotel that had a great recommendation in the Lonely Planet guide, and the experience was of it was ...... not that great. The amenities that LP said it had didn´t appear to exist, the room smelled bad, and they locked the front doors at 9:30pm as if it were a hostel We had to make phonecalls in order to get out the door in order to go out for drinks. Then they started hammering the wall outside of our room at 7am. (sigh) It was bizarre. I told my mom she should ask for her money back. She said that wasn´t her style but that she would try to complain to the English speaking owner. We´ll see what happens.
Saturday night was fun -- we spent it at the bar that cousin Pat owns in her town (I´m gonna have to double-check the name on that one too; I´m so bad) Lots of people really wanted to talk to us despite our paltry Spanish. Lots of people wanted to dance too, and I like to dance, so that was fun. Colombian gents are very sweet and unabashed in their admiring. Several guys came and said something to Pat (who does know a decent amount of Spanish) who then would say to me "He wants me to tell you you´re very beautiful!" I blushed. Then there was one bar regular who sat at our table for about two hours and stared, and tried desperately to communicate with me despite our knowing about five words apiece of each other´s languages. A little annoying, but it was sweet, and it was a fun night. Lots of really nice young people in that little town.
Today we´ll had back to Pat´s house, and tomorrow I´ll fly outta here. It´s been a good time..... it´ll nice to be home though. It´s exhausting not knowing the language well here.... interestingly enough, more so than the other countries I´ve been to where I couldn´t communicate well. They´re very social here, and not as willing to give up upon first realizing we don´t really share a language. A good thing, definitely, but it´s exhausting!
I´m off... talk to you all soon.