After a relaxing night back in Riohacha I decided to head to Mompox which is described as a town lost in time and has preserved it’s colonial character. It is a bit challenging to get there, but 11 hours later after a taxi, a bus, another bus, and a tuk tuk, I finally arrived in this quaint little town.

Tired from the journey and the heat, I crashed out and was excited to explore the next day. I was just enjoying a nice quiet coffee out in the courtyard and reading a bit when I was quickly surrounded by about 20 boys all competing to get my attention and to try and practice their very limited English. Their teacher was also happy to meet me and wanted a couple of photos. Of course happy to oblige.

This is a very friendly town and many people walked along beside me to talk, offering me to come eat with them at their favourite restaurant, play dominoes, take a juice, sit and chat. On the coast I always felt a bit weary of these types of offers but here felt completely genuine. After walking around a bit more and taking in the pretty buildings and churches I returned to the hostel for a rest as the 37 degrees was taking its toll.

The next day I rented a bike to get around and reach the outskirts of town easier and especially in the heat it was much more enjoyable. At every turn there were colourful colonial buildings and opportunities to watch the locals go about their days.

After a couple more quiet days I was ready for a change from this sleepy pueblo and the heat so I ventured onward to San Gil. Although is not the most beautiful town, is a backpacker haven for adventure sports on the cheap. I took a bus at about midday and after more changes and delays than I expected, I finally arrived in San Gil at 2:30 in the morning and with no hostel booked. Not my smartest idea but never expected to arrive so late. I had luckily starred a hostel on Maps.me and knocked on the door to wake up the security guard who made several calls before finally talking with someone that said there was a bed available. I tiptoed into a small room that seemed to vibrate with the snoring bed above me. The bed was rock hard and although so shattered from the journey I really struggled to fall asleep. Drifting in and out of a disrupted sleep I decided to not stay another moment, I paid the night fee and checked out in search of a different hostel. Sam’s VIP was overlooking the main square but didn’t have any dorm beds available but after my sleepless night I just reserved the only bed available in a small private room.

Venturing out to explore, this was about the most exciting building after being so spoilt in Mompox and after leaning on wet paint, having a complete jandal blow out and under grey skies, I really wasn’t falling in love with this little colonial town.

There was a nice park though and managed to get creative with my camera.

A stark contrast to San Gil is another small pueblo lost in time called Barichara. It is quoted to be the prettiest town in Colombia and only a short bus ride away. I went to explore for the day and loved it so much that I decided to find a B&B and stay the night. The B&B was a retreat away from it all with views out over the pueblo.

The town is so well preserved and simply to sit in the main square and watch the world go by, you really feel you have been transported back in time.

I walked around and enjoyed taking pictures of the cobbled streets and white washed buildings set apart with colourful doors, windows and flowering plants.

There was also a nice walk/hike to do from Barichara to the next neighbouring town Guane. I set off later than I wanted to as I stayed at the B&B enjoying the good coffee and tranquillity. So it was pretty hot to start with, let alone walking 6.5km in the fairly uncovered pathways in the midday sun.  With incredible views across the valley, the camino was originally built by the local Gunae people who used it as a trade route between the 2 villages. The entire Camino Real actually links 6 different villages and is almost 40km in total.

After a very hot walk I enjoyed a welcome rest in the main square of Guane. Overlooking the square like in every town, is their own cathedral. I enjoyed an artesanal maracuya icecream and then began the return journey back to Barichara.

Only to get stuck behind this farmer herding his goats through the streets. A normal day in the Santander region of Colombia.

The return was steeper than the way there and I probably walked faster as I wanted to get the bus straight back to San Gil and then catch a night bus onward to Medellin. Hence a perfect before and after shot: