Olá, Olaya!

1 July, Sunday


I found out on Sunday that Medellín has this cool thing called Ciclovía (translates: bike path) where city streets are closed from 8am - 2pm every Sunday to allow for cyclists and public enjoyment. Sweet! I can't believe Singapore doesn't have this yet. PSC Scholars, do something!

Am going cycling this Sunday morning! Very much needed for my soon bulging tummy (yummy colombian food, please have mercy)

That sunday we went to Olaya, where two of the trainees (Tiago and Yelka) are going to be working their magic. My first trip outside of the city!! I was all geared up for the trip because I wanted to see what the life and landscape outside the city was like. Did we really get it all wrong? Is Colombia really not the third-world country we thought it was?

Yelka, Tiago and me!

2 hour ride, with Mario and Cristina in the front!

Don't Colombian minimarts look the same as Singapore's?

Lovely scenery on the outside :D

We stopped over at this pretty town - Sucre. It's amusing how every town seems to have a 'square' where all the bustle is! In Europe too! The town's centre:

Markets

Most Colombians are catholics, hence the church in every town

Behold, a stage right in the middle of the square! Probably for the celebration of the Fruits Festival over the weekend, pity I couldn't witness it because it doesn't happen in the city.

Scrumptious colombian breakfast, and the reason i get fat. 

People washing, bathing, playing in a nearby lake!

We left Sucre and went on to Olaya, Antioquia! Another small and neat town that's very similar to Sucre. Olaya is also one of the smallest and oldest municipals in Colombia.

Ribbons that say Antioquia 

Olaya's church, and also one of the oldest in the whole of Colombia

Inside the church

Bike-taxis! How cool

We left Tiago and Yelka at Olaya (tearfully) and went on to visit Cristina's old home. It's an absolute Dream House. I literally could not stop gasping. And you'll see why -

Yup that's the house. 

Yup, that's a pool on the far left. The view from behind the house!

The gorgeous interior of the house. I managed to take this ever so sneakily!
All thanks to iphone os5 for the volume/shutter button lol

Said hi to the family and proceeded back to Medellin!

Mountains and mountains everywhere in Colombia

Some important building because Mario started pointing and jabbering
in Spanish. I am sorry I do not know what this is

It was cool, visiting the towns. Somehow it reminded me alot of Malaysia! I would say I was pleasantly surprised. Though not affluent, the people were like happy villagers and the towns were pretty and neat. If so, Colombia is developing very well! 

Going to wake up at 4am tomorrow to catch a 5.30am bus to another town, and this time all I know about the place is that it's called Daveiba and there are NO TOILETS. There is no way I am going to pee in the bush and get stung in the butt by a bee! I swear I'm not drinking a single drop of water. 

Chau!