Tour Guiding in Armenia

COLOMBIA TIP #50 – Every once in a while, think back to when you first arrived and now look how far you’ve come.

After some Christmas holidays back home filled with family, friends, turkey, and World Junior hockey, it was time to get back on a plane to good old Colombia. However this time I was bringing my dad and brother in tow! I was excited to play tour guide for the second time with my family!

 

With only a minor hiccough of missing our connecting flight from delays, we arrived in Armenia around 8pm. The first taxi driver those guys got in Colombia was even making me nervous! But we made it alive and was sure to stream Canada vs. Slovakia in the semis!
The next day, we slept in and when I made the (terrifying) phone call to the hostel in Salento, turns out they only had space that very night or later in the week which was too late. So we packed our bags and took the bus to Salento.

We wandered the town, walked up to the look out, and even met a guy who used to live in Dundas, Ontario AND went to GI School early in his life! Crazy! That night the guys were pretty impressed with the giant beer bottles.

Cocora Valley was the next stop in the morning and so we hiked for a little up to the first waterfall there. Selfies were taken.

Other highlights of the week included going to Manizales with Veronica and her parents and climbing to the top of the Cathedral,

 

Visiting the school and showing them my workplace,

Going on a coffee tour,

Bowling at Bolo Club,

 

And riding ATVs in Boquia.

I unfortunately didn’t have any goggle protection and got tons of dust in my face!

They were pretty impressed with my Spanish, and after stopping to think about it, after being like them arriving with zero Spanish, I think we’ve come a long way! Still having a ton to learn, but going in the right direction!