Lovely Leticia

The trip to Leticia was fast and easy. I slept all the way! If only I could do this on the long haul flights! The taxi took me to my hostel. I had a four bunk dormitory all for myself. Not bad for twelve dollars! I dropped all my gear, showered and changed and went for a walk. The first thing I saw was the travel agency across the road! I went in to inquire about the boat to Manaus, Brasil. I forgot that I had decided not to do a tour here, I booked and paid for a two day tour. So bank, buying water, long sleeved top that isn’t a thermal one! Most important of all, anti mosquito spray! Bought one with DEET!  I had bought TWO aerogard tropical strength, but used them up on the Galápagos and in Tayrona.

 

My original plan was to leave on Saturday, but it seemed to much of a rush! Couldn’t possibly deal with leaving so fast. Okay, next boat is on Tuesday. Hm! Losing important days here. I had worked out that if I have more than fifteen days left over I WILL go to Suriname! Even for two weeks it is worth it, I reckon! Anyway, the tour was booked, get on with it. Do other travellers have this problem? I work everything out on paper and then there is this inner child that just takes over. I suppose it is because it really doesn’t matter one way or another.

Leticia is in the south east corner of Colombia. It is isolated. The nearest highway is over eight hundred kilometres away. It is splendid in its isolation. Motor bikes fill the streets, as do tuk tuks. There are nightclubs everywhere and I saw a few casinos too. Leticia is right on the border of Brasil and Peru. Hard to believe that just an hour away you can be in the middle of the Amazonian jungle!

I enjoyed an early morning walk to the harbour. Lots of roadworks going on. The vegetable and fish market was open. I was harassed by a motor bike taxi driver. The first time in Colombia! He wanted money, while touching me, I removed his unwanted hand and told him I was not a bank, nor an ATM. He then went out of his way to ” help” me find a coffee shop! Cleaned the table, yelled at the waitress to hurry up, got all exited that I drink my coffee black, just like he does!

In the end, I got fed up, no longer polite, and I firmly told him he could go now. I did notice that at ten o’clock in the morning the man was already smelling of alcohol. As I wandered more, I was offered drugs, thank you dreadlocks, by a very drunken local person. I declined. The bars were already full. Sunday morning ten o’clock. I had seen enough, was tired after my full on two days away and decided to go back to the hostel and work in my diary. I am very far behind.

  I did buy my boat ticket. At sunset time I wandered back to the harbour, the day was winding down. The drunks are now laying all over the streets. Not a pleasant sight.

People watching is my favourite pastime, and watching the comings and goings at a small harbour is interesting. Found a wonderful restaurant, had a zucchini boat filled with vegetables, delicious, and as it was Happy Hour, ordered two zombies! Delicious! One more day in Colombia. It is hard to leave!!

On my last day in Colombia I got up very early to watch the sunrise. Saw thousands of birds, parrots, making a racket in the Central Park. I was in awe! Never seen so many birds in one place! Today was a day of boring stuff such as migration, getting a stamp from the Colombians. Then onwards to Brasil getting an entry stamp from a very unfriendly Federal police man! My last meal was fried piranha !! All set and ready to go!!

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2 Comments

  1. Nina

    Dear Ineke,
    I can’t tell you how lovely it is to come home from a very long day at the office and read about your unbelievable adventuring on the other side of the world !!! Piranha for dinner in some place somewhere on the border of Colombia, Brazil and Peru ??? You are irrepressible. It will be amazing to see if you get to Suriname !!! Lovely photos as always, take care. I had bought chicken lasagne and veggies I cooked up for dinner, xoxo

    • ineke

      Thank you dear Nina, always so wonderful to receive some feedback!! I am indeed in the middle of the Amazonian jungle! Mind you Manaus is BIG, dirty and so far I am not too impressed!! BUT…..I enjoyed the four day boat trip so much, booked another two days to Santarem, half way between Manaus and Belem! I so don’t want this trip to end, but have only five weeks, before I fly out of Santiago!! Am in the process of trying to get an e visa for Suriname. Met a lovely young man from there today! He was just so thrilled that we could speak Dutch together!! Am so enjoying every moment! Missing my vegetables! Hugs ineke

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