Rio Claro stands up to its name: it is crystal clear, we can even drink the water. The location: Off the highway linking Medellin to Bogotá (5 hrs to each city), a lonely entrance announces the private refugio. To get to the reception, one has to walk down another 2km on a gravel road
The Refuge is set along this beautiful river complete with wild sculpted rocks, huge cliffs of karst mountain, and little beaches to swim.
Our “room”: is more like a balcony: two walls are completely missing. We live in the tree-tops.
Being in such a beautiful, untouched and remote place has its cost: One day, we have the crazy idea of making a phone call to reserve a hotel ahead. The refuge does not have a landline, and the staff cannot provide a mobile phone: like most people, they don't have any credit on their SIM card to make calls. We are told that there is a person in a hut on the highway that has a functioning mobile phone. We walk the two kilometres to the highway, only to discover that the person seems to have disappeared. An hour later, we're back in the jungle – accepting that a phone-call is a luxury that will only be available to us once we move on.Another day, the power is out all day, which doesn't bother us, as we're happy swimming in the river. However, as the power doesn't come on in the evening, it gets pitch-dark. Our headlamps once again prove to be invaluable. Luckily, the kitchen cooks on gas, such that we can enjoy a nice diner in the light of a candle.
Kayaking on the river: we only capsize once!
No comments:
Post a Comment