RE: Eco-Lodges, Empanadas, Goats, and Tuk-Tuks - Another Rough Sketch from the Colombian Countryside
Actually there are pictures of me in a hospital called Clinica Barraquer so I assume there are more pictures, but they are of low quality by today's standards and I'd have to scan them first. Colombia was very poor in those days and you couldn't wear a watch or jewelry as these items would disappear fast. It was best to travel with a local and most of the larger Hotels had a list of trusted Cab drivers that you could hire for the day at a flat rate. In the 70's most Cabs were older Cars like the ones you still see ride around in Havana today and even airplanes were often the old DC-3 and DC-4 propjets. Yep, I flew in those a couple of times. I've also been to places like Riohacha, a town that in those days was relatively isolated and not really safe. I hope to go back and visit again some day since I hear things are improving.
That's really great. If you find any photos they'd totally be worth scanning in! Along with what probably amount to some pretty amazing stories. :) I love old photos and I know a lot of others do as well. I've been kicking around the idea of digging some up for a post or two myself. It sounds like Colombia really was another world in those days. In March, I plan to return to Colombia, and I think I'll be in or very near Riohacha for at least part of the journey. I've never been.
I'll see if I can dig some up, could be fun! At the time it wasn't possible to fly to Riohacha so we had to take a bus that got stuck. A bottle of whiskey that someone had, arranged for a Bulldozer to pull the Bus free. I hear that the border regions with Venezuela are still a risky proposition so be careful. Used to be that Venezuela was relatively safe and Colombia wasn't; now it's the other way around, but borders remain troublesome.