Tayrona Park

We are spending way more money on this trip than we usually do. I guess we are getting more and more into creature comforts, air-con, TV, nice hotel, etc.. Have to gear down for our next trip or we will run out of travel funds completely. Off to Tayrona Park. The night before we booked thru our Hotel, Azul Balllena, transportation from our hotel in the early AM to the park, the park fee and a transport to back to our hotel again that night. Seems a young lady named Urshila, will walk with us and point out the sights. 70,000CP each. Hotel has an early breakfast for us of eggs scrambled with tomatoes, the standard corn meal cake, which we are getting addicted to, toast, juice and tea. Mini bus arrives and we hop in. But seems we have to go back to Santa Marta first? An hour later, we change to a different mini bus and are off to the park. We travel thru town, up and over some hills, past a plant nursery, it is raining lightly and mistly, but clears as we approach the small hotels and cafes near the park road turn off. In to the park and stopped for an ID bracelet, just like you get in the hospitial. Seems every non-Colombian must wear one in the park. About a mile in, we park in a big lot and start our walk. A muddy trail, the pack horses churn up the mud. The trail is about 15 feet wide and we walk on the edge. Pack horses are used by the backpackers to haul thier packs, we were told it was $10 per horse, holding up to 4 packs. Horse have the rightaway, so you step off the trail when ever they come thru. Trail narrows, and goes thru some boulders, wide at times, narrow at others. After an hour our first stop is Arrecifes, on a beach with a strong under tow, which is signed no swimming. A nice campgroup with a few bungalows that Urshila says are very nice. Camp has a big open air palapa cafe where we sit down to have a lulo de leche, a local fruit drink mixed with milk and crushed ice, very good. The food looks good to. Off walking down the trail, passed a house that has an outdoor oven and sells hot bread with cheese, or a slab of chocolate inside. I go for the chocolate, bittersweet, hot and good. Never pass up a bakery.... Trail goes on and down the beach, had to wade in one section, than back in to the folage. Only a few mozzies, I am suprised. Climbing over some boulders, the trail gets a bit rougher and goes along side a beach with big boulders in the aqua blue, very clear water. Our last stop is Cabo San Juan de la Guia and the beach called La Piscina. This place is worth the 4 mile, hot and humid walk. A beautiful half moon beach up to a high point with a papala and hammocks for rent by the night, 20,000CP, we were told. Another beach with coco palms leaning out over the water just the other side, of a maybe 50 spit of white sand. Just had to take time out for a swim, and was it ever warm and clear. Cafe had what looked like good food, we were to hot to eat and did not want to hike back with a full stomachs in the heat. But we bought Uhshila lunch, she had a veggie plate with rice and french fries and it did look great. Food is more money here, her lunch with a soft drink was 6,000CP. Hammock strung alongside the cafe under the roof, and tents in the back grassy area. Nice outdoor showers and flush toliets. Camping was 10,000CP. Saw no birds or wildlife on our hike in or out, all was quiet, not even bird calls. In the last campground, a large flock of paraketts few around in the tall trees. Other than armies of soldier ants crossing the trail, that was it for wildlife. More later..