My tour to the Totumo volcano mud bath started out a little crazy - we drove all over the place and I ended up in 3 different cars before finally getting to the volcano after 11am! The mud bath was the coolest, weirdest feeling ever!! The mud makes you float and there were just tons of bodies and limbs everywhere! I got my massage and a few good pictures. Some people dunked their whole head in but I didn't want the mud in my mouth or eyes so I just covered ev...

I got into Bogota before 5am, having taken the night bus from Manizales. I left my stuff in luggage storage and took the bus to Zipequira to see the famous Salt Cathedral. This salt cathedral was opened in 1995 because the original one made in the 50s collapsed. There was a hallway w/ the 14 Stations of the Cross. In each one Christ was represented by a big salt cross. Some of the interpretation was rather interesting. Afterwards we went to the narthex and into t...

Monday, July 20 was the Colombian Independence day. I saw some of a presentation in the Bolivar park in Medellin but I couldn't really see or hear very well because the park is not set up to be able to see anything w/ so many people around. I did get to hear the national anthem though and the anthem of Medellin. I took a minivan to Manizales and finally got to my hostel, the Mountain House by 2:30pm. I took the bus downtown to the Chipre neighborhood that is ...

During my first day in Medellin I did a 3 hour guided tour of the Museo Interactivo (Interactive museum) - learning all about forms of energy - potential, caloric, mechanical, etc… as well as about types of dams & ways of using water pressure for energy. It was like a Liberty Science Center but even more educational since it was guided - they even had the static electricity ball that made our hair stand up! From there I went to the Parque de los Pies Descal...

I had 2 layovers in Panama city on 7/16 & 8/4. I took full advantage! On 7/16 I unfortunately got on the local bus instead of the express and spent almost an hour and a half sweating to death on my way down town - oops!From the bus terminal I took a taxi up to the Parque National Metropolitano where I walked the trail to the lookout point, not seeing any animals along the way but really enjoying looking at the buildings of the city through the trees up ...