FSTOPANDGO

Never thought I'd be able to say that I walked across the border to another country...but I DID! Colombia, it's been really awesome and we enjoyed our stay here...but we are on our way to Ecuador! You may think it was a difficult process, but it was quite painless. All we had to do was go to the Colombian office and get our exit stamp, walk on the bridge to cross the "line" between Ecuador and Colombia, walk into the Ecuador office and get our entry stamp (state your name, occupation and reason for entering) and viola! You're in! Bienvenido! After doing the necessary paperwork, we found a taxi to take us into Tulcan and then from there, we took a bus to Quito (which is the main big city). I can't remember exactly how much and how long the ride was, but trust me it was dirt cheap for both of us and it wasn't a bad ride. The bus system here is actually really easy to navigate once you get the hang of it. You will even see some people hop...

Yesterday, we got on the bus from Cali to our next destination, Ipiales (which is the border city between Colombia and Ecuador). After a 5-hour bus ride, we made it safely to Ipiales and headed to our hotel. We stayed at Hotel Avanty, which was a very nice and modern hotel. We arrived around 10pm and since we were only staying the night to visit the famous cathedral the next day, we went to bed to be able to wake up early the next day. If you happen to find yourself in Ipiales and getting ready to cross the border, you definitely have to stop by Las Lajas Sanctuary. It was a short 15-minute taxi ride there for a few dollars (it was super cheap) and then you walk down the hill to reach the cathedral.   Isn't it gorgeous?! I told him to smile for the camera 😊 Walking by the cathedral and up the hill to get a wider view, you'll pass vendors selling goods and food. We didn't try any of the food, but it looked really good! The street food in South America...

Today was our last full day in Cali...and it's been fun so far! Yesterday afternoon, we went on a hike at a nearby park...hoping to get a good cityscape view. It was extremely hot and so we hiked back down and headed home to rest, still feeling tired from the traveling. Tim has a friend who lives in Cali and we met up with him yesterday night. We ate on the rooftop at El Zaguan de San Antonio (if you're ever in the area, definitely should try this restaurant). I didn't take any photos, but the main dish we ordered with an assortment of meat and potatoes called Fritanga Picada . I really wish I took a photo of it, but for sure...next time, I'd come back for that! After dinner, we walked around and learned about the city from the locals (our friends). It was a fun night and they gave us great recommendations on what to eat and do in Cali. Today we did some exploring on our own. Tried more Colombian food and saw more Colombian sights 😄   Sancocho Pescado ...

WE ARE IN CALI! No, not California...Cali, the birth city of salsa dancing in Colombia! Currently sitting in a cafe shop nearby our hostel, doing some work and just relaxing because our bus ride here was pretty exhausting. This is the first hostel we are staying at, it's called Casa Blanca. It's a pretty nice hostel for its price and we have our own bedroom with a private bath. You will see that AirBnB and hostels here are pretty cheap and especially for us (a couple traveling together), it's easier and cheaper to just get our own space. We will be here for 3 full days, then leaving on Thursday to Ipiales, which is a border city (between Colombia and Ecuador). Tomorrow will be another exploring-the-city day...so since we didn't do much, this one will be a short one. Until next time... ~ Lynna

It was our last day in Medellín & this is how we decide to spend it: A quick lunch, then spend some time on the computer, "working" because our travels isn't all play, or is it? 😁 For lunch, we decided to try  KOREAN FOOD here in Colombia. Being away from home, one thing we missed the most was Asian Food! Tim walked by a place called Eden Gourmet Bistro. This place is owned by a Korean lady, who came to Colombia for a few years now. She was very nice and even took a photo with us!   Kimchi & Soju, Bokumbab, Camaron Tempura Roll & Kimchi Sopa   The owner, Gloria Sun (You can follow them on IG: @eden.bistro) First Time Drinking (More than usual) since we've arrived in South America The food was decent for Korean food in Colombia. It definitely had a Colombian twist to the flavors. After lunch, we decided to find a cafe to do some work and just relax for the rest of the day until dinner with Mamie and Daniel and before we leave Mede...

The View at the Top of the Rock (2017-08-13) Before coming into this country, we read so many blogs, tips and articles online about "Things to do in Medellín" and going to Guatapé was one of them! I was super excited to go here because I have been seeing photos of Piedra Del Peñol (The Rock of Guatapé). It's a MUST SEE when you come here. There are a few ways you can get there: By yourself using a bus or driving OR you can join a group tour that will take you to the rock, but also give you a tour of Guatapé. We decided to rent a motorbike and drive there yourselves to have the freedom of going home whenever we wanted to. In Medellín, there is a shop called Medellín Scooter Rentals . It was super easy to rent a bike/scooter. You will need to give them a copt of your drivers' license, passport and credit card. We got a scooter for $135.000 (for daily 24 hours use) - you will need to give a deposit of $200.00. Check out their website for more information. The guy...