Hola gente, hace mucho que no escribo. Haber, por donde empiezo... Colombia ya quedo a cargo de Meaghan y David, asique voy a escribir desde el momento en que me despedi de Francisco, muy cerca de Bogota.
Fran me iba a acompanar hasta la salida de Bogota, para que yo no me pierda en las avenidas (cosa muy probable conociendome). Sinembargo, meta charla y mate, los kilometros fueron pasando. Siemprhabia otra parada de bus para regresar cerca y asi termino acompanandome como 150 kms. Para cuando tomo coraje y dijo bueno, dejame aca, ya era hohra de almorzar, asique nos comimos una lechona (tipico plato del pueblo donde paramos, que no recuerdo el nombre).
Luego de un fuerte abrazo nos dijimos hasta pronto, por segunda vez. Como cada vez que despedi a alguien para seguir camino solo, las primeras horas fueron de tristeza, pero a su vez sabiendo que las aventuras que pasamos quedaran en nuestro recuerdo para siempre y seran algun dia historia para los nietos.
Ya era 9 de Enero y yo debo estar en Argentina para mediados de Febrero, asique de ahi en mas el viaje paso a ser muchas horas de manejo, y poco de conocer (al menos a comparacion de lo que fue hasta aca). La ruta para llegar desde Bogota a Ecuador fue de mucha montaña, por lo que la velocidad de viaje promedio rondaba entre los 20 y 50 kms/h. Los paisajes, sinembargo son muy lindos. Cafetales en las partes altas y Mango, Palta, Cacao, Arroz, Maiz, Caña de Azucar, Frijoles en el resto. Mucho manejo, con una parada para almorzar en los comedores de la ruta y durmiendo en Hostales o una que otra vez, en la Aceituna, en estaciones de servicio.
Mi proximo destino era Montañitas, Ecuador, pero pase por las afueras de Quito y pare para sacarme una foto con la Aceituna en el monumento de la mitad del mundo, el Ecuador. Montañitas es un lugar que me interesaba por las famosas olas que se pueden surfear ahi. Una derecha larga que forma un poco de tubo. Para mi sorpresa, Montañitas no es ningun lugar exotico. Cientos de jovenes de entre 18 y 25 años, de origen Argentino y Chileno en su mayoria, llegavan a este lugar a vacacionar. Sinembargo y por suerte, lo que buscaban ellos en Montañitas era la fiesta, joda, carrete o parranda. Digo por suerte, porque una caracteristica de esta ola es que hay uno o dos picos nomas, por lo que mucha gente en el agua (mas de 15) ya hacen que sean muchos para compartir. Yo me levantaba a las 6 de la manana, ya de dia, y caminaba a la playa que me quedaba a 5 minutos. De camino a la playa tenia que atravesar la parte centrica y la zona que aun estaba a plena fiesta (meta tema brasilero de moda). En la playa, parejas romanticas mirando el amanecer, algunos refrescandose en el mar y como no, varios borrachos dormiendo retorcidos en el arena, como los troncos que saca la marea por la noche. Esos borrachos que al otro dia tienen dolor de espalda y dicen, no se porque me duele, no hice nada, jeje. En el mar, solo gente mayor, probablemente padres de alguno de los que me cruze en el camino, y yo. Hasta las 8 de la manana, no mas de 5 en el agua, perfecto. A las 8 empezaban a caer algunos que no se habian acostado y otros que solo habian dormido un par de horas. La cara y los movimientos erraticos los delataba, y ni hablar del momento de tomar una ola,ejeje. Esos era como si no estubieran presentes, 0 a la izquierda. Ya a las 9 caia la gente de a montones. A las 9 y media, ya imposible agarrar una hola y era ahi cuando regresaba para mi guarida por estos dias, La Aceituna. Fueron 3 dias de exelente surf. Me estube quedando en un hostel, pero durmiendo en la van, era temporada alta y los presios eran muy altos. En este lugar, me dejaban usar los banos y la cocina. Ademas la familia duena del hostel era muy buena compania.
De Montañita parti con destino a Puerto Chicama o tambien conocido como Puerto Malabrigo, en el departamento de La Libertad, Peru. El motivo de ir a este lugar, el mismo de antes.
Llegue a Chicama luego de 3 dias de viaje. Consegui un alojamiento bien barato (7 dolares con cochera incluida) donde pare los 3 dias que estube ahi. Con las olas esta vez no tube suerte, estaban muy pequenas y muy alejades de su potencial. Ademas, el agua estaba muy fria. La corriente de Humboldt es una corriente de agua fria a lo largod e la costa del Peru. Normalmente llega hasta el norte del Peru (a no ser que sea año niño), por eso fue que pase de estar en el mar calido de Montañitas, Ecuador, al agua helada de Chicama. La gente surfeaba con trajes largos, botas y algunos con capucha tambien. Yo con un traje corto, me meti solo dos dias u njo dure mas de media hora. Espere 3 dias por un pronostico de que las olas mejorarian, pero esto no sucedio y desidi seguir viaje, ya no tengo tiempod e sobra.
Luego de Chicama mi destino fue Lima, capital de Peru. Las rutas peruanas son muy buenas tambien y no atraviesan tanta montaña como Colombia y Ecuador, por lo que rinden mucho mas kilometros las horas. Ademas, en gran parte, la ruta bordea la costa. Se ven unos paisajes muy lindos, playas de arena blanca y agua azul, en las que no habiata nadie, en el medio del desierto. Hubiera estado especatcular acampar unos dias y aprovechar de la buena pezca que hay en las costas de Peru. Pero yo segui hasta Lima.
En Lima me estaba esperando el padre de Luis Mariano, un amigo de Canada, que tambien se llama Luis. Luis padre es un hombre de muchos conocimientos, aventurero y simpatico, asique las charlas con el no tienen un segundo de desperdicio. El justo estaba de vacaciones, asique me quede casi una semana en su casa. En la manana, se levantaba temprano, me pegaba un grito para que me levante y me esperaba abajo para el desayuno. Muele su mezcla de dos variedades de cafe (una para el color y otra para el sabor), lo prepara con la maquinita de tipo expreso y Mirta, la mujer que lo ayuda con las cosas de la casa, agregaba el jugo, pan, queso, aceitunas, y se unia a la mesa. Este desayuno, entre historia y historia no durno nunca menos de hora y media. Tube la suerte de que al otro dia de llegar, a Luis le llego una encomienda desde Arequipa, de su hermana, con quesos y aceitunas, como si me hubiera conocido!!!. El plan de Luis era acompañarme en el viaje hasta Tacna, ciudad fronteriza de Peru con Chile, desde ahi el tomaria un colectivo de regreso a Lima. Asique durante el dia salimos a poner a punto algunos detalles de la Aceituna. Otros dias fuimos a la playa Miraflores, donde pude surfear un dia. Recorrimos la ciudad, comimos cheviche y tomamos cafe en algunos lugares, que segun el son lo mejor de Lima. Un dia antes de que partieramos de Lima hacia el sur, un trabajo imprevisto aparecio a Luis asique tubo que cancelar, pero ya habra otra oportunidad. La pase espectacular y aprendi mucho estos dias en Lima. Muchas gracias Para los Luises y familia y Mirta.
De Lima me fui hasta Arequipa, en ese trayecto me paro la policia de transito 6 veces. Si, cada reten que habia, a mi por tener las placas raras, me paraban. De las 6, solo una me dejo pasar, las otras 5 me hicieron la obserbacion de que para tener lunetas polarizadas, hay que tener un permiso de la policia, que porsupuesto yo no tengo. En la primera, luego de ver que mis papeles estaban en orden, menciona lo de los vidrios polarizados y se da algo asi la conversacion:
Oficial: Senor Diego, en Peru se nececita un permiso para portar vidrios polarizados que usted no tiene -saca un cuadernito y me senala que eso implica detencion de vehiculo y pago de multa-. Yo apoyo la democracia y soy un hombre justo, no me gustaria hacerle pasar un mal momento.
Diego: Yo entiendo oficial que este es su trabajo. Yo he estado en el Peru por 10 dias y me parecio un pais hermoso. Sinembargo por lo que he leido y escuchado, los problemas de corrupcion no permiten que el desarrollo siga adelante. A mi no me gustaria formar parte de la gente que tira para atras, asique si estoy infringiendo la ley, siga adelante con la detencion y multa.
Oficial: senor Diego, yo no estoy hablando de coima, yo no soy corrupto. Yo solo le digo que usted puede tener una gentileza con nosotros. Yo a usted lo quiero ayudar independientemente de que usted tenga una gentileza o no.
Diego: Yo le agradesco su amabilidad, pero no le puedo ayudar.
Oficial: bueno voy a avisarle al otro oficial que yo me voy con usted hasta la comisaria, asi el me va a buscar despues. Su auto va a quedar demorado hasta que usted consiga el permiso y pague la multa- para esto se fue la amabilidad, y me dejo solo unos 10 minutos para que yo recapacitara. Regresa, me mira y dice: no cambio de opinion?
Diego: No
Oficial: bueno abrame la puerta, me lo llevo a la comisaria.
Diego: La puera esta abiera, subase nomas.
El oficial abre la puerta del acompañanate, para, me mira y dice: Señor diego, por su honradez y deseo de hacer el bien, los voy a dejar ir. tenga cuidado en la ruta y buen viaje.
Luego de esto entendi que se trataba de ver quien hacia una actuacion mas convincente. Fui perfeccionando la mia, mientras que las de los policias fue siempre la misma. A las ultimas casi que las disfrute, jeje. Veia un reten policiua y preparaba mi actuacion. Pase lo 5 retenes sin pagar coima, lo que me puso muy orgulloso. No que me ponga orgulloso hacer infraccion y no pagar, yo ofreci pagar a cada uno de ellos y la infraccion que cometi me parecia injusta de todas maneras.
En Arequipa estube un solo dia. Me deidque a caminar mucho por las calles de la ciudad y a comer muchas aceitunas, de exelente calidad y bajo presio. Al atardecer me sente en la plaza central, conmis aceitunas porsupuesto, y me quede un par de horas obserbando el movimiento. En estos pueblos, despues de las 5, toda la gente sale a caminar y dar vueltas por la plaza. Alado mio habia un senor con 5 cigarrilos en una mano y fumandose uno. Cuando lo terminaba, prendia el siguiente. Lo mas raro de esto, es que el hombre no paraba de toser, parecia que se estaba muriendo ahi nomas, pero no le aflojaba a los cigarrillos. Aspiraba una de aire y una de cigarrillo. Yo me imaginaba, que en la casa la familia no lo deja fumar y se hizo una escapada a la plaza, se compro 5 cigarrillos sueltos y se los fumo al hilo. En la banca de aldado habia dos viejitos discutiendo de politica de la ciudad, criticando a el intendente. Uno de ellos no escuchaba bien, entonces el otro tenia que gritar, demosdo que toda la plaza sabia la orientacion politica de estos dos. Despues a cada rato los vendedores de comida (entre ellos los de aceitunas, que tanto comi) de refrescos y lustradores de sapatos. Yo por suerte andaba de zapatillas asique por lo menos esquibaba estos ultimos. Al otro dia a la manana sali temprano hacia la frontera con Chile (Tacna-Arica).
Lues parada de almuerzo, llegue a Calama. Aqui espero a my amigo, o mejor dicho mi hermano, Federico Guillermo Cuesta.
Hasta la proxima, un abrazo grande.
Diego
Hi folks, Long time without writing. Now, where do I start ... Colombia was in charge of Meaghan and David, so I will write from the time I said goodbye to Francisco, near Bogota.
Fran was going to accompany me to the exit of Bogota, that way I do not miss out on the streets (very likely comeing from me). However, with chat and matte, the miles were passing and passing. There was aleways another bus stop were he could return from to his home and ended up comeing with me like 150 kms. By the time when he took courage and said well, leave me here, it was lunch time, so we ate a Lechona (typical dish from the village where we stopped, I do not remember the name).
After a big hug we said bye for the second time. Like every time I said good bye to someone to keep on bymyself, the first hours driving alone were of deep sadness, but knowing that the advetures we shared will remain in our memory forever and will one day be story for the grandchildren.
It was January 9th and I must be in Argentina in mid-February, so from here on, the trip happened to be driving long hours and little knowing (at least compared to what was up to here). The route to get from Bogota to Ecuador was across mountains, so the average travel speed ranges between 20 and 50 km / h. The landscapes, however were beautifull. Coffee plantations in the highlands and Mango, Avocado, Cocoa, Rice, Corn, Sugarcane and Beans on the rest. Much driving, with a stop for lunch in the dining rooms of the road and sleeping in hostels or once in a while, the Aceituna, at gas stations.
My next destination was Montanita, Ecuador, but I pass through the outskirts of Quito and stop to take a picture with the Aceituna in the monument of half of the world, the Ecuador. Montanita is a place that I was interested in because of the famous surf waves. A long right with pipe. To my surprise, Montañita is not an exotic place to visit. Hundreds of young people aged between 18 and 25 years old, Argentinean and Chilean origin mostly come to this place to vacation. However, and luckily, they come to Montanita for the party. I say fortunately, because a characteristic of this wave is that there are one or two peaks only, so many people in the water (over 15) make them a lot to share the waves with. I got up at 6 in the morning, and walked to the beach that was about 5 minutes away from my host. On the way to the beach I had to pass through downtown and the area were was still the party on at that time (again and again, that Brazilian fashion theme). On the beach, romantic couples watching the sunrise, some people refreshing on the ocean and ofcource, some drunks people, sleeping twisted in the sand as logs the tide pulls at night. Those drunks that will wake up next morning red as a crab and with a back paing asking: whay does my back hurts, I did nothing yesterday?. In the sea, surfing, only older people, probably the parents one of the boys or girls I saw on my 5 minutes walk. Until 8 in the morning, no more than 5 people in the water, perfect. At 8 they began to drop some those that did not go to bed yet and others had slept only a couple of hours. The face and erratic movements gave them away, not to mention the time to take a wave, ejeje. Thouse ones did not count on the shearing, they were like 0 at the left. At 9 all people arrives in mases. At 9 and a half, it was already impossible to get wave. It was there when I returned to my lair, these days, the Aceituna. They were 3 days of excellent surfing. I stayed in a hostel, but sleeping in the van. It was high season and the prices were too high. So in the hostel i sleep in the van and they let me use the washrooms and the kitchen. Also, the family that owns the hostel was very good company.
From Montañita I headed to Puerto Chicama or also known as Puerto Malabrigo, in the department of La Libertad, Peru. The reason for going to this place, was the same as before. This ancient port where ships used to come to pick sugar from the towns of the area, is today a small town. The destination marked on the route of the best lefts waves not only of Latin America but also of the world. But to get there I still had many miles. Ecuador routes are spectacular, in perfect condition, plus gasoline costs just 35 cents a liter!. The contrasting landscapes by changes in altitude and climate make it very interesting. High areas surrounded by coffee plantations, and soon wet weather and cold or moist heat in a few kilometers. Arriving at the border with Peru, it becomes dry. There I passed a mountain of Palos borrachos, beautiful during the day, but it must be terrifying at night. Light green, bottle-shaped stems and twisted branches, no two trees alike.
I Arrived to Chicama after 3 days of travel. I got a good cheap accommodation (7 dollars with garage included) where I stayed 3-days. I had bad luck with the waves this time, they were very small and very far from their potential. In addition, the water was very cold. The Humboldt Current is a stream of cold water along the coast of Peru. Normally comes to northern Peru (unless it is Niño years). That explains how I was in the warm sea of Montanita, Ecuador but in icy water in Chicama, when its not that far in straight line. People was surfing there with long wetsuits, boots and some also hooded. I weared a short wetsuit, so I could olny last about half a hor in the water. I Waited 3 days for a forecast that the waves would improve, but this did not happen and I decided to move on. I have no spare time now.
After Chicama my destination was Lima, the capital of Peru. Peruvian routes are very good too and do not cross many mountains as Colombia and Ecuador, thus yielding much more kilometers the hour. Moreover, in large part, the route goes along the coast so they are very beautiful landscapes, beaches of white sand and blue water, no habitated, right into the dessert. It would have been nice to do camping a few days and take advantage of good fishing there is on the coast of Peru. But I followed to Lima.
In Lima I was waiting for the father of Luis Mariano, a friend of Canada, who is also called Luis. Luis father is a man very wise, adventurous and funny, so talks with him had not a second of waste. He was on vacation, so I stayed like a week at his home. In the morning, he get up early, call me to wake up and waited for me downstairs for breakfast. He grind the mixture of two varieties of coffee (one for color and one for the taste), with the little machine prepares espresso and Mirta, the woman who helps with things around the house, added the juice, bread, cheese, olives, and joined the table. This breakfast, between history and story never took less than one hour and a half. I was lucky that the next day I arrived, Louis received a parcel from Arequipa. His sister, send him cheese and olives, as if she know me!. The plan of Luis was to accompanie me on the trip to Tacna, Peru border town with Chile, from there he would take a bus back to Lima. So during the day we went to put some details about Aceituna. Other days we went to the Miraflores beach, where I surf a day. We toured the city, ate cheviche and drank coffee in some places, which he says are the best of Lima. One day before we left Lima to the south, an unplanned work appeared to Luis so he had to cancel, but there will be another chance. I had spectacular time and learned a lot these days in Lima. Thank you very much Louis and family and Mirta.
From Lima I went to Arequipa, I was stoped by the route traffic police 6 times. Foreings plates did not help. Of the 6, only one I let me go, the other 5 made me the obserbacion windows that to have polarized windows, as I had the ones in the back, you must have a permit from the police, which ofcourse I did not. In the first stop, after seeing that my papers were in order, he mentioned the windows and here is the conversation:
Officicer: Mr Diego, in Peru a permit is required to carry tinted windows and you do not have it – he pulled out a notebook and told me that that means confiscating the cars and payment of fine-. I support democracy and I am a fair man, I would not like you to have a hard time, but ........
Diego: I understand that this is your work. I've been in Peru for 10 days and I found a beautiful country. HOWEVER what I've read and heard, is that the problems of corruption do not allow development to proceed. I do not like to be part of people pulling back the country, so if I'm breaking the law, proceed with the arrest of the car and the fine.
Officer: Mr. Diego, I'm not talking about bribes, I am not corrupt. I just tell you can have a kindness to me. I want to help you whether you have a kindness or not, but I suggest you .....
Diego: I thank you for your kindness, but I can not help you.
Officer: Well I'll tell the other officer I'm going with you to the police station, so he can pick me uup there. Your car will be delayed until you get permission and pay the fine – by this time he was not friendly anymore, and let me 10 minutes for me to reconsider. Come back, look at me and says: no change of opinion?
Diego: No
Official: well open the door, I am taking you to the commissary.
Diego: The door is opened, come in.
The officer opens the door of teh shootgun, look at me and said, Mr Diego, for your honesty and desire to do good to my country, I will let go. Be careful on the road and safe journey.
After that I understood that it was about to see who can act more convincing. My acting improbed as the stops went by, while the police was always the same. I went 5 checkpoints without paying bribes, which made me very proud. It does not make me proud not do something ilegal and not pay, I offered to pay each one of them and anyways, the infraction seemed unfair to me anyways.
In Arequipa I spent one day. I did a lot of walking of the streets of the city and eat lots of olives, of excellent quality and low price. In the evening I sat in the central square, ofcourse, with my bag of olives, and stayed a couple of hours looking the movement arround. In these villages, after 5 o'clock, everyone goes for a walk and roam around the square. The benches are for three people and on mine there was a man winged with 5 Cigarette in one hand and smoking one. When he finished one, he used it to turned on the next. The strangest thing about this is that the man could not stop coughing, it seemed that he was dying right there, but he loosened to cigarettes. Aspired one of air and one of cigarette. I imagined that in the house the family does not let him smoke and he made a trip to the square, buy 5 single cigarettes and smoke them in a row. The bench besides had two old men discussing politics of the city, criticizing the mayor. One of them could not hear well, then the other had to shout making the whole square to know the political orientation of these two. Also every minute a vendors of food (including olives, to my happiness) of soft drinks and shoes polishes would offer their services. Luckily I was wearing walking shoe so I avoided at leats the last ones. The next day I left early the morning towards the border with Chile (Tacna-Arica).
Now I am in Calama, nosth of Chile. Here I wait for my friend, or rather my brother, Frederick William Cuesta.
See you soon to all of you, a big hug.
Diego
