Cali (2)

Sat 12th to Wed 16th November

We managed three days riding after leaving Cartagena before Terry’s bike decided it needed some TLC. Amazingly in less than 48hrs the parts we ordered from Motorworks were in Bogota, after having been driven to East Midlands airport, then flown via Madrid, Venezuela, Panama and eventually to Bogota by DHL. It took a little longer to get them the last few hundred miles from Bogota to Cali but they are now fitted and we are ready to roll again.

It wasn't all bad news, with the help of Mike, Casa Blanca’s owner, we sourced new tyres for all three bikes for the amazingly cheap price of £78 a pair. Worth checking out if you are in the area and in need of some new rubber:

El Paisa motos & motos Tel 556 0094/554 5382 email motosmotoselpaisaltda@yahoo.com.

Grande Brasile our transport home!

We have also organised our return trip to the UK on the ‘Grande Brasile‘. It is a 30day trip back to Tilbury via various South American, African and European Ports. The bikes travel as luggage so no shipping agent etc and we get to psyche ourselves up before facing the M25 again. Check out Grimaldi lines: http://www.grimaldi-freightercruises.com/ or email: pathfinder@safemariner.co.uk he’s a specialist agent from the UK and very helpful.

Cali itself is a modern city with loads of cafes and restaurants as well as shopping malls full of women’s fashion stores similar to any you see at home. We walked to the Historic Centre but all that remained were a few churches and these are surrounded by nondescript high rise buildings.

Probably the most photographed building in Cali, the 'La Ermita' a European gothic style church built in 1787.

Feeding the pigeons outside 'Templo de San Francisco'

... and you thought you had a hard day

The famous crosses amongst the communication towers on top of the hill.

Terry and I did decided to get some exercise by walking to the top where the three crosses look down over the city. It is a pilgrimage for the locals, especially at Easter time, and at the top it is laid out so services can be held for those that make the strenuous climb.

Terry proving his collar bone is fixed.

What bemused me was the circuit training area immediately in front of the crosses. A different take on kneeling to pray!

It's official, the Colombian police are our friends!

Tomorrow we head for Popayan.