Unexpected Adventures in Colombia

The sleepy little town of Salento is nestled in the lush mountains of Colombia’s coffee region. With colorful doorways, moustached men wearing traditional ponchos, and low-hanging clouds, this paisa village is like something out of a storybook.

We journeyed to the heart of Colombia to explore the famed coffee farms and hike in the nearby valley. While our time there was unforgettable, my fondest memory of Salento was not something I had planned.

We’d heard of a popular game called Tejo, played by throwing a metal disk into a pit of clay with packets of gunpowder. Along with a friend we’d met at our hostel, we set off in search of a place to play during our last night in town.

We passed by a bar popular with foreigners and instead headed to dive teeming with locals.

Being the only gringos in the bar, we drew lots of attention. The owner explained the game to us in Spanish, and added that it was free to play as long as you were drinking. Explosives and alcohol, what a great combination!

There are some moments on your travels where it seems like everything and everyone is working secretly together to make your time there special. This night was one of them.

After seeing our failed attempts at achieving the coveted “pop”, a local man started giving us pointers from the sideline.

I usually find my Spanish is better after a few beers, and this night was no different.

“Jugar con nosotros.” I invited him to join in our game, and he promptly introduced himself as Carlos.

When Carlos realized that his coaching wasn’t improving our laughable skills as quickly as he’d hoped, he added a heaping handful of explosive packets to our pit. You’d have to try pretty hard not to cause it to explode.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Carlos then brought us to his favorite bar, where we dances to the crooning of Michael Jackson and Bob Marley until he decided it was time for the next venture.

We followed him to a set of stairs at the edge of town that led up into the hillside. We climbed to the top where we caught our breath and were rewarded with a view of the twinkling city lights sprawled out below. We shared stories and laughed until the sun began to peek over the mountains in the distance.

We never saw Carlos after that night, but the few hours we spent together remind me why I travel. For me, the best parts about visiting a new place aren’t always the things you plan on doing. Often times, it is the people you meet and the little adventures you have along the way.