Thu 18th 0916 In deserted garden with coffee. Slept OK, tho did go for piss in night.
Forgot to say other day when logging into Paypal to check my balance I didn't get their text messages and had to use WA as 2FA. This worried me a bit as I suddenly realised I'd prob need texts to authenticate to savings account during trip. Toggled airplane mode on and off and no texts, but logged into bank and (maybe it remembers my phone? but feels unlikely) it didn't ask for 2FA. I put a withdrawal in anyway - this gives up a tiny bit of interest, but reduces scope for fuckery/reduces the amount I will have to borrow off parents if I do lose access to savings during trip. They sent me a text to confirm the withdrawal and that *did* arrive immediately and also appears to have nudged the two stuck PP verification texts to arrive. So anyway, I probably *am* getting texts, which is good.
Feel a bit sunburnt "behind" ears, meh. Maybe I've just been really slack putting block on or I'm out of practice, or maybe in practice I get a bit of a burn/tan on these areas at start of trip and that provides enough protection for the relatively modest exposure they get (perhaps combined with some sunblock on those regions). Just have to try to be thorough. Back of hands still red but I think on the mend.
There is a chipped-out bit of concrete on the little terrace which looks just like a grey tabby cat out of the corner of my eye. I kept noticing it when sitting here yesterday but since I am getting the same thing today I've just snapped a photo (which doesn't show it well, of course) and thought I'd make a note.
Rewearing yesterday's "day" top. There is a *very* slight chill sitting here no in sun when the slight breeze blows and I half wonder if I should go get my fleece.
Plan for today is still to do some lazyish admin/planning and wander round town and go to the odd in-town museum (BTW, there are *two* paleological museums, just to be confusing - there is one near Los Pozos Azul(es??) which I didn't visit but saw on map yday and which made me go "wtf?" and then the one up near renacer IIRC which I did visit. I am not over worried about not having visited all these museums, these will not be deathbed regrets and this route up through Tunja feels plausible enough for a futute visit to Colombia and VdL is a short hop from Tunja so it's far from impossible I will return. (TBH this feels like the kind of place that might be a candidate for a multi-week stay in one place with a laptop and just hang out on my own visit.)
0943 Quick look on booking has a homestay with private bathroom for about USD30-40 for 3 nights in Tunja. Reviews suggest the family is nice so there may be scope for some chat/Spanish practice here. AFAICT it's a little out of centre but not a huge deal and not that far. It looks a long way from the bus terminal but that is because the bus terminal is relatively far out of town (further than the airport!) but still walkable and it is also quite possible I can hope off the minibus from VdL at some more convenient point.
I may book this in a bit. I am thinking three nights partly because it is a homestay and partly because I am not too sure there's that much in Tunja and I'm feeling *slight* time pressure and given it is so close the amount of time lost to travel disruption is not great - depending on check in details, it's not impossible I'll have checked out here by deadline of 1130 and be wandering round Tunja post-check-in by say 1330, so there's less need for that extra day to avoid feeling constantly harried. And of course I can choose to add an extra day if I want.
I doubt I will want to but also if I suddenly realised there was a super-cool thing I didn't see here in VdL, nothing would stop me popping back to VdL for a night or two after Tunja, or doing it as a daytrip.
Just waffling, while it's not super warm here in general, there's enough sun and heat during the day I'm hoping being here (not just VdL, these parts more generally) and doing some walking etc will be helping me acclimatise a bit. So maybe when I get down to sea level and it's 35C and I feel like I'm dying, my body will have a head start on adjusting as I've spent a week or two in 20-something temps rather than coming direct from London to tropical sea level temps. I didn't deliberately plan this so if that doesn't work no loss, but maybe it will help a bit.
0959 OK, booked.
1048 Looking at guide book, Paso del Angel sounds good but it's definitely not walkable from here and I am not faffing with a tour. Hmm. Maybe if I spot a shop offering it. But no, I really don't fancy getting dragged round on a tour of probably lots of other stuff my last day, even if I could get a same-day tour. And I am not desperate to see/do this, even if it sounds kind of cool and just a tiny bit comfort zone stretching.
I am also vaguely toying with walking the 6km to El Fosil. But while nothing epic I have been walking one way or another the last two days and I'd probably rather not. All this half makes me wish I had extra time here, but none of it is must-do and I'd also rather not be here at the weekend even on top of already having booked to stay in Tunja. If I feel regrets I could come back on Monday of course, or there is a slim chance of popping back here time permitting before I fly home. Just maybe even coming through here (Tunja) en route to Bogota, depending where I am, rather than going into Bogota and coming out to here.
But it's fine. There's always going to be more stuff I could have seen and done and I really don't like putting myself under pressure or getting worked up about it. (On that note, while the "renacer" hike sounds cool in guide book, kudos to myself for not getting stressed out and worked up about not managing to do it because of dogs etc as I might have done in the past.)
Looking at the map, no, I'm not trogging out to El Fosil - it's the same route I took yesterday, but even further, and the retracing my steps the day after feeling isn't attractive.
1619 In hostel garden having coffee and just had three bananas as well in an attempt to get more fruit/veg eaten. Some people talking but doesn't feel too awkward. (German woman and two French Canadians, I think.)
May write day up properly later. I popped back to eat bananas and see if there was any coffee (there is) and then for my late afternoon shower/sneaky clothes wash/change. I am feeling vaguely sad to have to go but it is the right thing. Also - and it's only been a week - feeling a bit whinily annoyed at having to be "on the go constantly" , not being able to just spend a day sitting at home tinkering on computer or just watching YT with no fuss. It's not as if I didn't just sit here fairly tranquilly last night for example, but might as well be honest about this feeling.
Left K1 charging in bag on powerbank all day and it did no good. *Now* it is charging on powerbank as I sit here, so no idea why it didn't charge during day, except general fuckery.
So left hostel maybe 11ish, think I tried to head over to some viewpoint I'd seen on OM but turned back at a dog in the road - might have been OK but in no mood to push it. Wandered round a bit, tried for a caramelazo but they had none so got a tinto instead (OK but 2k felt OTT), had a papa rellana at the hole in wall empanada place went to last night (2.8k, very nice, asked woman at window what it was). Ended up accidentally walking towards renacer and saw a waterfall on OM and this time I made it that far - when I turned back other day I was just wandering and was already edgy. The stone I'd left by lamppost at bridge was still there so I took it with me for comfort. :-)
I did make it to the waterfall but there was the same no entrance sign as up by the saint, and AFAICT the waterfall was right by the road but was extremely dry - still, I did see it. I rather suspect this might be the waterfall at the end of the renacer hike, but maybe not. Still, a minor success in terms of walking.
Then I went to El Original again, had the usual but with limonada (very rich lime taste, very nice) and a bit cheaper (23k vs 26k), tipped 3.2k. After that I went to museo Nariño, which was free and surprisingly cool and engaging. Actually I think I went to El Original *after* museum.
Bit dismayed to see "el uso de tapabocas es permanente" on sign at desk in museum, but the guard wasn't wearing one so I went in and it was fine, maybe I misunderstood the sign or more likely this is one of those "meh, ignore it until you're not supposed to ignore it" signs.
Guts churning a tiny bit during today but I mostly put it down to hunger or slightly poor diet. Got a fresh hot coffee and will probably have shower etc in a bit.
I still have two small beers in fridge here. I may go for a wander post shower before I come back and have those beers. I just may go to BBC but it'd expensive and not super sociable or super comfortable to sit in solo and I *do* have those two beers here which I'd rather not leave or take with me.
On one hand I do hope to get a bit of chat in with hosts in Tunja, but I do also hope I can just switch off a bit. (Not that I'm ultra-switched on, but still.)
My general background pissed-offness with SBA is diminishing. I still despise them and I'd still like to avoid giving them money if I can help it, but I probably will end up booking with them. I think this can wait a day or two anyway.
1635 FTR just had quick look on meetup.com and there are no activities within 10 miles of Tunja - with the default 100 miles it shows some things, but they're in Bogota. Not a big deal, but thought I'd check.
My teeth feel oddly sticky, I think it was the tinto with sugar and maybe the papa rellena, they felt like this before I ate at El Original. But it's OK, will be showering+cleaning teeth shortly. Slight stomach churn just now, I don't think it's a big deal.
1642 Live chat with Starling about that ATM txn.
15-20 mins wait time, not actually *bad* but perhaps poorly timed on my part.
I didn't exactly want to drink tonight, but I don't actively mind. It was good to get those beers the first night to "prove" to myself I could bring beer into a hostel (there is no bar here), and while I've been drinking every day for the last few days I am not drinking excessively any given day. Still, not good for my general weight loss goals and although if eg invited to have a beer with hosts I am not going to turn it down, I will probably try to avoid being tempted to drink for a few days.
1708 OK, I have to wait five calendar days then submit a dispute. I wish I knew/had remembered this for myself, but anyway. This actually gives me help it may sort itself out automatically.
1756 Had shower, shave, bit of a long shit. Slight gut churning. Only had one dirty top due to rewearing in two daylight-days, so washed that - should be dry to wear tomorrow. Rewearing "evening-only" red short-sleeved T-shirt and fleece tonight.
Feeling vaguely edgy somehow, this new elderly-ish (bit older than me??) German woman somehow unsettles me. Not a big deal and not rational, just noting.
Really don't know what to do with myself but I think I will go out for a bit of a walk, I may go to BBC against my better judgement, then come back here and drink (probably - I *can* always leave them or take them with me) those two cans and perhaps have an earlyish night. There just may be prospect of chat but I felt rather fifth wheel-ish (third wheel??) earlier, which - whether true or not - may account for my edginess.
Anyway, I should go for a wander. As I say I will be a bit sad to leave but better than hating it.
Oh, I did web search for puente del angel or whatever - I had formed impression from skimming guide book it was a rural-ish hike with this narrow bit over a precipice, but maybe I misread - anyway these days it seems to be part of a big adrenaline park and it's where all that pseudo-ziplining stuff advertised all over town is and as soon as I realised that my desire to just maybe pop over for a quick visit this afternoon evaporated.
I feel slightly headachey, perhaps sunburn and/or stress. Nothing major but just FTR.
2029 OK, just got back to hostel. Sat BNM while three women (poss those from earlier) discuss tourist stuff, but I'm actually kind of cool with it. Got beer.
Was tempted to go to BBC but realised I didn't want to sit there on my own, almost didn't want a beer and I *also* didn't want to get into a chat with someone, given was feeling a bit rough (had popped back to hostel for an extra shit). Wandered round town a bit. Sat on side of plaza mayor opp church and meditated a bit. Fairly busy but given size of square quite nicely so and not rammed.
Popped over to church to see if the two windows above the big door were on an upper floor or part of main church body as they were lit differently - turned out there was an interior balcony, so they are part of main space in some sense but "balcony" floor isolates them a bit. (German woman is going to San Gil and Barichara. IIRC I am too. Still, apart from my irrational dislike for her, chances of meeting her are slim.)
I then went back across to other side and sat - feeling slightly lonely/ill but also kind of OK - a bit more, then noticed some weird patterns in a window above one place across square by church so went over (it was some balloons waving around in breeze in deserted upstairs of a bar type place) and there was a guy singing some very famous song I can't remember name of (but I recorded a bit) and I listened a bit and decided to chuck 1k or so in his bucket and sat on steps (this all off to one side of church) and listened and the first song he did was "Si no te hubieras ido" which made me smile and this was all quite cheering. I could prob have got a beer from a shop and drunk it sitting there but decided not to. As I say square busy but not unpleasantly rammed, and there were kids/families throwing toy planes with lights on up into the air and it was all quite pleasant. No one hassled me at all.
I came back now because I didn't want to milk it and I wanted to come back and drink these beers and have an early-ish night. As I think I said, was feeling physically much better as I sat there in square, not saying these beers are *smart* but they don't feel ridiculous idea.
Tiny bit edgy re homestay tomorrow but it is also kind of cool and in reality I expect I'll be mostly left alone etc etc. Was "meditating" a bit while in square (on both sides) and although there was a vague melancholic tone to them on the whole I was feeling pretty good and the live music (guy singing to recordings, but still) was nice and really this was quite a nice and unexpected last night.
Tonight as other night could see a few stars, inc Orion, over the main square.
Oh and I wish I'd taken a photo but didn't - a couple of nights ago I was on that street where Ara and El Original are wandering round early evening and there were 4-5 biggish slightly scruffy white dogs all sitting outside one shop (German woman talking about how she keeps track of her CO2 footprint, in what frankly sounds rather a smug "well I do actually travel a lot, but I don't do some things so it's OK" superficially rather inconsistent way - like she only went up and down the Pacific coast when she visited some country so she didn't add to her footprint by visiting the Caribbean coast - presumably because climate scientists have recently discovered fossil fuels only emit CO2 when used to travel longitudinally or something) and it reminded me of that still image in the unofficial (but huge numbers of views, and the one I originally saw in Santa Marta in 2020) YT video of La Leyenda del Hada y el Mago where the vaguely ethereal woman is sitting in a green foresty kind of scene with half a dozen huge white dogs on the grass, but in a sort of gritty urban way (exaggerating to get the idea across). I did go down that street during my evening peregrinations last night but they weren't there. I have no idea if they were street dogs or if they belonged to one or more people.
I'm being grossly unfair but this German woman seems to be occupying about 95% of the airtime in this conversation. Honestly I don't know quite why she rubs me up the wrong way, for all I know I'll eg speak to her over coffee tomorrow morning and feel she's OK.
Roommate seems not to be around, but only her bed seems occupied in dorm so I'm guessing I am not sharing with this new woman.
I really (and probably not too stupidly) have felt absolutely fine wandering round even fairly quiet streets at night here after dark (albeit not at like midnight).
2051 Nearly finished first beer, will have second, try not to rush but not excessively drag it out then head to bed. Will pack tomorrow, I vaguely plan to leave 11ish, 1030 at earliest so shouldn't disturb anyone in dorm at that time.
2053 Second beer. And oh dear, GW has to go inside as she's getting bitten. The two Canadians may also have gone in but they don't bother me in the least. (To be scrupulously fair, maybe they *would* if I'd actually heard them speak, but they hardly had the chance.)
GW appears to be something of a travel bore, perhaps a little self-centred (though being scrupulously fair maybe I'm just jealous of her self-confidence or something) and appears to embody a certain self-righteous smugness (eg they were talking about workaway - already a bit of an at least pink flag - and she was saying how it's important not to take jobs away that a local could do, and this is all just a little bit manufactured paternalistic controlled economy for my tastes, though I know I'm probably in a minority here and she's not).
2056 Anyway, let me actually crack this beer and enjoy the silence. Which reminds me, on TM up to TdN to actually get bus to Tunja, a guy got on and sang and the first song he did was something in Spanish but the second was (the actual original music sans vocals afaict) Depeche Mode's "Enjoy The Silence" .
2105 Truth, though it kill me. GW did just wish me "Goodnight" , which I of course reciprocated.
2120 Nearly finished beer. Just the tiniest bit chilly and lonely out here. Am going to send this now in case anyone else is in dorm so I can get it out before I lose it without click-clacking in bed.
Forgot to say other day when logging into Paypal to check my balance I didn't get their text messages and had to use WA as 2FA. This worried me a bit as I suddenly realised I'd prob need texts to authenticate to savings account during trip. Toggled airplane mode on and off and no texts, but logged into bank and (maybe it remembers my phone? but feels unlikely) it didn't ask for 2FA. I put a withdrawal in anyway - this gives up a tiny bit of interest, but reduces scope for fuckery/reduces the amount I will have to borrow off parents if I do lose access to savings during trip. They sent me a text to confirm the withdrawal and that *did* arrive immediately and also appears to have nudged the two stuck PP verification texts to arrive. So anyway, I probably *am* getting texts, which is good.
Feel a bit sunburnt "behind" ears, meh. Maybe I've just been really slack putting block on or I'm out of practice, or maybe in practice I get a bit of a burn/tan on these areas at start of trip and that provides enough protection for the relatively modest exposure they get (perhaps combined with some sunblock on those regions). Just have to try to be thorough. Back of hands still red but I think on the mend.
There is a chipped-out bit of concrete on the little terrace which looks just like a grey tabby cat out of the corner of my eye. I kept noticing it when sitting here yesterday but since I am getting the same thing today I've just snapped a photo (which doesn't show it well, of course) and thought I'd make a note.
Rewearing yesterday's "day" top. There is a *very* slight chill sitting here no in sun when the slight breeze blows and I half wonder if I should go get my fleece.
Plan for today is still to do some lazyish admin/planning and wander round town and go to the odd in-town museum (BTW, there are *two* paleological museums, just to be confusing - there is one near Los Pozos Azul(es??) which I didn't visit but saw on map yday and which made me go "wtf?" and then the one up near renacer IIRC which I did visit. I am not over worried about not having visited all these museums, these will not be deathbed regrets and this route up through Tunja feels plausible enough for a futute visit to Colombia and VdL is a short hop from Tunja so it's far from impossible I will return. (TBH this feels like the kind of place that might be a candidate for a multi-week stay in one place with a laptop and just hang out on my own visit.)
0943 Quick look on booking has a homestay with private bathroom for about USD30-40 for 3 nights in Tunja. Reviews suggest the family is nice so there may be scope for some chat/Spanish practice here. AFAICT it's a little out of centre but not a huge deal and not that far. It looks a long way from the bus terminal but that is because the bus terminal is relatively far out of town (further than the airport!) but still walkable and it is also quite possible I can hope off the minibus from VdL at some more convenient point.
I may book this in a bit. I am thinking three nights partly because it is a homestay and partly because I am not too sure there's that much in Tunja and I'm feeling *slight* time pressure and given it is so close the amount of time lost to travel disruption is not great - depending on check in details, it's not impossible I'll have checked out here by deadline of 1130 and be wandering round Tunja post-check-in by say 1330, so there's less need for that extra day to avoid feeling constantly harried. And of course I can choose to add an extra day if I want.
I doubt I will want to but also if I suddenly realised there was a super-cool thing I didn't see here in VdL, nothing would stop me popping back to VdL for a night or two after Tunja, or doing it as a daytrip.
Just waffling, while it's not super warm here in general, there's enough sun and heat during the day I'm hoping being here (not just VdL, these parts more generally) and doing some walking etc will be helping me acclimatise a bit. So maybe when I get down to sea level and it's 35C and I feel like I'm dying, my body will have a head start on adjusting as I've spent a week or two in 20-something temps rather than coming direct from London to tropical sea level temps. I didn't deliberately plan this so if that doesn't work no loss, but maybe it will help a bit.
0959 OK, booked.
1048 Looking at guide book, Paso del Angel sounds good but it's definitely not walkable from here and I am not faffing with a tour. Hmm. Maybe if I spot a shop offering it. But no, I really don't fancy getting dragged round on a tour of probably lots of other stuff my last day, even if I could get a same-day tour. And I am not desperate to see/do this, even if it sounds kind of cool and just a tiny bit comfort zone stretching.
I am also vaguely toying with walking the 6km to El Fosil. But while nothing epic I have been walking one way or another the last two days and I'd probably rather not. All this half makes me wish I had extra time here, but none of it is must-do and I'd also rather not be here at the weekend even on top of already having booked to stay in Tunja. If I feel regrets I could come back on Monday of course, or there is a slim chance of popping back here time permitting before I fly home. Just maybe even coming through here (Tunja) en route to Bogota, depending where I am, rather than going into Bogota and coming out to here.
But it's fine. There's always going to be more stuff I could have seen and done and I really don't like putting myself under pressure or getting worked up about it. (On that note, while the "renacer" hike sounds cool in guide book, kudos to myself for not getting stressed out and worked up about not managing to do it because of dogs etc as I might have done in the past.)
Looking at the map, no, I'm not trogging out to El Fosil - it's the same route I took yesterday, but even further, and the retracing my steps the day after feeling isn't attractive.
1619 In hostel garden having coffee and just had three bananas as well in an attempt to get more fruit/veg eaten. Some people talking but doesn't feel too awkward. (German woman and two French Canadians, I think.)
May write day up properly later. I popped back to eat bananas and see if there was any coffee (there is) and then for my late afternoon shower/sneaky clothes wash/change. I am feeling vaguely sad to have to go but it is the right thing. Also - and it's only been a week - feeling a bit whinily annoyed at having to be "on the go constantly" , not being able to just spend a day sitting at home tinkering on computer or just watching YT with no fuss. It's not as if I didn't just sit here fairly tranquilly last night for example, but might as well be honest about this feeling.
Left K1 charging in bag on powerbank all day and it did no good. *Now* it is charging on powerbank as I sit here, so no idea why it didn't charge during day, except general fuckery.
So left hostel maybe 11ish, think I tried to head over to some viewpoint I'd seen on OM but turned back at a dog in the road - might have been OK but in no mood to push it. Wandered round a bit, tried for a caramelazo but they had none so got a tinto instead (OK but 2k felt OTT), had a papa rellana at the hole in wall empanada place went to last night (2.8k, very nice, asked woman at window what it was). Ended up accidentally walking towards renacer and saw a waterfall on OM and this time I made it that far - when I turned back other day I was just wandering and was already edgy. The stone I'd left by lamppost at bridge was still there so I took it with me for comfort. :-)
I did make it to the waterfall but there was the same no entrance sign as up by the saint, and AFAICT the waterfall was right by the road but was extremely dry - still, I did see it. I rather suspect this might be the waterfall at the end of the renacer hike, but maybe not. Still, a minor success in terms of walking.
Then I went to El Original again, had the usual but with limonada (very rich lime taste, very nice) and a bit cheaper (23k vs 26k), tipped 3.2k. After that I went to museo Nariño, which was free and surprisingly cool and engaging. Actually I think I went to El Original *after* museum.
Bit dismayed to see "el uso de tapabocas es permanente" on sign at desk in museum, but the guard wasn't wearing one so I went in and it was fine, maybe I misunderstood the sign or more likely this is one of those "meh, ignore it until you're not supposed to ignore it" signs.
Guts churning a tiny bit during today but I mostly put it down to hunger or slightly poor diet. Got a fresh hot coffee and will probably have shower etc in a bit.
I still have two small beers in fridge here. I may go for a wander post shower before I come back and have those beers. I just may go to BBC but it'd expensive and not super sociable or super comfortable to sit in solo and I *do* have those two beers here which I'd rather not leave or take with me.
On one hand I do hope to get a bit of chat in with hosts in Tunja, but I do also hope I can just switch off a bit. (Not that I'm ultra-switched on, but still.)
My general background pissed-offness with SBA is diminishing. I still despise them and I'd still like to avoid giving them money if I can help it, but I probably will end up booking with them. I think this can wait a day or two anyway.
1635 FTR just had quick look on meetup.com and there are no activities within 10 miles of Tunja - with the default 100 miles it shows some things, but they're in Bogota. Not a big deal, but thought I'd check.
My teeth feel oddly sticky, I think it was the tinto with sugar and maybe the papa rellena, they felt like this before I ate at El Original. But it's OK, will be showering+cleaning teeth shortly. Slight stomach churn just now, I don't think it's a big deal.
1642 Live chat with Starling about that ATM txn.
15-20 mins wait time, not actually *bad* but perhaps poorly timed on my part.
I didn't exactly want to drink tonight, but I don't actively mind. It was good to get those beers the first night to "prove" to myself I could bring beer into a hostel (there is no bar here), and while I've been drinking every day for the last few days I am not drinking excessively any given day. Still, not good for my general weight loss goals and although if eg invited to have a beer with hosts I am not going to turn it down, I will probably try to avoid being tempted to drink for a few days.
1708 OK, I have to wait five calendar days then submit a dispute. I wish I knew/had remembered this for myself, but anyway. This actually gives me help it may sort itself out automatically.
1756 Had shower, shave, bit of a long shit. Slight gut churning. Only had one dirty top due to rewearing in two daylight-days, so washed that - should be dry to wear tomorrow. Rewearing "evening-only" red short-sleeved T-shirt and fleece tonight.
Feeling vaguely edgy somehow, this new elderly-ish (bit older than me??) German woman somehow unsettles me. Not a big deal and not rational, just noting.
Really don't know what to do with myself but I think I will go out for a bit of a walk, I may go to BBC against my better judgement, then come back here and drink (probably - I *can* always leave them or take them with me) those two cans and perhaps have an earlyish night. There just may be prospect of chat but I felt rather fifth wheel-ish (third wheel??) earlier, which - whether true or not - may account for my edginess.
Anyway, I should go for a wander. As I say I will be a bit sad to leave but better than hating it.
Oh, I did web search for puente del angel or whatever - I had formed impression from skimming guide book it was a rural-ish hike with this narrow bit over a precipice, but maybe I misread - anyway these days it seems to be part of a big adrenaline park and it's where all that pseudo-ziplining stuff advertised all over town is and as soon as I realised that my desire to just maybe pop over for a quick visit this afternoon evaporated.
I feel slightly headachey, perhaps sunburn and/or stress. Nothing major but just FTR.
2029 OK, just got back to hostel. Sat BNM while three women (poss those from earlier) discuss tourist stuff, but I'm actually kind of cool with it. Got beer.
Was tempted to go to BBC but realised I didn't want to sit there on my own, almost didn't want a beer and I *also* didn't want to get into a chat with someone, given was feeling a bit rough (had popped back to hostel for an extra shit). Wandered round town a bit. Sat on side of plaza mayor opp church and meditated a bit. Fairly busy but given size of square quite nicely so and not rammed.
Popped over to church to see if the two windows above the big door were on an upper floor or part of main church body as they were lit differently - turned out there was an interior balcony, so they are part of main space in some sense but "balcony" floor isolates them a bit. (German woman is going to San Gil and Barichara. IIRC I am too. Still, apart from my irrational dislike for her, chances of meeting her are slim.)
I then went back across to other side and sat - feeling slightly lonely/ill but also kind of OK - a bit more, then noticed some weird patterns in a window above one place across square by church so went over (it was some balloons waving around in breeze in deserted upstairs of a bar type place) and there was a guy singing some very famous song I can't remember name of (but I recorded a bit) and I listened a bit and decided to chuck 1k or so in his bucket and sat on steps (this all off to one side of church) and listened and the first song he did was "Si no te hubieras ido" which made me smile and this was all quite cheering. I could prob have got a beer from a shop and drunk it sitting there but decided not to. As I say square busy but not unpleasantly rammed, and there were kids/families throwing toy planes with lights on up into the air and it was all quite pleasant. No one hassled me at all.
I came back now because I didn't want to milk it and I wanted to come back and drink these beers and have an early-ish night. As I think I said, was feeling physically much better as I sat there in square, not saying these beers are *smart* but they don't feel ridiculous idea.
Tiny bit edgy re homestay tomorrow but it is also kind of cool and in reality I expect I'll be mostly left alone etc etc. Was "meditating" a bit while in square (on both sides) and although there was a vague melancholic tone to them on the whole I was feeling pretty good and the live music (guy singing to recordings, but still) was nice and really this was quite a nice and unexpected last night.
Tonight as other night could see a few stars, inc Orion, over the main square.
Oh and I wish I'd taken a photo but didn't - a couple of nights ago I was on that street where Ara and El Original are wandering round early evening and there were 4-5 biggish slightly scruffy white dogs all sitting outside one shop (German woman talking about how she keeps track of her CO2 footprint, in what frankly sounds rather a smug "well I do actually travel a lot, but I don't do some things so it's OK" superficially rather inconsistent way - like she only went up and down the Pacific coast when she visited some country so she didn't add to her footprint by visiting the Caribbean coast - presumably because climate scientists have recently discovered fossil fuels only emit CO2 when used to travel longitudinally or something) and it reminded me of that still image in the unofficial (but huge numbers of views, and the one I originally saw in Santa Marta in 2020) YT video of La Leyenda del Hada y el Mago where the vaguely ethereal woman is sitting in a green foresty kind of scene with half a dozen huge white dogs on the grass, but in a sort of gritty urban way (exaggerating to get the idea across). I did go down that street during my evening peregrinations last night but they weren't there. I have no idea if they were street dogs or if they belonged to one or more people.
I'm being grossly unfair but this German woman seems to be occupying about 95% of the airtime in this conversation. Honestly I don't know quite why she rubs me up the wrong way, for all I know I'll eg speak to her over coffee tomorrow morning and feel she's OK.
Roommate seems not to be around, but only her bed seems occupied in dorm so I'm guessing I am not sharing with this new woman.
I really (and probably not too stupidly) have felt absolutely fine wandering round even fairly quiet streets at night here after dark (albeit not at like midnight).
2051 Nearly finished first beer, will have second, try not to rush but not excessively drag it out then head to bed. Will pack tomorrow, I vaguely plan to leave 11ish, 1030 at earliest so shouldn't disturb anyone in dorm at that time.
2053 Second beer. And oh dear, GW has to go inside as she's getting bitten. The two Canadians may also have gone in but they don't bother me in the least. (To be scrupulously fair, maybe they *would* if I'd actually heard them speak, but they hardly had the chance.)
GW appears to be something of a travel bore, perhaps a little self-centred (though being scrupulously fair maybe I'm just jealous of her self-confidence or something) and appears to embody a certain self-righteous smugness (eg they were talking about workaway - already a bit of an at least pink flag - and she was saying how it's important not to take jobs away that a local could do, and this is all just a little bit manufactured paternalistic controlled economy for my tastes, though I know I'm probably in a minority here and she's not).
2056 Anyway, let me actually crack this beer and enjoy the silence. Which reminds me, on TM up to TdN to actually get bus to Tunja, a guy got on and sang and the first song he did was something in Spanish but the second was (the actual original music sans vocals afaict) Depeche Mode's "Enjoy The Silence" .
2105 Truth, though it kill me. GW did just wish me "Goodnight" , which I of course reciprocated.
2120 Nearly finished beer. Just the tiniest bit chilly and lonely out here. Am going to send this now in case anyone else is in dorm so I can get it out before I lose it without click-clacking in bed.
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