A hike throught the Cocora Valley was one of the activities that we were most looking forward to during our trip to Colombia. We were not disappointed. It was awesome. Amazing rolling hills and so many beautiful Quindío wax palm trees, which, by the way, are the national trees and symbols of Colombia. It is a place that you do not want to miss during a trip to Colombia.
So it was pure magic when we stumbled across a Tejo bar while staying in Salento. Tejo is a traditional sport in Colombia, particularly in mountain towns like Salento. Basically you use an iron puck and launch it about 20 feet across a big room into a box of clay. Inside the clay is an iron ring where you put folded pouches that are filled with gunpowder. You get the gist, you want to create an explosion. And another thing is that you must play the game while drinking a beer. It’s wonderful.
Salento itself is a great town to relax and hang out in for a while. Done up Jeeps taxi you all over the area, from the Cocora Valley to the many cool hostels that are on the outskirts of town. There is plenty of hiking, biking and coffee plantation tours to keep you entertained for days. Just make sure that you spend a night at Los Amigos Tejo Bar!
The Backpack Monologues 