February 15
After breakfast, we spend a little time walking around Santa Marta, which is very much more alive this Monday morning than it had been yesterday.
We set off along a good highway towards Riohacha, about a three and a half hour drive. PArid, desert-like conditions on our horizon; vast goatherds and Rancherias/farmsteads mark this remote and little-visited area. We visit a traditional Rancheria of the Wayuu culture, meet a family, eat a traditional (pretty awful) meal. We learn a good deal about this old, matriarchical society and the customs and traditions of the 20 families and over 200 people who inhabit this rancherias. Afterwards we watch a dance by some young locals and some of us are enticed to participate. We buy some textiles direct from the locals (we’d already stopped by the roadside at another spot to buy textiles, before arriving here).
On our way to Hotel Taroa, we stop to visit Fanny Iguarán and her small shop in her house, catering to women’s traditional weaving techniques. She represents 72 weavers in the area, and the quality of her wares far exceeds that we’ve seen before. Fanny does very well selling to the group, but we’re pleased to support her efforts.
In the afternoon we drive to Riohacha and our very good Hotel Taroa and clean up before dinner. I pass on a walk on the malecón, by the beach.
Dinner is at a restaurant down the block from the hotel, after which most of us retreat to the very pleasantly cool rooftop bar of the hotel, before retiring.
Great pictures! The dancing looks like a lot of fun!