Not for the first time in Colombia, I thought to myself what a beautiful, unspoilt and undervisited country it is. Not for the first time, a local welcomed me to his country with a warm smile, a hearty handshake, and a reference to Corazon Valiente (Braveheart). - 'Que chevere' the young guy that had just arrived at the top of Piedra del Peñol remarked, when I told him I was from Scotland as he took my photo. How cool.
I had been sitting patiently on the top of the rock for over 10 minutes waiting for someone else to show up so I could get them to take my photo with the spectacular scenery behind me. I don´t think there can be many places in the world where you get 360 degree views like that from the top of Piedra del Peñol all to yourself for ten minutes in the middle of a sunny day.
As I sit eating my bandeja paisa in a restaurant at the bottom of the rock afterwards, I suddenly realise that in less than two weeks time, I will be attempting the 5-8 hour climb up Cotopaxi volcano in Equador using ropes, crampons and an ice-pick. Today, I struggled up the 649 steps of Piedra del Peñol with sweat dripping and a heavy shortage of breath. I think I better to do some exercise between now and the last volcano climb of my travels.
