Popayán, the Dazzling White City

Attention! Put your sunglasses on in order to read this post!

Popayán is a city in western Colombia, southwest of Bogotá, located 1760 meters above sea level, and having an average temperature of 18 °C. It's known for its whitewashed colonial buildings and as a religious center with popular Holy Week processions. The city's many churches include the domed, neoclassical Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption and the 17th-century Church of La Ermita. In the city’s heart, tree-shaded Caldas Park is home to a 17th-century clock tower.

Popayán was the next logical destination on my way south, even though I had doubts I will immediately go south from there. I also had an option going to the Tatacoa Desert next, but refused this idea because that would mean crossing Andes again, and not just once. Going through mountains is a long and tiring task, especially if hitchhiking. Recently I don't even hitch due to how hard it is to do here in Colombia, opting for buses instead. Hours and hours of waiting on the roadside, when nobody stops for you... it gets quite annoying.

However the case, I had a great couch in Popayán, being free to hang around city or relax and read in a hammock on the terrace. In two days there I walked around the white historical part and witnessed a May the 1st religious procession. The city is beautiful, no doubt, but don't get your guard down, danger comes from where you least expect it.

The sun! In areas near the Equator it is strong enough by itself, but with all these stunningly white and shiny buildings all around it gets unbearable. I got caught outside without sunglasses when the sun came out and was practically blinded and unable to keep my eyes open for quite a while, cursing and swearing loudly. So if you happen to visit this place one day, heed my advice - take the sunglasses.

^{Yeah, even the cars are white}

To get this omnipresent whiteness out of your eyes, you can head over to green areas and parks which are also present in Popayán (great places to score some weed or get your ass beaten):

Be mindful of the shady folks hanging out there, so at least try to not look like a weak and tender European type, just begging to be robbed. In my time in Colombia, I've seen the victims more than once and heard about even more. Some guys I know have never even been to a fight, imagine that. No wonder they are getting stripped of all their valuables like ripe fruit trees.

Having finished your business in the park, head over to El Morro del Tulcán, a buried Indian pyramid built approximately between 1600 - 500 BC. Nowadays it's a hill overlooking the city with the statue to Sebastián de Belalcázar (the same Conquistador who founded Cali) and just a popular place to hang out in and witness the sunset.

But what about May the 1st procession I mentioned? It was exactly what you'd expect of a Cristian celebration - a parade through the central streets all the way to the church, people carrying candles, banners and whatnot, while street vendors are making a quick buck on the passing crowds.