A shout-out to Sutamarchán

@wwaycorrigan

[For a vlog version of this blog, click here.]

'El mejor clima del mundo.' So runs the slogan on a sign welcoming visitors and passers-by to the town of Sutamarchán, in Colombia's Boyacá department.

Sutamarchán: Its climate is nice, but the best in the world? That's debatable.

It's quite a claim, especially considering the nearby Tinjacá states that it has 'El mejor clima del país.' That is, for those not familiar with the lingo, the latter says it has the best climate — or weather — in the country, the former the best climate in the world. One of them is being economical with the truth. Or maybe, heaven forbid, both are.

Arid amicability

Questionable, subjective claims aside, I for one did find Sutamarchán's weather more than agreeable during my 48-hour stay there.

As a sun worshipper, the blue skies with mid-20 degrees Celsius highs that lasted until mid-afternoon was well received. That it clouded over towards evening was not only not a big deal, but it was also probably salutary for me. I have a tendency to overdo it in the sun, so its disappearance was no doubt welcomed by my reddened skin.

While the temperature appeared to dip by at least 10 degrees Celsius with night setting in, the thunderstorms that rattled all around didn't unleash their fury on the town itself. Apparently, this is standard — Sutamarchán gets little rain.

Dry land.

This is, after all, a desert land of sorts. Its climate is described as dry and warm. It is said to benefit — a benefit for heat-lovers, that is — from a positive temperature anomaly. In other words, for its location and altitude, just over 1,800 masl, top daytime temperatures should be a little cooler compared to similar places.

This results in quite arid land, particularly to the town's north, south and east.

'Water-lacking wells aside, the walk there is pleasant with the return via the hills offering nice views of both Sutamarchán and Tinjacá.'

It hasn't, however, discouraged the municipality's inhabitants from getting involved in agriculture and horticulture. With the help of irrigation systems — places nearby do get more than enough rain throughout the year — and ubiquitous polytunnels, the locals appear to be making loot from the land. How much loot exactly, I don't know, but polytunnels are certainly popular.

It's important to note here that tomatoes are one of the main crops grown in these polytunnels. Why do I say this is important? Well, Sutamarchán has a La Tomatina festival every June, a copycat of the original held in Buñol, Spain.

A good friend tells me La Tomatina is, and I quote, 'one of the best festivals in Colombia.' While I've never been, I'm not convinced. Having random people throwing over-ripe tomatoes at me all day doesn't sound like a great laugh to me. I wasn't exactly enamoured with Mocoa's Blanco y Negro festival, where instead of tomatoes one gets covered in flour, foam and paint.

Longing for longaniza

Such wanton waste aside, a tomato would make a nice accompaniment — barbequed, fried or grilled — with Sutamarchán's celebrated savoury snack, longaniza. It's a pork sausage effectively, but one of the country's tastier versions. (Considering the standard of traditional Colombian sausages, such as the meat-light, rice-heavy morcilla, this isn't exactly a ringing endorsement. Nonetheless, the meaty-ish longaniza I had was decent.)*

Ximena with her lengths of longaniza. 

Pleasantly surprisingly, the town is well-stocked with litre bottles of Poker beer. Not only are they in abundance, but a little tienda on the main square sells them at Bavaria's suggested price, currently 4,000 pesos. Quite a rarity that.

And a further drinking "delight" is that a number of establishments offer flavoursome, unsweetened coffee. We're getting close to Wrong Way perfection here!

These refreshment essentials are particularly satisfying after wandering around the arid hills on a hot, sunny day.

On that wandering front, I saw Pozos Azules, 'Blue Wells', on Google Maps, so with something to aim for I headed for them, about five kilometres to the south of the town.

Alas, without much water, there wasn't anything that special about these wells. A farmer herding cattle and goats told me that when it rains there's a bit more colour and life about them. I've no reason to doubt her.

Water-lacking wells aside, the walk there is pleasant — read mercifully devoid of deranged dogs here — with the return via the hills offering nice views of both Sutamarchán and Tinjacá. I also found a quiet spot to do some sunbathing which led to the aforementioned reddened skin. It'll go brown with time, honestly.

So while Sutamarchán's world climate claim is debatable, it could certainly market itself as one of the best small towns in Colombia. Now that is something to shout about.

Notes:
*I bought my raw longaniza to bring back to Bogotá at the newly-opened butchers/carnicería on Calle 5 with Carrera 3, one street up from the main square. At 15,000 pesos per pound, it's the best value you'll get, so I found anyway. And Ximena is a delightful attendant.

As for accommodation, the well-kept Hotel/Hospedaje Oasis has comfortable en suite rooms for 30,000 pesos per night. Yes, I've paid less in other towns but Sutamarchán is next to the tourist hotspot that is Villa de Leyva, so the townsfolk could be excused for trying to cash in on this proximity.
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The care necessities: Dealing with old age

@wwaycorrigan

[Listen to an audio version of this blog entry here.]

For most of us, although tragically not all, dealing with the death of our parents is as unavoidable as our own death.

How we care for our elderly is set to become an even greater issue in the years ahead. (Image from Pexels.)

Same body, different mind

While the actual passing of a mother and/or a father is, I can only imagine at this stage, tough to shoulder, what can be just as difficult is seeing those who reared us deteriorate in health before they breathe their last.

This deterioration, of course, is both physical and mental. On the former, it can be quite a shock to see elderly parents after a protracted period of time, noticing how frailer and slower they've become.

Yet, it is mental loss that is arguably more difficult to come to terms with. This is not to make little of physical decline. If assistance is needed for minor everyday tasks — getting in and out of bed, personal hygiene and suchlike — not only is this sad to see but it requires an amount of time-consuming, potentially costly care and logistics.

However, when the mental degeneration is more than just standard senility, it can be harder to cope with and manage. I mean this in terms of actual interaction with the sufferer. And I'm referring to dementia in its various forms.

'The hope is that we can be as active and "with it" as close to our death as possible.'

We may understand in theory that there's a disease afflicting the mind of our loved one but seeing it played out for real on a regular basis can be taxing and troubling. It can test our own mental strength, our patience.

By all accounts, it's like interacting with a completely different person, a stranger. Yes, it's the body of the one you knew, you loved, you quarrelled with, but the behaviours and utterances are alien. It can break the strongest of bonds.

So it's not surprising that many families prefer to send a loved one with dementia to a care home, even if this is against the wishes of the sufferer and there are sufficient siblings to "burden share". 

While the mental decline is severe, he/she may be in good physical shape. Thus, living with the condition could go on for years.

Describing such a person as a 'burden' might sound heartless but the reality is, in most instances, pretty much that.

Going down with dignity

Coming up to my 38th birthday, I feel that if this debilitating dementia were to be my lot — it is on the maternal side of my family — I'd like to be able to end my existence as soon as it started becoming problematic and my being offered no positive contribution to society (I am contributing positively right now, aren't I?). Of course, it's one thing saying this now, quite another if and when such a scenario arises.

On a broader level, caring for our elderly when such care is required is something that is going to increase in scale across the world in the coming decades.

The hope is that we can be as active and "with it" as close to our death as possible.

For me and my peers, we should already be working towards that aim. 

Yes, there are still many unknowns as to the best way to get there, but we have plenty of pointers to at least be on a more beneficial path.
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A Pauna cracker: Somewhat satisfying and not too dry

@wwaycorrigan

[For a YouTube version of this blog entry, click here.]

After having visited over 50 of Colombia's Andean towns, in particular in the Boyacá, Cundinamarca and Santander departments, I do feel I'm in a strong position to evaluate the region.

Pauna has its plus points. 

Yes, I'm well aware that what's important for me may not be too critical for another. Then there's the fact that I'm quite the minimalist and have rather modest wants when I explore a new place.

Distant beauty

Those looking for close-to-high-income-nation standards in terms of accommodation, food and general tourism infrastructure will be disappointed in the vast majority of Andean towns. 

The exceptions are the likes of Barichara, Girardot, San Gil and Villa de Leyva, places with a now-established reputation, having been popular with international tourists for years.

Most other towns are either only beginning to discover their tourism potential or remain seemingly indifferent to it.

That pretty much every one of them, no matter how small, has some sort of accommodation available for visitors usually has less to do with tourism and more to do with business e.g. emerald mining or some major construction project that had/has been going on for years. Indeed, from my travels, only Saboyá fails on the hotel front.

Nonetheless, if it's simply just a bit of bucolic bliss in a majestic mountain setting you're after and you're not terribly fussy, then a case could be made for any Andean town. Even more so if you like to wander around hilly countryside without the need for a guide.

Those looking for warmer climes — warmer than Bogotá that is — should seek out places below an altitude of 2,000 metres. It's generally short sleeves with shorts day and night, all year round, in such places, save for the need to cover up from tropical downpours.

The Boyacá town of Pauna, at 1,215 masl, firmly fits into that category. With an unusually dull and rainy early January in Bogotá, the feeling that I was being unfairly denied some sun sent me in Pauna's direction. Well, that and the fact that the brothers who own my preferred panadería "office" are from there, so on hearing this, I thought it would be as good as any place for an unplanned escape.

Briceño's beauty is a little more obvious than Pauna's.

Weather-wise, it wasn't quite the sun-drenched spot I was hoping for — the whole Andean region is enduring a protracted rainy season. It was, though, still quite warm, with afternoon highs around 25 degrees Celsius.

The main tourist attractions appear to be the various swimming pool "resorts" on the town's outskirts. Seeing as how my visit coincided with high season, I gave these pools a wide berth. Surrounded by screaming, water-splashing children together with tipsy adults blaring out music is not my idea of relaxation.

'In a land of plenty when it comes to tourist attractions and natural beauty, a place does have to offer something different to entice potential visitors.'

Architecturally, Pauna has little going for it. Its main square and church certainly won't win awards for beauty. In contrast, in nearby, smaller Briceño, 12 kilometres away via undulating, largely dirt-track, traffic-free roads — yes, I did walk there and back — the main square and church are quite picturesque.

Cascada la Tunera: Click here to get a better idea of it.

Pauna's prettiest side is from a high. There are a few hilltops around from which to view it, although the best one is from a private residence that's used as a holiday home. Thankfully its temporary occupiers allowed me in for the obligatory photo and a YouTube Shorts video. Cheers, Horacio! The two Aguila beers he gifted me were also well received.

Pauna's people power

The biggest draw for nature lovers is surely Cascada la Tunera. This impressive, somewhat hidden waterfall — it can be heard well before it's seen — is about five kilometres from the town. An internet search tells me that the fall is about 50 metres — I would have said more.

There's also a far gentler tributary waterfall next to it that is quite alluring thanks to the golden-brown soil over which it flows.

Back in Pauna, another area where it won't be winning awards is for its coffee. Yes, this is a coffee-growing region but the townsfolk don't make a good brew. Unsweetened, strong coffee is hard to find. There is an exception, though. Páramo, the fancy ice cream shop on the main square, makes a panela/sugar-free, tasty tinto for an agreeable 1,500 pesos.

Alluring: The golden-brown soil over which this waterfall flows seems to sparkle.

Coffee concerns assuaged, with all the wandering I did, it would have been nice to refresh with my preferred Poker beer offering i.e. a litre bottle. Or at least the 750 ml serving. 

Alas, similar to some other small towns I've visited, only the 330 ml bottles are available at 2,500 pesos a pop (in my Bogotá barrio, one can still get a litre bottle for 4,000 pesos). On the plus side, sticking to my not-too-strict beer budget, it meant my alcohol consumption was kept in check.

Considering there are easier towns to reach from Bogotá — Pauna is over a 160 km drive away and the windy road after Chiquinquirá is, well, rustic to put it mildly — it's unlikely to attract the masses.

Having said that, my trip coincided with an annual five-a-side football tournament. With a not-to-be-sniffed-at winners' prize of 12 million pesos, the competition attracts teams from far and wide. Thus, the town was heaving for my last couple of days there.

In a land of plenty when it comes to tourist attractions and natural beauty, a place does have to offer something different to entice potential visitors. So credit to Pauna on the football fest.

It gets less credit for its slogan of being the 'green gate to Colombia'. No doubt many other municipalities would contest that one.

For me, alongside the setting, Pauna's big pull factor is its people.

*Accommodation info:
Hospedaje El Mirador has quite spacious, bright rooms available for 25,000 pesos per person with good WiFi.
I also had a night at Hospedaje Doña Evita for 30,000 pesos (this was forced on me as El Mirador was booked out for the football tournament and I had no reservation). Doña Evita, ran by an affable elderly couple, is more like a house than a hostel/hotel. No WiFi is a drawback, though.
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Finding that savoury spot between feasting and fasting

@wwaycorrigan
[Listen to an audio version of this blog entry here.]

'I came out of McDonald's the other day with two Quarter Pounders, a Big Mac, a chicken burger and three large portions of chips (or fries, if you will). A homeless guy sitting on the street mumbled to me, "Please sir, I haven't eaten in three days." My reply: "I admire your willpower."'

Some of you may have heard that one or a version of it before.

Eating foods as close to their natural state as possible can work wonders for our health. 

Fast life

It's a sign of the times that such a "joke" would be deemed offensive now, on all sides. That is, people would take umbrage at mocking a starving individual while there would also be outrage at making light of somebody who overeats. It's an addition after all, not a lifestyle choice. Poor victims.

Remember the not-too-distant past when we didn't focus on the potential offensive elements of every utterance? They are fading fast from memory.

In any case, there is plenty to suggest that humanity would be in a healthier state if we matched more so the homeless man on the forced fast (for starters, check out Dr Pradip Jamnadas at https://youtu.be/Yg6UhhV_K1s).

OK, when it comes to dieting and one's overall health and well-being, what's hot and what's not seem to be constantly changing. One week a study suggests a particular food works wonders, the next week we're told the opposite. It can get a bit confusing.

Nonetheless, I do place trust in robust, stress-tested science (not the just-get-jabbed-and-wear-a-facemask' #Science™. On top of that, the medical experts who extol the virtues of fasting aren't trying to sell a product or asking us to invest our hard-earned money in some new device or way of life.

It's the opposite, actually. By incorporating regular fasting into our lives we'd eat less and potentially save money.

I'm not going to go into all the apparent beneficial biological processes at play when one fasts, Dr Pradip Jamnadas' video referenced above does that in detail.

What I will say is that the approach endorsed by Dr Jamnadas and many others is something that I'd naturally been drifting towards — and feeling better for it. It's just more reassuring to hear respected doctors and scientists not only talk up its virtues but also explain the science behind it. I'm usually wary of those who instantly opt for the pharmaceutical "solution" for all ailments.

'What helps me to focus on eating less but eating well when I do is the idea that I'm not succumbing to the marketing of addictive products.'

While some people in high-income nations may be experiencing a cost-of-living crisis — it's all relative — almost always there's a fast feast available. And this is normally one of poor nutritional quality i.e. highly processed and starchy-carbohydrate heavy.

Alongside that, many are still stuck in the three-meals-a-day mindset. Even if these meals were of optimum nutritional value, they most likely equate to excessive consumption for the majority.

What should be kept in mind is that the most important meal of the day is the next one you eat. So what that consists of is key (this video by Dr Sten Ekberg is one useful guide https://youtu.be/F7gDIshc-S0).

Do note, there is evidence to suggest that eating first thing in the morning is not best practice. In layman's terms, allowing your body an hour or two — or more — to "warm up" before consuming a meal is more beneficial. It's also not usually a good idea to eat just before sleeping.

Food junkies

Now, I must admit that when I listen to these experts who endorse regular fasting, I do wonder if an extremely active person can get the same benefits — cell regeneration and suchlike — more quickly. 

My thinking is that such types burn off what they consume at a quicker rate than somebody with a more sedentary lifestyle. Thus, fasting bonuses might kick in earlier. Dr Jamnadas, let us know your thoughts!

Whatever the case, I have been doing my best to reduce my eating window. I try to regularly have a 14- to 18-hour gap between ingesting food. And as mentioned earlier, I feel better for it, whether that's a placebo effect more than anything else.

I am not, though, obsessive about dietary matters. I also have weak points, which I've documented before. Although, my "BBC" addiction is nothing like that hedonistic period in 2020 when I was eating up to six mogolla chicharronas per day. Goodness! I was turning into the bread with pork fat I was scoffing.

What helps me to focus on eating less but eating well when I do is the idea that I'm not succumbing to the marketing of addictive products. And this drug pushing doesn't just come from food and beverage companies. Even governments, naively well-meaning perhaps, often endorse nonsensical nutritional advice (have you had your five-a-day yet?).

Financially difficult times and perpetual poverty spots notwithstanding, we are in an age of abundance: an abundance of relatively cheap food available at the touch of a button but also an abundance of knowledge as to what a lot of this "convenience" food does to our bodies.

Unfortunately, coupled with this age of abundance is a society well versed in its rights but very often lacking when it comes to accepting its responsibilities. Behave recklessly, fail to take care of yourself, then expect society to come up with the solutions, at a cost to us all.

The result is greater government control. A caring nanny state is just a perceived apocalyptic threat away from a wicked witch state. We've had plenty of evidence of this lately.

Thankfully, though, we still — for the most part — have control over what we put into our bodies. The eat-well-but-less-often approach may help us to keep this control for a little longer, on both the individual and societal levels.

Think fast, folks!
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