Barichara

Riding out the back way from Villa de Levya the road was variably unpaved (but great gravel), paved, and paved at one time. The later being the worst due to the potholes. We had another EPIC days ride thru the mountains to reach the town of Barichara.

There are several picturesque towns on the way and we stopped in one for lunch. Yes I know actual stopping AND eating, we must have learned something from part 1 of the trip. We had a fresh blackberry smoothie, 3 empanadas of egg and cheese, and strawberries and cream 7,000p or $3.70 USD. See I told you I am going to start looking like the painting.

This place is so cute and clean it looks like a movie set. Walking along the ridge you can see the lush valley below from the Mirador. Again this town is so tidy.

The graveyard here is really colorful, I have a thing for cool looking cemeteries.

There is the large Cathedral here and several smaller churches. The ones on the hillside all have very sloped floors.

The entire town is flagstone streets and adobe packed earth houses with white washed walls and red tile roofs.

There are very few cars here, but there are a couple of Tuk Tuks to get the locals up the steep streets.

The next day we went out on Dan’s bike two up for some off roading.

The Barichara-Guane Road heads south and then you turn east at the “Hotel Danny” sign for about 25 kn down the mountain side on switchbacks to the valley floor and then up the other side to Galan before you see the “hotel”.

There is a nice stone church here in this sleepy mountain town. To keep you cool for the long Catholic service the breeze blows thru the walls.

Next we headed farther up the road to the next small village of La Fuente. Here we stopped for a coke and a chat with Horatio who at 60 has 11 kids 5 grandkids 2 great grandkids, and 1 great grand kid.

Riding another 24 km down the road we arrived at Zaptoca.

Here we headed out of town or so we thought according to the GPS. We ended up on “ roads” in the pineapple plantation that after 30 min ended where a house blocking further passage. At 430 we decided to retreat and again followed the GPS to Mesa Los Santos, where there is a road, but by then at 530 we decided not to risk going down a dirt track at 530. So another 100 km back track got us home at 730 in the rain and dark exhausted. Daniel did describe the switchback here as THE MOST EPIC RIDE EVER!

After that huge day we decided to stay and rest in Barichara. We walked the Camino de Guane for a bit and then visited the Park of the arts with its water sculptures, and the small church at the top of the hill. And yes finished the day of with an icecream.