Visiting Joe in Buga (It's a real place)

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Around Valentine's day, I decided to take a weekend jaunt to visit my friend Joe, who I have mentioned in previous posts. Joe is a fellow American traveling long term in Colombia and who finally set up camp in the city of Buga (located close to Cali in the Valle de Cauca). We had kept in touch since October via Facebook, and when he told me that Buga would be his last stop before leaving Colombia for good, I knew I had to see him one last time. Even though it was the middle of the semester and there were no flights, I went for it! I jumped on a night bus for 8.5 hours and woke up early in the morning in Buga! The wave of warm air that met me as I stepped off the bus was a welcome change from the cooler temperatures of Bogota!

I took a cab to where Joe was renting a room...inside the Holy Water Ale Brewery! Joe had met the German owner of the brewery, Stefan, and enjoyed many a locally brewed beer before discovering there was an available room to rent inside the brewery/home. Stefan and Clint, a business partner from Washington, very kindly allowed me to crash with Joe.

Soon after eating breakfast, Joe and I went on our first adventure. We met up with his Dutch friend, and the three of us headed for the hills for a day hike. We wandered up through the trails towards a small pond reserve, where we chilled and enjoyed the views. I had to ask Joe, who was doing hikes like this on the daily, to slow down several times for me! I really loved being out in nature again and we had a great time. I was exhausted by the time we made it down, and I had to take a 2 hour nap to get ready for the evening's festivities!

Once I was refreshed, Stefan gave me (and two other tourists) a tour of the brewery. I was really impressed with the varieties of beer he had made and how his small business had grown since 2011. I can't express how nice it was to drink a Ginger Honey Ale, a Summer Ale, and a Hefeweizen. Here are two photos of Stefan showing us his set-up and an assortment of bottled beer!




Because it was Joe's last weekend, the guys decided to organize a "schwenker," a German form of cooking BBQ. Honestly...it was so cool and I really want a yard later in life to have my own! A schwenker is a circular grill suspended from a teepee. Rather that sitting stationary over the fire pit, the grill master will occasionally push the schwenker so that it swings above the grill. The result is savory, slow-cooked meat! Joe and I were so excited about the prospect that we had marinated some chicken and beef earlier that day. I was so happy with how it turned out on the grill! Stefan, Clint, and other guests provided more meat, fish, and vegetables and everyone sat around the campfire like a bonfire, watching the mesmerizing swing and sipping on Holy Water Ale into the night. Once the party died down, Joe, the Dutchman and I went to the Holy Water Ale Cafe for a few more brews and to meet one of Joe's friends. Contrary to my normal infinite ability to party into the night, I decided to go home at 1am and left Joe to his friends.

A video posted by Kathleen Sheridan (@kasheridan01) on



I woke early the next morning and wandered into the backyard. Shaded by trees and with plenty of birds chirping, I was content to sit in a lawn chair, drink coffee and read my book until Joe woke up. I felt like I was in a different world and was utterly relaxed. A great reminder to get out of town on occasion! Once Joe was awake, we had breakfast and then decided to maximize the warm, sunny day by going to a nearby hotel's pool with the Dutchman. More reading, napping, and swimming commenced until it was time to grab dinner. The Dutchman made a lovely pasta for us and then it was time for me to head to Cali, where I would catch a flight back to Bogota.

This is where it gets interesting. In my blissful state, I didn't think about the advanatages of buying a bus ticket earlier in the day. I also forgot that it was Sunday night and that, surprisingly, Buga is somewhat of a tourist town because of a nearby "miracle" church that many people visit each day. Yep...there were no more busses for Cali! I had a mild panic attack since I had class the next morning at 7am, but after frantically calling Joe for help and getting advice from Stefan, I struck out for the edge of town and waited for busses to pass by on the highway. Truly a real Colombian experience! It seems so strange, and I would never do the like in the US, but it is a common practice in Colombia to flag down a bus from any point along the highway! Luckily, I got on a bus and made it to the airport just in time. Another good reminder to plan a FEW things in advance... :)

I was sad to say goodbye to Joe, but happy that his adventures would continue in the United States and then in Europe. Making friends like Joe is one of my favorite things about living abroad. You may not see each other very often, but there is always a random chance to meet up for a beer, a schwenker, and a story.

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