South America and back on a 250 Super Sherpa Minimalist Adventure

[JDowns]

I woke up late this morning and looked out off the balcony here at:

N 7º 06.458'
W 73º 07.108'

at puffy white clouds drifting by and thought about leaving Bucaramanga. But in the end I just relaxed all day watching the world go by. I really like Bucaramanga. Not sure why. It has the cosmopolitan flair of a smaller Medellin East. After being above 8000 feet for the last while it was really nice to just hang out on the balcony here at 3300 feet, charge up my solar batteries along with the batteries in the camera and laptop, and watch the world go by. Sunny weather in the 70's is a nice change of pace after the Tres Cordilleras where it was in the 40s or 50s in the upper elevations. Don't let anyone talk you out of bringing warm weather gear to South America if you plan to ride the high mountain passes.

When you're on a multi-month trip with no destination, sometimes it's nice to kick back and relax for a day and do nothing. I've been doing a lot of that lately. Nothing wrong with that.

You see so much on these road trips. I think sometimes you need to stop and let it all sink in. So far Colombia has proven to be such a diverse country. It's almost like several countries in one. From the tropical hot mostly black ethnic port of Turbo, to the mostly hispanic hustle and bustle of beautiful springlike Medellin and Bucaramanga, to the 50/50 indigenous/hispanic villages up in the mountains near Venezuela. I could travel around this country for months.

Some Spanish words used in Colombia that vary from northern Latin countries:

Instead of Alto for stop, they use the word Pare (PAH-ray).

Regular gas is called corriente (core-ee-EN-tay).

Plato tipico is called plato corriente (PLAH-toh core-ee-EN-tay) for the regular dish of the day.

money is referred to as plata instead of dinero. This actually started in Panama.

tinto (TEEN-toe) is black coffee.

Perico (pear-EE-co) is cafe con leche or coffee with milk.

The Spanish dialect in Colombia varies from the coast to the cities to the mountains. As does everything else.

more later….

[trespalacios]

If you just say "toche" at the end of a phrase you'll sound like a real local in that area

Originally Posted by JDowns

I woke up late this morning and looked out off the balcony here at:

N 7º 06.458'
W 73º 07.108'

at puffy white clouds drifting by and thought about leaving Bucaramanga. But in the end I just relaxed all day watching the world go by. I really like Bucaramanga. Not sure why. It has the cosmopolitan flair of a smaller Medellin East. After being above 8000 feet for the last while it was really nice to just hang out on the balcony here at 3300 feet, charge up my solar batteries along with the batteries in the camera and laptop, and watch the world go by. Sunny weather in the 70's is a nice change of pace after the Tres Cordilleras where it was in the 40s or 50s in the upper elevations. Don't let anyone talk you out of bringing warm weather gear to South America if you plan to ride the high mountain passes.

When you're on a multi-month trip with no destination, sometimes it's nice to kick back and relax for a day and do nothing. I've been doing a lot of that lately. Nothing wrong with that.

You see so much on these road trips. I think sometimes you need to stop and let it all sink in. So far Colombia has proven to be such a diverse country. It's almost like several countries in one. From the tropical hot mostly black ethnic port of Turbo, to the mostly hispanic hustle and bustle of beautiful springlike Medellin and Bucaramanga, to the 50/50 indigenous/hispanic villages up in the mountains near Venezuela. I could travel around this country for months.

Some Spanish words used in Colombia that vary from northern Latin countries:

Instead of Alto for stop, they use the word Pare (PAH-ray).

Regular gas is called corriente (core-ee-EN-tay).

Plato tipico is called plato corriente (PLAH-toh core-ee-EN-tay) for the regular dish of the day.

money is referred to as plata instead of dinero. This actually started in Panama.

tinto (TEEN-toe) is black coffee.

Perico (pear-EE-co) is cafe con leche or coffee with milk.

The Spanish dialect in Colombia varies from the coast to the cities to the mountains. As does everything else.

more later….

[JDowns]

Originally Posted by trespalacios

If you just say "toche" at the end of a phrase you'll sound like a real local in that area

I had to do a google search to find out what this is used for coloquially in the Cucuta area:

http://www.cucutanuestra.com/temas/africano/toche.htm

looks like according to #11 it can be synonymous with pendejo.

First you want me to try the aphrodisiac big butt ants and now you think I should add asshole to the end of my sentences.

I am hereby making you chief executive officer in charge of Colombia here at the Zombie Apocalypse Travel Agency.

Saludos,
Juan Pendejo Toche

[trespalacios]

It actually means sooo many things... It's like a wild card word, sometimes like new yorkers (especially the italian ones) use the word f*ck, or southerners use the word damn or some others use the word shit. The guy in the website actually starts off by saying that in Cucuta the word toche is actually used even to take a leak...

Originally Posted by JDowns

I had to do a google search to find out what this is used for coloquially in the Cucuta area:

http://www.cucutanuestra.com/temas/africano/toche.htm

looks like according to #11 it can be synonymous with pendejo.

First you want me to try the aphrodisiac big butt ants and now you think I should add asshole to the end of my sentences.

I am hereby making you chief executive officer in charge of Colombia here at the Zombie Apocalypse Travel Agency.

Saludos,
Juan Pendejo Toche

[ONandOFF]

Originally Posted by trespalacios

It actually means sooo many things... It's like a wild card word, sometimes like new yorkers (especially the italian ones) use the word f*ck, or southerners use the word damn or some others use the word shit. The guy in the website actually starts off by saying that in Cucuta the word toche is actually used even to take a leak...

Coño!

[Lycan1]

Originally Posted by ONandOFF

Coño!

I won't be able to watch Hawaii 5-O without laughing now. Had to look that one up, my Spanish book had not gotten that far yet.

http://daniielcorey.files.wordpress....kono.jpg?w=470

[JDowns]

My big mission today was getting a haircut. Here is my barber:



Washed my hair, gave me a shoulder massage. She told me I was guano, I mean guapo (handsome). I love Colombian women.

Came back to the hotel and found this guy:



Gaetan is from Quebec and has come down and rented an F800 from Motolombia for two weeks to see the sights in Colombia. Had fun this evening going out on the town for dinner. I had arroz oriental (fried rice) and Gaetan had what looked like dog. I tried it and it tasted sort of like beef, but the ribs were so small it looked suspect. I couldn't finish my meal it was so big, so let Gaetan finish it. He is a growing boy and can't live by dog alone, or whatever that mystery meat was.

Gaetan has been lurking on ADVrider and had read my ride report. He came in today from La Violeta hospedaje in Suscaron. So we had plenty to talk about.

Hasta Mañana mis amigos de aventura,
Juan Amante de Cuño
johnthomasdowns.blogspot.com

[Adv Grifter]

Originally Posted by JDowns

When you're on a multi-month trip with no destination, sometimes it's nice to kick back and relax for a day and do nothing. I've been doing a lot of that lately. Nothing wrong with that.

It's a rare thing to find a "real" traveler like yourself John. In my 7 years wandering Latin America I did things similar. I'd take breaks in places I considered little Garden's of Eden and spend time. Being on the road is tough, frequent breaks are good. So many blast through ... in fact about 90% of reports on ADV are that way.

Great work on the ever changing Spanish terms. I first noticed it with fruit and vegetables and vulgarisms. These terms change several times from Mex. to Argentina.

Originally Posted by JDowns

Instead of Alto for stop, they use the word
Pare (PAH-ray).

I remember Pare being used in parts of Cent. America. (I lived in Guatemala for two years)

Regular gas is called corriente (core-ee-EN-tay).

Plato tipico is called plato corriente (PLAH-toh core-ee-EN-tay) for the regular dish of the day.

I've also seen: Comida Corriente, plato del dia, comida corrida.

money is referred to as plata instead of dinero. This actually started in Panama.
And you know CASH is "effectivo"? Good to know when dealing with banks
or money changers.

tinto (TEEN-toe) is black coffee.
In Argentina Tinto is red wine. Coffee is just Cafe ... but that means Espresso. (or Cafecito) Cappucino is "Cafe Cortado" (literally, Cut Coffee)

Perico (pear-EE-co) is cafe con leche or coffee with milk.
In parts of Mexico "perico" is code for Cocaina or speed. (sing like a bird)

The Spanish dialect in Colombia varies from the coast to the cities to the mountains. As does everything else.

Spanish experts claim educated Colombians speak the purest Spanish outside of Spain .. and the best in Latin America. I agree. Mexico City residents also speak a very good Spanish ... but Mexico is so big ... once outside of D.F accents go crazy. Learning slang, colloquial and idiomatic phrases takes time and close listening. Mexico is loaded with them ... and Argentina is hilarious as well and I'm sure Colombia has their own jewels.

Also note the various slang expressions for "copulate". Pisar (verb, to step down or step on) is an interesting one. Chingar is, I believe, uniquely Mexican. Portenos have a million of them as well, one is Fifar.

A bus in Cuba is a Wa Wa. A Wa Wa in much of Latin America is a Baby.
Some really funny mix ups can happen from time to time.

[ONandOFF]

Originally Posted by ONandOFF

Coño!

Originally Posted by Lycan1

I won't be able to watch Hawaii 5-O without laughing now. Had to look that one up, my Spanish book had not gotten that far yet. ...

Here is a valuable Spanish lesson... Cubano

[Cousteau]

Juanito,

I'm still following along and taking copious notes as I head out in April... So jus a few months to go.

You may want to check out http://www.tubabel.com ... This a website a friend of mine setup that captures all the slang of the Spanish speaking countries. It's great fun and can be part of your Spanish lessons.

Safe travels my friend.

Cheers,

David
Cousteau@ADV

[JDowns]

Originally Posted by Cousteau

Juanito,

I'm still following along and taking copious notes as I head out in April... So jus a few months to go.

You may want to check out http://www.tubabel.com ... This a website a friend of mine setup that captures all the slang of the Spanish speaking countries. It's great fun and can be part of your Spanish lessons.

Safe travels my friend.

Cheers,

David
Cousteau@ADV

Hola Dahveed,

Great link! Thanks. It looks like Colombia is tops for slang submissions. That site will keep me busy.

Muchas gracias amigo,
Juan Largado

[GRinCR]

Love laguage! I once had a friend of mine running around Tamarindo telling everyone he was "caliente". It did work our well for him a time or two, but man was it funny when it didn't. I told him on the plane home what it translates to for the local crowd .

Still my fave: Buenos Nachos in place of noches. Always good for a smile from the tough ones to crack.

More please

[JDowns]

Originally Posted by ONandOFF

Here is a valuable Spanish lesson... Cubano

Hi ONandOFF,

Thanks for the link. Pretty funny. Had me laughing.

Juan Como Mierda

[nimrod]

¿Que frijole cabrito? - How you bean kid?

[JDowns]

Originally Posted by nimrod

¿Que frijole cabrito? - How you bean kid?

Hola Nimrod,

I bean good. Just got into Cartagena after riding all over the place. 500 miles of high speed wandering.

Saludos,
Juan Viajero