Mud Men

After finally recovering Wally and Red Beard, we drove out of Cartagena and hit the open road. First stop–volcanic mud bath. Healing qualities, etc. etc.

We all sort of laughed when we got to the volcano. It was about 2 stories high, with a ladder. We were hot and exhausted, and almost bailed on the whole idea, but Bode was pretty insistent. It sounded good in guidebooks, but looked completely ridiculous in person. Still, it was the best thing we did all week.

The mud was so deep we couldn’t touch the bottom, but even moving was a concerted effort.  It was thick, like pudding, and warm. It was bubbling up in places, making just the sound you would imagine mud coming up from a tiny volcano would make. And it was just plain weird. I can’t tell you how many times the 5 of us said ‘It’s just so weird’.

After standing on a grate and scraping off all the mud we could, we got to walk through the small town and into the lake. There, women met us and scrubbed us clean. They told Jason and Jesse to take off their shorts, but the rest of us they just pulled off our swimsuits and dumped in water. Almost invasive.

We couldn’t make it to our intended destination before dark, so we pulled off the road and found this random place to camp. Lot’s of mosquitoes, but still pretty sweet.

8 thoughts on “Mud Men

  • October 8, 2010 at 6:34 AM
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    that looked like fun

  • October 8, 2010 at 10:51 AM
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    Have been following your travels for a few months now. Extraordinary. You guys are my heroes.

  • October 8, 2010 at 10:58 AM
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    Looks like an awesome way to get rid of waiting room stress 🙂

    Nice sunset pic btw.

  • October 8, 2010 at 12:19 PM
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    just like calistoga yet so different at the same time = )

  • October 8, 2010 at 12:37 PM
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    Hi folks;
    That mud bath reminds me of some Mud People we see at the Oregon Country Fair…http://www.oregoncountryfair.org/. LOL!
    Fun stuff that mud!

    Great sunset pic…again.
    Glad to see you’ve made it into S. America.

    BTW, We are heading down to your original stomping grounds…the S.F. Bay Area, and Santa Cruz, tomorrow, for a weeks vacation in the van…not your epic journey, but a journey none the less.
    and ..Go Giants! they made the playoffs!

    happy trails,
    Jim

  • October 8, 2010 at 5:12 PM
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    So, what did you do today? Oh, not much. Just went swimming in a volcano.

  • October 8, 2010 at 9:03 PM
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    This is the most awesome family pict I have ever seen… Way to go Bode for insisting on good stuff. Way, way way to go Bode for keeping your cool during those last few days.

    May the road be smooth from now on (at least for a week…)

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