The 1958 Ford taxi in which I rode had a very cliché cracked windshield that helped take the mind off the endless creaks and groans its undercarriage emanated. It finalized its long and arduous trek up the single lane mountainous dirt road to deposit me in the hustle of market day in El Aguila, {The Eagle} Valle, Colombia . It was quickly apparent that El Aguila saw little interference from the outside world…in fact at the time of this visit it had received the benefit of electricity only two years prior. I was thrilled to learn that no one could remember a foreigner having visited before giving me the pleasure of a truly National Geographic feeling.
Having acquired this National Geographic feeling I entered the towns sole restaurant for one of my all time favorites….Empanadas e un Bandeja Paisa. Half way through the first bite I saw it there with its pride of place on the wall…..a very old wooden picture frame wrapping itself around a large picture of the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge. No one I spoke with knew where it came from and I entertain the hope that it remains there still, its origin a mystery eternal ..
I learned how to recline on the back of a packed mule while there, draping my legs over the sack of coffee to steer the animals direction with simple touches of my feet upon his neck. And one day, in front of the video camera, I was given a hat and my brother in laws shotgun….a mean looking thing with a 14 inch barrel and cut off butt stock on a sling….for the benefit of the viewers back home.
“ For the benefit of the viewers back home….what If my Mother watches this ? “ ….I thought, concerned that my Mother might view this and be alarmed by its definitely non tourist like appearance. And so I held the little shotgun up and proclaimed to the camera….
“ Its for bird hunting “…….. Mom did in fact view this video and she asked with true innocence…..
“ Oh….you went bird hunting did you ? “
Things change endlessly and everywhere and El Aguila is accessed now by a paved road to the joy of all who live or travel there . Personally……I’m glad I knew it as it was
