The Splendor of Love

Living in Jardin, Colombia was like a dream, hazy and easy. Time slipped away silky smooth like the sand in an hourglass. Hours slid into days which slid into weeks. We slept in, meandered to our favorite cafe where we would drink coffee for hours and got to know each other in a way forgotten by most families. The bright sun would heighten the dazzling scent of the blooming roses that packed the center square as children giggled in the distance. A light warm rain, would come every afternoon sending us, along with the locals, back home.  The rain was fuzzy, not the hard cold drops we know of at home, and it cradled you as you moved about in it. The afternoon would be spent with each of us reading a great book as my husband and son curled up next to next to me. As the evening turned the light a rich gold and the droplets of rain made the emerald green of the mountains become even more vivid, we would head to our favorite cafe once more. Our second daily stop at the cafe would be for wine and people watching as the local vendors set up shop and many gathered for an afterwork libation. On weekends the plaza was gently packed with tourists from Medellin, a Colombian city 4 hours away. During the weekdays, the town was as romantically sleepy as a Gabriel Garcia Marquez story. Surprise events would spring up dazzling us with charm and awe and soon we were recognized by the town as permanent fixtures. Our favorite bistros and waiters greeted us even more friendly than before and knew our order as we walked through the door. The love affair we had with this town was deep and passionate and seeped through our veins like morphine.

Over the time we were in Jardin, we talked about things we may want to do; paragliding again, but over the town itself this time, possible waterfall repelling, the little colonial museum, the tiny box they called a tram that crossed the river, the Los Rochas bird sanctuary and a host of bistros we had to eat at. The problem was, as we oozed into life in this jewel of a town, like a fine wine that slips down your throat, enticing your taste buds, tingling your every sense and wooing you moment by moment, we found it increasingly difficult to motivate.

It took several days of talking about the "tram" to finally will ourselves the few blocks to the odd crate that dangled parlously over the immense gorge and river below.  When we finally did, it was like everything in Colombia, a thrill and unexpectedly delightful. The tiny box swayed as it crossed threatening to drop us to our death, yet offered stunning views of the banana farms. When we finally made our way the couple blocks in the opposite direction of the tram to the bird sanctuary, we were embraced by a lush, dense jungle filled with strange birds; benches built into the trees giving you an unbelievable ability to be in their world. When we finally made it to the boutique that was a scant few steps from our favorite cafe, we found the ultimate in Colombian fashion and showered ourselves in items sure to never be found elsewhere. Each visit clearly well worth the effort to seek these things out.

However, it wasn't until my husband Jess' birthday, toward the end of our trip, that we were able to get to the most exciting of all experiences, our second paragliding adventure. Our love affair with Jardin had been like one of teenagers lusting after each other, but once we saw the town from above, caressed her steep hills and coffee farms in this way, did we truly fall madly in love.

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.VivacWinery.com