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ADENTRO
U n a
t r a v e s a
d e
A n g l o G o l d
A s h a n t i
intheWATER
A Journey by AngloGold Ashanti
AGUAS
ADENTRO
U n a
t r a v e s a
d e
A n g l o G o l d
A s h a n t i
intheWATER
A Journey by AngloGold Ashanti
AGUAS
ADENTRO
U n a
t r a v e s a
d e
A n g l o G o l d
A s h a n t i
intheWATER
A Journey by AngloGold Ashanti
Adriana Rodrguez C. |
Ivn Malaver |
Camilo A. Parra P. |
Gatos Gemelos Comunicacin |
ISBN 978-958-98753-2-2
Copyright 2011 AngloGold Ashanti Colombia
Todos los derechos reservados de autor - editor.
No puede ser reproducida parte alguna de este libro
sin autorizacin del editor.
Primera edicin, diciembre de 2011
direccin editorial
| editorial direction
| photography
direccin de arte
| art direction
diseo y diagramacin
color
| layout
| color
correccin de textos
supervisin general
| copy editing
| general supervision
ceo
vp ejecutivo amricas
vp proyectos
| executive vp americas
| vp projects
presidente
| president
| corporate affairs vp
| financial director
| exploration director
contenido
contents
20
Paisajes | Landscapes
72
128
Labores | Work
Ldicas | Recreation
10 | 11
prlogo
rafael herz
presidente
debate mundial. Muchos han dicho que hay una crisis por un uso
las Naciones Unidas han reconocido que los Objetivos del Mileno, en
energa.
Los compromisos que han adquirido los pases en esa materia implican
operaciones.
la calidad del agua y las necesidades de todos los que usan este recurso.
y uso eficiente.
Prologue
rafael herz
president
contamination of water sources and some others its scarcity. But the
issue goes beyond this: The United Nations has recognized that the
Colombia know as being vital for society, the environment and the
economy.
significant.
The commitments that the countries have made on this matter involve
be avoided, to compensate for them. This means that the quality and
quantity of water resources for domestic and agricultural uses will not
from the community, and building a public policy that ensures its
of water and the needs of all those who use this resource.
This book titled Aguas Adentro (In the Water) is a tribute to this vital
we have proved this through each of our actions from the time when
resource. We are pleased and proud to give this recognition and make
12 | 13
introduccin
ABRAHAM KORMAN
vicepresidente de sostenibilidad
ambiental y seguridad industrial
industrial.
infraestructura y viviendas.
es de 4,5%.
en la agricultura y la minera.
servidas.
introduction
ABRAHAM KORMAN
environmental sustainability
and industrial safety Vicepresident
agricultural use.
approximately 4.5%.
mining.
without fainting.
14 | 15
prefacio
Ramiro Santa
Vicepresidente de Asuntos Corporativos
proveedores.
preface
Ramiro Santa
corporate affairs Vicepresident
measurable standards.
creates life.
suppliers.
people.
16 | 17
Paisajes
Brota, fluye, salta, cae, corre, crece, serpentea y se funde. A su paso el agua
crea entornos, contornos, caminos, cartografas plenas de historia.
Ser de agua
Magdalena. Por l y sus barcos de vapor entr una buena parte del
hdrica.
que brote pura el agua que luego va a nutrir las diferentes cuencas
22 | 23
24 | 25
To Be of Water
There isnt any other river in Colombia with more history
than the Magdalena River. Much of the countrys progress came
thanks to this river and its steamboats. Through the Magdalena River,
multiple occupations and enterprises have emerged that supply the
countrys economy. Through this river, large cities like Barranquilla,
Barrancabermeja and beautiful ports such as Mompox, Honda and
Ambalema flourished, and today, due to their antiquity and beauty,
constitute a cultural and architectural heritage of the Nation. Songs
and novels have been written about the Magdalena River, and various
movies and soap operas have been filmed along its banks. Thanks to
the Magdalena River and many more rivers that cross the country from
the south to the north and from the west to the east, Colombia enjoys
rich water resources.
The basin of the great Magdalena River covers 24% of the Colombian
territory. Although it is not the longest river in the country, it is the one
that crosses most Departments in Colombia; eighteen in total and one
of them is Tolima. Blessed by this long, life-giving current, the land of
Tolima pays it tribute, strengthening it on its trajectory towards Bocas
de Ceniza through the many Pijao rivers that flow into it such as the
Prado, Recio, Gual, Cabrera, Tetun, Saldaa and Coello Rivers.
26 | 27
this river run from west to east and in along its nearly 125 kilometers,
among others.
The theme of this book is especially about the wide region that cuts
covered peaks convert this into the most important water factory of the
across the Coello River basin. Landscapes, people, uses and occupations
are born as well as the Toche, which futher down, around Cajamarca,
Extremely high lands, abundant in ash, snow and rocks; high lands
Water is the vehicle of nature, used to say the artist and genius
ecosystems of the Nevados park, which enable the high supply of pure
water that goes on to nourish the different river basins of Tolima. There
are three basins that stand out in the Department: the Saldaa, Totare
and Coello basins. The largest is the Saldana River basin which, with
town, Armero, which was at that time the second largest city of the
Ortega, Tetun, Cambrn and Amoy Rivers. Another basin that stands
Department. No wonder that it reconfigures all the time its brooks and
out is the Coello basin, which has an area of 2,000 km . The waters of
rivers such as the Combeima and Anaime. When they grow, they take
everything in their path and create new surroundings: the first river, for
example, almost wiped out in 1959 the population of Juntas.
And there is the human being, trying to get to know and master this
natural force. Bolvar passed through it with his horses, his troops and
his ideas to make us independent; Jos Celestino Mutis passed by those
areas, discovering with amazement the wealth of flora that we have;
constructing dams, jageyes, bridges, and roads; befriending the water
Heraclitus
28 | 29
Subir y admirar
despide uno de los pozos de una multinacional petrolera ya es parte del paisaje de Purificacin. Est
en las faldas del cerro Perico, un mirador natural desde el que se puede apreciar una buena parte
del suroriente del Tolima. Para ir hasta all se sigue por una estrecha y empinada carretera, llena de
curvas y espejos que avisan quin baja y quin sube. Luego, en la vereda Tres Mesetas se contina a
pie, por un camino de escalones de piedra. Media hora de escalada e intenso calor son recompensados
cuando se llega a la cima. A la derecha, los ros Magdalena y Saldaa se ven como serpientes
atravesando el valle. A la izquierda, la represa de Prado se ve en toda su imponencia, las crestas de
la montaa que la cruzan se asemejan a la cola de un gigante cocodrilo. El viento pega fuerte y no
caben dudas de que vali la pena estar ah arriba para admirar la belleza del Tolima. | The flame is
seen miles away. The torch burns day and night. The heat that is given off by one of the wells of a
multinational oil company has already become part of the landscape of Purificacin. A natural scenic
viewpoint lies on the slopes of the Cerro Perico from which much of Southeast Tolima can be seen. To
get there it is necessary to go on a narrow and steep road full of curves and mirrors which tell you who
goes up and down the road. Then, in the Tres Mesetas rural district, one continues on foot along a path
of stone steps. Half an hour of climbing under an intense heat are rewarded when the top is reached.
On the right, the Magdalena and Saldaa Rivers can be seen, looking like snakes running through the
valley. On the left is the Prado Dam in all its grandeur; the mountain ridges that cross it resemble the
tail of a giant crocodile. The wind blows hard. There is no doubt that it was worth going up to admire
the beauty of Tolima.
30 | 31
La fbrica de agua
El Nevado del Tolima es travieso. Le gusta jugar a esconderse.
elige a quienes desea que lo vean. Y les pone pruebas: el que quiera
verlo a lo lejos, vestido con sus nieves perpetuas, tiene que madrugar
semanas enteras. Pero valdr la pena si se deja ver por unos instantes,
suficientes para que los ojos se llenen de su majestuosidad, de su
que son dignos de visitar. Adems de la nieve, son las lagunas Verde,
el Encanto y la Bombona, las innumerables piscinas termales y los
A 5.215 metros de altura sobre el nivel del mar, el Nevado del Tolima
extensos pramos los que dan mayor encanto a esta cadena de nevados
toda su grandeza.
32 | 33
34 | 35
Los Ilustrados
Segn cuentan, no hay hilo de agua en el Tolima que no haya sido cruzado por el
Libertador Simn Bolvar o por el sabio Jos Celestino Mutis. De Bolvar se dice que los
caminos de mulas lo condujeron por las cordilleras Central y Oriental, en su travesa de
regreso desde el Per hacia su destino final en Santa Marta, despus de liberar medio
continente, y que en las aguas dulces del Tolima descans de la faena. De Mutis se dice
que inventari toda la vida natural que encontr a su paso, con el fin de cumplir con
su objetivo de asistir a la Corona en mejorar la explotacin de los bosques de quina y
experimentar con plantas que se estimaban de valor comercial o medicinal, como el t.
De Bolvar quedan referencias escuetas en uno que otro libro. De Mutis sobrevive la
casa que fue sede de su Expedicin Botnica en el municipio de Mariquita y cientos de
los dibujos que con su grupo de sabios traz. De ambos quedan huellas diluidas por el
tiempo an flotando en la memoria de los mayores.
According to what has been heard, there is not a water trickle in Tolima which was
not crossed at some point in time by the Liberator Simon Bolivar or by the Wise Jose
Celestino Mutis. About Bolivar it is said that the mule trails led him through the Central
and Eastern Mountain Ranges on his journey back from Peru to his final destination
in Santa Marta after liberating half a continent, and that in the sweet waters of Tolima
he rested from his task. About Mutis it is said that he inventoried all the natural life
that he found along the way, in order to fulfill his goal of assisting the Spanish Crown
in improving the exploitation of Cinchona forests and experimenting with plants that
were considered to have commercial or medicinal value such as tea. There are still
brief references about Bolivar in a few books. Regarding Mutis, the house that was the
headquarter of the Botanical Expedition still survives in the municipality of Mariquita
as well as hundreds of drawings that he made with his group of scholars. There are still
traces of both diluted by time, still floating in the memory of the elderly.
Bancos de agua
Water Banks
38 | 39
El mar interior
No tiene olas, no tiene sal, pero es un mar. Su clima, su color
verde, sus acantilados, sus cascadas, sus islas, sus viviendas vacacionales,
sus hoteles, sus lanchas, sus veleros y sus corrientes clidas aptas para
nadar, navegar y disfrutar de deportes acuticos, hacen que a la represa
del Prado la llamen el mar interior de Colombia. Y no es una exageracin.
A dos horas de Ibagu, basta con llegar a su puerto, alquilar una lancha y
recorrerla para olvidarse que se est a un costado de la cordillera Oriental
y sentir que se llega a algn lugar extico del Caribe.
42 | 43
El canto de La Colosa
Palmas de cera, palmas bobas, sietecueros, canelos de pramo, carboneros, chusques,
almanegras y un frjol silvestre conocido por los campesinos como todo-el-ao, porque
siempre est en cosecha, son algunas de las especies de rboles y plantas que adornan
y nutren el discurrir de La Colosa. Una enorme cada de cerca de 600 metros da inicio
al recorrido de esta quebrada de la vereda La Luisa, en Cajamarca, que tiene un sonido
particular: el que produce cuando se desliza por sus doce cascadas. Por el terreno escarpado
y por la vegetacin abundante no es fcil verlas, pero al acercarse a su cauce, escuchando
con detenimiento, s podemos disfrutar su apresurado canto de agua.
La Colosa Song
Among the species of trees and plants that adorn and nourish the landscape of La Colosa are included the
wax palms (Ceroxylon quindiuense), sierran palms (Trichipteris frigida), sietecueros (Tibouchina lepidota),
high plateau peppers (Drimys granatensis), coal, dwarf bamboos, critoniopsis and a wild beans (known
by the peasants as todo-el-ao because they are harvested in throughout the year). A huge waterfall of
approximately 600 meters opens the tour of this stream located in the village La Luisa, Cajamarca, which
has a particular sound: the sound that is produced when the water slides through its twelve cascades. Due
to the rugged surface and abundant vegetation, they are not easily seen, but as one comes close to its bank
and listens carefully, the rushed singing of the water can be heard.
46 | 47
Luego de salir de Ibagu por una carretera en regular estado, pasar por la que fuera la casa
del poeta Jorge Isaacs, subir por Chapetn y saborear arepas de chcolo, chorizos y carnes
asadas, y seguir hacia Tres Esquinas, Llanitos, Villa Restrepo y Juntas, en el kilmetro 18 se
llega al mirador Los Sauces. Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, cincuenta, cien, ciento cincuenta,
ciento sesenta, ciento sesenta y cinco escalones hay que subir para apreciar desde all la
belleza del can del Combeima. Ese ro, que nace en el corazn del Nevado del Tolima y
que 55 kilmetros ms abajo desemboca en el Coello, est enmarcado en una buena parte de
su recorrido por enormes paredes de rocas forradas de verde, por rboles largos y antiguos,
por bosques vrgenes, enormes cascadas y decenas de pequeas quebradas que se unen con
l para convertirlo en un santuario de agua.
Mirando
el Combeima
Looking at Combeima
After leaving Ibagu on a road that is not in a very good condition, which goes through what
was once the home of the poet Jorge Isaacs; going up by the Chapetn and tasting the arepas
de chcolo (corn roll), the chorizos (highly-seasoned pork sausages) and the roasts; and
continuing towards Tres Esquinas, Llanitos, Villa Restrepo and Juntas, at the kilometer 18
you will see the mirador Los Sauces (scenic viewpoint). One, two, three, four, five, fifty, one
hundred, one hundred and fifty, one hundred and sixty, one hundred and sixty five steps
have to be climbed to appreciate the beauty of the can del Combeima (the Combeima
Canyon). That river, which rises in the heart of the Nevado del Tolima and flows into the
River Coello 55 kilometers downstream, is framed in most of its extension by huge green
stone walls, by long and ancient trees, by virgin forests, by huge waterfalls and by many
small creeks that join with it to convert it into a water sanctuary.
48 | 49
Oasis
De lejos parecen espejismos, emanaciones del suelo caliente. De cerca son caldos espesos
rebosantes de fauna y flora. Se llaman jageyes y su funcin es esencial en los bosques
secos y llanuras ridas: ser depsitos de lluvias durante el invierno, para servir de fuentes
de agua durante las sequas. All el ganado y los animales silvestres abrevan; reptiles y
depredadores cazan; anfibios, aves, crustceos, peces e insectos se refugian, y los huevos de
cientos de especies se protegen entre el barro y la materia orgnica. Hace unos diez aos se
crearon los primeros jageyes para comunidades con altos ndices de deforestacin y baja
precipitacin. Desde entonces, se siguen construyendo principalmente entre los municipios
de Natagaima, Coyaima y Ortega. Oasis de vida presente y por venir.
Oasis
From far away they seem mirages, emanations from the hot soil. From a close distance they are thick
overflowing deposits of fauna and flora. They are called jageyes and their function is essential in dry
forests and arid plains: to be deposits of rain during the winter to serve as sources of water during
droughts. The cattle and wild animals drink the water from it; reptiles and predators hunt there;
amphibians, birds, crustaceans, fish and insects take refuge in it; and eggs of hundreds of species are
protected between its clay and organic matter. About 10 years ago the construction of jageyes for
communities which had high deforestation and low rainfall levels began. Since then, many have been
built mainly in the municipalities of Natagaima, Coyaima and Ortega. Jageyes are the oasis of the
present and future life.
50 | 51
El tesoro escondido
The Hidden
Treasure
Honda is a must for those going from Bogota to
Manizales, Medellin and the Atlantic Coast. The constant stream of
buses, trucks and private vehicles, dozens of restaurants and street
vendors, and the heat which can rise to 300 C, and more, have created
an image of permanent hustle with respect to Honda. But those who
have visited it, who have made a little turn to enter into the heart of the
town, have discovered the opposite.
Founded in 1560, this municipality of Tolima surprises with its colonial
architecture; its street called Las Trampas that is filled with cobbled
alleys and steps; its stone churches; its market square that has
columns resembling those of the Parthenon; its wooden, colorful and
stately balconies; and with its nearly 25 bridges, all different, which
communicate different neighborhoods and departments.
Crossed by the Gual River that flows into the Magdalena River, Honda
is a hidden treasure that stands in the view of all. It is a national
historic landmark also known as the city of bridges, among which a
few stand out: first of all the one called Los Enamorados (The Lovers),
which has benches on both sides designed especially for couples to
enjoy the quiet sunsets; then, there is the bridge that communicates
de Department of Tolima with Puerto Bogot; and also, among others
is the puente Navarro bridge, made of iron and wood, built in 1898
and considered the oldest in America, which was fundamental for
overcoming the road transportation obstacles that were being faced
in the area, imposed by the swift current of the great Ro de La
Magdalena.
56 | 57
58 | 59
y su principal objetivo es la conservacin del recurso hdrico. Hoy, cerca de 140 los propietarios
de predios se benefician de la reforestacin, y se han sembrado alrededor de 29 hectreas.
As he walks around the grounds of his farm La Esmeralda, located in the rural district of El
Tostado, Mr. Arqumedes Cmbita, or Don Chepe as he is best know by his friends, declares
to be proud and satisfied to be part of the reforestation program that is promoted by Anglogold
Ashanti Colombia, through which today he not only owns 700 trees which are in the growth
process, but also has the opportunity to contribute to the protection of water resources.
Don Chepe recognizes the benefits of the Plan, which began in 2008. Even then having
anything to invest other than his commitment and work, he has been able to take advantage
of spaces inside his property which were being underused and invaded by weeds.
I am grateful because this reforestation is beneficial and very important. Some people end up
with all the trees that are near streams until they end up drying them up. Trees are the life of
the fields and we need them because thats where the water is, said the voluneer reforester
who has become a multiplier of the program among his neighbors and acquaintances.
The reforestation program is being executed mainly on the basins of rivers and streams,
and its main objective is the conservation of water resources. Today, about 140 land owners
benefit from the reforestation and have planted about 29 hectares.
60 | 61
Cruzando el can
main road and the El Roco farm. It is known as the Maca Bridge (the
flaw bridge) because when its narrow and long extension is crossed, it
wobbles like a hammock. For years it was privately owned until it became
public when the inhabitants of neighboring rural districts began to
cross daily, saving at least an hour of travelling time. But as a result of a
minor quarrel provoked by a mischievous teenager who enjoyed stealing
oranges, the bridge has been padlocked, and it continues to sway empty,
over the fast-flowing Combeima River.
62 | 63
64 | 65
El guardin de la laguna
Una maana lo vio llegar. Iba desnudo, pero su larga cabellera le cubra todo el
cuerpo. Cuando pas por su lado sinti un escalofro; sin embargo, le cobr. Oiga,
seor, la entrada vale mil pesos. El extrao sonri y sigui para sentarse en
la punta de la piedra ms grande de la laguna. Me fui detrs, volv a pedirle el
dinero, pero hizo como si no oyera, y en un parpadeo mo desapareci, se tir al
agua. Era el Mohn. Don Julio Rubiano no tiembla al contar que vio al mismsimo
diablo; al contrario, re y sigue narrando historias misteriosas, como la de aquellas
tres nias que arrastr un vendaval en Purificacin y ahora viven en el fondo de
la Laguna Encantada. Todos los Viernes Santos, a las nueve de la noche, salen
de all, y se ponen a jugar y cantar. Solo durante una hora. Nadie me cree, y yo
los reto para que vengan ese da y las vean. Pero es posible que nadie se atreva.
Profunda, misteriosa, silenciosa, pequea, encerrada entre altas paredes de
piedra, a la Laguna Encantada solo puede llegarse por laberintos de agua, los de
la represa de Prado. All, de noche, la oscuridad es absoluta, y por aos su nico
habitante ha sido don Julio, el dueo y guardin de la laguna, el que dice que
tiene noventa aos, que ha comido sancocho de gallinazo y que naci en la mitad
de ese charco.
68 | 69
Lo que embellece
al desierto es que
en alguna parte esconde
un pozo de agua.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Labores
la regin. Para la segunda mitad del siglo XVIII, tabaco y oro se haban
y por ltimo el algodn y el arroz, han sido los frutos del encuentro
entre tierra y agua en lo que hoy es Tolima. Por siglos los amplios
Desde mucho antes que los espaoles tocaran suelo continental, los
mercados europeos.
74 | 75
Charles Mackay
Por esta larga historia de vivir de la tierra y del agua es que en las
cuencas, y con ello transformar los modos tradicionales del uso del
agua, y un pueblo de artesanos del barro que saben que el secreto est
incluidos.
76 | 77
Although Tolima does not have the largest area of rice crops in
Colombia, it is the department that produces most of this crop,
generating approximately 42% of the national total production
To Live by Water
First the corn, then the tobacco, later the coffee, and
Only the arrival of the tobacco was able to affect he supremacy of this
finally the cotton and rice, have been the fruit of the encounter between
grain in the region. During the second half of the 18th century,
the land and water in what is now Tolima. For centuries, broad valleys,
tobacco and gold were consolidated as the two axes of the colonial
steep slopes and dense forests located between the Central and Eastern
today, just as in the past, the reason for this remains the same: the
abundant water in its various states, which nourish the land and life in
But the wars of independence introduced the region, as well as the rest
Long before the Spaniards arrived to the continent, the valleys of the
century, the fertility without limits returned with the countrys largest
speaking groups which were later called the Pijaos. On the other side,
in the area which would later become the real road, on the mountain
78 | 79
From the decline of this bonanza, the coffee appeared first and then the
rice and cotton. In the 20th century, the mountainous northern zone
of Tolima, around the municipalities of Lbano and Anzotegui, and
extending into Cajamarca, integrates into the region known as the Eje
Cafetero (Coffee-Growers Axis), being since then the countrys third
largest coffee producer. Decades later, in the middle of the century,
and further south, the rice cultivation started. The construction of the
irrigation districts of the Saldaa, Coello and Recio Rivers promoted
this new agro-industry, which has since then been centered in the
municipality of El Espinal.
Around the same time and linked to the development of rice irrigation
canals, the national government promoted an experimental farm
which ended up being the core promoter of cotton crops. With the
disappeared town of Armero as the center, the Tolima population
became the countrys experts in this crop, supporting, by means of
seasonal migrations, its dissemination into other regions such as the
Cesar in the Caribbean Coast.
The water supply system of Ibague, with a water inlet in the
rural district of Cay, receives its water from the Combeima
river, which transports about 4,000 liters per second.
Due to this long history of livelihood from the land and water, in the
You will also get to know the power of the imagination to generate
left his city life to cultivate flowers and now dreams of watering them
more effectively from the sky; a teacher who works as guide for the
fishermen who work in Honda at the Guali and Magdalena Rivers with the
who feed Mojarras (bluegills) in the same way as souls are saved; a
group of environmentalists and residents of villages seek to restore that
You will also learn about the hard work under the sun of rice growers,
town of clay artisans who know the secret that lies in the harmonious
cultivating the crop that feeds Colombia, the second ones digging the
80 | 81
Conectar la encumbrada capital de Bogot y el accidentado interior del pas con alguno de los dos mares ha sido la tarea obligatoria del desarrollo del pas. Y el
ferrocarril, con su fuerza a vapor, fue el medio ideal. Aunque en 1855 se inaugur el primero, el de Panam, el sueo de la interconexin continu truncado. Por
dcadas pugnas bipartidistas, contratos fallidos y errores tcnicos impidieron que los gobiernos provinciales lograran sus respectivas salidas al mar, como lo
determinaba la ley vigente. Finalmente, en 1892 una nueva legislacin autoriz el sistema de concesiones, y cada departamento, ms la empresa privada, pudo
concentrarse en trayectos especficos. El tramo Tolima-Huila, con el que se enlazaba a Bogot con el puerto pacfico de Buenaventura, se inici un ao despus, en
1893. Comenzaba en el puente de Girardot, se extenda hasta Ibagu y conclua en Neiva. Pero la Guerra de los Mil Das (1900-1903) interrumpi la obra, que solo
hasta 1905 alcanz Chicoral, en 1921 Ibagu y en 1937 Neiva. En este ltimo ramal estaba el obstculo mayor, el Magdalena mismo. Con un puente frreo a la
altura de Golondrinas, el tren finalmente se estir para superar las aguas, rebasar el ro, tocar el mar.
En tren al puerto
Connecting the on the peak capital, Bogot, and the rugged interior of the country with one of the two oceans has been a mandatory task for the development of
the country, and the railway with its steam power was the ideal means. Although the first railway was inaugurated in 1855, the Panam Railway, the dream of
interconnection remained truncated. For decades, bipartisan conflicts, failed contracts and technical errors prevented provincial governments from achieving the
construction of their respective outlets to the sea as determined by the applicable law. Finally, in 1892, a new legislation authorized the concession system, and
each department, together with the private sector, was able to focus on the construction of specific routes. The construction of the Tolima-Huila stretch, which
linked up Bogota to the Buenaventura Pacific Port, began a year later in 1893. It started on the Girardot Bridge, extended to Ibagu and ended in Neiva. But the
Thousand Days War (1900-1903) interrupted the work, which reached Chicoral only until 1905, Ibagu in 1921 and Neiva in 1937. In the latter stretch was the
biggest obstacle: the Magdalena River itself. With a rail bridge at Golondrinas, railway tracks were finally expanded to go over the waters, beyond the river, and
touch the sea.
82 | 83
His past was agitated and convulsed. Addict and satanic, William Orobio says that his
que su vida andaba tan mal que hasta vea extraterrestres. Pero conoci a Dios
life was so bad that he used to even see aliens. But he then came to know God and
y todo cambi. Le pidi perdn por lo que haba hecho y se prometi construir
everything changed. He asked God for forgiveness for what He had done and promised
una casa donde otros como l tuvieran cabida. En la vereda Cay, de Ibagu, fund
to build a house in which others like him could be accepted. In the village Cay, in Ibagu,
William founded The Taller del Maestro (The Masters Workshop), a center for the
prevention, restoration and rehabilitation of drug addicts and homeless people. 31 young
men who want to change the course of their lives live there. They arrived out of their
own free will and with the help of the theo-therapy, they want to build a different future
after their year and a half of rehabilitation. For this purpose they have a micro-enterprise
project that includes the breeding of chickens, pigs and fish. Their objective is to
en la que viven tenga un jagey, para dar de beber a los marranos, y estanques
construct a jagey in the vast garden of the beautiful house in which they live in order to
have enough water for the pigs and the ponds full of bluegills (Mojarras). A wise Chinese
proverb declares, Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day; teach a man to fish
resto de su vida.
84 | 85
Bajo un sol que no da tregua, Bladimir Castilla y sus compaeros alimentan las mojarras
rojas que crecen dentro de los mdulos a su cargo. En cada redondel sumergido en la
represa de Prado revolotean hambrientos unos 60 mil animales. Un fijo y un rotador deben
alimentarlos cada 20 minutos. Atrado por un compaero de la iglesia Pentecostal, a la que
l y muchos trabajadores de la pisccola pertenecen, Bladimir dej hace cuatro meses el
calor con brisa de su natal Valledupar, para vivir en un campamento y alimentar peces de
7 de la maana a 5 de la tarde. Calcula que al da los adultos se devoran unos 4 millones
de pesos diarios en cuido. A este ritmo voraz slo son necesarios cuatro meses de crianza.
Y aunque cada noche flotan peces muertos, el nivel de produccin se sostiene estable: a la
semana pescan entre seis y siete toneladas. Renacidos por el bautismo de agua y Espritu
Santo, los miembros de esta comunidad, como l llama a sus compaeros de barracas y de
Iglesia, regresan cada maana para continuar con este literal ejercicio de fe: entre el agua,
bajo el fuego, pescadores, hombres nuevos.
86 | 87
At the entrance of the municipality of Prado, fishermen of the rivers of Tolima have their own monument.
Under an unrelenting sun, Bladimir Castilla and his colleagues feed the red bluegills (Mojarras) that grow inside the modules that he manages. Inside each ring
that is submerged in the El Prado Dam, around 60,000 hungry fish hover around. A fixed and a rotator feeder must feed them every 20 minutes. Motivated by a
fellow member of the Pentecostal church, to which he and many other workers of the fish farm attend, Bladimir left four months ago the breezy heat of his native
Valledupar to live in a camp and feed fish from 7:00 in the morning to 5:00 in the afternoon. He estimates that adult fishes devour approximately 4 million pesos
per day in food. At this voracious rate, it only takes four months for breeding the fish, and although every night fishes float dead, the production level is held steady:
every week six to seven tons of fish are caught. The members of this community, born again through the baptism of water and the Holy Spirit, as he calls his work
and church fellow members, return every morning to continue this literal exercise of faith: inside the water, under the fire, fishermen, new men.
88 | 89
Hay arroz
Mientras espera que los fumigadores concluyan su recorrido
por entre los banderines blancos que los guan dentro del campo, el
conductor del tractor cuenta que una vez que el follaje est crecido, el
calor entre los surcos es tan insoportable que los trabajadores deben
descansar para hidratarse, cada hora y media. No todo mundo se le mide
al arroz, concluye bajo la sombra.
La humedad extrema entre la que crece el grano es precisamente lo que
le da la vida. La semilla no germina si el agua no la inunda. Ah es cuando
la labor del conductor del tractor se convierte en indispensable. Con
un lser instalado en la trompa del vehculo, traza los canales que con
posterioridad se inundarn en tres operaciones de riego distintas, durante
el primer mes despus de la siembra. Entre 90 y 120 das tarda el grano
en estar listo para la cosecha. Con una combinada, mquina recolectora, y
una tolva, carretilla gigante, el mismo conductor y un asistente cumplen
con la labor que antes de la mecanizacin requera de seis trabajadores.
90 | 91
There is Rice
As he waits for fumigators to complete their work
between the white flags that guide them inside the field, the tractor driver
recounts how, once the foliage is grown, the heat between the rows is so
unbearable that workers have to rest every hour and a half to re-hydrate.
Not everyone dares to work on rice fields, he concludes as he stands
under the shade.
The extreme humidity under which the grain grows is precisely what
gives it life. The seed does not germinate if the water does not flood the
crop. It is then when the tractor drivers work becomes mandatory. With
a laser device installed on the front of the vehicle, it traces the channels
that will subsequently be flooded in three different watering operations
during the first month after the seed is sowed. The grain takes between 90
to 120 days to be ready for harvest. With a combine harvester, a collecting
machine and a chute (a giant wheelbarrow), the driver himself and an
assistant do the work that before mechanization used to be carried out by
six workers.
Out of the 47 municipalities of Tolima, 25 cultivate oryza sativa (Asian
rice), the same species that feeds half the world population with
approximately 3.5 thousand million consumers around the globe. Three
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94 | 95
Regar la tierra
A diferencia del arroz secano, que se alimenta de lluvia y slo necesita de canales
de drenaje, el de riego, que es el que ms se siembra en el Tolima, requiere que
el agua lo bae por gravedad o por bombeo. Por eso en el departamento hay
cuatro distritos de riego: Asoprado, Usosaldaa, Usoguamo y Usocoello; cada una
conserva en el nombre el ro que lo alimenta. El distrito del ro Prado favorece
unas 4.600 hectreas al ao, el doble de extensin de la zona nutrida por el ro
Guamo, el cual riega a los arroceros del municipio del mismo nombre, unas 2 mil
hectreas anuales. Ms amplios son los canales del ro Saldaa, que abastecen 24
mil hectreas al ao, en las que operan unos 1.700 productores de los municipios
de Purificacin y Saldaa, ms o menos la misma capacidad del sistema del ro
Coello, que nutre a los arroceros del municipio de El Espinal, 22 mil hectreas de
arroz, que emplean 67 mil jornales.
Unlike the un-irrigated rice which is rain fed and only requires drainage
canals, the irrigated rice, which the most widely planted in Tolima,
requires irrigation by gravity or pump. Therefore, in the Department
of Tolima there are four irrigation districts: Asoprado, Usosaldaa,
Usoguamo and Usocoello, each having the name of the river that feeds
them. The rural district of the River Prado waters approximately 4,600
hectares of land per year, approximately twice the extension of the
area that is watered by the River Guamo, which irrigates rice farmers
in the Guamo Municipality (2,000 hectares per year). The canals of the
River Saldaa are larger and water 24,000 hectares per year, in which
approximately 1,700 producers of the municipalities of Purification and
Saldaa operate. The Coello river system has about the same capacity
as the latter, watering rice growers of the Espinal municipality: 22,000
hectares of rice, employing 67,000 paydays.
96 | 97
Ni sus pies ni sus manos los delatan, pero la mayora de los habitantes del
barrio ibaguereo de La Vega son anfibios. Ubicados en un terreno bajo y llano
del can del ro Combeima, mucha de la gente de este sector vive la mitad de
su existencia hundida en el agua. A eso de las 5.30 de la maana comienzan
a llegar vestidos como para la playa. Hay quienes nacieron aqu, se hicieron
viejos aqu y levantaron sus hijos aqu, cuenta Ismael Marroqun, con ms
de 40 aos en el oficio. Trabajan en parejas, y cada una se ocupa de su propio
trincho, un sector de unos diez metros cuadrados claramente delimitado. All
introducen sus palas para sacarlas llenas de arena negra, gravilla, piedra comn
y piedra base, que luego ponen a secar en la orilla, clasifican y amontonan para
la industria de la construccin. En promedio ganan unos 20 mil pesos al da,
un poco ms si es temporada de lluvias y el ro baja ms cargado. Llamados
areneros, balastreros o gravilleros, estos seres anfibios contribuyen a sostener
firme la vida en tierra.
Sacar la piedra
Neither their feet nor their hands give them away, but most of the inhabitants
from the La Vega neighborhood of Ibagu are amphibians. Located in the lowlying and flat lands of the Combeima River Canyon, many of the people of this
sector live half of their lives sank deep in the water. At about 5:30 in the morning
they start to arrive dressed with beach clothes. Some were born here, grew
old here, and raised their children here, says Ismael Marroquin, who has been
working for more than 40 years in this kind of work. They work in pairs and each
pair takes care of their own trincho (a clearly delimited area of about 10 square
meters). There they introduce their shovels and then pull them out full of black
sand, fine gravel, common stone and base stone which then they lay out to dry,
sort out and stack up on the shore for the construction industry. They earn on
average about 20,000 pesos per day and a little more during the rainy season
when the river descends more loaded. These amphibious beings, usually called in
Spanish areneros, balastreros or gravilleros, contribute to the firm sustainment of
life on earth.
Dredging
98 | 99
Que baja
y que sube
promedio dos litros por segundo) se suma al agua lluvia (en promedio
talento propio, usa la gravedad para cumplir su misin. Son cuatro zonas
Dos cadas de agua, una a 3.340 metros de altura y otra a 3.150 metros,
las primeras muestras que dieron vida al proyecto La Colosa. All hay
agua es tratada, para que sea potable tambin, con un sistema creado
100 | 101
It Comes Down
and Then Goes Up
which provide water for camps and platforms. The project has a total
maximum authorized flow of 4 liters per second although the net
consumption is lower: it consumes about the same volume of water as a
recreational farm on a weekend.
Two waterfalls, one 3,340 meters high and the other 3,150 meters high,
authorized by Cortolima, they supply part of the project needs. They fall
down until they arrive to the central zone of La Colosa. At that point,
Water generally comes down in its liquid state and then goes
the resource that is taken from the above mentioned natural water
sources (in average, 2 liters per second) is added to the rain water (in
average two liters per second) collected primarily from the roofs of
camps and other constructions.
From the central zone, the water travels through a hose and is
distributed to the drilling points and to the camps of the whole project.
the farms milking site, 2,600 meters high, it has to change its natural
Colombia.
The water also arrives, through the effects of gravity and with the help
gathered and then circulates through a closed system. Even the water
that is left over from the drilling work circulates it receives proper
first samples that gave life to La Colosa Project, back in 2006, were
gathered. In that point there is antoher pumping station that takes the
water up to the Ordeadero and then pumps it again to the camp zone
Every drop of the resource is used: the water circulates and then
circulates again, it goes up, it goes down; it goes down and it goes up; and
it is reused throughout. The water that is taken from the natural sources
Water from the natural sources supplies fully the domestic demand
is minimal and it is never more than the minimum ecological flow, thus,
of the project, which has 800 employees and contractors per day and
savings and efficient use of this resource. Not even a drop is lost.
102 | 103
Desde su infancia, Mara del Carmen Mndez est moldeando con agua los tres tipos de arcilla que dan vida a las cermicas de La Chamba.
Junto con los sombreros vueltiaos de Crdoba y el caf del Quindo, las
hacen estas vasijas de barro. Los lleva a las minas donde se sacan las
tres arcillas necesarias arenosa, lisa y roja para crear esas piezas,
2010. Hasta all fue Luz Mariel Rodrguez, uno de los personajes
An dicta talleres para que los nios y los visitantes aprendan cmo se
106 | 107
The Teacher Luz Mariel Rodriguez has her workshop in the back shop of Manantial del Barro.
Las exticas
Julio Valderrama era un hombre de ciudad acostumbrado al smog, a
las calles repletas de gente y de carros. En Ibagu tena una fbrica de
muebles, pero su sueo era irse a vivir al campo, lejos del mundanal ruido.
Por eso, cuando tuvo la oportunidad, se compr una finca en las afueras de
la ciudad, camino al can del Combeima. Sus anteriores dueos tenan all
un cultivo de anturios. Y l decidi conservarlo. Aprendi todo lo que pudo
sobre estas flores exticas, que son originarias de los bosques lluviosos de
Latinoamrica y Centroamrica, y ahora trabaja para vivir de ellas. Esta
planta es muy resistente, pero como todas, necesita del agua. Cuando hay
verano, su cultivador las moja dos horas por la maana y dos horas por
la tarde. Para que nunca les falte el lquido vital, l est en proceso de
construir un jagey, que aproveche las aguas lluvias y permita mantener
siempre hidratadas a sus hijas, esas de color rojo, que son perfectas para
regalar en cumpleaos y fiestas de quinceaeras, y cuando en el lenguaje
de las flores se quiere decir te amo.
Exotic Flowers
Julio Valderrama was a city man used to the smog, and streets packed
with people and cars. He had a furniture factory in Ibagu but his
dream was to live in the country side away from the mundane noise.
That is why, when he had the opportunity, he bought a farm outside
the city on the way to the Combeima Canyon. The farms previous
owners had an anthurium plantation and Julio decided to keep it. He
learnt everything he could about these exotic flowers which are native
of the rainforests of Latin and Central America, and now he earns his
living from them. This plant is very resistant but like all others, it needs
water. During the summer they are watered two hours in the morning
and two hours in the afternoon. In order to prevent the lack of this vital
fluid, Julio is in process of building a jagey to take advantage of the
rain water and keep the anthuriums always hydrated. The red ones are
perfect for birthdays and sweet sixteen parties, and especially when
one wishes to say in the flower language, I love you.
110 | 111
La bocatoma
The Spring
Chispitas de suerte
No tiene horario fijo, l es su propio jefe. Hoy, por ejemplo, lleg a las 9.30 de la maana y se ir a eso de las 3 de la tarde.
Entre llegada y salida Abelardo Torres, con una docena de hombres ms, escarba el lecho de los ros Bermelln y Anaime,
en busca de chispitas, escupitajos de oro que las corrientes desprenden y los barequeros mineros artesanales intentan
atrapar como pescador a su presa. Su atarraya es un cajn, un laberinto metlico que sirve de filtro para separar la arena
del posible oro. Su anzuelo es una batea de madera usada para decantar los residuos. Su canoa es un cambuche de plstico
en la orilla para refugiarse de la intemperie. Es un trabajo muy duro, pero como es de cuenta de uno, es muy hermoso.
No hay consistencia en lo que ganan, pero chispita por chispita van llenando los frascos, en los que juntan el gramo, por el
que les pagan 65 mil pesos. El oro lo quiero mucho porque de eso he vivido, y muestra una sonrisa coronada por cinco
dientes dorados que bajo el sol encandilan.
Sparks of Life
114 | 115
Sombra y refugio
116 | 117
118 | 119
122 | 123
La pesca de la vida
Son diez, son 20, son 30, 50, 60 depende del da y de la noche. Con anzuelo, con
atarraya, con congola una especie de cazamariposas para peces se les puede
ver hundidos hasta la cintura en las oscuras aguas del ro Magdalena, debajo del
gran puente que comunica a Honda, Tolima, con Puerto Bogot, Cundinamarca.
Una y mil veces tiran sus redes para atrapar al nicuro, al capaz, al bagre, al
bocachico, que al da siguiente estar en las plazas de mercado de la regin.
Juntos parecen un escuadrn, sincronizado y uniformado: gorra y camisas de
manga larga, que los protegen del sol inclemente y de los incisivos mosquitos. Es
en enero y en febrero, meses de subienda, en los que mejor les va. Es en tiempos
de invierno cuando tienen que trabajar ms duro para hacerse a un buen jornal.
No llevan la cuenta de cuntas veces extienden las redes para sacar un pez. Lo
hacen casi cada minuto, y solo muy pocas veces salen cargadas de peces. Cuando
lo logran, los meten con cuidado en una jaula de madera, que atada a una piedra
flota dentro del agua. As los peces permanecen vivos y podrn estar frescos a
la hora de venderlos. Duermen poco. Seis o siete horas en la maana, porque las
horas de la tarde y de la medianoche son las mejores para sacarse el botn que les
permita subsistir y seguir en la pesca de la vida.
124 | 125
El agua es el vehculo
de la naturaleza.
Leonardo Da Vinci
Ldicas
Estar en el agua
sera imposible mencionarlos todos. Pero baste con decir que si lo que
bus escalera que recorre las carreteras del Tolima. Con sus ventanas
que son al mismo tiempo puertas, con sus amarillos, azules, rojos y su
relajarse con las aguas que salen de las entraas de fuego del Nevado
del Tolima. O al otro extremo, por Lrida, por los lados del Ruiz, ir hasta
El Hervidero, un pozo azufrado que se esconde en el interior de ese
saltos y paisajes.
130 | 131
Las piscinas no solo son escenarios para el juego. Lo son tambin para
del rafting, esa navegacin con remos sobre rpidos, que en este
ro Magdalena, con sus aguas serenas pero profundas, con sus aguas
oscuras pero llenas de peces, con sus aguas que llevan consigo el
pasado y el presente de Colombia.
132 | 133
In the Water
There are countless natural spas in the region; so many that it would
escalera (or chiva a traditional Colombian bus) that travels on the roads
of Tolima. With its windows, which are doors at the same time, with its
thermal waters, you could climb the Combeima Canyon until you arrive
yellow, blue and red colors and its characteristic festive atmosphere,
to the Termales El Rancho springs where you can relax with the
this chiva really knows where the Tolima people like to ride for fun.
water that comes from the fire of the Nevado del Tolima (The Tolima
Snow-Covered Peak) core. Or you can go up to El Hervidero, on the
Filled with families and groups of friends; with pots tied up so that they
other extreme of the Department nearby Lerida. There you can find a
will not fall, the Colombianita and many more chivas travel around the
sulfurous well that is hidden inside the that snow-covered peak and
Department looking for pools, waterfalls, rivers and ponds in which you
which some call the Odo del Volcn (the vocanos ear). There is
can dip your feet, refresh yourself and run away from the heat that is
Casabianca there are two thermal springs that have the same name,
134 | 135
Edward Fitzgerald
walk around its ecological trails. And there are many more waterfalls
because it can almost be said that in each of the 47 municipalities of
Tolima there is a waterfall; and if there is not one, there is a pool, pond,
a creek or a river to enjoy; or in the case of Chaparral, some caves.
The Tulun caves are located in the largest municipality of Tolima, and
the third most-populated one after Ibagu and El Espinal. The most
attractive aspect of these three Chaparral caves is its water floor. The
water enters from the currents of the Tulun stream that flows through
Aguas Calientes, which are considered Resources of Departmental
Interest, along with some other hills, caves, waterfalls and landscapes.
Now, if what you want is to enjoy a waterfall and let it massage you as
though it was a shower, the options are really numerous. You can visit
the La Cascada waterfall of the village that bears its same name, located
be fit or have a parasol or a chair from which you can see those who
parade up and down. In these popular spas, the looks have the least
and enjoy the natural wonders of these rivers and streams of Tolima.
And although they are not natural and man has been involved in their
that water is apt for exercising the body, to keep it healthy and to dispel
design, there are two landmarks of the Tolima tourism: the HidroPrado
stress; that is what those who love rafting seek, rowing on the rapids,
dam and the Melgar pools. In the HidroPrado dam, in addition to being
able to ride in motorboats and doing extreme sports, you can enjoy La
Chiva Natica (the nautical chiva) which looks the same as the bus
escalera and sails along the dam from 9 in the morning to 5 in the
And if what you want is to see the water, but not to go in, another
into the water with a life jacket, of course. Melgar is, par excellence,
the most popular recreational spot among the Bogota people, where
animals are there in the sight of all for their recreation. Another option
they arrive looking for the heat that they cannot find in the cold of the
magnificent Magdalena River, with its calm but deep waters, with its
children.
dark but filled-with-fish waters, with its waters that carry within the
past and present of Colombia.
The pools are not only used for games. They are also used for
professional sports. At the Olympic pool of Ibagu, those who want to
learn how to swim and those who want to dedicate their lives to aquatic
sports such as speed swimming, diving and water polo (a sport in
which Tolima has a national predominance) meet together. The fact is
136 | 137
El placer de flotar
138 | 139
soda, que se vende helada en cualquier tienda. Y sin duda por eso uno de
los negocios callejeros ms populares para calmar los calores del Tolima
sigue siendo el de bebidas: jugos naturales, avena, salpicn de frutas y
mandarinazos repletos de troncos de hielo.
If there is something that reigns in Tolima, that is the heat. It is very hot.
As the words of its anthem say, Tolima has a sun that embraces. One of
the four physical units of the Department, the tropical dry forest, occupies
about 43% of its total area. Most of the residents of Tolima live under
temperatures that range between 25 and 35 degrees Celcius, and under
a perpendicular sun that brightens and colors their lives. That must be
the reason why in the 1850s, Ibagu became the headquarters of the first
Colombian beer factory, and since then it has housed ten new companies
that produce the cold drink. Thats surely why in the Municipality of
Mariquita continues the most emblematic soft drink industry of the
region, famous for its delicious cream-soda that is sold frozen in any
store. And there is no doubt that is why some of the most popular street
businesses are the ones where drinks are sold such as natural juices, oat
drinks, drinks with pieces of fruit and mandarinazos full of ice chunks.
140 | 141
Velocpedos
Aunque gente de todas las edades practica las cuatro modalidades que
los ciclistas. Una prdida de lquidos de tan solo el 2% del peso puede
kilmetros totales.
142 | 143
Velocipedes
Among the specimens in need of water, out of the Tolima diverse
creatures, there is not one as vigorous and ubiquitous as the velocipede.
It can be found descending on closed curves, bordering rivers or climbing
steep hills, looking for mountain peaks. Lightweight and thin, thick and
with greater traction, bicycles and their riders find in Tolima an ideal
scenario for their activity.
Although people of all ages practice the four bicycle-riding modalities that
are common in Tolima (road racing, mountain, recreational and bicycle
motocross), all of them are unified by a vital requirement: hydration. The
perspiration and exhalation of air are the main causes of dehydration
among cyclists. A fluid loss of only 2% of the body weight can reduce the
performance and capacity of cyclists by 20%. For this reason, those who
love cycling must hydrate before, during and after practicing the sport. The
amount of water intake depends on the cyclist. However, it is advised to
take in average a little less than a litter of liquid before starting, one liter
per hour during exercise (that is, one glass every 5-10 minutes), and drinks
and solid food to taste at the end. The best hydration source is cold water,
never freezing, but in case of heavy sweating, sports drinks with mineral
salts are the best choice as well as bananas and citric fruits.
Of the many routes, three types stand out: From the mountain modality,
the one that starts at the entrance of the Parque de los Nevados, passes
through Murillo and ends in Lbano: 69 kilometers of extreme difficulty. In
the recreational modality, the cycle route of the Picalea turnoff stands out:
22 km of flat, paved and marked trails for the whole family, and the bike
path which is opened on Sundays on the Avenida Ferrocarril in Ibagu.
And for professional modality, the Tolima Tour (Vuelta al Tolima) is the
most prestigious one, which includes the participation of cyclists from all
the country and around the world, who in the last version added up to 211
participants who ran four stages plus a prologue of 583 total kilometers.
144 | 145
146 | 147
A trumpet player, a guitarist, a violinist, a bongo player, a flutist and a drummer; six musical
instruments and six performers. Some are sitting down, others standing and one laying down,
they are always present in the Music Park, a scenario for concerts, plays and shows. Located
in the heart of Ibagu, this is also the meeting point for hundreds of young people who go
there to have a good time, talk, smoke, fall in love and jump on a skateboard. Next to it is
one of the most beautiful buildings of Tolima: the Conservatory and its Alberto Castilla Hall,
founded in 1934, a historical and architectural heritage of the Department and one of the best
concert halls in Latin America. Its yellow and red faade frames beautifully the park paved
with reddish-grayish cobblestone. As a witness of it all there is one more character in the
center: the fountain. Every day at six oclock in the afternoon, it automatically turns on and its
illuminated water jets start to dance at the rhythm of the night.
La fuente bailarina
148 | 149
150 | 151
Benjamin Franklin
152 | 153
Crossing
Ambalema Ferry
mixed with beef blood; the big house marked with No. 254 in which the
first bank operated, then the hospice, and is currently uninhabited; and
among these and many other jewels of the past, is the ferry that refuses
to die and every day crosses the great Magdalena River to unite the
Tolima with the Cundinamarca Department.
The breakwater located along the river is romantic. An old railroad
track of the extinct railway lays parallel, and under the almond, mango
and acacias trees, people can be seen as they talk and drink a beer or a
soft drink to mitigate the intense heat. In the air a vallenato (a tropical
song) can be heard, and the wind does not stop blowing and dragging
millions and millions of sand grains. Motorboats and their drivers wait
for passengers on the river banks. On the horizon the ferry can be seen,
painted green and white, loaded with cars and waving proudly the
Colombian flag with its bright yellow, blue and red colors.
The Ambalena Ferry is called Omayra in honor of the girl who died in
the avalanche of Armero in 1985 and became a symbol of the tragedy.
It takes 5 minutes to go down and 12 minutes to go up the river in the
ferry that connects Ambalema with the Port through which the towns
of Beltran and San Juan de Rio Seco in Cundinamarca can be reached.
Bikes and all types of cars cross in the ferry. Jorge Alberto, its driver, says
that the ferry has transported up to three empty dump trucks smoothly.
Vehicles must pay for the transportation, passengers dont. Many tourists
have converted this crossing into an outing and arrive there to live the
experience of traveling through the river of time.
156 | 157
El clculo no es exacto, pues el ojo y la intuicin de las cocineras son los factores
The calculation is not exact because the eye and intuition of the cooks are the factors
que deciden la cantidad precisa de agua que una docena de gallinas criollas
that determine the exact amount of water that a dozen of native hens need to be
cooked perfectly. Water is the key in two of its stages: to pluck the hens once they are
desplumar la gallina una vez que ha sido sacrificada, y para cocinarla durante
killed, and to cook them for a period of three hours after they have been marinated
tres horas, luego de pasar la noche adobada en una mezcla de mucho ajo y
overnight in a mixture of a lot of garlic and seasonings. Although the recipe varies
condimentos. Pese a que la receta vara en sus detalles entre un puesto y otro, El
from one place to another, El Briceo, a beautiful place where the Barbona stream
converges with the River Gualanday, is famous for its Sancocho de Gallina Criolla
(farm-raised hen stew). Between 11:00 AM and 5:00 PM, the famous Piqueteaderos
la tarde, los piqueteaderos ofrecen el plato insigne entre 25 y 35 mil pesos. Cada
(typical food informal restaurants) offer this dish for approximately 25.000 to 35.000
porcin incluye una gallina entera con su respectivo caldo caliente, lleno de yuca,
pesos. Each serving includes a whole chicken with its own hot broth filled with yucca,
separate dish, white rice covered with chopped gizzards, chopped liver and rump. Each
serving is enough for five people. The rapids and fresh water wells are free.
158 | 159
Un bao
de agua fra
A media hora de Ibagu y subiendo por una carretera angosta, de rieles
y curvas estrechas, por las que no cabe sino un vehculo, se llega a La
Cascada. Una vereda en la que el viento fro invita a respirar hondo
el aire puro de las montaas de la cordillera Central. A diario suben
hasta all grupos de ciclistas, amantes del medioambiente y de escalar
por difciles caminos. Su meta es llegar hasta la quebrada Cay, que cae
lenta y sutilmente a un pozo de ocho metros de largo y 1,60 metros de
profundidad. Sin importar lo helada que est, los pedaleros se despojan
de sus uniformes y se zambullen un instante, para dejar atrs el estrs
de la ciudad. Don Isaac, el dueo del granero, los ve y sabe que es
posible que luego del bao se decidan a tomarse un caf caliente. Vive
all hace 20 aos y fue l quien al represar con un muro de piedra y
guadua la corriente que produce la cada, construy esa piscina natural.
l tambin, una vez a la semana, se mete en esas aguas fras, pero a
diferencia de los dems, lo hace para cuidar y conservar siempre limpia
la que es el orgullo de su vereda.
A Cold Shower
Travelling half an hour from Ibagu, going up a narrow road with rails and narrow curves on
which only one vehicle fits, one will arrive to La Cascada: a rural district in which the cold
wind invites to breathe deep the pure air of the mountains of the Central Range. Every day,
groups of cyclists climb up to that point, those who love the environment and enjoy climbing
difficult routes. Their goal is to reach the Quebrada Cay (Cay Stream) which falls subtly and
slowly unto a well which is 8 meters long and 1.60 meters deep. Without considering how
cold it is, cyclists change their uniforms and dive for a moment, leaving behind the stress
of the city. Don Isaac, the owner of the barn, looks at them knows that after swimming they
will possibly decide to drink a cup coffee. He has lived there for the past 20 years. It was
him who built this natural pool by repressing with a stone wall and bamboo the current
that is produced by the waterfall. He also gets into that cold water once a week, but unlike
others, he goes in to take care and keep clean that which is the pride of his village.
160 | 161
Los gladiadores
Como gladiadores con miras a una batalla campal, los
y cuando hayan sido marcados sin hacer uso del fondo o de las paredes
hacen agua.
162 | 163
Gladiators
Like gladiators getting ready for an intense battle, water
polo players of the Department of Tolima immerge themselves every
afternoon in the diving well without any weapons except their arms and
legs, without any armour but their tenacity. This sport, also known as
balompi acutico (aquatic soccer) or water polo, is played between two
teams of six members each. Triumph is defined by the number of scored
goals, provided that they have been marked without using the bottom
or walls of the pool for propulsion. The propulsion must be the exclusive
result of using body strength and the proper circular kicking technique. But
acquiring the necessary strength and focus takes at least 10 years.
And this is very clear to Professor Gerardo Rodriguez (El Profe), a Cuban
ex-champion of the sport and holder of a degree in Physical Education
with specialization in water sports, who spares no effort in forging athletes
out of a lot of playful children. Asere, the ball, yells one of the noisy
teenagers who still cannot throw the ball with direction, while el Profe
clarifies that he allows such familiarity because it is his own son (Asere
means friend in the native slang of his native Havana).
While one of the Profes four Colombian children gets lost in the crowd
of heads that are floating on the water, el Profe counts how many golden
trophies he has won since he arrived to Ibagu in the late 90s, invited
by a Colombian friend who was a diving referee: two gold trophies in
the National Games (2006 and 2008), two gold trophies in the National
Sub-17 Championship (2007 and 2008), one gold in the national
championship of his modality and the privilege to have hosted of the
National Championship in 2006.
Since his arrival to the League, every afternoon El Profe leads a group
of coaches and judges who are preparing in the Olympic pools of Ibagu
the members of the five categories of the Department, going from Sub11 to adults category. Their goal is to defend what they conquered at
the national level, which has now placed them in the main core of the
Seleccin Colombia (Colombian National Team), displacing giants such
as Antioquia and Valle. Although this achievement does not add gold
trophies to their team, it gives them a reputation of unraveling warriors.
Langostas, tiburones,
ballenas y cocodrilos
atraviesan el ocano
desde China en inmensos
contenedores. Desinflados,
doblados y empacados.
En las muchas tiendas de
variedades del balneario
tolimense de Melgar son
inflados a pulmn, hasta
quedar en forma. Entre
esbeltos maniques, que
sin piernas ni cabezas
modelan bikinis, trikinis y
tangas, estos gigantes de
aire se ofrecen colgados
por la mdica suma
de 20 mil pesos. Como
salvavidas, juguetes o
decoracin, los alucinantes
infladores seducen a
los nios y terminan
convertidos en un
miembro ms de las miles
de familias que pasan las
vacaciones o los fines de
semana sumergidas en las
clidas piscinas.
Fauna de piscina
Lobsters, sharks, whales and crocodiles cross the ocean from China in
huge containers. They come deflated, folded and packaged. In the many
stores of the Melgar clubs, these are blown up until the shapes take
form. Among slender mannequins without legs or heads wearing bikinis,
three-pieces swimming suits and tangas, these air giants are hanged and
offered for sale for the modest sum of 20,000 pesos. Amazing blowers
seduce children to buy these items as life belts, toys or decorations, and
thus they end up as members of the thousands of families who spend
vacations or weekends immersed in the warm pools of Melgar.
Pool Fauna
166 | 167
La nieve de Jasmn
En menos de cuatro horas Jasmn Rodrguez recorri en su triciclo la carretera que del
municipio cundinamarquense de Girardot conduce al tolimense de El Espinal. Una tarde de
domingo decidi cambiar de ambiente y tom carretera a las 2. Antes de las 6 haba alcanzado
la entrada de El Espinal, y desde entonces abre su parasol y parquea su triciclo justo al frente
del atrio de la catedral de Nuestra Seora del Rosario. Hace diez aos se inici en el negocio de
saciar la sed con los tradicionales copitos de nieve, hielo triturado baado con mieles de frutas
tropicales y leche condensada. En das regulares ella misma fabrica el hielo y los sabores de
cola, banano y limn. Pero en temporada alta prefiere comprar los bloques en la fbrica local,
para dar abasto. Sabe que en los das malos se vende unos 40, pero en fiestas patronales o
feria pierde la cuenta. Y solo por 700 pesos, mezclados o de un solo sabor.
Jasmines Snow
In less than four hours, Jasmn Rodriguez crosses the road that goes from the Cundinamarca
Municipality of Girardot to El Espinal, Tolima in her tricycle. One Sunday afternoon she
decided to change her surroundings and took the road at 2:00 pm. Before 6:00 pm she
had already reached the entrance of El Espinal, and since then she opens her parasol and
parks her tricycle right in front of the cathedral Nuestra Seora del Rosario. Ten years ago,
she started her business of quenching the thirst of people with the traditional Copitos de
Nieve (Snowflakes), which are made of crushed ice topped with tropical fruit syrups and
condensed milk. On regular days, she makes the ice as well as the cola, banana and lemon
flavors; but in high season she prefers to buy the blocks at the local factory in order to cope
with her work. She knows that when sales are bad, about 40 are sold, but during religious
holidays or fairs she cannot keep the number. And she sells them just for 700 pesos a unit,
either mixed or of a single flavor.
168 | 169
170 | 171
which some cover with plantain leaves for aromatization; and second,
the chorreada (drip) that is placed on top of it with the tomato and onion
sauce. Half way through, plantain, potato, yucca, arracacha (arracacia
xanthorriza) and pumpkin are added to the broth, which must be
monitored closely to guarantee that the fish does not dissolve. It is served
referring to her husband Carlos Andrade, jokingly and winking her eye.
dry with the broth aside, sprinkled with coriander, with rice, avocado and
And it makes sense that he who makes a living selling fish should be
chili to taste.
an expert with the nets of love. During the 11 years that they have been
together, they have given birth to three children and one restaurant. One
year and a half ago, Carlos decided to accept the offer from his employer
and bought his business in which Carlos himself had been working as a
Sonia and Carlos offer six additional varieties of fish, starting from
non-scaled catfish such as the Bagre (catfish) to the scaled fish such as
the Pargo (red snapper), going through the Nicuro (Pimelodus tachet),
At the top of the menu is the legendary Viudo de Capaz, a recipe that
who travels the world looking for eccentric foods to taste, arrived to a
neighboring restaurant. The incredible thing about the visit, says Carlos,
cuisine. The secret is twofold: first, parboiling the capaz fish (Pimelodus
is that in the Land of the Viudo, Bourdain ate raw fish. And he squirms in
disbelief.
172 | 173
Callejeros
la cola, ladran. Solos o en manada, ellos van por ah, viviendo de lo que les den y calmando
su sed en las riberas de ros, quebradas, charcos, cascadas y jageyes. Dondequiera que
haya agua, ah estn ellos. Negros, blancos, cafs, grises, manchados, cachorros, viejos,
tristes, alegres, pero, ante todo, serenos y amigables son los perros sin dueo, que se ven
por montones por los caminos del Tolima. Como dice la cancin de Alberto Cortez, ellos
son callejeros por derecho propio, callejeros con el sol a cuestas, fieles a su destino y a
su parecer, sin tener horario para hacer la siesta, ni rendirle cuentas al amanecer. | They
run, walk, sniff, investigate, eat, drink, sleep, follow you, wag their tails and bark. Alone or
in packs, they walk around there, living off from what they are given and quenching their
thirst on the banks of rivers, streams, ponds, waterfalls and jageyes. Wherever there is
water, there they are. Black, white, brown, gray and spotted; puppies, old, sad and happy;
but above all, serene and friendly are the stray dogs which are seen in piles along the roads
of Tolima. As Alberto Cortezs song says, they are stray dogs in their own right, stray dogs
with the sun on their back; they are fieles a su destino y a su parecer, sin tener horario
para hacer la siesta, ni rendirle cuentas al amanecer (faithful to their destiny and opinion,
they do not have a specific time to take a nap, nor are they accountable to the dawn).
Stray Dogs
174 | 175
El agua atraviesa
la roca y vence los
obstculos con la
fuerza de la suavidad.
Lao Tse
Gentleness is stronger
than severity, water is
stronger than rock, love
is stronger than force.
Hermann Hesse
178 | 179
Agradecimientos
Este recorrido se llev a cabo gracias a la participacin de muchas personas. En estas pginas encontrar los
nombres de todos aquellos que nos dieron testimonio: a ellos mil gracias. Agradecemos al equipo de AngloGold
Ashanti en Tolima: Pablo Surez, Faber Linares, Rubn Clavijo y Alfredo Duarte. A los conductores Guillermo Daza,
Martn Arjona y Csar Augusto Sierra unas gracias especiales, pues sin su pericia, paciencia y profesionalismo el
trajinar por las carreteras del Tolima hubiera sido mucho ms arduo. En la Fundacin Ita Chue, en Ibagu, nuestro
reconocimiento a Jos Ignacio Saravanda, y especialmente a Adolfo Barn, quien nos acompa de manera generosa
durante una visita clave en la vereda Cay. En la represa del Prado, gracias a Aristbulo Meneses, quien es uno de
los personajes de este libro pero cuyo conocimiento de la represa nos fue de gran ayuda. En el Club Colombiano
de Aviacin Deportiva, Ultralivianos de Flandes, gracias a los pilotos capitn Andrs Hoyos y Ernesto Caldern. A
Colsubsidio, gracias por permitirnos registrar un domingo cualquiera en Piscilago, Melgar. En La Chamba, gracias
a la familia de Mara del Carmen Mndez y Jairo Barreto, quienes nos explicaron en detalle el proceso de creacin
de las artesanas de barro. En Cajamarca, gracias al personal de alimentacin de Casa Staff 1, y en el hotel Casa
Morales, en Ibagu, nuestro agradecimiento a su personal de servicios. Finalmente, nuestra gratitud a todos los
transentes, locales y visitantes, que aparecen en las fotografas de este libro viviendo su cotidianidad.
Acknowledgements
This trip was possible thanks to the help of many people. In these pages you will find the names of all of those
we interviewed: thanks to them. We also thank AngloGold Ashantis crew in Tolima: Pablo Surez, Faber Linares,
Rubn Clavijo and Alfredo Duarte. Thanks to the patience and expertise of drivers Guillermo Daza, Martn Arjona
and Csar Augusto Sierra our tour around Tolima was less difficult than it could have been. In the Fundacin Ita
Chue in Ibagu we thank Jos Ignacio Saravanda, and specially Adolfo Barn, who generously accompanied us to a
key visit to hamlet Cay. Our gratitude also goes to Aristbulo Meneses in the dam of El Prado. Although he is one
of the characters in the book, his knowledge of the reservoir was of great help. In the Club Colombiano de Aviacin
Deportiva, Ultralivianos of Flandes, we thank the pilots Capitan Andrs Hoyos and Ernesto Caldern. We also thank
Colsubisdio for authorizing us to register a regular Sunday in its Piscilago club in Melgar. In La Chamba we thank
the family of Mara del Carmen Mndez and Jairo Barreto for their detailed explanation of the process of creation of
the traditional handicrafts. In Cajamarca our gratitude goes to the personnel of Staff House 1, and to the staff of the
hotel Casa Morales in Ibagu. Last but not least, we thank all the people who are in the pictures of this book living
their daily lives.