Photo Diary: Valle Brisa
Riding the winds of change, Emilio Dümar lands head over heels in Salento, Colombia. A deep-valley dreamscape, complete with wax palms and wild horses. With a familiar grip on his Minolta Hi-Matic, Dümar welcomes a beauty that slips through reason, appearing only when the search has gone quiet.
Photos: Emilio Dümar // @emiliodumar.
Breathe in deep. Hold for three seconds. Exhale. Dümar's high country ramble is a purge from city living. Don't believe us? Escape the noise and find clarity in nature's embrace in our latest Photo Diary. Read Dümar's account below.
To keep the intro short: I had an existential crisis at 25. Sold everything I owned and jetted across the Pacific Ocean, eventually finding myself in the Colombian town of Salento. All caught up.
Now, Salento has a fairytale-like energy. A place where horses roamed the streets and voices of song echoed through the valley, seemingly from every direction. I wandered the pastel-coloured town and came across two gentlemen who had been working the farms. I asked if they were vaqueros (cowboys) and if they could teach me to ride. One of the men lifted his cane and shook his head in disappointment. Their vaquero days were long gone, and I may have struck a nerve.
We hopped into a truck with our driver, Mario—who was passionate about valley views, high adrenaline, and the Fast Five soundtrack—and began ascending the hills towards the Cocora Valley. Pairing my trusted Hi-Matic AF2 with a bike in desperate need of servicing, I descended into a breathtaking vista of endless palm trees stretching across the horizon. Something I couldn’t have even tried to dream of.
Through steep rolling hills and winding dirt trails, riding with more speed than sense, I nearly hit a passer-by and slammed on the brakes. I went headfirst over the handlebars. Twice. Perhaps I was just head over heels to be mountain biking? Saved by a backpack full of sandwiches and my camera, which served as makeshift cushioning, I escaped with nothing more than scuffed limbs… and the embarrassment of Mario roaring with laughter as he rode past. We continued descending through the valley, passing a tea house before arriving back in town—muddy from the waist down and ready for arepas and cervezas.
I ended up staying another two days, exploring different parts of the town and learning to salsa in the courtyard with some friends I’d made. And that's the beauty of travelling with no plans—you end up in places you never could have imagined, with people you only just met, sharing incredible memories that last a lifetime. Salento, Colombia was just that.
Check out more of Dümar's work, HERE.
