And how much are you going to charge, my girlfriend asks Fabián – 11-year-old boy, blond hair, red cheeks, chubby body–. 10 thousand pesos, Fabián replied and told us the details of the tour he was going to offer the two Spaniards who had dinner the night before at the restaurant in his house. His tour package included a visit to the stalactites and the thermal springs of Volcán Machín in Toche, Tolima. Given the quality of the services offered by his plan, I took the liberty of suggesting that he charge in euros, 10 euros to be more exact. And how much is that, Fabián asked me. They are approximately 40 thousand pesos, I replied. Fabián counted on his fingers up to four, smiled and said: well.
Discover Toche, Tolima and the Volcán Machín
Visit the densest cypress forest in the world
Perhaps Fabián at his young age does not remember the public order problems experienced by the hamlet where he lives. Some inhabitants of Toche – a few – prefer not to talk about that first decade of the 21st century when the FARC guerrilla (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) controlled the hamlet; however, other inhabitants – many – appreciate the signing of the peace agreement with that guerrilla which allowed them to live peacefully with three sources of income: livestock, agriculture, and tourism, away from the fear imposed by the FARC. For us as tourists, seasoned by so many comments about the insecurity of the sector, it was a peaceful, calm stay without any hint of insecurity.
Besides being a local guide, Fabián also helps his mom in the restaurant. He is a waiter and helps to get cheese, meat, and other provisions for the restaurant. That morning he was serving us when we heard two motorcycles climbing the road that passes in front of his house; on them, the two Spaniards quickly passed without looking at Fabián. I stared at Fabián while he watched the pair of motorcycles leave in the dust along the road. I must admit I felt pity and a little compassion for him, but Fabián turned to look at his mom, shrugged his shoulders, and continued his life as if nothing had happened.
While we were having breakfast, Nicolás arrived, our local guide – approximately 30 years old, dark skin, robust build–. Nicolás is an agronomist engineer in Ibagué and on weekends – not every weekend – offers his guiding services in the hamlet where he grew up. In Toche, his grandfather helped build the road, his father made a fleeting appearance on Caracol news talking about Toche as a new tourist site, his brother collaborates with the Ibagué health secretary to provide better service to the residents of the hamlet, and he speaks to tourists about the importance of the densest cypress forest in Colombia and the peculiarities of the Volcán Machín. Like his family, he is also a son of Machín and tells us that his inhabitants prefer to die near one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world – the second most dangerous after the Yellowtown volcano – rather than leave their home. Respect for the Volcano creates a symbiotic relationship: the volcano has no eruptions, and the inhabitants of Toche ensure that tourists know the importance of the surrounding ecosystem.
Under Nicolás's guidance, we visited the crater of the Volcán Machín, La Cueva del Diablo, the cypress forest, among other sites, but the most important aspect of his work is his commitment to making Toche a tourist destination with the highest standards of quality. We saw him talking with people, giving recommendations, and as a guide, he brought us closer to the inhabitants of Toche and their daily life. He listened carefully to our suggestions and committed to passing them on to the other residents of Toche. And at this point, a reflection on tourism in a region remains. Today, Toche receives few tourists, but when Nicolás's plans and those of the residents of Toche to build more hostels – there are only two in the entire hamlet – and provide better amenities for visitors materialize, it will attract many tourists to Toche; tourists who will have to take care of the ecosystem, as the tourism currently offered is based on knowledge of the ecosystem and its protection; a task that is done with the limited knowledge the residents have of the subject. It will be the commitment of all agents: tourists, companies, local residents, that can make Toche an important tourist destination in the country. For now, Nicolás dreams that Toche will be a highly visited tourist destination and not be confused by tourists – Nicolás says – with Salento in Quindío, as some companies, taking advantage of the inexperience of some tourists, lead them to Toche claiming that this site is Salento.
At the end of our breakfast, we waited a bit while Fabián asked the questions that during the two days we were there, Nicolás's prudence did not allow him to ask us, and which he, with total ease, asked: how old we were, our favorite food, our favorite color, our favorite video game, among others. When questioned, he also told us about his tastes and dreams. For example, his dream of flying in an airplane and seeing the sea in San Andrés Islands, for which he must pass fifth grade with an average of more than 4, and only then, Nicolás will fulfill his promise to take him to San Andrés Islands.
Our visit to Toche showed us the greatness of nature represented in the cypress forest that occupies 86% of the cypress in Colombia – much denser than Salento in Quindío –, or the 2.5 kilometers of crater of Volcán Machín. Such a trip shows the proportion of humans compared to the vastness of nature and calls us to its protection, so that more people like Fabián and Nicolás can live by showing us their wonders.
I hope to return Toche, Tolima later, convinced that Nicolás provided the best service and to see Fabián's photos in San Andrés while he overwhelms us with his questions and warmth.