On Friday, July 20th my friend Maggie and I traveled to the Caribbean coast where we enjoyed three days of exploring the city of Cartagena. Aside from a few inopportune rain storms, we had a great time basking under the Caribbean sun, wandering around Cartagena's charming colonial streets, dining at top-notch restaurants, and taking day trips to nearby tourist destinations. We especially enjoyed our excursions to the nearby "Islas del Rosario" and the very unusual "mud volcano."
We arrived to sunny Cartagena on Friday morning and spent the rest of the day exploring the Popa Convent, San Felipe Castle, and the fortress-like "old city" of Cartagena . In the afternoon we had an incredible meal at an authentic Spanish-style restaurant called "El Burlador de Sevilla" and had dinner at an Argentinian pizza place later that evening. We wrapped up our first night in Cartagena with cocktails at the posh Santa Clara Hotel.
A visit to the "mud volcano"
On Saturday morning we woke up early and took a tour of a nearby "mud volcano." There we covered ourselves from head to toe in thick, gray mud and enjoyed the "services" of local "massage therapists." Following our massages, we were instructed to walk down a dirt path to a smelly lagoon where local women washed the mud off our mud-caked bodies and swimsuits. Sounds weird, right? Well, it was! It was certainly one of the most unusual (and unforgettable) experiences that I have ever had. Later that night we treated ourselves to "arequipe" ice cream and had a delicious meal at the super-chic Santísimo Restaurant.
Islas del Rosario
On Sunday morning we went to the Cartagena harbor and took a boat to the Cocoliso Resort, located about two hours southwest of Cartagena on one of the 27 Rosario Islands (Islas del Rosario). Unfortunately, it stormed during the 2-hour trip there and cleared up only a couple of hours before we had to return to Cartagena. However, before leaving the island I was able to enjoy a quick swim in the Caribbean and snap a few pictures of flowers, coconuts, and of me and Maggie dressed as pirates! And fortunately, clear blue skies made for an absolutely beautiful trip back to Cartagena.
On Sunday night, Maggie and I were having dinner and decided to make a list of the some of the most memorable aspects of our trip to Cartagena. Just for fun we included both the best and the worst of our trip.
The best (and worst) of Cartagena
Best Meal
+Appetizers of cured ham (jamón serrano) and manchego cheese followed by a grilled seafood platter. The restaurant was an authentic Spanish restaurant that reminded me of the time that I spent living in Spain. The entire experience, including the décor, the music, the smells emanating from the kitchen, and the perfectly prepared portions of shrimp, octopus, squid, clams, oysters, and lobster brought back fond memories of the food that I loved to eat when I was studying in Santiago de Compostela.
Worst Meal
+Deep-fried chicken leg accompanied by a so-called salad of onions prepared in a hygienically "questionable" hut on the beach. (Maggie)
+Fried fish (shown in picture) from the same hygienically-challenged hut. (Aaron)
Disclaimer: The rice served with our chicken and fish was actually quite delicious. It is called "arroz con coco" or coconut rice and is a specialty of northern Colombia. The rice is prepared with shredded coconut and is cooked in coconut milk rather than water. I liked the fish (mojarra) too, but in comparison to the other five-star meals that we enjoyed in Cartagena, this one won the prize as the "worst meal."
Best Dressed
+Maggie in her "slimming" red dress.Worst Dressed
+The plump woman wearing a thong bikini at the pool.
+Honorable mention: The plump elderly man wearing a thong bikini at the pool.
Note to readers: "Spandex is a privilege, not a right." - CamilleBest Picture
+Maggie (again) in her red dress (she likes this picture so that's why it gets two nods).Worst Picture
+The image that I have burned into my head of that man wearing a thong bikini. (Aaron)
Disclaimer: I made this part up. The guy was actually wearing a speedo, but I thought that it would be more funny if he were in a thong.
Best Deal
+Once I had made the trek from the mud volcano down the dirt trail to the edge of the stinky lagoon, a friendly woman named Graciela took me by the hand and led me out into knee-deep water and told me to sit down. There my toothless helper washed my hair, face, ears, torso, legs, and feet. She then told me to take off my swimsuit. I was quite surprise and confused. "¿Qué? What is it that you want me to do?" Once I was sure that I had understood her correctly, I reluctantly did as she asked. Fortunately, she simply wanted to wash off my swimsuit. After a few minutes, Graciela finished scrubbing my suit and told me that I was completely clean and ready to go. Price: $1.00 (Aaron)
+Honorable Mention: One of our taxi drivers insisted on taking us around the old city of Cartagena and showing us the major sites. We thanked him for the offer but declined since we were already quite tired from a full day of sightseeing. Honestly, we just wanted to get back to our air-conditioned hotel to rest. Then he lowered his asking price from 5 to 3 dollars and continued to insist that we take him up on this once-in-a-lifetime offer. However, we were still unconvinced. After several minutes our driver finally gave up. In the end it turned out that the destinations that he was planning on taking us to were on the route to our hotel so we ended up getting the tour anyway! Price: Free
And finally,Worst Deal
+The 15-minute taxi ride to the Popa Convent. I think we got the "special" price for foreigners. Price: $20.00!
That's all for now. Be sure to check out the rest of my pictures from Cartagena!
Friday, July 27
The best (and worst) of Cartagena de las Indias
Thursday, July 19
A quick trip to Santa Marta
On Sunday afternoon, I will take a two-hour taxi ride from Cartagena northeast along the Caribbean coast to the city of Santa Marta. There I will be observing a ceremony that I have been helping to plan for the past several weeks. In addition to the families attending this funeral-like event, there will be several VIPs in attendance, including the Colombian vice president and several generals from the armed forces. Next week I will write more about my experiences at this historic event.
After the event on Monday morning, I hope to take a quick walking tour of Santa Marta before boarding my flight back to Bogota. Here is what one traveler says about Santa Marta on World66:
"You shouldn’t miss Santa Marta. There are so many reasons to come here: to relax, because the area has great beaches, to visit the oldest town of Colombia (founded in 1525!) or to explore the ancient culture of the Tayronas, who lived in the area before the Spanish came. The Ciudad Perdida or lost city of the Tayronas can be visited in a 5 day trek through a national park. This will be an experience you will never forget.
Santa Marta is also a very lively place with good nightlife. The clubs near the beach attract a colourful crowd.
Santa Marta is relatively secure. Crime rates are low and its streets are clean. El Rodadero (shown above) is the main touristic area. A place full of high-rises, shops, and cafés. The Annual Festival del Mar, or Festival of The Sea, brings many people.
Also, be sure to visit the Tomb of Simon Bolivar, El Libertador, alongside a wonderful art museum."
A seaside getaway: Cartagena de las Indias
On Friday morning, I will take advantage of the long weekend attributed to Colombia's Independence Day (July 20) by traveling to Cartagena, the "Jewel of the Caribbean." I will take an early morning flight to this Spanish colonial city celebrated for its beautiful beaches and old world architecture. Here's what they say about Cartagena on World66.
"With just under 1 million inhabitants, Cartagena is the most popular tourist resort town in Colombia. It is divided into two main parts: the Ciudad Antigua (Old City) and the Ciudad Nueva (New City). Cartagena used to be a popular place for the privateers of the Caribbean (the most famous being Sir Francis Drake). Accordingly, the Spanish invested heavily in thick walls to protect this important harbour from attacks.
The walls are over 10km long and enclose the pleasant Ciudad Antigua, built in 1533 along a beautiful Caribbean harbor. It’s very pleasant to stroll down the narrow streets and take in the stylish colonial architecture. The cathedrals and palaces face cool shady plazas, where you can buy little cups of coffee (tinto) and watch the world go by. Around Cartagena some very fine beaches are to be found, where you can get a tan under the tropical sun.
Nightlife in Cartagena is quite lively, as there are a number of bars with good (Salsa) music and cheap beer. Finding a decent place to eat is never difficult, and restaurants specialize in Caribbean and creole dishes.
From Cartagena you can travel on to Bogotá, Cali, Medellín, and Santa Marta, a great old city on the coast, from which you can visit the Ciudad Perdida of the Tayrona Indians."
Photo by Carlos Hoyos
Wednesday, July 18
Green jacuzzis and fancy-pants spa treatments
Last Saturday afternoon, I hopped on a bus to Paipa with nothing but a dance belt and a tube of chapstick. Just kidding. But I did take my backpack and traveled to this small town located approxiately 3 1/2 hours north of Bogota. Along with three of my friends, we traveled in search of Paipa's reputable hot springs and relaxing atmosphere. Once we arrived to Paipa, we climbed into a taxi which would take us the final five kilometers to our hotel. However, moments after speeding off in the taxi we found ourselves stuck behind a slow-moving caravan of semi-trucks. Apparently they were celebrating the holiday of some virgin that is supposedly the patron saint of truck drivers. Who knew that there even was a patron saint of truck drivers?!
Well, when we finally arrived to Hotel Paipa which is situated on the banks of Lake Sochagota, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Maggie had booked us all in what appeared to be a five-star hotel. (She really knows how to pick the lodgings!) The remainder of the evening was spent enjoying dinner in the hotel restaurant and later admiring (from a distance) the greenish-colored Jacuzzis that looked more like churning cauldrons of vegetable beef stew. Let's just say that the large clumps of hair and numerous water-logged insects floating face down in the green water didn't enhance the "charm" of this otherwise luxurious hotel.
On Sunday, me and the gang trekked down to the hotel spa where we enjoyed an hour-long full-body massage that included us getting covered from head-to-toe in mud, lathered up with oil, and intermittent layovers in the sauna and hot showers. Yeah, I know that getting a fancy-pants massage at a spa isn't considered to be very "manly," but I still have to admit that it was quite relaxing.
In the end, perhaps the most memorable part of our little excursion to Paipa was the mud massage and the sight of that overly affectionate couple that just never seemed to leave the green Jacuzzis.
Photos by Paipa Hotel
Tuesday, July 10
Video: Climbing Monserrate
On Saturday, my fearless friend Maggie and I hiked up Monserrate. Here you can watch a video of our adventure.
Monday, June 11
Chicaque Nature Reserve
On Sunday, I went with my friend Angie and her 7-year-old daughter Meily to the Chicaque Nature Reserve. Located approximately 45 minutes west of Bogota, Chicaque is a high-altitude cloud forest that is home to hundreds of plant and animal species, including more than 200 species of birds, 17 types of orchids, hares and rabbits, two-toed sloths, long-tailed monkeys, and bobcats. The reserve has over 15 kilometers of nature trails, seven forest habitat-types, and several waterfalls including one that is over 230 feet (70 meters) high. The park also offers a variety of amenities that include a hotel, a restaurant with great food and service, guided tours, horseback riding, and camping.
My friends and I spent the day at Chicaque by ascending and descending more than 15 kilometers of steep, rugged trails. And because we had started our hike somewhat late in the day we ended up running out of daylight. Deep in the heart of the forest and exhausted from the five hours already spent hiking, we climbed out of the park in nearly complete darkness. Fortunately, Meily was quite a trooper as she lead the way almost the entire day (except for the last half mile that I carried her on my back).
The above map of Chicaque shows the trails and points of interest that we passed during our 10-12 mile hike. We started at the park entrance (point A) and hiked down to the scenic overlook (point B). Then, we continued down into the valley to the hotel and restaurant (point H) where we had lunch. Following lunch, we ventured off on a two-hour hike to the waterfalls (point J) and once there we found ourselves running out of daylight. Not good! So, we quickly headed towards the park entrance. However, by the time we reached point H, we had only the stars to light our way! Once we reached the park entrance (point A) we still had 1.9 miles of walking to reach the main highway where we were relieved to catch a bus back to Bogota.
Despite the nerve-racking final hours stumbling around in the dark, yesterday was definitely a memorable time spent enjoying the outdoors.
Wednesday, May 30
World travel map
Here's a map of the countries I have had a chance to visit. If you'd like to make your own map of countries (or U.S. states) visited, just click here.
Tuesday, May 29
Los Tunos Nature Reserve
On Sunday morning I met up with about 20 employees of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and joined them on an excursion to Los Tunos Nature Reserve. The reserve is located just about one hour by bus outside the city of Bogotá. Along the bus route, I was surprised at how quickly the city of Bogotá disappeared and gave way to a rural countryside of green hills and mountains. For example, just thirty minutes outside of the city the bus stopped and I took this picture of a beautiful waterfall and canyon!
When we arrived at the reserve we were treated to several tasty snacks (meat pastries, chocolate, fruit) and drinks before we headed out on our guided tour of the reserve. At Los Tunos, visitors can enjoy hiking, rock climbing, fishing at a trout farm, and relaxing within the confines of a beautiful and quiant bed and breakfast.
On our four-hour guided tour we hiked up the mountain along a steep and rocky mountain stream and into a "cloud forest." We even had to rely on ropes to climb several waterfalls! During our hike we learned about the many unique flowers, plants, and trees that grow on the reserve. One such beautiful but often deadly flower produces a neurotoxin that causes people to lose consciousness (and die) when the flower's aromatic pollen is inhaled. We all stayed plenty far away from that flower! Another poisonous plant has long been used by native people for fishing. When the plant's leaves are placed in a river or stream, poison paralyzes any fish in the area and causes them to float to the surface where they can then be collected. Amazing, right?
Our day at the reserve concluded with a delicious lunch that consisted of soup, fresh trout, fried yucca, rice, salad, fruit, and coffee served on an outdoor patio that was surrounded by a garden of beautiful of trees and flowers. In the end, I left the reserve quite amazed that such a beautiful place could exist just a short bus ride away from the hustle and bustle of Bogotá. It was a great day and I definitely recommend checking out the Tunos nature reserve if you ever find yourself in Bogotá!
Tuesday, May 22
A day of hiking in Bogotá
On Monday I learned that it was a religious holiday (the Day of Ascension) and that most offices and businesses would be closed. I then decided to enjoy the holiday in the same way that many locals do – by hiking up the Cerro de Monserrate. The Cerro (Mountain) de Monserrate is one of the highest peaks in the mountain range flanking Bogotá to the east. From downtown, it is easily recognizable by the massive white church crowning its top. On Monday morning, I joined the thousands of people who had flocked to the mountain to hike up its steep stone path and I was especially amazed by the masses of children that easily scampered up the rugged mountain path. By foot, the exhausting 1.5 mile hike up to Monserrate takes about an hour, but the less adventurous can get to the top in a matter of minutes by taking a fast-moving cable car (teleférico) or funicular railway. For the hikers, the path is lined with numerous venders and stalls selling a variety of goods including cold drinks, sandwiches, cookies, ice cream, jello, and fruit. I found two salesmen to be especially intriguing and unusual. One was selling cell phone minutes whereby you could pay to make a phone call from the side of the mountain. And the other was an elderly man selling chocolate-covered ants. He walked up and down the path and would yell out, “Ants! Ants! Get your delicious ants!” As he went by, I would hear people whispering, “Did he say ants? Oh my goodness! He is selling ants!”
Once at the top of the mountain, the view of Bogotá from Monserrate was absolutely breathtaking. Click on "My Latest Photos" to view pictures that I took during my hike up the Cerro de Monserrate.
Zipaquirá and the Salt Cathedral
On Sunday I took the bus to Zipaquirá, a small town about 30 miles outside of Bogotá. The town is best known for its salt mine that produces over 700 tons of salt every month. Over a hundred years ago the salt miners erected several small chapels throughout the mine and would hold daily prayer services in these chapels to ask for God’s protection. Since then miners have built the massive Salt Cathedral, a functioning church that holds mass everyday inside the mine. Amazingly, this underground place of worship can accommodate more than 8400 worshippers and has been used for numerous weddings, concerts, and conventions. Nowadays, miners spend their nights extracting salt from the mountainside and allow visitors (like me) to wander around the mine’s labyrinthine tunnels during the day.
Aside from the impressive Salt Cathedral, Zipaquirá is a very quiet and peaceful town. I especially enjoyed wandering around its narrow, cobblestone streets and taking pictures of the brightly painted homes and shops. You can view some of my pictures in my Colombia Photo Gallery.
El Museo del Oro (The Gold Museum)
Last Friday afternoon I visited El Museo del Oro (The Gold Museum). This museum is located in a large and modern building in the lively and historic downtown neighborhood known as La Candelaria. The impressive exhibit displays more than 34,000 gold pieces from the primary pre-Hispanic cultures of Colombia. Artifacts in the Museo del Oro include thousands of exquisite objects in stone, bone, clay, gold, emerald, and textiles from numerous advanced civilizations that had thrived in the region before the arrival of Columbus.
Tuesday, May 15
My first day in Bogotá
Greetings from the Casona del Patio
My trip went well and I had no significant problems getting through customs, receiving my luggage, or finding a ride to the hotel. The issue of my tourist visa did resurface though while having the customs official stamp my passport. The length of my stay did seem to raise some red flags but the issue was fairly quickly resolved when I explained that I would have a work visa within a matter of days.
During my taxi ride from the airport to the hotel, I had a very pleasant conversation with my driver. We had a lively discussion on Colombian politics, corruption, taxes, family values, and the challenges of married life. He especially lamented the fact that Colombians pay such high taxes and yet receive so little in return in terms of public services. He complained about political corruption and how it has left the country with a legacy of dilapidated schools, roads, and hospitals. However, it did seem to cheer him up a little to learn that, while perhaps not to the same degree, similar problems exist even in the
Today I woke up early and had breakfast in the hotel. For those of you that have expressed interest in hearing about the more mundane details of my life in
Monday, May 14
Nearly grounded in Boston
I just arrived to Atlanta and I'm quite happy just to be here! When checking in for my flight from Boston I was told that I couldn't board the plane because I did not have the proper travel visa. A tourist visa is only valid for 90 days and since I will be staying in Colombia for longer, this led to several tense moments. Then again, I wasn't that worried because I will have a work visa within a few days. I knew that in the worst-case scenario, I could have had my tourist visa extended by simply leaving the country and re-entering to get a new stamp in my passport. This is a common practice that I have done before, therefore I knew that the airline representative was mistaken. In the end, the woman working behind the counter realized her mistake and let me board the plane to Atlanta. It all worked out in the end, but for a few minutes I thought that my travel plans had hit a snag.
