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We Don't Talk About Colombia
  • Malcolm Albany
  • Flight of the phoenix
  • Malcolm Albany
  • Flight of the phoenix

We Don't Talk About Colombia

The Fab Five visit Colombia! Hopefully this doesn't turn into a GoFundMe page. Leia mais
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  • Inicio da viagem
    4 de dezembro de 2024
    We Don't Talk About Colombia
    Embracing ANA

    Vamonos!

    4 de dezembro de 2024, Austrália ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Had to steal one of Bel's photos to make the location tracking kick in. I wish I'd taken video of the Uber ride in tho. We were with 4.94 star Indian driver, Suraj, who made it his personal mission to ensure that we were not late for our flight which was due to depart in 4 1/2 hrs. Interesting tactic to play chicken with an approaching bollard in order to force a lane change on the bridge. He queue jumped about a km of traffic to a chorus of horns which he interpreted as songs of praise. Then he did it again! I've never seen someone shave 14 minutes off Google's ETA without actually speeding.Leia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    I never really twigged that Chicago was built on a lake! Syd-haneda-chicago-miami
    Some serious caffeination was required but bright sunshine and palm trees lifted our spirits.Even big kids love a Murphy bed

    Zero to Vero

    5 de dezembro de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    We finally made it to Disney's Vero Beach resort. The drive was an hour longer than expected due to heavy traffic and because our online test didn't take peak hour into account. Our energy reserves were now zero. Groceries be damned, we grabbed counter service by the pool and went straight to bed. ZzzLeia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    The resort is absolute beachfront. The beach was absolutely cold and flat. Pretty but uninviting.
    1The cast member didn't stand a chance. At least I made it a swift kill.I found the mini golf now I just needed to find a friend.Enter Lara! She is clearly a student of the game... needs to study more tho.1My spirit animalShrimp and Grits from the Waves and Grill. The shrimp was popular. Many grits were left behind.

    Picklejected

    6 de dezembro de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    I carried my paddle all this way but it's going to have to wait a little longer. We caught up on some much needed sleep but still managed microvisits to the grocery store, the beach, cornhole, putt putt and even the gym! The vibe here is Disney meets 1970s Gosford.. almost a little too relaxing.Leia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    Bogota, pronounced BogotA, welcomed us with festivities dedicated to the Immaculate Conception.
    Nothing immaculate about the Latam economy offerings.Hotel del Opera: our base for the next 2 nights. High ceilings and a rooftop restaurant. Beautiful1They don't do decor like this in the chain hotelsHappy to discover that the local mystery juice is actually soursopColombian fish..Complete with avocado and plantains.

    BogotA

    7 de dezembro de 2024, Colômbia ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    The dragged-out route to Colombia has finally come to an end! The drive back to Miami was so much better without traffic and fatigue. We flew 3.5 hrs Latam direct to Bogota where we met Julio and Alejandro. We arrived in time for the start of the Christmas Festivals. Today there were parades, music and fireworks in the central square near our hotel but we were happy to watch them from the top floor hotel restaurant. We are now trying to stay awake for Elliot's arrival. Tomorrow the tour begins.Leia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    Today's post was supposed to welcome Elliot. Jonah stole the spotlight. Hi Elliot!
    Watching the street stalls set up at sunrise (Colombian coffee in hand from the balcony)Jonah was pleased to hear of the "tight brain" theory whereby the "big brained" are susceptibleMuseum of Gold. This is batman. So many backstories! - try https://deliriouslydemented.blogspot.comA leaf, a shell andAnd a frog! Guess the connection in commentsSpanish buildings were replaced upon independence. 1 remained as funds dried and now it's heritage!Fernando Botero liked to muck around with shapes and sizes. I'm not sure that Mona appreciated it.

    My Kingdom for a Sats Probe

    8 de dezembro de 2024, Colômbia ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Monserrate and museums dominated today as we took a walking tour around the old city of Bogota.

    We began with a funicular ride up Mont Serrat that took us from 2650 to 3150m above sea level. As soon as we got off Jonah reported some pretty disturbing neurological signs consistent with a potential complication of acute mountain sickness. His lips were blue as well. The obvious answer was to descend but it was very reassuring to instantly encounter a team of 5 experienced paramedics who pulled out a sats probe and helped to settle him until we could go back down. The descent and hydration mostly fixed things but I was also able to buy some acetazolamide without a script which was handy. What a start to the trip! Fortunately it didn't get any more serious. We tailored the length and pace of the rest of the day which ended up being lovely.Leia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    The main entrance tunnel was lined by good ol' Aussie gum trees. Onya Straya.
    The stations of the cross depicted by simple carvings and lights on the descent to the cathedral.This was my favourite, but I forgot which station it was.3More elaborate salt carvings we found in some of the side passages.This small chapel contained beautiful chandeliers made mostly of salt.The cathedral hall was massive. This lighting rotation had a touch of the Klan about it.1Beyond the church: spa, shops,snacks etc. Hey, it is Catholic 😉.The landscape changed to serene rolling hillsWhich we later discovered were Columbia's Gettysburg equivalent. Simon Bolivar from the cheap seats2Prices are lower outside Bogota. $34 for the fam including steak & these babies.My personal Eldorado. Now I know what to order with my meals 🔥🌶️Our new crib is rustic and full of weird adornments.This fella overlooked a 1950s jukebox, knight in armour, pool table and Colombian sculptures.2Pretty, but still no match for the Malgarita.

    Pass the Salt

    9 de dezembro de 2024, Colômbia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    We left the watch-your-wallet hustle of downtown Bogota for the laid back countryside of Villa de Layve. Bogota is a sprawled city, like Sydney, so leaving the outskirts was like driving through Dural with the odd cow and market garden until eventually you leave the big smoke behind. We drove past the Nemocon Salt Mine which we explored on the way. It is the "First Wonder" of Colombia containing an elaborate cathedral plus a commercial centre.
    Update: Jonah is fine and we continue to descend so he'll live.    Leia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    We were all hot and bothered after a long and sticky journey
    Our view for 1 hour. Even the cow became bored and walked off.Clean and classy new lodgingsComplete with hammockThe air was warm and the pool was heated so it was a nice way to shake off the road weariness.10km hike tomorrow!

    Bus to Barichara

    11 de dezembro de 2024, Colômbia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Not a pleasant minivan ride today. The aircon in the cab didn't work and we were stuck on the roadside for an hour waiting for the contra flow to go our way. It was a long 6 hours. We now have 3 nights in Barichara and first impressions of our resort are fantastic. We even made it into the pool. Early to bed tonight as we've got a physical challenge tomorrow!,Leia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    A trade route started by a German immigrant who was so randy that Colombians in this area are taller
    Perfect weather for a hike. Warm with a cool breeze.1My hiking sandals copped flack from everyone.But they handled the terrain with aplomb.This is Andy. He has fixed opinions about many topics and was very keen to share them.1We had to be careful where to stepWe saw some goatsWe ate some goats.. and fish and chicken and beef and sausage and...Jarra de Rafajo. Andy talked it up but it's basically a pink lemonade shandy.The small village of Guane. I still can't pronounce Spanish G's. Lucky my name isn't George Gregan.Herman. A Colombian lawyer who shouted me an Aguila - "the peoples' beer"2 metre rule! Chica Mocho valley carved by the silver river.Better cocktails back at the hotel - hot tub to be preciseThe herb garden here has some amazing stuffOne for the anaesthetists although I thought it came from coal tar or poplar wood?

    Mala Comunicación

    12 de dezembro de 2024, Colômbia ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Our guide, Andy, arrived today and pretended not to speak English. It was pretty funny. He then pretended to not know about our hike...wait he wasn't pretending about that! Argh!!! His itinerary was somehow different to ours including (the included) lunch. Andy was more panicked than we were but he made it work and hike we did! We also had a wonderful lunch with enough food for Andy and his dog all reimbursed by the company. They also shouted us cocktails and pizza back at the hotel so all's well that ends well.Leia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    We woke up early and planned on walking to a nearby cafe
    But we retreated to the safety of a tuk tuk after observing the busy narrow roads with no footpaths.The kitchen was closed at our isolated destination so we had a liquid lunch.Again we started walking, despite the heat and the gradientBut within 10m we graciously decided to support the local tuk tuk industry instead.The tuk tuk guys decided to race each other on the way back1A bakery stop on the way back to our compound - smiles of undeserved pride for our great exploration

    Our own devices

    13 de dezembro de 2024, Colômbia ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Being left to your own devices takes on a different meaning these days. An unplanned day was nice so that we could chill and tidy up some loose ends. It also tested our resolve to explore our surroundings in a relatively safe part of Colombia. Fortunately the devices took a back seat.Leia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    The chicamocha national Park and monument
    Snack credit. Like sweet, lumpy peanut butterOver 6 km of cable car across the valley. Not nervous at all!Some suspicious activity in the alleyOnly one loser in that dealMeanwhile, Elliot has his mind on the task aheadThe view from the top. A bizarre combination of amazing view with odd attractionsA concrete tube slide! Do not fall out!!!!The monument at the top celebrated Colombian heroes.The long road to Medellin via Bogota. At least we had lounge accessAfter a delayed first flight and missed connection the sleeping section was a godsendWell after midnight. Just hanging onFinally arrived via a tunnel beneath the Andes - the longest in South America. 😴

    It Rhymes with Gin

    14 de dezembro de 2024, Colômbia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Today was an extended transit day to Medellin which is pronounced, you guessed it, Meda (ghin). We spent the morning exploring a National Park before a nightmare 10 hours of transit for what originally was as a flight similar to Syd/Melb. Hey, we got there.Leia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    Tropical fruit on the roadside
    The city streets are closed on Sundays: Joggers, artists, breakdancing flash mobs at the lights.1Chota 13 is one of the city's most famous emerging graffiti artistsHouses built on top of each other. Paramilitaries funded utilities but recruited kids at gunpointIt's the Colombian holidays and the streets are buzzing.Pablo interpreting for a district 13 resident and breakdancer: BBoyOctober 16 2022 was operation Orion: the last and bloodiest battle against the paramilitary groupsFrom the vacuum has emerged a culture of art, dance and new jobs for locals run by locals1Even the courts are colourfulBreakdancing emerging from the streets. Makes a mid-age white lecturer seem like appropriation.Cameras don't show just how steep the streets areSo the city installed a series of elevators and cable cars to bring the people (and dogs) together.BBoy helped us to work on our tags1Hello our doggy: in front of the many Botero's which he donated to the city1The first attempt1Getting lostA packed day finished with a Salsa. The kids all joined in and even danced with their happy mother!1The star pupil with Anna our instructor.

    Pablo's Patch

    15 de dezembro de 2024, Colômbia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Today we were taken by our new guide, Pablo, into the home of another famous Pablo: District 13 (The epicentre of Medellin's dark past).
    Medellin is a thriving, colourful, living city with huge community support to make everything work and to make everything safe.
    The legacy of Pablo has left such devastation, yet he also single handedly paid off the national debt and funded the railway system. 60 bombings per year, 500 police killed per year, uncountable indiscriminate kidnappings and murders and 21 all out intra-city battles between the army and the cartels or guerrillas meant that this deal with the devil was clearly not worth it. Medellinites now, however, are desperate to move forward into what the city can be. They care for their trains, which are immaculate and safe, the youth have found a path through hip hop culture and the city is full of music, joggers and people eating on the streets. Bogota now looks boring.    Leia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    Bananito - "little banana"
    We were all so excited even Jonah was smiling for the camera - sort ofSome sections were pure slush and super steep on the way down. Bananito pulled another car to safetyRetelling our achievements that took place in the valley belowCrepes & Waffles. A Colombian chain with a social drive. All the waitresses are single mothers.

    Old Man River

    16 de dezembro de 2024, Colômbia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    When we first thought of Columbia, part of the attraction was the dense wilderness and today we found it. A 2hr drive from Medellin took us to a rendezvous with Bananito, who became our new best friend as she took us 40 minutes further through tough terrain to the Santa Domingo River. Bananito, is a 1981 Nissan Patrol 4WD that creaks and clunks but never breaks down. You have to get out of the vehicle to switch between 2WD and 4WD. The river was isolated. We didn't see another soul except for a bird of prey that swooped down in front of us to pluck a fish from the water then fly downstream with it in its talons. The surrounds were just green. Green, dense and full of vines, moss and mist. We didn't want to kill our phones and the go pro turned out to be on a bad angle on my head. Hopefully the interrogation will enable some decent images to be attached later.Leia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    A cafe overlooking the coffee fields
    The proof was definitely in the puddingEverything grows at set altitudes. Coffee needs the cool mists.Here are the mists in action. Fortunately, no guerrillas.Pablo and Rodrigo explaining the coffee worksThere is a Goldilocks zone. The locals used to get the dregs but now they are coffee snobs too!Tamesis is alive unlike some of the other old villages that are preserved mainly for tourists1Our private tour picked up 2 stow-aways. Who can refuse an old Colombian lady that looks like Edna?We thought Bananito had a tough job. This 4WD had to tackle some even more serious inclines.Every get the feeling you're being followed?Fortunately we would enter a different pasture (some farmer's land that the guide knows)Electric fence limboAll for a rock!With nothing on it!Until..... Looks like we've found our burglar!Even the teenagers were impressed. As the shadows lengthened, torches were no longer requiredThe rocks became grander too. This was like a throne on the edge of a plateauIt contained 67 images and was also extremely comfortable.A hard walk always deserves a beerExpecting a 3 star we were dropped off here! Can't wait to see it in daylight.

    Durin's Day

    17 de dezembro de 2024, Colômbia ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We shifted base today from Medellin following the Cauca River to the south. Our new base will be near Puente Iglasius. First we stopped at a Coffee Factory in Tamesis. It's the first time I've seen beans being sorted mechanically rather than by a picky civet.
    Our main aim today was to see some Petroglyphs. To be honest it seemed like a bit of a filler to me when I saw it on the itinerary. How good could they be compared to our own 60000 yr old Aboriginal efforts? Let's just say they are apples and oranges and both are amazing. The journey there was an adventure in itself but the Petroglyphs were crazy. Rodrigo, the local guide described them as carved rock pictures only visible at certain times of day. We were sceptical as it sounded like a familiar fantasy in which moon letters appear to help open the secret door to the lonely mountain. Nevertheless, as the sun set crystal clear images began to appear on the rock formations!    Leia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    We woke to find that we were right on the river's edge at the base of some mountains!
    My favourite plantWe had the run of the place so I felt a bit gangsta looking over my Hacienda1The femme fatale taking a morning dip in the infinity poolJerico, dominated by the central churchBeautiful, rustic Andalusian architectureSo proud of his craft. His German sewing machines are >100yr old3The famous carriels worn by the pope and Paris HiltonEar rings made from old x-ray filmWe didn't stick around for the partyThe other religionLara impressed by the nativity scene1Flashbacks to Ferris Bueller8Our playground for the past few daysThe church in Jardin

    Go to Jerico!

    18 de dezembro de 2024, Colômbia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Today was a relatively lazy but fulfilling day. We started late so that we could enjoy the amazing Hacienda.
    First stop was Jerico: a small but ultra religious town from which the only Colombian Saint was canonized. Even here, however, they still have more soccer fields than churches.
    We were shown the methods of some of the artisans, sampled the best coffee we've had on the trip so far then moved on.
    Jardin is our home tonight. There were a ton of food trucks around and a big football game on. Most parts of Colombia are completely safe to walk around at night - it was nice to feel the buzz on the streets even for a little while.    Leia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    1A pre-coffee tour city walk started with a surprise tuk tuk journey
    Which took us to the outskirts of townTo catch a beautiful morning birdseye view of JardinWe returned to Jardin in this lovechild of a shopping trolley and a coffin, but we arrived safely."Shadow" (we named him) followed us all around town including the church - complete camera hog.Julian's plantation. A working coffee farm of amazing quality1Australians take their coffee very seriouslyThe life cycle of a beanJonah beginning the cycleOk, not all Australians take their coffee very seriouslySearching for the perfect beanFound it!This was a decent endeavour to fill our baskets.. not just a few happy snapsThe fruits of our labour... We would've earned around 80cThe biggest haulThere was so much to learnAnd Julian was happy to share his secrets with us (happy on the inside)The beans after being de-husked and washedThis would make an awesome jigsaw puzzleA rare earthen pyramid on our drive back to Medellin. Thanks Pablo!

    Alpha Alkaloid

    19 de dezembro de 2024, Colômbia ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    I get to play with a lot of alkaloids, but the one that is nearest and dearest to my heart is 1,3,7- trimethylxanthine aka caffeine. All good anaesthetists know that the only thing before A is coffee so to go all the way to Colombia and not visit a coffee plantation would've been criminal.
    There are many plantations around Jardin and Pablo took us to one of the best. The experience was fulfilling for the coffee snobs and fun for the kids. I'm now going to down a couple of beers and melatonins or I might still be up at 6am.    Leia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    A new fruit: I'm not sure what this is
    Smiling in our last air-conditioning before 3 days of "eco-friendly" adventure

    Fawlty Towers

    20 de dezembro de 2024, Colômbia ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    Essentially a transit day. Not sure if we are having a run of bad luck or that's just how it is in South America, but our afternoon flight became an evening flight and then was delayed again. At least it was direct, but we did arrive quite late to our overnighter in Santa Marta where we were greeted by hotel receptionist who made Basil Fawlty seem like a highly competent angel. I'm sure we'll see the funny side... eventually! Photo included for location tracking.Leia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    Our humble abode for the next 3 nights
    Similar to bamboo, but makes our bamboo at our house seem tinyYou'd have serious clumping problems with the plumbing tooA Toucan!And a howling monkey that did plenty of throwing but not much howlingThe walk to the waterfall followed the river below. It was more of a dirt road than a path at timesNature's own hair wash1The kids found an empty hammockBaloo - the alpha maleOur host showing us directions to the beach with the gangUnder a freeway!Down a short pathTada! Around 100m from our roomsNot crystal clear but super warm water

    Minca

    21 de dezembro de 2024, Colômbia ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Today was a 1hr hike to a waterfall and back near the town of Minca. We imagined an isolated pool, but the reality was backpacker central. It also didn't help that it wasn't our first stop as planned. It meant that the weather was already getting hot, and whilst it wasn't packed, it was far from isolated. On the plus side we racked up 15000 steps and had a beautiful dip in the waterfall's pool. During our travels south of Medellin we hardly saw a foreign tourist. It seems they were all in Minca!

    After lunch we drove for 90 minutes to our non-air-conditioned eco lodge which will be home for the next 3 nights. The welcome was incredibly warm especially from the 4 lodge Rhodesian Ridgebacks! I don't think the reception lady has seen a family so excited to see Ridgebacks before. The place is fascinating: between the beach, a river, a jungle covered cliff and a freeway! The grounds are beautiful. Hopefully the weather is too.    Leia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    Christian looking the part
    He had the monkey call down patWe spent a lot of time looking upFor good reason! We saw 3 of the 4 types of monkey here.The terrain changed drastically. It started rockyThen became dense woodlandsThen tropicalThen sandy1Until we reached the beautiful beaches of Tayrona National ParkMinus the palm treeThe reward did not come without effortWe didn't want to get all sandy for the walk back so skipped swimmingInstead we powered back in time for lunchSome of us still had energy to burnBefore a serious game of Uno1I'd better not let Moose see this1One more monkey!

    The Real Deal

    22 de dezembro de 2024, Colômbia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Today ticked all the boxes of what I thought yesterday would be. We joined Christian, a birding guide who lived in Melbourne for a few years as a labourer, for a hike through 4 different terrains. This wasn't a boring road but a serious path with boulders, mudfields, vines, roots and the odd boardwalk. Christian had the eyes of a Kenyan safari guide as he brought animals and birds to our attention that we would've just walked past if we were alone. The walk and the destination were far superior to Minca. It was also much more intense: our truncated trip was 10km in ultra-humid conditions.Leia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    Rio Don Diego
    The early birds get the river all to themselves!1Just us and the birds all the way to the 26 degree Caribbean SeaChristian came to retrieve us in the boatWhich probably caused less noise pollution than the kids on the way out1We were able to take photos of the wildlife on the way backMake that a royal "we"1Luckily we only spotted this guy on the way backAfter lunch we hiked up to a hut on a lookout with Rosalie and JessicaAll sorts of odd fruit on the way. This is a Guama. Looks like a giant snowpea.Glad the short but ridiculously steep climb is overThe Arhuaco use wool or agave to make their threadMy legs proved to be too hairy to complete this stepFrom little things big things growAs long as the artiste is not disturbedSo neat for a beginner! Women are allowed to use colour after their first cycle.From little things little things growThe offerings on display. We loved the product just not these patterns. Sorry Rosalie.Lara's effortTough critic

    Is Don, is Good

    23 de dezembro de 2024, Colômbia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Today we discovered just how varied the ecology is in Colombia. As we floated down the Rio Don Diego to its entry into the warm Caribbean Sea, we could lie back and see the snow atop the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range!
    In the afternoon we had a meet n greet with 2 Arhuaco women who demonstrated their basket weaving skills and shared their stories. The humidity and lack of air conditioning didn't kill us after all! Onwards to Cartegena tomorrow.    Leia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    I'm 7 episodes into Pablo Escobar el Patron del Mal on Netflix. Better than Narcos
    The ocean was lined by rows and rows of umbrellas for hire leading up to the old cityThere are worse spots to wait for check in timeThe old buildings and the fortress are beautiful at sunsetEasily a movie set with some better costume design1Happy Christmas Eve

    A Glimpse of Cartegena

    24 de dezembro de 2024, Colômbia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    We took a van transfer to Cartegena in preparation for our boat journey to the Mucura Islands. The roads here are much flatter and wider than those in the mountains so it felt liberating to be zooming along at 100kph and above. It was still a 5 1/2 hr journey. Our hotel is in the middle of the old city which looks a bit like a Pirates of the Caribbean set, but all the extras keep trying to sell us stuff. This is the first time that we've experienced pressure from street sellers in Colombia and the first time that I've felt the need to wear my backpack facing the front. We FaceTimed the families for Christmas Eve, rejigged our gear for the island and took a mini walk around the hotel area to check out the Christmas lights and grab some dinner. We'll be back to check out the city properly in a few days so I'll reserve judgement until then.Leia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    1km in diameter, 2hr speedboat trip from Cartegena.
    Goodbye PiratesOla MoanaFortunately the boat had shade and the waters were calmWith Disney around the corner we opted for the budget viewsBut it came with industrial AirconThe South Americans and Europeans gravitated to the waterside loungesGuess where the Australians went?The daybed setup was a bit like a driving rangeWater hammocks!He was too macho to scurry away as we approachedIf you can't beat 'em, join 'em (After 430 tho)Dinner was outside so that we could have a romantic encounter with several mosquitoesBuffet style: Good food rather than great, but it's all included and we don't have to cook.1Merry Christmas!!

    Christmas Day Cricket

    25 de dezembro de 2024, Colômbia ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    What's the only thing better than watching Sam Kontas kill it at the G on Boxing Day? Watching him do it on Christmas Day... from a tropical island... with a beer!!

    Mucura Island is home for 3 nights. The natural surrounds are beautiful. The resort itself leans slightly more towards Club Med than 7 star, but we'll survive. Importantly for Bel the aircon in the room is fantastic. Importantly for the kids there is reasonable wifi. That means I can enjoy the cricket, a book and a beer. I might be tempted to not post again until we get back to Cartegena!Leia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    Our beach side hut of choice. We learnt to claim it early!
    1A book, a hammock and decent wifi. Tick, tick. Tick.We worked our way through the frappuccino menu.A visitor just below our hideout1I'm not sure how 4 people were supposed to eat this but it was a nice gesture.Still from the GoPro to prove that we did it. We all nearly died from this 40min of effort.Someone brought a curse upon us. I think it's because I didn't return my novel to the hotel library.The seas were wild that day m'heartiesBut they settled for our insect-free mangrove tourColombian gondoliers.Fortunately they knew this labyrinth like the back of their handsIt was so smooth... Like it's a small world but without the earwormI really wanted to see a raccoon. Had to settle for some birds and a crab.A very musical wedding procession passed by our hole-in-the-wall dinner stopThey know how to celebrate!

    Soggy Exit

    26 de dezembro de 2024, Colômbia ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    We left our Island hideout after a fun few days. There was plenty of time spent in hammocks, on day-beds, in the water, in the room watching Squid Games 2, eating, drinking: repeat.

    The significant deviations were:
    - swimming amongst bioluminescent plankton at night
    - running away from Iguanas (they swim!)
    - kayaking around the Island
    - trying to hide a huge, but tasteless cake that they gave us for Elliot's 22nd birthday.

    3 nights was just right. We left completely satisfied and then completely drenched as horizontal rain appeared from nowhere to give Jonah the shower that he was supposed to have already had.

    A freebie tour to see the mangrove tunnels and fishing village back in Cartegena was a nice way to finish a few days by the water.    Leia mais

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  • We Don't Talk About Colombia
    An active port, crude oil refinery, tourist hub and home to 1 million people
    Ready to explore from our balconyConvento de la Popa. The nuns had a great view of the harbour.The fortress that succumbed to the pirate-assisted FrenchThey learnt their lesson and brought in an Italian engineer to boost the defensesIt was tiring enough walking to the top in the heat without having to fight as wellThe tunnels were a plan B if they needed to escape and blow the fort up on the way outGethsemane - a poor section of town trying to capture the tourist dollar thru makeshift street barsThe only problem with attracting tourists is all the touristsQuaint house with a dark past: the HQ of the Inquisition in CartegenaLa Mulata: a plug for an amazing restaurant. Fresh seafood for <$AUD15 a dishFlaky white fish with coconut riceSuper intense garlic prawns.With one day left I needed to use up my pesos. What better way than emeralds?

    Colours of Cartegena

    29 de dezembro de 2024, Colômbia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    We've been settling in to the Caribbean vibe of Cartegena. Despite the cruise ships and the holiday season the streets seem a little less chaotic than our first brief impression. The spruikers are still out trying to make a living, but they are good natured and pretty funny at times. We were given a run down of the colourful history of Cartegena, but you can infer most of it just from opening your eyes. A sheltered harbour provided the perfect trade entrance to South America from the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic. It was a highly desirable destination for European colonisers, merchants, slave traders, pirates you name it. All these influences are seen in the food, the music, the accents and even of the features of the population. Cartegena lacks the natural beauty of the mountains, but it is certainly colourful and packs a lot more spice.Leia mais

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