South American Adventure

This epic eight-month overlanding trip through South America has been a long time in the planning! We will be visiting Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Brazil. Exciting times! 😊 Read more

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South American Adventure
Photos of the Lady Chapel and the Naves
October 7, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
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South American Adventure
Photos of the commercial area
October 7, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
These photos show the shops underground and the journey back to the surface. A girl travelling on our land train treated us to an impromptu performance of a traditional song, much to the delight of her fellow passengers. She wasn't put off by the bus driver sounding his horn! Music really is everywhere here in Colombia!Read more
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South American Adventure
Lunch
October 7, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Our lunch stop was at Mister Parilla, a barbecue restaurant less than a minute's drive from the Salt Cathedral. It was very cool with lots of American paraphernalia and live music. Most importantly, the food was very good! We shared a meat platter as the portions looked enormous!! We chose to have beef, pork, and chiguiro. The latter translates as capybara, the largest living rodent and a close relative of the guinea pig. Well, when in Rome and all that! It was absolutely delicious!!

After lunch, we drove back to Bogota. Steven said that usually, the journey takes between two and four hours because of the traffic. Today, however, the schools were closed, so it only took us an hour and a half.

Back at the hostel, we packed and organised a taxi ready for our early morning journey to the airport tomorrow.Read more
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South American Adventure
Flight to Cartagena
October 8, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C
It is just over 1000 kilometres by road from Bogota to Cartagena, but it takes over 24 hours to drive because of the state of the roads. A flight takes 90 minutes and costs about £30. A no-brainer!

We were picked up from the hostel at 6.30am and arrived at the airport just before 7am. We had already checked in online, but they were very strict at bag drop and ended up having to lose 1kg from a case we hadn't opened since leaving home! We didn't think Mark's carry-on was going to pass the size test, but, with a bit of brute force, he managed to get it in the container and we were allowed through 😂.

Having got rid of our cases, we had plenty of time to have a delicious breakfast of omelettes and strong black coffee. Our flight was called very early and we assumed we would be leaving ahead of time. Not so! It took well over an hour to board everyone. For some reason known only to the airline, on a full flight, nobody was sitting with the people they were travelling with. It didn't bother us on such a short journey, but others did mind - especially parents who were separated from their children, for example! Eventually, everyone was sorted out and we took off on time. It's school holidays here in Colombia, so there was great excitement amongst all the children on board who were all heading for the beach!

I imagine that the views leaving Bogota and coming in to land in Cartagena were lovely. Unfortunately, we didn't see anything as we were both allocated aisle seats. It's not a problem, and it's overland all the way from now on - no more flights until next May at the earliest!

At Cartagena, we were straight through in record time and met our pre-booked driver for the 20-minute drive to our accommodation in La Boquilla, the less-touristy part of the city. It was a very pleasant 30 degrees - lovely!

We soon found ourselves driving along the beach - there are no surfaced roads in this area! It wasn't long before we arrived at Makena Beach Hostel, our home for the next ten nights. We were greeted by Leandra, the lovely Colombian owner who speaks perfect English. She explained everything to us and encouraged us to use the house as our own for the duration of our stay.

Our room is very spacious and comfortable, and there are lovely communal areas including a very well-equipped kitchen, a balcony next to our room, and a huge roof terrace where I imagine I'll be doing a lot of my work. The plan is to relax, get some work done, and not go very far while we're here. We have 3 days in old Cartagena after this, and before our tour starts, so we can explore the city then.Read more
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South American Adventure
Sunset on day one in Cartagena
October 8, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C
Having unpacked and settled in, we ventured out to buy supplies. Back at the hostel, we familiarised ourselves with the kitchen and prepared chicken salad for a late lunch/early dinner.

Later, we went up on the roof to watch the sunset - perfect!!Read more
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South American Adventure
A walk on the beach
October 10, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C
After a day chilling and working at the hostel yesterday, this morning was cloudy, so we decided to go for a long walk along the beach. To the left of where we are, as you look towards the sea, is Bocagrande, the highly developed part of Cartagena. I'm sure it's very nice if that's what you're after, but we prefer the local feel of Boquilla. It's very relaxed and there is nobody around to hassle the very few tourists who are here. I imagine that if we came back in 5 years, we would find the whole of Boquilla to be as built up as Bocagrande. I'm very happy to be here now ☺️.Read more
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South American Adventure
A rowdy weekend
October 14, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C
After a few days of rest and relaxation on the beach and on the roof of the hostel, soaking up the sun, writing, reading, listening to podcasts, etc., our peace was rudely disturbed yesterday! We were woken at 5.30am by music coming from next door. The instrumental track was soon joined by a choir singing at the top of their voices. We didn’t mind too much. It was Sunday morning after all. They sounded pretty good, too.

However, this quite pleasant sound soon morphed into a deafening cacophony of music with a pulsating bass beat that continued all day and well into the evening! I did a bit of writing in the morning, but it was too loud to concentrate on anything!

It has been the same today, too!

The reason is that it's been a holiday weekend to celebrate Dia de la Raza (discovery of America). Families from Cartagena have come to Boquilla in their droves (most of them arriving in brightly coloured party buses to eat, drink, and enjoy the music for two days! I'm sure they'll all be going home tonight unable to hear anything!

A temporary gazebo village appeared on the beach, too, to give everyone shade from the sun.

Our hostel owner assures us it will be back to peace and quiet tomorrow. We won't know as we're going on a trip to the Rosario Islands.Read more
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South American Adventure
Day trip to the Rosario Islands
October 15, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
We were up at 6am to get ready for our pre-booked trip to the Rosario Islands. It had rained heavily overnight and there were thick clouds blocking the sunrise. The forecast was for a hot but very cloudy day.

We had to be at the meeting point in the centre of Cartagena by 7.50am, so we started trying to get an Uber soon after 6.30am. We finally got one at 7.15am, so it's a good job we started early!

The driver dropped us off at around 7.40, enough time to grab a coffee before we met Anna and Alejandro, our guides for the day. We paid for our entrance tickets to the Rosario Islands National Park and then went to wait for our speedboat.

There were 36 of us in the group, including a Welsh girl and a Scottish couple who we got talking to early on. About half the group had booked the more relaxed 'leisure' tour. The others had booked the 'party' tour. We were all going on the same boat, so some people were bound to be disappointed! As it turned out, the first four stops of the day were chilled and suited us fine. It was only the last stop that was a 'party stop' with loud music and fun and games in the pool!

We left Cartagena at around 8.45 for the 20-minute speedboat ride to Namaste, our first stop. Here, there was an opportunity to have breakfast, so we shared a plate of Huevos Pericos and had another coffee. The hour we were there passed quickly.

The photos attached to this footprint 👣 are of Namaste and the boat ride to get there.Read more
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South American Adventure
Solo Papaya, Isla Grande
October 15, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
Then, it was time to move on to stop number 2. This took about 30 minutes in the speedboat. Our driver threw the boat about a bit to cause the 'party people', who were all seated at the front, to scream their heads off! We were quite comfortable in the middle of the boat. It felt good to be out on the water.

Our second stop was at Solo Papaya on Isla Grande in Las Islas Rosario proper. The water here was lovely, but we didn’t swim. We just paddled, saving our swimming for the stop after lunch which Anna had told us had the best water. We were taken with the floating cocktail bar, but we weren’t tempted - it was still only 10.30am! Mark did have a beer, though! Unsurprisingly, it was twice the price we've been paying on the mainland.Read more
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South American Adventure
Lunch and Coralina, Isla Marina
October 15, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Then it was back on the boat for a quick 5-minute ride to our lunch spot at La Cocotera, still on Isla Grande. Here, we had a choice of fish or chicken, both served with coconut rice, fried plantain, and fresh salad. I succumbed and had the first rice I've eaten since I went low-carb back in April! It was all delicious 😋. We sat with the Welsh girl (I never got her name) and discussed all things travel 😀.

Another short boat ride took us to Coralina on Isla Marina, where we swam in a lagoon with crystal clear turquoise water. It was heavenly! It didn’t matter at all that the sun still refused to shine!!Read more
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South American Adventure
Secredo and back to Cartagena
October 15, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Then it was on to our final stop, Secredo - the party stop! We sat and watched the shenanigans. We didn’t join in. It's not that we're party poopers - it's more that the pool didn’t look the cleanest!! I guess we're just getting too old!!

After this, we headed back to the city. It took about 45 minutes to get there. We had enjoyed the day, despite the cloudy weather. At least we can say we have visited some of the 27 Rosario Islands.

Back in Cartagena, we took an Uber back to Boquilla.Read more
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South American Adventure
Last day in Boquilla
October 17, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C
Today has been our last day at the beach before we transfer to a hotel in the city tomorrow. Apart from the noisy weekend, it's been very relaxing here. The accommodation is clean, comfortable, and spacious with very good WiFi and efficient air-conditioning! Kathleen has cooked us a delicious breakfast every morning (always based around eggs 😀), and we have cooked for ourselves every evening. This has helped me get my blood sugar back under control after a blip when we were eating out in Bogota.

All is good! We feel ready to hit the city again tomorrow and join our overlanding trip on Monday. There's just time to enjoy one last sunset here 😊.Read more
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South American Adventure
Moving to Cartagena city
October 18, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
We enjoyed a last breakfast cooked by Kathleen and then got packed up ready for our move to the city. We checked out of our room by 11am, so Kathleen could clean it, and then spent a couple of hours up on the roof as we were too early for our next hotel. We spent the time reading and catching up on the news, which was all about Liam Payne (ex One Direction) falling to his death from a hotel balcony in Argentina after a drink and drugs filled evening. He was only 31 - tragic.

We took an Uber into town. Leandra came to say goodbye. She has a great business, and we wish her every success with it. After a couple of wrong turns into dead ends, the Uber driver managed to find the right track off the beach and join the road into Cartagena 😂. He quickly dropped us off at our hotel in the old city.

Casa Lorenza is a lovely, quirky hotel with rooms set around a courtyard where we will have breakfast. Our room is clean and comfortable with great air-conditioning and WiFi. The view is of attractive red-tiled roofs all around.

After settling in, we ventured out to explore locally. The first thing we did was to buy a hat for Mark - this trip has really begun now! 😂 We found an ATM and then went in search of somewhere to eat.

Cartagena is a port city on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. It was founded on June 1, 1533 by Pedro de Heredia. Its historic centre is the walled Old Town, founded in the 16th century, with squares, cobblestone streets, and colourful colonial buildings. This area was declared a National Heritage Site of Colombia in 1959 and by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1984. With a tropical climate, the city has become one of the most important tourist destinations in Colombia and the Caribbean as a whole.

The walled city is so pretty! I took quite a few photos today, and I'm sure I'll take plenty more on our walking tour tomorrow. The street views are enhanced by the number of horses and carriages driving up and down. The brightly painted buildings, numerous flags, and vivid costumes worn by the local ladies all add to the vibrancy of the city. I'm sure we're going to love our few days here.Read more
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South American Adventure
Late lunch at Zona5
October 18, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
The restaurant we ate in, Zona5, was on the roof of a hotel just around the corner from ours. The views across the old city to the sea beyond were spectacular. The food was good, too. Mark had Cazuela de Mariscos, a seafood casserole served with sides of coconut rice and corn cakes. It doesn’t look that great in the photo, but he said it was delicious, packed full of prawns, clams, squid, octopus, sea bream, and other fish. I had loin of pork with a tasty salsa, salad, and fries.

After eating, we wandered back to our hotel via a supermarket just to see what's available if we decide to cater for ourselves.Read more
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South American Adventure
Breakfast and a walking tour
October 19, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C
We were up earlier than we needed to be, so we were able to have a leisurely breakfast before heading off on our walking tour.

Here, we have a choice of 3 breakfasts - typical, healthy, or Anerican. I chose the typical Colombian, and Mark ordered the American. Both came with a fruit plate, watermelon juice, and coffee. I then had Huevos Pericos, corn cakes, freshly-made cheese, and sour cream. Mark had bacon and eggs with pancakes and maple syrup. We both had enough food to keep us going all day!

After breakfast, we organised a backpack to take with us and walked to the starting point for our walking tour. There, we met our guide, Legacy, and then chatted to a British couple while we waited for everyone else to arrive. It was already 34 degrees with very little breeze! It would end up being the hottest day we have had so far. Once the walk started, Legacy tried to keep us in the shade as much as possible, but we were soon melting!! Luckily, there were plenty of helpful vendors constantly on hand to sell us cold water and other beverages 😀.

Our first port of call was Plaza de los Coches just behind the Clock Tower, which is currently covered in scaffolding as it undergoes restoration. As you enter the plaza through Puerta del Reloj, there's a real wow moment. It is beautiful. Previously known as Plaza de la Yerba, it was once used as a market for enslaved people. It is lined with old balcony houses with colonial arches at ground level. The arcaded walkway, known as El Portal de los Dulces, is today lined with confectionery stands selling local sweets. The statue of the city's founder, Pedro de Heredia, is in the middle of the plaza.

Legacy explained to us about the history of Cartagena from pre-colonial times to the founding of the city by the Spanish. It was all very interesting.

Our next stop was in Plaza de la Aduana, the largest square in the old city, dominated by a large statue of Christopher Columbus, after whom the country is named, even though he never came here.Read more
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South American Adventure
The walk continues
October 19, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
From there, we moved on to the Church of San Pedro Claver situated in another vibrant and busy square. Here, we saw lots of Palenquero fruit sellers in their brightly coloured dresses with bowls of fruit balanced on their heads. For a couple of dollars, they will happily pose for photos.

These women are an iconic symbol of the city, but behind their wide smiles and festive attire lies a story of resilience, survival, and cultural identity that stretches back over 400 years. During the height of the Spanish colonial period, Cartagena was a major hub for the transatlantic slave trade. Africans were captured, shipped, and sold across the Americas, many through the bustling port of Cartagena. But amidst this grim chapter of history, stories of resistance emerged. One of the most remarkable is the formation of San Basilio de Palenque, located about 50 kilometres outside Cartagena.

In the early 1600s, groups of enslaved Africans managed to escape their captors and flee into the nearby jungles. They formed fortified communities known as “palenques,” where they could live free from Spanish rule. San Basilio de Palenque was one of the most successful of these settlements. Officially established in 1713, it became the first free town in the Americas. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site, recognized for its role in preserving African cultural traditions.

The residents of San Basilio maintained their African languages, religious practices, and customs, blending them with local indigenous and Caribbean elements to create a unique Afro-Colombian culture. The Palenqueras, as women from this community are known, played a crucial role in maintaining economic and cultural ties with Cartagena.

Bizarrely, after this, Legacy chose a particularly airless back street to teach us some dance moves! As you can see from the videos attached to this footprint, Mark made up his own! 😂Read more
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South American Adventure
Our tour ends in Getsemani
October 19, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
From the walled city, we made our way to Getsemani, a hip district of Cartagena that centres on Holy Trinity Square, where people gather to drink beer, listen to street musicians, and snack on grilled arepas from nearby stalls. Here, there is a lot of graffiti and street art, much of it painted on crumbling walls, meaning that the overall effect is of faded images, rather than the crisp, bright works we saw in Bogotá.Read more
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South American Adventure
Wandering around Getsemani
October 19, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
It's certainly a pretty area, though. After saying goodbye to Legacy, we stopped for a welcome cold drink, and then made our way through streets strung with flags and bunting.
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South American Adventure
More photos of Getsemaní
October 19, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
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South American Adventure
A meal out
October 19, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C
We headed back to our hotel to cool off in our air-conditioned room. While we were indoors, a storm broke. There was thunder and lightning directly overhead and it absolutely lashed it down!

Later, when the rain had stopped, we ventured out again to locate the hostel we are moving to on Monday, ready to join our Madventure group. It turns out to be just round the corner - more by luck than judgement! 😂

We then went to eat in a restaurant called Asama halfway between where we're staying now and where we're moving to. It is more of a brunch place, but it stays open all day and does some main meals. The menu is more European than South American, but there was so much that appealed to us that we'll probably eat there again! Mark had a burger, something that he never normally orders, but it was homemade and came with an interesting selection of sides and dressings. He said it tasted amazing! I had chicken supreme with a tomato and parmemsan sauce served with paprika cubed potatoes and a salad with the most delicious passion fruit dressing.

We went back to the hotel and caught up with tonight's episode of Strictly! 😀Read more
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South American Adventure
Fuerte de San Felipe de Barajas
October 20, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C
We were up earlier today as we had to be at the meeting point for today's tour by 8.15am. I had been awake since 4am anyway because of a storm raging outside! By the time we got up, though, the rain had stopped and we enjoyed another nice day - thankfully not as hot as yesterday! We both had the Colombian breakfast today.

At the starting point, we met with our fellow travellers - Gina from Venezuela and James from the UK but now living in Atlanta. He came to Colombia last week to attend his wife's friend's wedding. His wife has since returned home, but he couldn’t because hd realised he had left the US without his green card, so he wouldn't be allowed back into the country! He is waiting for his documents to arrive so that he can go home 😀.

Our guide, Artur, was on time, and we went in a minibus Fuerte de San Felipe de Barajas . It is located on a hill called San Lázaro and was built in 1536 by Spanish soldiers and African slaves and expanded in 1639 and 1657 during the Spanish colonial era. The site was chosen due to the excellent elevation of the land (forty meters above sea level ) which meant that any enemy movement could be seen and consequently, the reaction time to any invasion attempt was maximized.

The construction of the fort protected the city of Cartagena de Indias against attacks by the French commanded by de Pointis in 1697 and the English led by Edward Vernon in 1741. The English commander was entrusted with the mission of attacking and destroying the city accompanied by a troop that exceeded 27,000 soldiers, along with 186 ships and 2,000 cannons, while the Spanish military leader Blas de Lezo defended himself alone with 3,600 men and six ships.

Despite the raging war and military disadvantage, the Spanish commander managed to subdue Vernon and all his troops.

In 1984, UNESCO declared the fortifications and the walled city of Cartagena itself in the list of World Heritage Sites.

Throughout its history, the military fortification has undergone several renovations and restorations in order to prevent its deterioration and to preserve an important monument, not only for the people of Cartagena, but also for all of Colombia. Today, it serves as a tourist attraction and is the site of important events and social gatherings.

We explored the entire fort. Artur proved to be an excellent guide, bringing history to life with his amazing storytelling. The views from the top of the castle were incredible!Read more
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South American Adventure
More photos of the fort
October 20, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C
Some more photos of the fort and a video of a trumpeter in period costume playing a 'typically English' tune especially for us! 😂🤣
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South American Adventure
Convent of Santa Cruz de la Popa
October 20, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C
From the fort, we got back in the minibus for the short drive up to the Convent of Santa Cruz de la Popa, located on a hill just outside Cartagena.

The beautiful church and colonial convent of the Order of Augustinian Recollects were built between 1606 and 1611. The cloister of the convent of La Popa is one of the most beautiful in Cartagena and, indeed, in all of Colombia.

During colonial times, there was a clandestine shrine at the top of the mountain where the Indians and African slaves worshipped a deity called Buziriaco or Cabro Urí that looked like a goat. Legend has it that Friar Alonso de la Cruz Paredes, a member of the Order of Augustinian Recollects, who was isolated in the desert of Ráquira (Boyacá), received in a dream the order of the Virgin Mary to build a monastery for her in the highest place of a coastal city. So he travelled to Cartagena and, on the hill of Popa, carried out his mission. On his arrival in the city, he snatched the goat Buziriaco and threw it down the hill. After that the goat icon was replaced by that of the venerated image of the Virgin of Candelaria, a painting of colonial origin that represents the black virgin and who is today the patron saint of the city of Cartagena de Indias.

It is believed that the construction of the temple and convent of La Popa took much longer than expected due to the continuous sabotage of Buziriaco in the form of thunder, lightning, rain, and gales.

The convent of La Popa was not inhabited by the Augustinian Recollects from 1822 to 1963 as it was confiscated by the civil authorities. After 1963, the friars were able to recover their convent. The image of the Virgin of Candelaria, Patroness of Cartagena, which is found in the golden altarpiece of the chapel, is highly venerated by the Catholic people of the city and surrounding areas. Pope John Paul II canonised her on Sunday, July 6, 1986, during his Apostolic Visit to Cartagena.Read more
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South American Adventure
Another walk around the walled city
October 20, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C
From the convent, we drove back to the walled city where we were dropped off. I know we did a walking tour in the same area yesterday, but this was different. Artur was a more interesting guide, and he gave us time to go in all three churches, someone I intended to go back to do today anyway.

We began at the church of Santo Domingo. Construction started in 1578. It took 150 years to complete. Outside the church today is a sculpture of a reclining woman by Botero. Legend has it that if you touch her foot, you will return to Cartagena one day!

From there, we went to the Catedral de Santa Catalina de Alejandría. The Cartagena de Indias Cathedral was built between 1577 and 1612, replacing a modest church made of wood and reeds. The original structure remains almost unchanged today. The cathedral was designed by master builder Simón González, modelled after basilicas in Andalusia and the Canary Islands. In 1908, the tower and dome of the cathedral were refurbished by French architect Gaston Lelarge. However, the balconies, the main portal and cornices are original from the colonial era. In 1586, while the church was still under construction, it was attacked by Francis Drake, which caused severe damage and delayed its completion.Read more
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The end of the walk and a cooling drink
October 20, 2024 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C
We walked through Plaza de Bolívar, a leafy and shaded square surrounded by some of the city's most elegant balconied colonial buildings which are impossible to photograph because of the trees! 😀

Our tour ended at the Church of San Pedro Claver, built between 1580 and 1654 in the Spanish Colonial style. The remains of San Pedro himself are on display behind glass at the base of the altar. Interestingly, On May 7, 2022, the church formally dedicated a new mausoleum. The structure is 2 storeys and occupies a space behind the resting place of the saint. The mausoleum was paid for by philanthropist Dr. Jaime Rodriguez Torres and Miami Investor Burt Connelly.

After saying our goodbyes to Artur, we went to a bar for a welcome drink. We then moved to a sports bar a couple of doors down and spent the rest of the afternoon watching the US Grand Prix! Bizarrely, we were sitting outside watching a TV through a window 😂🤣.

When the race finished, we wandered back to our part of town and returned to Amasa for dinner. Today, I had a delicious chicken salad bowl, and Mark had a chicken sandwich on toasted sourdough.Read more
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