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The South American Odyssey
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The South American Odyssey

A 147-day adventure by The Craze for Travelling Read more
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    In the ambulance
    In the ambulanceHristo getting the 2 big bags and a hand bagManaged to catch the last busMoving out of the town in Argentina

    How to get to Colombia??

    February 1, 2018 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    The adventure at Iguazu falls wasn't over yet 😁 At the Estacion Cataratas we saw an ambulance and decided to check with them if they have any balm or something for Maria's burnt hand. The nurse told us that we would need to go to the entrance for that and offered to drop us off there. The train was going packed by now, so we readily accepted the offer. So, the 3 of us packed up at the back of the ambulance were dropped off at the park entrance. Here, Maria got her hand bandaged.
    One thing we all agreed after the beautiful day at the Iguazu falls was that we all were fully satisfied with the tour on the Argentina side and no one wanted to spend another day seeing the falls from the Brazilian side. We decided to fly to Colombia the next day instead.
    Now the big question was, what route to take. All the tickets we checked were extremely expensive. There were 3 airports in the area, one in each country Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay right next to the common border. Now, in South America, the flights within the country are always cheaper than international flights to any other country. So, we tried 20-30 different combinations via the different airport and the different countries. Eventually, after about 2 hours of exercise, we figured that the cheapest route was from the Iguassu Airport in Brazil to Lima in Peru and from there to Cartagena via Bogota in Colombia. We booked our tickets for the next day. The flight was at 9 pm.

    Having enough time the next day, we decided to go to the bus terminal the next day and figure out how to get to the airport in Brazil. So, next morning, we checked out and went to the bus terminal. After walking around going from kiosk to kiosk, we figured that from Puerto Iguazu in Argentina, there were buses only to either Foz du Iguassu town or the Iguassu National Park entrance in Brazil. From Foz du Iguassu, it was possible to take taxis to the airport. But, we realized that the bus to Iguassu National Park goes from quite near the airport. If they could just drop us off on the main road opposite the airport, we would need to walk only 2 km to the airport. We decided to try this option.
    By now, it was 1:30 pm and the last bus that goes to the Iguassu National Park was at 2 pm. As soon as we went back to the counter of the bus company, the person working there went away. We didn't want to lose our place in the que, so I stayed there, while Hristo and Maria went back to the hostel to get their bags. The plan was that I would have run and got my bag once they were back. Instead, Hristo managed to get both his, my bag and his hand bag a total of near 35 kgs 😨😨😨
    Just then the person working at the counter came back and we managed to get the tickets for the 2 pm bus, just 10 min before the departure time. The bus left at 2 pm with just the 3 of us in it. On the way out of the Puerto Iguazu town, we picked up a few more people going across the border but the total was still less than 10 people.    Read more

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    Walking to the airport
    Walking to the airportAt the Iguassu AirportOff to Lima

    To the Iguassu Airport

    February 1, 2018 in Brazil ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    From where the bus dropped us, we walked in the harsh sun and very high humidity for 2 kms to the airport. By the time we reached the airport, we were totally drenched in sweat and feeling extremely hot. Luckily, the airport was air-conditioned and we cooled down quickly. There even was a drinking water fountain with cold water. This was perfect for us.
    Here, we had tile till 8 pm so we had our lunch first, did some small shopping at the souvenir shops and then decided to book a place for the night at Lima. The connecting flight in Lima was the next day morning with a gap of 15 hrs so we planned to go out of the airport and sleep somewhere. We booked a hostel near the airport with a good rating on booking.com and decided to walk to and from there for our connecting flight. After finishing the booking, while reading the reviews, we saw that some of the people had mentioned that their taxi drivers had told that this area was not very safe. We decided to go and make a call there. Then we were off to Lima in the evening.    Read more

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    Our room at Hostel Mundo Albergue
    Our room at Hostel Mundo Albergue2

    Lima to Cartagena

    February 2, 2018 in Colombia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Our flight reached Lima at 10 pm local time. We decided to walk to the hostel. It was just a km away but by now Maria was starting to panic having read that the area was not safe. We decided to check out the taxi price to the hostel. The quotes started from 60 PEN but both Hristo and I had been in Peru before and both of us had been to Lima before as well so we knew this was too high. We started negotiating when one of the taxi driver heard Maria tell Hristo to take the taxi because the area was not safe. He just caught on to it and continued to reinforce the impression. We figured what was going on, so we started walking out of the airport. That's when some of the drivers desperate to get a fare started dropping the price. Finally, we agreed at 20 PEN and took the taxi. On the way as well, the driver kept reinforcing the unsafe aspect of the place where we were going and even "helpfully offered" to take us to a better place.
    Our hostel was just 3-4 min taxi ride and we didn't really see anything threatening. It was a normal residential quarter with families walking around.
    The hostel Mundo Albergue was actually quite nice. We had a cheerful and cozy room.
    The flight in the morning was at 1 pm so we would need to leave the hostel around 11 am if we planned to walk to the airport, which we did. Hristo wanted to show Lima to Maria in the morning. I'd already been to Lima before for 3 days and was not impressed with it at all, so, I decided to wake up late and have breakfast at the hostel itself.
    Hristo and Maria went to the city center in the morning while I woke up late and enjoyed a nice relaxed breakfast. They both came back at 10 am and then decided to go to the local market nearby for some food while I stayed back to pack up.
    We left the place around 11:15 am and walked to the airport nearby. From here we took the flight to Cartagena, Colombia and landed there around 5 pm local time.    Read more

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    Houses near the airport reminded us of Chandigarh
    Houses near the airport reminded us of ChandigarhRoasted cheeseFood stalls, fruits and a lively atmosphereRaw cheese

    Cartagena by night

    February 2, 2018 in Colombia ⋅ 🌙 26 °C

    We reached Cartagena early in the evening. We didn't have any booking for stay here so we decided to walk out of the airport and look around. We had looked at the prices in booking.com and had an idea on what to look for. The area around the airport was a residential one and reminded me amd Hristo about my hometown Chandigarh in India. Actually, the houses were quite like our house in Chandigarh. Simple 1 floor houses with a porch in front and lots of greenery around.
    Within a km of the airport, there were 5-6 hotels and hostels so we walked around and then finally decided to stay at Chill House Hostel about 800 mts from the airport. We negotiated the price for a 3 bed room with a shared bathroom for 105000 COP.
    The old town of Cartagena was 5 kms away from the hostel. At the hostel, we learnt an interesting fact about the local transportation. One could take a shared taxi (all yellow colored cars) from anywhere near the airport to the old town or anywhere along the way for a fixed price of 2000 COP per person. This was a very convenient arrangement, so we decided to go and check out the old town in the evening itself.
    After a long long time, we were saw small roadside kiosks selling cheap local food items. This is what we had been missing all the time in Chile and Argentina. We had loved to explore the local food in Bolivia and Peru bit had never found anything similar in the "much more developed" Chile or Argentina.
    Colombia was a dream come true food wise amd atmosphere wise. We gorged on the local food items like the roasted goat cheese, raw cheese, corn etc. It was nice and pleasant and people were out enjoying the weather and the food. We didn't really feel threatened or intimidated as is normally associated with the whole Colombia. After a gap of 2 months, it was time to enjoy the food and that too at a cheap price.    Read more

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    2Ceviche sellerBurger vanFruits4A vegetarian meal

    More food

    February 2, 2018 in Colombia ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    We totally went crazy trying out the different fruits and foods. There were Ceviche sellers on cycle carts, burger vans, fruit sellers selling cut fruits... it was paradise again after a gap of 2 months. The only difference between Colombia and Bolivia (where we had enjoyed such fresh food and fruits) was that in Bolivia, people were very honest and most of the time we didn't need to bargain for good prices but in Colombia a thumb rule was to always negotiate, even in places you would think have fixed prices. Very quickly we found out how low we could get the prices before they would totally refuse to sell the different items. Once we knew these, we would just straight away offer the price and get the items as the locals would figure out we knew the right prices. It was fun😉
    After some street food, we had a proper meal at a restaurant near the old town that turned out to be a vegetarian joint. That was good news for me 😉 We had a day's meal of wraps, salad with sprouts, avocado salad and Lulo juice. Lulo was a new fruit for us that we had never had before. It had a nice citrus taste, predominantly like rhubarb but with a sourness of lime. It almost looks like a tomato from the outside but much more orangish.    Read more

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    Cartagena by night

    February 2, 2018 in Colombia ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    After the dinner, we walked around in the old town enjoying the lovely atmosphere and the nice classic buildings. It was quite different than the drab and dreary town we had got used to in Patagonia. People were out everywhere, there were street kiosks and families enjoyed the street artists and open air food places.Read more

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    Street performance at Plaza Bolívar

    February 2, 2018 in Colombia ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    Walking around the old town, we reached Plaza Bolívar. There a troupe of artists were performing local dances for tips. They were fabulous with beautiful tradicional clothes and aggressive dance moves that were a mix of latino and african moves. It was a mesmerizing performance that lasted 15-20 min, after which the dancers went around with upturned hats for tips.Read more

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    San Pedro Claver Cathedral

    February 2, 2018 in Colombia ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    Prior to the arrival of the Spanish in 1533, Cartagena was inhabited by the Karib, Malibu and Arawak. Spaniards came and took over. Cartagena’s location on the Caribbean made it an important trading post (many slaves were put to horrible fates here) and a great place for profit for the Spanish. Cartagena’s economy was boosted by the slave trade. Claver was a Spanish Jesuit priest who baptized and proselytized slaves that arrived from Africa. He considered himself the advocate for slaves and was canonized in the late 1800’s. The church dedicated to him is a Cathedral in the Italian style.Read more

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    El Portal de los Dulces
    El Portal de los DulcesChristopher Columbus statue2Pedro de Heredia statuePuerta del Reloj

    Plaza de Aduana

    February 2, 2018 in Colombia ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    This is the largest and oldest square in the Old Town and was used as a parade ground. In colonial times, all the important governmental and administrative buildings were here. The old Royal Customs House was restored and is now the City Hall. A statue of Christopher Columbus stands in the center of the square.
    A few meters away is the next big square of Plaza de los Coches. Previously known as Plaza de la Yerba, the triangular plaza just behind Puerta del Reloj was once used as a market for enslaved people. It is lined with old balconied 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.    Read more

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    Getsemani Cartagena

    February 3, 2018 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    We woke up a bit late and decided to move our stay near the old town. We booked a room in a hostel in Getsemani area near the old town. Before going off to the old town, we decided to go to the beach nearby and spend some time swimming there. Unfortunately, it was quite windy and all the beaches were marked with No Swimming signs, so we just walked around and came back to the hostel. From the hostel, we took the shared taxi amd went to the old town. From there, we walked to our hostel in Getsemani some 3 kms away. It was quite hot in the afternoon sun and we were sweating by the time we reached the place we had booked. Here we found out that there were no rooms available and due to some problems, they had not been able to update it on booking.com. We stayed in their courtyard and used the wifi to find and book another hostel nearby. The place was about a km away from where we were. We walked over to the Asoka Taro Hostel. It was very near the main plaza of the Getsemani area. We had booked it for one night only hoping to extend our stay there if we liked it.

    Getsemani is now the hippest barrio in Cartagena. It was once known for prostitution, seedy stores and clubs. Now, it is a lovely neighborhood with stunning graffiti and street art, killer restaurants, and is definitely a home for the local Cartageneros.    Read more

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    Dog chasing a kid up a bench
    Dog chasing a kid up a bench2A drunk and a dog pee on a same poleA drunk slaps his wifeA flutist2A guitarist

    Funny metal art Getsemani

    February 3, 2018 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    In Getsemani, there are metal art sculptures depicting people in daily life.

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    Cut mango slices. It was very sweet
    Cut mango slices. It was very sweet2Mora juice2Fried plantain and veg fried rice2Fruits cartCoconut juice

    Food bonanza

    February 3, 2018 in Colombia ⋅ 🌬 30 °C

    While we walked around in Getsemani, we stopped at roadside vendors, small shops and every possible place to try local food and drinks. It was paradise once again.
    We tried Mora juice for the first time. Mora de Castilla or Andean Raspberry, is a species of blackberry found in Latin America.Read more

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    Parque CentenarioPegasus sculptures in the dock

    Getsemani to old town

    February 3, 2018 in Colombia ⋅ 🌬 29 °C

    It had taken us better part of the day to move from near the airport to Getsemani and then some more for the food. We had anticipated this the previous day so we had planned half a day only with the free tour of the city. The tour was started around 4:30 pm so we had about 2 hours before. We decided to walk from Getsemani to the old town. We passed the Parque Centenario and the harbor on the way. Muelle del Pegaso (dock of the Pegasus) connects the Center of the old city to Getsemani. It is decorated with multiple pegasus sculptures. We tried to find boat trips or a willing fisherman who could take us to Isla Rosario for a tour next day or the same day, but soon we learnt that Isla Rosario was a bit far out and needed a whole day while very few of them were willing to go the next day. Thos who did, offered a private hire, which was too high for us. We decided to research a bit more on the net before we come back the next day. There had to be a better and cheaper way to get to the island. But, one thing was clear, it wasn't as straightforward as going to the harbor and haggle for a price.Read more

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    Back in Old Town

    February 3, 2018 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    From the harbor, we again entered the old town via the Clock Tower. There are many tiny entrances into the walled city, but its most famous is the Puerta del Reloj or Torre del Reloj (Clock Tower). Once through it, we entered the Plaza de los Coches with its statue of Pedro HeradiaRead more

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    Coconut and tamarind sweetsKiosks under the arches of Plaza de AduanaLemonade

    Streets of Old Town

    February 3, 2018 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Now, during the day, as we walked around the old town, we saw many more food and fruit vendors. Near the Plaza de Coches, there were many vendors selling coconut and tamarind based sweets and savorys, while under the arches of the Plaza de Aduana, local artesans had opened small kiosks with local art and daily use items.Read more

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    Waiting for the marriage carriage 😊
    Waiting for the marriage carriage 😊Cheering when the carriage cameThe carriage just passed onThe real carriage with the brideThe marriage ceremony

    Funny marriage incident

    February 3, 2018 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    While we were walking around in the old town, we saw many very brightly and elegantly dressed ladies standing outside the Cathedral de Cartagena. We had time before the start of the free tour, so decided to have a look. While we were waiting for the marriage party to arrive, a huge roar of cheer went up and everybody started clapping. Soon, a carriage with the bride and the groom came into sight. The funny thing was, the carriage didn't slow down in front of the cathedral and in fact continued further past all the people lined up around the cathedral door and then beyond till the visible road 😁😁 Everybody was shocked and befuddled. No one seem to know what was going on. With a few seconds, another carriage pulled up. No one clapped or cheered. This one had a lady dressed up in bridal dress and 2 little kids in marriage livery. Before the people could react, the carriage stopped and the 3 of them got off and entered the cathedral. This was the actual bride for the marriage happening in the cathedral. Most probably, the couple that had gone past earlier were getting married at a different church along the same road and happened to pass just a few seconds before the actual bride came 🤣🤣Read more

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    To the free tour

    February 3, 2018 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    It was almost 4 pm by the time we started walking towards the starting point of the free tour. We reached there about 10 min before the tour start but couldn't find where they were. Eventually, around 4:30 pm, we saw them and they started the tour 10 min late. It was extremely hot in the sun, so most of the breaks were in the shade.Read more

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    India Catalina
    India Catalina

    Cartagena free tour

    February 3, 2018 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    The free tour was an amazing trip into the history and culture of the beautiful town.
    The tour started with an introduction to India Catalina. She was an indigenous woman (almost certainly Calamari) from the Colombian Atlantic coast, who accompanied Pedro de Heredia and played a role in the Spanish conquest of Colombia, acting as interpreter and intermediary. Catalina was abducted in 1509 by Spanish conqueror Diego de Nicuesa from an indigenous settlement where she was the daughter of the local chief. She was sent to Santo Domingo, where she learned the Spanish language and adopted the Catholic religion. Pedro de Heredia required her to serve as an interpreter to the Native Americans.
    The city of Cartagena, known in the colonial era as Cartagena de Indias, is a major port founded in 1533, located on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region. The city was named after Cartagena, Spain, which in turn was named after Carthage in Tunisia. During the colonial era it was a key port for the export of Peruvian silver to Spain and for the import of African slaves.    Read more

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    Ventana de la Denuncia
    Ventana de la DenunciaA Botero sculpture

    More history in the tour

    February 3, 2018 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    The Palace of the Inquisition, an elegant Colombian fortress was one of the torture headquarters for the Spanish Inquisition. A small window with a simple crucifix above it bears the legend, “Ventana de la Denuncia.” Here in this tranquil setting, heretics would be denounced and led inside to meet their fate. For this beautiful building was the torture palace of the Spanish Inquisition. In the over 800 trials which took place at the Palacio de la Inquisición, not a single person was ever found innocent.

    We also saw our first statue by Botero, a fat naked woman in one of the squares. Fernando Botero is a Colombian figurative artist and sculptor. Born in Medellín, his signature style, also known as "Boterismo", depicts people and figures in large, exaggerated volume, which can represent political criticism or humor, depending on the piece.    Read more

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    Of door knockers and more..

    February 3, 2018 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    One more interesting fact that we learnt during the free tour was the door knockers. The door knockers in Cartagena represented who lived in the house. The marine motifs—turtles, fish, mermaids, and even more fanciful creations—adorned the doors of men who made their living from the sea, such as wealthy merchants and traders. Lions represented teachers, lizards represented royalty, masonic symbols represented builders or engineers, and so on. Think of them as a sort of symbolic sign to let everyone know who lived inside.
    Besides the knockers, the number of studs on the doors represented the wealth status of the people living there.    Read more

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    Tourist bus
    Tourist busHorse carriage

    Teatro Heredia

    February 3, 2018 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Our last stop on the tour was at Teatro Heredia. It is the premiere center for the performing arts in Cartagena. Architects infused Caribbean flair into Classic Italian style to create a venue that represents both the elegance of the Old World and the cultural heritage of Colombia’s Caribbean coast.Read more

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    Sunset in Cartagena

    February 3, 2018 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    The tour got over at 6 pm, just as the sun was setting. We came out of the theater and climbed the old city wall nearby to see the sunset. It was a beautiful evening, sitting on the city wall, enjoying the cool evening sea breeze and the lovely colors of the sun going down into the Caribbean sea.Read more