Walking around

Today is my second whole day in Cartagena and I finally got off my lazy arse and moved hotel. I was all packed and ready to do it yesterday but then I got sucked into looking around the city and before I knew what had happened I had missed the checkout time. So I spent another night in my cell like room. It was OK but I have now finished all of my books in English. I failed yet again to find a room in the local backpacker place so went for the second option in the book. It is the same price as the other place but I have my own bathroom! Bonus!

And today I got harrassed within an inch of my life by men trying to sell me gold and emeralds- don't know which part of my backpacker outfit made them think that I could afford them, whether it is the tatty friendship bracelets, the bead necklace or my 'Te quiero Colombia' bag, I am not sure. But then again I was walking around the emerald part of town.

Then another guy came up to me and started to talk to me and didn't seem to want to sell me anything. Weird. Turns out he was after my phone number. We settled on exchanging email addresses- finally I have been hit on by someone under forty!

And so to celebrate... photos!



prrof that I am somewhere sunny- this was on the beach at Parque Tayrona. The first place that we stayed in, El Pairaso (or something like that), wasn{t not suitable for swimming as the tides are a little too strong. The waves too as Mark found out when he posed for the next photo



neither of us were quite expecting that though



Beach! And this was what was fringing the beach



We walked through a bit of that and a bit of beach to get to the next place where we spent the next night



that space that you can see between hammocks is where our two got strung



Nothing quite beats a palm trees at sunset shot!



this was on the walk the next day to Pueblito and this is what we saw there





And this was near the end of the walk



Now onto Cartagena. This is the Pegasus wall, for obvious reason, and between the two you can see the clock tower on the city walls



The city walls and the new part of town in the background





one of a series of statues near the church of San Pedro Claver, one of the first saints of the New World



and this is his church. He gained his sainthood from his work with the slaves here in Cartagena. He was known as the Slave of the Slaves

Whenever I am out in the parks of London with my students they always get a little excited when they see a squirrel and refuse to take any notice when I point out that they are not even English. I have no idea what would cause them to be so excited when I saw three of these just wandering around the local park today



and each one was at least three feeet long!

And that is all for today.

Cartagena

Just as you thought that I was going to spend the rest of my life in Santa Marta, I fooled you all by leaving! Ha!

I got a bus yesterday afternoon. The buses here are bloody cold- the air con is so high that I had to put my fleece on just to stop my lips from turning blue. We went via Barranquilla where, rather that going to the bus terminal, we stopped by the side of a busy road and a woman led me through the traffic to the middle where another woman hustled me to the other side and stuck me on a bus. We got here pretty quickly, so quickly that I didn't even reach the end of the movie- Spiderman, in Spanish.

So now I am in Cartagena (look at the map in the side bar) a UNESCO World Heritage site. There is loads of history, it was the main gateway for the slave industry here and that is still reflected in the people that make up the population. There was a big fire a few hundred years ago and since that time houses must be made of stone. It is a walled city that withstood many seiges after the town being ransacked by Sir Francis Drake, the vicious pirate. Independence was declared here then squashed by the Spaniards before it was finally acheived across the country after the defeat in Boyaca.

I am staying in a slightly unsatisfactory hotel which I must try and find a replacement for later. But I have been seduced into walking around the city this morning. I am in the heart of the old walled city right now and it is fantastically gorgeous. I have taken so many photos and it isn't even lunch time yet. I don't have the patience to do photos on here right now but maybe later.

I can see me staying here for a few days.....

A walk in El Parque

´Look, there´s our bus..´Mark yelled and it took the last of our energy to leg it up the road and onto it. Sitting across the aisle from us was a woman with a falcon on her hand. It was wearing a hood and everything, I guess to stop it seeing the chicken on the seat in front of it. Mark and I just leaned back in the seats. ´Good day?´he asked. ¨Perfect,´I replied and smiled. And that was the last of my energy.

Sunburnt, exhausted but happy, we had just emerged from El Parque Tayrona, a National Park about an hour from Santa Marta. Perfect was a vast improvement oa few hours before

´Have I told you recently that I hate everything?´ I asked.

Ýes´was the reply.

And why? Well because I had been duped into doing something that I dont normally do. We arrived at Tayrona on Friday. We got a bus there from Santa Marta and a jeep from the entrance to the car park and then there was an hours walk to the beach. Flat walk. Ok. Beach at the end. Bueno.

We arrived shortly before it got dark so just had time to choose the best place for our hammocks and then drink beer until the generator turned off.

The next day we walked along the beach for an hour or so, collapsed into the water and later found ourselves sunburnt (and I had been so careful the previous two weeks) it wasn´t bad but red enough. We made it to the next campsite by walking along the beach and through the edges of the jungle.

The next site was much more crowded and we took hammocks again- this time in la casa de sardines- they were so close together that if we breathed they would knock together like those little ball bearings on an executive´s desk toy. More beer and comparing of sunburn commenced. And the less said about my bad negotiating of hammocks in the dark, the better.

Then it happened. Mark suggested that we take the other route back to the road to complete the circuit- all 11km of it. What made me say yes? Well, he had been so kind before and I think that I should push myself.

The first part of the hike was only 2.4km through the jungle to an old Indian village hidden away from prying eyes. It was mostly uphill and took me nearly two hours. About half an hour in Mark took both of my bags. He gave me advice (walk slowly, control your breathing, small goals then rest), encouragement (you can do it and then imagine how good you will feel) and basically all the help I could need. It didn´t, however, stop me alternately hating him for making me do the walk and loving him for the same reason.

We arrived at El Pueblito, the old town, took photos and I smiled a lot in relief. But that was just the first 2.4km, we still had another 7km or so back to the road.

I am not going to lie to you, it was exhausting and took me marginally longer than a grandmother with no legs could have done it in. The lack of signs didn´t add to my confidence of the whole venture, we just looked for fresh donkey droppings as a sign that life existed there. Much of it was uphill too but every time we reached a peak, even through my exhaustion and the sweat pouring from my brow, I could see that the scenery was amazing! A world away from the cactus in Taganga, this was lush green vegetation that spread up the mountains and into the mist.

Eventually though the heat and the little water that we had left, plus the fact that we hadn´t eaten since three the day before, made me stop appreciating everything and starting to see the jungle as a cage that I needed to get out of. Until the next bit of awesome scenery arrived that is.

Six hours after we originally set off from the beach, and we had been walking down hill for over an hour, we saw a guy that told us where we were heading was 'Aqui (here)´.

We got to the corner, there was a shop, there was a main road and mostly importantly the shop sold beer and the ice cold Coke that I had been dreaming of for the past five km or so.... we bought it, the bus arrived and we started back to Santa Marta.

And here I am, back in the Hotel Miramir, for what I promise will be my last night here, exhausted, really in need of a shower with soap and shampoo and looking forward to falling into my bed later.

Mark is going to Venezuela tomorrow and then onto Canada to meet his girlfriend. he has my camera. I will put some photos up soon- maybe tomorrow.

Yours a very tired, happy and satisfied Helen who can´t wait to show the photo gorgeousness with you

It´s not the drugs..

but there do seem to be some strange things around



Mostly giant penguins. They frightened me enough to cause me to leave Santa Marta- that and the fact that all the salesmen on the beach had started to greet me by name.

So it was goodbye Hotel Miramar, Santa Marta



And hello Hotel Ramarim in Taganga, just down the road



Taganga is a small fishing village and only fifteen minutes by crazy minibus to Santa Marta. I went there with an Aussie guy who I met in the hotel in Santa Marta. Which meant that I finally had someone to mind my bag for me while I went for a swim, in the Caribbean Sea! When you get to Taganga you just take a short walk up and around a hill to get to La Playa Grande, a better beach.

I floated, we watched the sunset



Then we went back to Taganga and visited the local Irish pub, Patrizos (I am not kidding!)

We stayed there long enough to drink a lot of Aguila beer (similar to water only cheaper) hear Hips Don´t Lie more than six times, drink a shot at midnight for Australia Day and watch the locals hit the dance floor. Finally, I have been here two weeks and it was the first time that I had seen people dance!

Later today we are going to Pargque Tayrona. I´ll be beack in a couple of days

Two more

These two photos are unrelated, I was just looking at my flickr account and realised that I had forgotten to put them in this morning

First there is Alex´s dad up Monserrate



And then this one, which is my new favourite shop in Bucaramanga, weirdly it seems to sell electrical goods

Incoming.. PHOTOS!

OK,you have been asking for them so here they are. Unfortunately they are not in the correct order. But that is OK.

This is Bogota, Plaza de Bolivar



This is the shower in the room of the hotel that I am staying in here in Santa Marta. And in case you were wondering, yes the water is cold too.



Don´t try to be clever and use the generic name ´cola´ if you want a Pepsi or Coke, you might end up with this awful pink concoction ´Kola´. The ants loved it though



Bucaramanga. Not a lot to say. Pretty town. They eat ants there. I didn`t see anyone doing so



Standing by this bridge, Alex´s dad mimed kicking someone up the backside and said ´go home, Spanish,´ so I guess that has something to do with the liberation



Pretty as a picture, well this is a picture. This historic town of Villa de Leyva is just so pretty. And they were filming a movie or something there too



This is a huge statue of a salt miner outside the salt cathedral. Spot any theme yet?



We went up a mountain and looked down at Bogota. I took a photo of Alex´s family.



The reason that I decided to stay in Baby Alex´s house in the first place (turning down countless other offers, of course) was that he told me that he had a jacuzzi in his room. And he wasn´t kidding



Looking out of Alex´s window one way you can see this



This is a statue of the guy that founded the city of Santa Marta. And some soldiers with very big guns standing next to it to make sure that he doesn´t come back



Ah the sunset last night. I have heard that it proved so popular that there will be one again tonight



Just before the sun went down, these pelicans found a good vantage point to watch the proceedings



Santa Marta is very pretty and I have taken a lot of photos of churches so far



See but this one is in Bucaramanga



This is a chiva, previously a common form of transport round these parts. Now mainly a tourist thing



Alex´s house in Bogota.



It is just pretty in Villa de Leyva



This is Raquira, not Shakira, a lovely town famous for its artisans.



And that is just a taster for now

Monday morning

It is Monday morning and I have already been to the beach twice. The hotel is pretty cool (I was offered some of Colombia´s most infamous export last night) and I was up last night chatting to other folk there.

As always happens to me on one of these trips, everyone seems to be planning to be in the vicinity much longer than me. And some of them like to drone on about their travels. One of them last night assured me that I was missing nothing by not going to Venezuela, even though I had never even mentioned the country or indeed any of my travel plans...zzzzzzzz

One of them asked me if work was catching- seems that I am the only person in the hotel to have a job back home to go back to. But I love mine! And I would miss it if I didn´t spend so long chatting online to my students every time I log on.

Spoke to some Argentinians last night, well I say spoke, Laurie (the American woman who can actually speak Spanish) spoke and I listened and nodded to show that I understood. When she went away I spoke a little Spanish, just enough to apologise for my lack of Spanish! Seems that I am the only person in Colombia with little to no Spanish. I must study more! But the beach is so enticing..... this is the Caribbean coast after all.

Right must get back to it.

Chao

It is all about the legroom

I have to say that buses in Colombia are pretty amazing when it comes to the leg room allocated. I have only been on two, admittedly, but when the person in front of me leans back they are not resting their head on my chest- a welcome change from Vietnam or indeed megabus!

I travelled overnight from Bucarmanga to Santa Marta last night. Actually I spent most of yesterday at the bus terminal as I wasn´t sure what to do after checking out of the hostel and being stuck with my bags all day so I just went there. I was a bit nervous about the overnight thing but most of the passengers seemed to have their kids with them so I figured that it couldn´t be that bad.

And it wasn´t. Once the overly loud movie had finished everyone just settled down for the night. I had two free seats so made myself nice and comfy then a girl woke me up in the middle of the night to take over one of my spare seats. I don´t know why and it took me some time to get back to sleep- mainly because I suddenly noticed the awesome night sky through the window. So I spent quite a lot of time looking at that and the various night life of small Colombian towns passing the window.

Cruised into Santa Marta at around eight thirty this morning and came to the legendary Hotel Miramar. I slept for a while and then went to the beach. People yelled ´hey white lady´at me which was fair enough as I was definitely the whitest person anywhere near the beach. Trying to avoid past sunburnt mistakes I was only out for a couple of hours before heading back to the hotel. Which is where I am now- having a couple of beers and chatting to the other residents.

So far so good. I might be here for a few days, chilling and the like. ANything to take away the bitterness of not seeing anyone eating ants in Bucaramanga. THough the cousin of Alex´s cousing assures me that people from Bogota believe that those in Bucaramanga eat little else. That might explain why none of them smile much!

Alone!

Nestled in the mountains several thousand feet above sea level, Bogota is known as the freezer of Colombia. It is renowned for being cold, something that my students have told me over and over. So why did I have to put on sunblock before leaving the house? It was definitely warmer than London.

What can I say about the trip so far? Staying with Baby Alex´s family was awesome, though it was a little hard to adjust to calling him just Alex. They have spoilt me rotten. Especially Jairo, Mr Baby Alex, who was given the job of babysitting this poor gringa through her first days in Colombia.

On Saturday he and Alex´s sister took me all over Bogota to show me the city. We went to the new public library where we saw a book called 'Ingles en tres semanas' (or English in three weeks if you prefer) which made Jairo question why Alex has to spend so long in London! We went to the Botanic Gardens and several big parks- including one that Shakira has played in!

Sunday we went to Monserrate. It was fantastic and I felt like a tourist. It was a bit like Korea really- there is nothing in nature that cannot be improved on with a little piped music. We looked over Bogota in all its straight lines.

Monday the whole family took me to the rich part of the city and we went to a shopping centre there where I finally plucked up the courage to try and get some money out of the ATM. And to everyone´s amazement it worked!

Tuesday was my favourite day. We went to Zipaquira to see the enormous underground salt cathedral (no idea why it is there), Raquira to look at all the fabulous crafts (it is like Camden but cheaper and without the hippies) and the hostoric town of Villa de Leyva where a film was being made.

Wednesday, Jairo and me caught the transmilenio (kinda like an underground system but run overground and with buses rather than trains) to La Candelaria, the historic part of Bogota. Poor Jairo must have been exhausted- he had driven me for hours around Boyaca the day before and now here he was again taking me round all the museums. I loved it there! The houses were so beautiful and the churches- well goodness! They almost had more gold than the gold museum. Almost but not quite as I was to find out.

We saw the government buildings and the President´s house (a bit grander than Downing Street), museums of everything! The gold one was as awesome as everyone said that it would be, depsite it being renovated at the moment. We were walking back to Plaza Bolivar and I was telling Jairo about my experiences so far. I told him that every new day brought more incredible things than the one before it. And that today was the best-- and literally at that moment a pigeon divebombed my shoe and shat on my foot! Great timing.

Yesterday I left Bogota. Alex´s family are very nervous about me being alone. There have been several family meetings- including extended family (Alex, I have met your cousin´s baby- so cute!) and another itinerary has been drawn up (don´t worry, Juan, it is the same as yours!). They gave me Alex´s old phone (Alex, who are Amor and Amor2 in your address book?) and called me last night to make sure that I was OK.

Because yesterday morning Jairo put me on a bus to Bucaramanga which is where I am now. Officially alone for the first time.

And, man, is it hot here! I haven´t done much today so far, watched CNN and caught up on the latest Big Brother gossip and started to walk into town. I got waylaid when I spotted this internet cafe though and thought that I should pop in and say hi!

And that is all that has happened so far. Photos will come later but I have shown remarkable restraint and only taken ninty so far and I have been here a week! I must continue my journey into town now. I have to decide if I am going to stay here tomorrow or continue my trip up to the Carribbean coast.

Hum, difficult!

Estoy en Bogota!

This is just a quick one to say that I have arrived safe and sound. Alex´s family are really taking care of me. They have taken me around the city and shown me the sights- and a lot of shopping centres. Yesterday we went up Monserrate at the top of a mountain which overlooks the city. It was really cool and I felt like a proper tourist for the first time. Today I realised that I can see Monserrate from Alex´s toilet so that is real class!

On Saturday night there was a family get together and I think that Alex would have been amazed to have heard how much English was spoken by his family. It was a lot of fun and there was no mention of salsa so that was a relief.

I think that the family have plans for me for the whole week- I am leaving Bogota on Friday. I will post a longer message when I am on my own.

Loving Colombia so far!

And she's off..

It is half past three in the morning. I have showered, just putting the rest of my things in my bag then I am off to the airport.

Wish me luck!

Here we go!

So on Saturday I woke up in my friend, Matt's, house in Tooting. I was wearing the clothes from the night before and stinking of cigarettes and beer. Seemed like a perfect day to head into London to meet my cousin, Liz.

I had that lovely vague feeling that you get after a night on the tiles. I got the tube into London Bridge and walked along the Thames in the rain. Being me, vagueness and rain did not stop the tide of photos

To say the least I was not looking my best by the time I met Liz but I managed to get her to join me in my stroll through the rain and off we went to the British Museum



We had a good time there until it all got too much for me and off we went again. Back into the rain. We made it as far as the basement of a music shop, possibly on Tottenham Court Road, where Liz gave me my going away present- a tamagotchi! We spent many happy hours that day playing with them and sending them to play with each other.

But that is not all we did. Oh no! We also went to a Korean restaurant and off to the White Horse pub- just for a change.

After a pint I was pretty tired and all for going home. But the spark was alive in my cousin's eye and we realised that it had been about nine years since we last went out on the lash together. Well, never let it be said that I am the party pooper. Walkabout, here we go!

I was greeted at the bar by a drunk English guy who kissed my hand and indulged in a little drunken chatter. I am not used to spending that much time with English people(!)

I realised that I still had Papa with me, indeed I had everything with me that I had had the night before... goodbye presents, stuff from school etc.... and camera! With the special effect I had forgotten about









Then Liz was inducted into my secret Cinderella life and we had to leave to get the last train home. Tamagotchied all the way home. My sister had taken the precaution of being out so we stayed up to the wee small hours, listening to music, sipping Baileys and chatting online to various Colombianos.

Saw Liz onto the train on Sunday and came home and got stuck on the sofa for hours and hours. Monday, nothing and Tuesday, last minute shopping. Yesterday I was working for the first three hours of the day before spending an enjoyable afternoon with my mate, Heather, then off to the pub.

A pint with some teachers, another with my sis and her fella, a tearful farewell to Sarah and then more than was sensible with ex-Colombian students of mine. These guys look nice



I hope that everyone in Colombia is like them... and not so many are like this guy



Phoned my mate, Rory, in Australia on the way home and fortunately my phone battery ran out before I could spend all my savings chatting to him!

Today I am finishing the packing, just the moment I get out of bed, admiring my new Colombian bracelets and waiting for my new phone to be delivered.

Tomorrow- well, it is all happening tomorrow

If you haven't heard from me in a week then send out the search parties!