 Looking forward to beautiful soft skin…30-Jun-2009 16:59, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 10.0, 95.0mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 400 |
We arrived in Cartagena in the late dark evening, and even though it was (as warned) damn hot, it was a place we could not miss even if we only spent a couple of days exploring this beautiful city. The architecture and history is famed, as well as the mud volcano we took a swim in. It is hot though, damn hot, and very humid. One of our last stops in Colombia, and one of the first that I could walk completely unaided in…
 Despite the pestering, she maintained her dignity and pride.
Despite the pestering, she maintained her dignity and pride.30-Jun-2009 22:28, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 4.5, 93.0mm, 0.04 sec, ISO 400 |
We stayed at Hostel Real in Getsemani, a popular spot for hostels and travellers, and also a bit dodgy. Well not really; the crime in Cartagena is relatively low but you still have an air of pensiveness as you walk around! The hostel was unfortunately the worst we’d stayed in so far. No food available, no tab for drinks, and menacing mosquitoes an ever present threat in the communal courtyard. Those weren’t really the bad bits though; the room that got progressively hotter each night as it had no windows or ventilation, the bathroom bin that was never emptied, and the yappy dog that didn’t die while we were there. However, it did have one redeeming feature, resident Ninja turtles! Not really that Ninja, although they were pretty damn quick once they thought they’d spotted an escape route.
 The clock tower that heralds the entrance to the historic centre.
The clock tower that heralds the entrance to the historic centre.29-Jun-2009 17:50, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 14.0, 28.0mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 400 |
As soon as we arrived we headed out to a much more pleasant hostel and one we would definitely recommend, Media Luna. Not just to make ourselves feel jealous, we were meeting the Irish lads for the last time before we finally parted ways having stalked each other across four different Colombian cities and towns. A few drinking games later and a chilled out hour or two on top of the rooftop bar and we felt we’d settled in and headed home (to hostel hell) for our first day exploring.
 Damn – they found me conjuring over that skull after all… how will I escape?!
Damn – they found me conjuring over that skull after all… how will I escape?!29-Jun-2009 18:29, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 5.0, 28.0mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 100 |
Cartagena itself is a gorgeous city with well kept colonial architecture and a very clean and welcoming historic centre. It is exceptionally hot and humid, same temperature as Taganga but no sea breeze to cool you down. You could squeeze it all in one day as we did, but we missed bits so spending two days mooching around would not be a bad thing. We met up with Julian & Christian who we’d met on the bus from Taganga, and another straggler in Toby, and after about an hour stomping around the centre we finally settled on an Italian for dinner – mainly because they’d offered us a free bottle of wine with our dinner and wine is the one thing that has been very expensive (or crap) so far. Considering the whole meal for five was about COP$130,000 and the wine itself was COP$80,000 so we did well. Another excellent tip is that all bars in the historic centre are generally over priced; except if you take an immediate left on entering through the clock tower to find some tables and chairs outside – only COP$2,500 a beer (~80p) and fantastic for people watching.
 The next day, we went to bathe in the infamous mud volcano.
The next day, we went to bathe in the infamous mud volcano.30-Jun-2009 17:18, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 14.0, 28.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 400 |
The next day we’d signed up for the famous mud volcano about 40mins out of Cartagena, Volcan del Totumo. The mud is actually mostly clay, and gives you a silvery sheen aka T1000. Reputedly 500m deep, it’s a very surreal experience as you cannot actually fully submerge no matter how hard you try. If you pick somebody up, you can get your feet to touch some slightly firmer mud underneath the top layer, it is all very warm and comfortable although you don’t know who’s hand is whose and Lynette gave me more than one fright when I wasn’t expecting it. You can get a massage as well, which isn’t exactly professional but it’s interesting all the same.
 They’ll whip off your shorts with the practised arm of a seasoned pick pocket, and start scrubbing.
They'll whip off your shorts with the practised arm of a seasoned pick pocket, and start scrubbing.30-Jun-2009 17:20, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 8.0, 75.0mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 400 |
Once you’re done, the scrub down in the lake is also pretty entertaining. The women have an evil smile on their face as they pour endless buckets of water over your head and whip off your shorts while you cough and splutter. They wash you down pretty thoroughly, although I beat them to my nether regions thankfully, not sure who was more disappointed. Then it was a slice of water melon and a beer, and then off to a local beach for a typical menu del dia of fish/chicken, rice and Arepa. Totumo ticked!
 And man, is there a lot of mud. Allegedly 500m deep, but oddly it is absolutely impossible to sink. Now that we have completed our PADI, I can say ‘positive bouyancy’ with confidence.
And man, is there a lot of mud. Allegedly 500m deep, but oddly it is absolutely impossible to sink. Now that we have completed our PADI, I can say 'positive bouyancy' with confidence.30-Jun-2009 16:39, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 10.0, 28.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 400 |
That evening we chilled out (or rather, melted in our increasingly boiling hotel room) to City of God, if you haven’t seen it you should it is a great film and based on a true story. Various travellers have been recommending South American films and books to us nonstop; we’ve got a lot to catch up on. In the morning we were frantically trying to arrange some pretty good news; hopefully as you’re reading this we’ve had some tenants move into our old home in the UK so that’s one more foot removed from home.
 Pretending to invade Cartagena. We need more guns.
Pretending to invade Cartagena. We need more guns.29-Jun-2009 18:35, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 5.0, 45.0mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 100 |
Occasionally we think about how we’re going to be back in just over three months… which on one hand is going to be great because we’re really missing everyone. On the other hand it is going to be a rude shock to the system having to contemplate 9-5 life again. Travelling isn’t a holiday all the time (honestly) but you have to worry about different and new things all the time; plus the whole language thing adds an element of charm/frustration that means you’re never quite sure how the day is going to go. Which is what I guess makes it exciting; however some of the things we’re really looking forward too haven’t happened yet, and as our stint in South America continues we’re really starting to look forward to South East Asia.
 Lastly, the bane of our lives at this hostel; this little bastard would bark happily at anything that moved day or night. Unfortunately, that same restaurant does not serve dog curry.
Lastly, the bane of our lives at this hostel; this little bastard would bark happily at anything that moved day or night. Unfortunately, that same restaurant does not serve dog curry.30-Jun-2009 23:14, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 4.5, 105.0mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 400 |
Here, the history is basically pre-Columbian stones, carvings and jewellery, and then post Conquistador colonial architecture. That’s summing it up a excessively, but generally that’s the case. There are were vast numbers of indigenous tribes that all did things slightly differently, but often you have to look very closely to spot those differences. As we move further South though, some of those changes are going to become more evident and we’ve got more to do on both the nature and history side of things. We’ll try not to bore you too much with the history bit! Anyway, rambling over, hope you’re enjoying what we gather is exceptional weather in the UK and see you in a few months. Cheers!
First walk out into Cartagena, Lynette was also freed from slavedom.29-Jun-2009 17:36, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 13.0, 28.0mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 400 |
The walk up to the historical centre of Cartagena on a hot, hot day.29-Jun-2009 17:43, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 14.0, 28.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 400 |
A building that looked nice.29-Jun-2009 17:44, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 14.0, 38.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 400 |
One of those who fought in the battle for Cartagena's independence.29-Jun-2009 17:44, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 10.0, 105.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 400 |
Another one. That is not meant to be flippant.29-Jun-2009 17:44, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 11.0, 105.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 400 |
High five the flying goddess!29-Jun-2009 17:46, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 14.0, 28.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 400 |
Migeul de Cervantes, the man who wrote Don Quixote, the first modern novel. A library around here is dedicated to him apparently, if we translated the spanish anywhere near correctly.29-Jun-2009 17:47, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 10.0, 48.0mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 400 |
The clock tower that heralds the entrance to the historic centre.29-Jun-2009 17:50, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 14.0, 28.0mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 400 |
Pedro de Heredia, a Spanish conqueror and founder of Cartagena.29-Jun-2009 17:51, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 11.0, 28.0mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 400 |
Good old Simon Bolivar; there is 100% guaranteed to be a plaza or statue of him in every city in Colombia.29-Jun-2009 17:55, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 8.0, 28.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 400 |
Four fountains surrounded him in the shaded park, creating a welcome calm in the humid air of Cartagena.29-Jun-2009 17:56, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 22.0, 28.0mm, 0.2 sec, ISO 100 |
Various torturing implements, mainly to prove that locals were either witches or warlocks.29-Jun-2009 18:17, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 3.5, 28.0mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 100 |
When did you become a witch? How did it happen? Not Lynette of course, but typical questions you might ask. Quickly followed by a scientific weighing.29-Jun-2009 18:18, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 3.5, 28.0mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 100 |
Thankfully I wasn't rounded up while posing, else I surely would have been for the chop.29-Jun-2009 18:19, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 3.5, 28.0mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 100 |
Poke him in the eye and run. Not enough accused did that unfortunately.29-Jun-2009 18:20, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 3.5, 28.0mm, 0.1 sec, ISO 100 |
A lovely device, don't cough or hiccup else you'll have a very crude tracheotomy.29-Jun-2009 18:20, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 3.5, 28.0mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 100 |
No prizes for where this was put. They relied on the piercings getting and gangrenous to cause maximum discomfort.29-Jun-2009 18:22, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 3.5, 28.0mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 100 |
This little beauty is quite simple, put the head in and screw. First the teeth shatter, then the jaw breaks, the eye sockets break down and finally the skull explodes. Nice.29-Jun-2009 18:25, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, 3.5, 28.0mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 100 |
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Just like Romancing the Stone, but with tortoises instead of an alligator. Hope you find that emerald!
Looks like the best time guys – loving the website! Take care x