http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Anglo Dutch connection goes Latin/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Anglo Dutch connection goes Latin en-us Sat, 26 Jul 2008 09:20:09 BST Sat, 26 Jul 2008 09:20:09 BST We were looking forward to chilling out on the beach of the Caribean coastline of Colombia. BUT..... Yvonne's coughing got so bad that we had to go to hospital again. It turned out to be pneumonia. She was hospitalized straight away 48 hours of anti biotics through a drip loads of pain and difficult communications later she checked herself out of the hospital. This tough cookie was not having it http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Taganga/blog-275519.html CARTAGENAYvonne was still not feeling well and the busride didnt help. The airconditioning made us feel freezing cold again. We had sleep with our coats covering our heads. We stayed in Casa Viena a basic hostel in somewhat rough street near the colonial old center of Cartagena 10 mi walk. It is a beautiful city but very touristy. Loads of American cruise boats stop here so no its a lot http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Cartagena/blog-269704.html MEDELLINOur 5 hour busride was not very comfortable due to the blasting airconditioning. This must have pushed Yvonne over the edge towards her illnes massive flue. She felt terrible upon arrival in Kiwi run hostel The black sheep. We arrived on Friday the 18th of April.What we can tell you about Medellin is that it is a very modern city with a very efficient metro system. It tries to shake of http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Medellin/blog-269703.html Early morning on the 17th of April we arrived at Pereira bus station. We were picked up by Rafael Marthas husband. First impression was that he was not a morning person. Probabaly didt have enough coffee by the time he picked us up 8AM.....Upon arrival we immediately likes the place. Tranquil a very nice room swimming pool and an impressive colinal house surrounded by hammocks. Martha was a http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Medellin/blog-269698.html After a 10 hour daytime busride from Cali we arrived around 8 PM in Bogota. Our Footprint travelguide recommended a good hostel in the Candelaria area called Platypus. What a shithole this was We got put up in a house next door which is best described as a hangout for squatters. No door to the patio a cat following us around everywhere and a room full of dust and that smelled awful because of http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-269691.html The crossing from Otavalo Ecuador to Ipiales Colombia went very well 20 min taxi journey to Ibarra Ecuador 3 hour bus ride from Ibarra to Tulcan Ecuador then a 5 min taxi ride to the Ecuadorian border. No queues whatsoever so we were stamped out of the country within 5 mins. A short walk then over the bridge where the Colombian flag and sign welcomed us. Again no queues so we were stamp http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Ipiales/blog-269678.html GUAYAQUILTogether with Ted and Paula we took a nightbus from Mancora Peru to Guayaquil Ecuador. This included two boarder crossings. The boarders in South America are sometimes a few kms apart as it was in this case. Luckily our bus waited for us at both boarder crossings what saved us carrying around our 45 or so kilos and looking for another bus to take us further. Not a great activity arou http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Guayaquil/blog-265754.html TRUJILLOOur reason for going to Trujillo was to do voluntary work in an orphanage. Jurgen had made contacts many months ago in the States with an American guy who knew of voluntary work needed in the area of Esperanza Trujillo. So for months we had been mailing 'Darlin' the owner re how our services could be of need.We spent our first couple of nights in a fabulous family run hostel ldquoRes http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/La-Libertad/Trujillo/Chan-Chan/blog-265430.html REUNION IN MANCORAMancora is located at the Pacific coastline of Peru and is renown for being one of the best surfing spots of Peru. We booked in to a very exotic cabaa for 3 nights. The swimming pool and delicious tropical fruit juices served at this place made it a fantastic hang outWe used facebook to get in touch with our Machu Picchu friends Debra Chris Ted and Paula. It turned out they w http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Tumbes/Tumbes/blog-265426.html LIMAWe decided to fly to Lima instead of taking a 12 hour bus ride. At only 20 extra it was a no brainer.We arrived in Lima on the 18th March and determined to find a post office so that we could send a few things home. All done and off to the beach. Well..... a stroll along the beach because the water has been declared unsuitable for swimming. However local surfers are not put off because of t http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Lima/Lima/Miraflores/blog-265168.html Still no pictures about this part of the trip because our camera was stolen in Cusco.....COPACABANAProbably not as nice as the place with the same name in Brazil but a comfortable tourist ready little village on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca the highest Lake in the world on altitude of 3000m. The best view we had of the lake was from our room during massive thunder storms. The lightning w http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/La-Paz-Department/Copacabana/blog-265167.html Unfortunately we lost most of our Bolivia pictures because our camera got stolen in Cusco Peru.... more about this later.........COCHABAMBAIts been a while since our last publication. Reason being we have done a lot of travelling and havent spend much time at one place....As said in our last blog entry for those who can remember... we took the night train from Uyuni to Oruro. The train was http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/La-Paz-Department/La-Paz/blog-259319.html CUSCOWe stayed in Cusco for almost 6 days in order to climatise to 3400 metres above sea level. We figured that at low season we should find something fairly easy and at a good price so we didnt book anything beforehand. Instead we spent 2 hrs walking around the city trying to find something with a bit of light and at a good price. At last a charity run hostel owned by a dutch woman who has http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-259301.html TOUR FROM TUPIZA TO UYUNIWe were given our 4 day itinerary and set off in the Toyota 4x4 with Martin and Anita from Slovenia Lazarro driver and Margarita cook. Margarita dressed in her traditional clothing turned out to be a star We wont go into too much detail about what we saw because we could be here forever. Overall for us it was the best tour yet. We had a picnic lunch in the Ahuanap http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Salar-de-Uyuni/blog-251057.html THE BORDER CROSSINGSad to leave Argentina but also excited to experience something new.... steak and wine had taken its tollWe made sure that we got rid of our coca leaves before the crossing because apparently rigorous checks are undertaken along the way for drugs including coca leaves No cable TV in South American prisonshellip.We left from Jujuy to La Quiaca which sits on the border of Ar http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Tupiza/blog-251052.html 6 DAYS OF RELAXING IN SALTAAfter our touring days in Tucuman we decided to enjoy the beautiful colonial city of Salta for a bit. Salta is one of the most populair tourist destinations in the Argentina. Luckily for us it was not completely swamped with tourists in February. We enjoyed the terrific food humitas corn fried onions pumpkin and cheese wrapped in corn leaves tamales corn meat b http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Salta/Salta/blog-251017.html After being stationary for 2 12 weeks in Mendoza we fancied some exploring. We considered our options in the north of Argentina because by mid February we want to end up In Bolivia.After some serious meetings and some consultancy from locals we decided to go the provence of Tucuman. A bit off track for us but supposedly very beautiful. SAN MIGUEL DE TUCUMANWe were not going to be dissapointed http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Tucuman/San-Miguel-de-Tucuman/blog-245965.html Here are some videos http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Mendoza/Mendoza/blog-245954.html River Plate Boca JuniorsAnother thing that seems to be repeating itself is our habit to show up at the right time at certain places for football games. After Buenos Aires and Montevideo we got lucky again in Mendoza. In Argentina they organize summer tournements in January and February. And I could not believe my luck when I read in the newspaper that River Plate and Boca Juniors were going http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Mendoza/Mendoza/blog-244856.html Mendoza 19th of January 4th of February 2008After being on the go for 2 weeks. We were looking forward to unpack our rug sacks for a bit. We booked 3 nights in a hostel and gave ourselves the task to find a nice apartment for two weeks. The tought of cooking our own food after 2 months of eating out was quite apealingThe famous liberator General Jose de San Martin 1817 chose Menzoza as http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Mendoza/Mendoza/blog-244855.html