Evan
Going down to Brasil for my sister's 30th birthday party and then traveling to Colombia to visit distant family and meet new people.evan b
Travel Blog Posts
April 24th 2006
Here are some selected unseen pictures from my recent trip to Brasil and Colombia. Most are from Colombia. Thanks to everyone for keeping up with the blog. I wish I could have kept it better updated while down in South America but I hope you enjoyed. See ya!... read more
April 19th 2006
Well I've been back for a week now but thought I'd put some more pictures up. I would have done it earlier but the computers were soo slow in Colombia and I didn't have much time to spend in the internet cafes. Better late than never though. Cartagena was ok but a little dissapointing. After having spent the previous 2 weeks traveling through Colombia and meeting only a small amount of tourists, Cartagena was a bit of shock. This is beacause many cruise ships stop off at Cartagena and loads and loads of package deal tourists spill into the streets. This has created a whole community of locals who follow around these tourists trying to sell things or beg. Being a gringo just trying to see the sights means having to fend off an endless amount ... read more
April 4th 2006
I am back in Santa Marta after spending 6 days deep in the jungle. I was in a group of 5 travelers, one guide, and a cook. We spent 3 days hiking to Ciudad Perdida(The Lost City), a day at the site, and then the last 2 days hiking back. Ciudad Perdida is one of the largest pre-Colombian towns discovered in the Americas. About 40 km from Santa Marta(carribean coast), the Lost City was built by the Tayrona Indians on the northern slopes of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Built between the 11th and 14th centuries, this 2 sq km site was the largest center of the Tayronas with a population between 2000 and 4000 people. After the spanish conquest it dissapeared under the rapid growth of the jungle and was not discovered again until ... read more
March 28th 2006
I have just spent the last 4 days in Medellin and my time there was truly fantastic. Medellin is Colombia's second largest city with a population of over 2 million. Situated at 1540m in a deep valley with shantytown barrios covering the slopes, the city is known for its eternal spring weather. Medellin is also an industrial city of little "tourist attractions" but the overall vibe makes up for it and then some. The locals are extemely warm and welcoming to everyone and they often went out of their way to make my stay that much better. Friday morning I took a painless one hour flight north from Bogota. The afternoons of Friday and Saturday were spent wandering around the city viewing plazas, churches, public art, and interacting with the locals while trying to improve my ... read more
March 25th 2006
I have finally arrived to Colombia! I landed in Bogota Wednesday afternoon after an uneventful flight from Brazil. Wednesday was spent walking around the center of Bogota and becoming oriented with the city. Thursday I took a bus out to the suburb of Zipaquira(40km away) to see the Catedral de Sal. This is a cathedral that was built underground in a salt mine. The cathedral is 25 meters high, has a floor area of 8550 square meters, and can hold up to 10,000 people. Along the passageway to the cathedral and past several caverns where the salt had been removed are the fourteen Stations Of The Cross. Each station has different religous symbols carved into the salt mine walls and each depicts a different point in the life of Jesus Christ. It was quite an impressive ... read more
March 22nd 2006
It has been a crazy week. My parents, uncle, aunt, cousin, family friends, and a whole entourage of my sister's friends all came down to Rio for her 30th birthday party. Everyday this past week was basically going out to dinner with everyone, then staying out all night until sunrise, sleeping in, going to the beach, and doing some touristy stuff like sightseeing. My sister also rented a boat on Thursday that took about 25 of us out to some islands and had food, drinks, music on it. Now for the birthday party. My sister Whitney really went all out and threw a crazy party. It was in the penthouse suite of the VIP Suites Motel overlooking the ocean and beaches. The VIP Suites Motel is a love motel. In South America and many other parts ... read more
March 15th 2006
What's up everyone, Sorry about the lack of blogging but it's amazing how south american laziness can be so time consuming. I have been here a week and have pretty much just been surfing, eating, taking naps, going out at night, and spending time relaxing on the beach. I know, I know, it's a tough life. Everyone talks about the crime in Rio, but I have never personally witnessed any in my previous time here. That is until a few nights ago when a couple of friends and I were walking out by the beach/bar area in Copacabana. It was kinda late and about 15 street kids between the ages of 6-15 swarmed us trying to take any possesions we had. I had some money in my pocket and a beer in hand and was somehow ... read more
March 8th 2006
I have arrived to Rio de Janeiro, Brasil safe and sound. The weather has been just ok, a little bit overcast but it is suppose to get better. I spent the day walking around, shopping for surfboards, and watching champion's league soccer which is popular down here. For those who don't know I will be spending 2 weeks in Brasil before I leave for Colombia to visit distant family and to get to know the country a little better. My sister's 30th birthday party is on the 17th here in Rio and many of her friends and our family will be in attendance. The following weeks should be fun, not too much else to report here except that the caipirinhas are delicious! ... read more
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