Advertisement
It feels a long time since the last entry though its only slightly over 2 weeks. Its been a different 2 weeks in as much as we have been travelling with Sams friend Cher who came out for a 2 week holiday. This is the first time I have travelled with someone whos only in South America for such a short period of time and is definitely on holiday rather then travelling. What I learned was that it can be difficult to reconcile the demands of what someone wants when they are on holiday to what you want when your travelling most crucially in terms of budget. When your on holiday budget is no object unfortunately when your travelling this isn't the case. To fit as much in to 2 weeks we spent a few days in Bogota before heading up to Colombia's Carribean coast
Bogota
Bogota has a fearsome reputation as being an unsafe city, much like Beiruit or Belfast had traditionally aswell. After 4 days there I thought it was surprisingly very similar to Belfast, a city that is comming out of a troubled past, and while not necessarily the most beautiful city or with a huge amount of attractions it is a friendly and vibrant city. The similarities don't end there as geographically it is ringed by mountains like Belfast, and even its mild climate wasnt disimilar to Belfast's!
We stayed in a hostel in the Candeleria district of Bogota in a hostel called Musicology. It was recently opened, and one of the best I have stayed in. The staff members were so helpful, recommending restaurants, finding information for club nights, football matches, bus times and tickets, even taking us out for drinks on Saturday night. They even didnt mind when we had a cake fight to celebrate Man Utds 18th championship success (more about that later). If anyone who reads this goes to Bogota I would definitely say that you should stay there.
The Candeleria district was also a very convenient location, close to the main square, where the Congress house, Ministry of Justice, Cathedral, and Mayors residence were located. Indeed on a unsuccessful walking tour I stumbled across a massive police parade to mark the appointment of the new police minister. It was an impressive display, with units from all the different police departments, including paramilitary police, tourist police, dog squad etc. It seemed strangely appropriate seeing such a display in Colombia.
There was also a number of museums and art galleries close to the hostel. We went to the Bodero gallery. Bodero is one of Colombias most famous artists and has a very unique style in which everyone and everything is painted in a very rounded, dare I say chubby style. It was pretty interesting, and the gallery itself was a lovely building. Crucially it also wasnt too big so it didnt test my patience as im not that much of an art gallery person.
Partying in Bogota
Bogota has a strong electronic music scene too. Colombia is the first country since Chile where this has been the case, and my feet were itching for a bit of a dance. We went to a night where the Scottish djs Silicon Soul were playing on the 40th floor of a hotel in central Bogota. The views out over Bogota were outstanding. It was also the first clubnight I have ever been too with soldiers outside guarding the venue! Like elsewhere in South America electronic music was the music of the young rich. Drink prices for individual drinks were nearly more expensive then in the UK, it was therefore more cost effective for groups of friends to buy a bottle of spirits which they would share over the course of the night. The atmosphere was friendly, and many people spoke English and were keen to chat about Colombia, Bogota, and were also keen to know more about Northern Ireland. All in all it was great night and nice to go dancing again.
Cake Fight
The next day Man Utd sealed there 18th league Championship, equaling Liverpools record. I was obviously over the moon and keen to celebrate. Now Sam has a tradition that her and some of her friends started in La Paz of having a cake fight to celebrate birthdays or important occasions, I have always missed out but this occasion seemed to be made to be celebrated by a cake fight. Accordingly a big creamy Strawberry sponge cake was purchased, 18 times was written on the side in Spanish. My face was then unceremoniously smashed into the cake, it was then a free for all as cake got thrown in all directions. By the end all of us were covered in bits of strawberry, cake, and cream. It was great fun though and surely a suitable way to mark future important occassions.
Indeed when we arrived in Cartagena, it was decided another cake fight was in order to celebrate Cher's unofficial birthday. Thus in an expensive cafe, Champagne was toasted and then drunk before I took my revenge and smashed Cher's face into the cheese cake that had been bought for the occasion. Given it was an expensive cafe the other customers found it very funny, and seemed more concerned that we would throw cake at them, while the staff also were good sports and didnt throw us out.
Colombian Football
As we were in Bogota for the weekend I was determined that for the first time since Chile I would get to go and watch a South American football match. Fortunately there was a game between Millionairos and America, two of the biggest teams in Colombia. Now I was told one team was from Cali, in South Colombia and one was from Bogota. For some reason I presumed America were from Bogota. I also wanted to support them as they play in red and white, have a red devil as their badge, and are nicknamed the red devils! Accordingly we got tickets and entered in the America end. Now the stadium was split about half half between the 2 sets of fans, so by numbers alone it wasnt clear who was home and who was away. But I did wonder why the cheerleaders were in the supposed away teams colours, later on I wandered why with America trailing 3-1 it said 3-1 to the home team. It was only after the game I discovered that America were the away team and were from Cali! So it was another first for me, being in the away sides end.
In terms of the football, Colombian football like Argentinian and Chilean football is played at a slow tempo with no great urgency. America were 3-1 down and played like they were a few goals in front. The players are skillful, but quite greedy and often show limited awareness of team mates in better positions. Its certainly a world away from the fast paced premier league.
Again the fans were of nearly more interest. Typical of South America both sets of fans sang the whole time regardless of the score. Again accompanied by drums, and much bouncing up and down. The songs are repetitive, not complicated, but quite hypnotic. What I found strangest though was the America's fans response to losing 3-1 instead of leaving early or booing their team they sang in Spanish "thank you very much for your passion". Now I cant imagine ever singing that after getting beat 3-1!!!!
The Carribean Coast
Santa Marta
From Bogota we got the bus for 20 hours and arrived in Santa Marta, which is very much a holiday resort on the Carribean for Colombians and westerners alike. Instantly we were hit by temperatures in the mid thirties and a high level of humidity. That said because it was still May, it is considered the off season, and were able to get an appartment with an Australian guy we met on the bus for less then a fiver each, which was close to the beach, and had a roof top swimming pool. We could also do our own cooking which was a pleasant change, and the Australian guy made the best Mango Daiquris I have ever tasted. We didnt do much except as you would expect, enjoy the sea, and the beach, and fend off the unwanted attention of so many people trying to sell us stuff on the beach.
Tayrona
From Santa Marta we made the trip to Tayrona national park. This was a different world from Santa Marta as it national park where the jungle goes right down to the beach, and you have to stay in either tents, hammocks, or cabins. Indeed from the park entrance we had to get horses for 45 minutes to take us to the beach where we were staying. Tayrona despite being rustic and basic was expensive. We had to pay more each for a hammock with a mosquito net then we had for the appartment! I guess sleeping in a hammock is one of the things you have to do in the Carribean but its never going to dislodge a nice comfortable bed for me! That said it was a novel experience treking through the jungle everyday to get to beautiful Carribean beaches. It often felt like I was in a Bounty Add or an episode of Lost!
Taganga
Over the last 4 months I had heard alot of people go on about how great Taganga was. A small fishing village surrounded by mountains, it sounded beautiful. Unfortunately as can often happen when you have too high hopes for a place, they were dashed. It wasnt helped that it was bank holiday Sunday and so it was noisy, and busy. I thought Taganga was dirty, noisy, with a generally poor standard of accomodation. The beach in the town wasn't great, and even the Playa Grande, a 20 minute walk from Taganga wasnt anything special. The only reason I would go there would be to learn to dive, and that isnt part of my plans.
Cartagena
Cartagena is one of the highlights of South America. A beautiful old centre, surrounded by defensive walls, that is a UNESCO world heritage site. It is also a large city of over a million people and Colombias biggest port. It is undoubedly very beautiful and has a rich maritime heritage. Cartagena was the port from which Spanish riches from the new world sailed back to Europe. Accordingly it was an attractive target for jealous Spanish rivals who licensed the pirate system as a cost effective way of challenging Spanish hegemony in the Carribean. It was interesting to discover that Cartagena had been attacked by British forces under Sir Francis Drake, and under Vernon, aswell as by French forces.
Apart from walking round the town, and looking at the Fort, and maritime museum we also took a day trip out to the Rosario Islands, an arcipeligo of islands 35 km from Cartagena. The water was clear and beautiful, lovely for swimming in. I even had a massage on one the beaches. However, the downside was we spent more time on the boat too and from the islands then we did actually on the islands.
We stayed in the old town, which was convenient and I guess it was pleasant to stroll through the streets, however the hotel was delapitated with bits of plaster from the ceiling falling onto you while you slept, the air conditioning unit leaked, and mosquitos could easily get through the gaps in the shutters to launch their nightly attacks on my arms and legs. Additionally, you hardly ever get a minutes peace on the street without being harrassed by someone selling jewelry, pictures, drinks, or offering an assortment of trips, horse and carridge rides. The relentlessness of it just gets very frustrating. We have now spent 6 night in Cartagena and leave today and in all honesty im ready for a change. I think its a town thats best enjoyed in small doses rather then a prolonged stay.
Northern Ireland connection.
Im not sure whether its the shared troubled past, or the fact that the IRA came to Colombia to train members of FARC but there is a greater awareness of Northern Ireland here then anywhere I have been South America. People understand that there is a difference between being Northern Irish and Irish, they know that we have had our own conflict and want to know about it. One women when told I was from Northern Ireland exclaimed "the land where all the terrorists come from!". I felt like saying is that not the pot calling the kettle black. On the downside in Bogota I did see pro-IRA graffiti. You always think that people who have experienced conflict may have a less romantic view of your own terrorists but this doesnt necessarily appear to be the case.
I am told by Sam who is stubborn in her refusal to read any of my blog that no one reads any of my enteries as they are too long and boring. If this is the case then as im in my last stretch of my trip there wont be too many more enteries to not read!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.117s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 7; qc: 44; dbt: 0.0937s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Grace
non-member comment
Hello!
Ah matey! Another fine instalment from the travels of Tom Stevens! Sounds like the travels are still amazing mr, and im still very jealous ha! Will look forward to meeting Sam :) and also really look forward to hearing you chant to Richy next time when your both tearing shreds of each other in the Cross Keys over the footy score - that you thank him for his passion haha! Somehow I dont think il ever hear that!! How long have you got left on your travels? xx