Buenos Didly Dias Amigos!

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Greetings Friends!

Sayard and I are in Medellin, Colombia. Those of you familiar with the history of cocaine and the drug war will recognize the name right away. Internet access here is not readily available to us, so the next posting will likely come next week from Quito, Ecuador.

Our activities can be summed up in a word: Party Harty. The Colombians are party fanatics! There are no closed container laws here. If you want a beer, anytime, just pop one open. And if you don't have a beer, no worries, there is usually a guy walking around with a keg strapped to his back and a stack of cups in hand! My kind of people.

A popular way to celebrate is to rent a "Party Bus" which is an open air bus that seats about forty people and a band. On Sunday night we rented one of these busses and rode about the city; dancing and drinking and hootin' and holerin'. Every now and then someone would yell "Guardo!". This preceeded everyone yelling/screaming/chanting "Guardo!" Wich was the antecedent to everyone getting a little plastic cup of "Guardo!" Now, for those who don't know, "Guardo!" is the short and loud way to ask for Aguardiente. The Colombian liquor of choice. It is made from anice, which is what licorice is also made from. If you like licorice...well, then you probably won't like "Guardo!". But, on the other hand, if you don't like licorice, then you will certainly hate "Guardo!".

Tonight we will be participating in another Colombian tradition: Cabbalgatos. Which is getting on a train of horses and going from bar to bar in the countryside. The final horse in our train is, as you may have already predicted, a donkey with speakers strapped to it playing salsa music. The next couple of days will be mostly preparations for the wedding on Saturday, and we leave for Quito Monday morning.

-Maciej
ps There should be some pictures posted now.

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Photos

The Gang
Here are most of Erik's wedding guests from the U.S.

Party Bus
Not for the tall.

Open container on the road
Budweiser: Drink responsibly.

Salsa Bar
We found this great hole in the wall salsa bar.

Bailamos!
Dancing in the bar.

Comments

[Carmen]

Awesome Trip.
Maciej, I am thoroughly enjoying hearing about your trip. Thank you for letting me know about this blog. While I am busy being a "soccer mom" in Anchorage, I will live vicariously through you and your girlfriend. Thanks again.

[Willow]

That Salsa bar.....
Hey Maciej and Sayard! Back in the boring old USA now but loving the travel blog! Sooo much dancing down there-and you still have the moves! mmmm....Guardo.... I'll be checking back here. Take care you two!