Hardships

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Geo: 9.79838, -75.8462

Islas San Bernardo, our whole reason for coming to Tolu - it wasn't even on the radar at first but during planning of the trip, we read that Cartagena's nearby Islas del Rosario weren't all that great, that San Bernardo was far superior. So the itinerary was rewritten to include San Bernardo, even though it was a bit of a detour, meaning that some additional stops on the Caribbean would have to be skipped. This is the problem of traveling in a place like Colombia where travel is slow going due to underdeveloped infrastructure, as something always needs to be sacrificed.

But it's also the best thing about this place - there is such a wealth of things to do and so many beautiful places to explore ... it's a nice problem to have, isn't it? Three weeks in Colombia is nothing, just enough to get a good taste of the country's highlights and make mental notes as to which places to see for the next trip through here. After two days in Colombia I had already decided that one day, I would return - that desire to come back has only grown stronger the more I travel through this incredible country, as it continues to seduce with its countless charms ...

It's funny how a day at the beach in Colombia can be so draining - the sun really is strong here and combined with the heat and humidity, it leaves you exhausted after only a few hours. The one-hour boat ride back to Tolu was a comical thing to watch, with nearly every passenger passed out and napping on the way back, us included. It's such a difficult life here in Colombia - after a long day on a tropical beach, now we have to suffer through a beer and a nap in a hammock back at the hostel. Sigh ... it's so rough traveling through Colombia, I don't know how much more of these hardships we can take ...

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Photos

Isla Palma ...
... one of the more popular islands in the San Bernardo archipelago, home to a fancy all-inclusive resort complete with a dolphin training facility. Pretty cool dolphin tricks, but B's only comment was "Oooh ... that trainer is STACKED ..." It's ok - I had many similar thoughts which I kept to myself as we walked through the plastic jungle of Medellin ...

Beautiful Little Beach on Isla Palma ...
... sand as soft as baby powder! As part of the tour today, a guided walk of an ecological tour was included - we ended up chilling on the beach instead, a good choice!

Enjoying a Delicious Guanabana Juice ...
... quite possibly the best I've ever had, sweet and refreshing. The mango juice was pretty good here too.

Warm Waters ...
... almost like taking a lukewarm bath, as the water is quite shallow - even a fair ways out it's no more than waist deep.

Santa Cruz del Islote ...
... unofficially the World's most densely-populated island, with up to 1200 people living on 1200 square meters of land, it basically looks like a shanty town island, with every square inch of space used up. They collect and use rain water during the rainy season, and the Colombian navy brings in water the rest of the time. They do have a health centre, school, and a small power plant to generate electricity.

Private Beach On Isla Mucura ...
... the public beaches are a bit overrun with tourists but we managed to get the inside scoop on this beach from a local who was angling for a tip. It's a private beach at a hotel and we were quite surprised that it was nearly deserted, but we later found out why - it's a nude beach!

A Low-light of My Life ...
... being given swimming lessons by this 6 year old kid.

Fascinating ...
... little Hamilton was quite intrigued with my dirty feet that were covered in sand, so he purposely did the same to his own feet.

Fresh From the Sea ...
... locals make a killing on the lunches served here - this lobster lunch was about $25 CAD, still cheap by our standards. A bit tough but delicious and a substantial portion, receiving 1.5 lobsters.

A Bit of Fish ...
... perfectly cooked and juicy.

Worst Meal in Colombia at Terraza la 15 ...
... described as being a dish of grilled beef, chicken, and a few types of sausage served with patacones and fries, we thought it was a mixed grill - wrong!!! Turns out it was more like the Chilean chorrillana, a kind of insane plate of nachos: http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pwong/7/1230777720/tpod.html#pbrowser/pwong/7/1230777720/filename=img_3475.jpg
The difference is that the chorrillana is actually pretty good - this one was over the top, smothered in ketchup and mayonnaise, leaving it one giant soggy greasy mess. At least it had a tiny bit of veggies - a few shreds of lettuce.

Perhaps Even a Bit Worse ...
... this ceviche was terrible, incredibly sour. In a way it worked with the messy plate we were having, as the acidity cut the severe grease slightly. The worst ceviche we've ever had anywhere, and definitely the worst meal in Colombia overall, up to this point.