'Chevre' it is, beyond any doubt

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It is only getting better and prettier. Heading to Cartagena. This will be the only place in Colombia where I was more aware of my bag and people around me. Cartagena is known with tourism due to big cruise ships coming here. The old city centre is beautiful, colourful and full of tourists. The rest of the official city is sadly the opposite; it is poor and filthy.
Diving is one of the things you can do very well here. I loved diving at Islas del Rosario. The trip towards there by boat, looking back at the stunning old city centre. Arriving at one of the islands, it felt really Caribbean. Turquoise blue water and islands here and there. I'm also very excited to see Frigate birds in mating season. I used to have a book with a photo of one of those on the cover with the red swollen pouch to attract females. Amazing to see a big group flying around, 'calling' for mates. The diving itself was beautiful as well. We didn't have a wetsuit surprisingly, which caused a little discomfort the second dive. Nevertheless after 2 years of non diving it was incredible.

I also visit the 'mud' volcano El Totumo in a daytrip. This was besides some picture perfect moments afterwards quite interesting. We tried to push ourselves down vertically which was impossible. Some air bubbles were sometimes surfacing though and we had to walk few hundred meter to rinse ourselves in the lake behind it. Lunch break was close by on a breath taking beach where some fisherman were trading their catch. A little local store was as well a moment to pause because of a baby howler monkey they sadly kept as a pet.

Taganga is where I do my advanced PADI. This was absolutely exquisite; the dive instructors were locals who knew all the cool stuff. I requested sea horses, I got sea horses. Did my first night dive, where I've seen loads of lobsters. I 'ran' into a turtle...the underwater world keeps surprising me and giving me a smile. Mostly we dove of the boat and then go to little beaches for lunch. Very helpful was the instructor as well; out of air, just share his.. winkwink.

Photo's from others easily pursue me to visit Parque Tayrona, absolute heaven; deserted long stretched beaches, palm trees, hammock, sunshine, coco nuts and so on. Need a little effort to get there, but so worth every step and sweat. Obviously needed to have a break from all the intense diving😉

What makes this whole area interesting that one day you are one with the fish and a day later you can fly as a bird. And to even top it of with caving the day after that. Incredible diverse. San Gil is the place to do all kinds of activities, so running from a mountain and crawling through the narrowest openings are my first 2 picks. San Gil offers aside very steep hilly streets a park for a nice stroll, heaps of wildlife and weird strings hanging down from the branches. A cicada almost as big as the palm of my hand and squirrel chased by its tale, iguana sun bathing in the path and a fat frog trying to hide unsuccessfully.

Barichara is a neighbour town with a nice sunset over its cemetery and has a authentic center. Then it is the official countdown; last days in Bogota spend with meeting up for last laughs, visiting a cathedral in Zipaquirá created in a former salt mine, actively do some shopping and final packing...

Chevre es, seguramento!

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