Cartagena de Indias

24/08/2011

While we were waiting at the airport, I went to an IT shop and found a MP3 for 20$ (= around 13€! As mine broke because of the humidity and rain… well for those who had a doubt: if you leave your MP3 in your bag and it gets wet- not to say soaking wet- several times, it’s proved that your MP3 will die! Whatever, I was without an MP3 and in Colombia we are going to spend several hours and even nights in buses so I figure out that I would need one! The price was too good to think twice :-) I then transfered the music from my laptop to my new MP3 and started using it.

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 Special for Victor!!!

 Very true!!

 SIIIII!!!

The flight was pleasnat, my dad started to see how my MP3 was working.

He then decided it was more interesting to read about Cartagena and Santa Marta where we were going.

 

I listened to music (obviously!^^), look at the clouds and nearly sleep. Nearly? Why nearly? Well food came just when I was dozing off.

I got very excited when I saw the first sight of Colombia!

At customs the guy asked us a lot of questions and wanted to know exactly where we were going, with who, why…Etc He checked my passport and prints and finally stamped my passport. When he checked my dad’s print: didn’t work^^’ I was a bit scared he wouldn’t be able to enter Colombia. The guy sent us to another desk where finally it worked! Ouf!! Colombia here we are!!

We took a taxi to go to the hotel we choose….well choose was a big word:

“Claire which one do you want

-I don’t know, I just want a bed

-Well read the description and choose one

-Ok…;”

I open the book at the hostal part, closed my eyes and point to one.

“-Dad, La Casona, it’s ok for you?

-What’s the description?

-I don’t know I didn’t read it

-Ok let’s go there”

I love travelling like that!

So we arrived at the hostel and booked a private room. It’s a very nice one with a private bathroom. We settled in and got ready to go.

My dad stopped the van in the room because it was “cutting” the light for some seconds. It was very funny to hear him argue about the light going in and out of his book, especially his “I don’t want to have a seizure because of the light” HAHAHA! I loved it!

Then we left to visit the old part of the town. It was amazing; I especially loved the cathedral and the theater. I was also a beautiful day, hot and the air coming from the ocean was helping to have a great afternoon.

 Clock's door

We stopped at the Bolivar’s place to have a drink: a lemonade very tasty and refreshing!

We walked around the city for nearly 4 hours, stopping at the bank to change Euro…not easy. Only City bank and another one I forgot the name. We decided to do simple and change the last Dollars we had. It took us around 1 hour to queue at the wrong one (it was the good bank but not the good branch to change money), to queue at the other one, do all the papers to buy Pesos and finaly get the money. 10 minutes later, walking down the old tow, we saw a little shop changing money. I asked the rates: It was better that the bank! 1$=1750 at the bank and at the shop it was 1$=1760. Not a big differences but still a difference :-). They changed Euros too at 1€=2350 so we changed some money there.

 Couldn't NOT drink a coffee in the street!

 

Walking back to the hostel, we stopped to buy a skewer at a man in the street. Mine wasn’t really cooked but it was a nice first meal :-)

Back at the hostel: shower and shared a beer with my dad in the nice patio of the hostel. And then… Well can’t tell as we are right now in the patio :-) I can just tell that it’s raining^^

Tomorrow: I don’t know yet! I love travelling like that!!