Un dia de adventura

Today was a day of adventure indeed. We didn´t get to do too much sightseeing, in the traditional sense of the word, but we certainly saw some sights. Marta had to go to the gobernacion building in the walled part of the city to woek on getting her cedula and passport stuff straightened out. When we got to the gobernacion, we found out that she had to go get her photos taken at a little photo shop a few blocks down the road. We got the photos and then we had to go to this other government building... the registraduria? something like that.

It is just this little building hidden off the street several long blocks away. She went inside this little two-story building, hoping this would be the answer, but instead the guy at the entrance basically was no help. He took us upstairs and then took Marta into some room (I didn´t go, instead, I stayed outside the door, and got stared at by roughly 8 people who had never seen such a tall blonde pale giant before...). Marta came out of the room, dissapointed and frustrated as can be because they basically were like, no, this is no good, to her old cedula which we already knew because it had been CANCELLED. So, she had to go down to a banco and pay for the fee for a new cedula and then she went back and the guy again told her she had to go elsewhere... and by that he meant to a completely different part of Cartagena on the other side of town, behind a public library in some tiny building.

So, we decided to take a brief break from Cedula hunting and walked/took a bus to Bocagrande, a place that kind of jutts out into the ocean from the main part of Cartagena. It´s got lots of pretty beach space and a lot of taller buildings and touristy type places. we saw a blockbuster video and a McDonalds there. Also, puma store and quicksilver stores. We ate at a crepes place (Crepes & Waffles, it´s named) and it was DELICIOUS. We split a savory (mozz cheese, basil, fresh and dried tomatoes) and a sweet (nutella & banana, is there anything else) Also, chocolate milkshake! We walked along the beach a bit, went to a shopping market like publix. Then we took a taxi to this rando library that Marta had to go to for her cedula. There, the guys who were working at this little desk basically told her they had given out all the numbers to see people already (I gues it´s like the post office or the deli counter where you wait for your number to be called, except there is a limit to the number of people they can see in a single day. They did inform her, however, that ¨If you do something for me, I could do something for you¨, basically asking for a bribe to get her in.

She said no, so we caught a bus to this other place ou could go to do the same thing. On the way there, Two payasos (clowns) came into our bus and did a little routine and one had this horrible laugh that was like a indicator of a punch line. It was terrible sounding. We stopped at this little building, which was behind a gas station down this road where there were literally NO signs and you had to have telepathy to know it was there. We found it and went inside, and this guy gave her a number and we waited for her to be let in. While we were waiting some other people came in and sat and waited, I guess for the same thing Marta was waiting for. This one older lady started talking to marta and wanted to know how old I was and I told her 22, and she said I looked younger than that (should I be insulted or happy? At 22, I feel like its not a bad thing or a good thing) Then Marta got called and the lady talked to me. This other guy also asked how tall I was and I had to convert to cm which was hard to do on the fly from 75 inches. The older lady thought Marta was my mom, and I was like nope. We don´t look alike at all. She asked me what I was studying and whatnot. She thought Marta was learning English and I was learning Spanish. I was like, well not exactly. All of this was conducted in Spanish, mind you. :-) Anyways, the lady there wouldn´t complete her paperwork because she didn´t know her bloodtype. So Marta has to get some kind of bloodwork done or something.idk

A note about buses and driving in Colombia. People are crazy drivers. Our taxi driver rolled down his window and just started yelling at this guy who cut him off earlier and almost got us in an accident. It was crazy. There are so many sudden stops and intense horn honking. I wish I could just film a ride so you could have an idea about how crazy it is. Also, the buses are public, but they are all privately own, so basically they have no set routes or stops. You just kind of stand up when you want to be let off and they just pull over and stop very briefly for you to hop off. It´s about 50 cents to take a bus pretty much anywhere. Also, since all the buses are personally owned, they are all pimped out by their drivers. It´s crazy. For example, every bus has carpet on the dashboard and a special shift cover made of the same material. There are often lights (of the blue and red and yellow variety) that flash regularly. Also, images of the virgen carmen, the protector of drivers. Also, weird-ass curtains. It´s like a crazy version of pimp by bus.

After that, we took another bus back into El Centro. We went to El Exito, which is kind of like a walmart. I got some caramels and some gold havainas sandals. We got an arepa from a street vendor which was delicious and greasy. We got a bit turned around when we left and couldn´t find our way back immediately. We kind of wandered aimlessly, stopped in a bakery and got roscones (sp?) de guayaba which, paigey, you would adore.

Then we finally got back on track. We passed through the park that had monkeys, but we couldn´t find the monkeys. Instead, we saw a bunch of kids prepping for a skating competition. They were all wearing rollerblades and had these uniform type things from different schools and stuff. It was so cool and cute. Anyways, we were walking around the park and then headed back the hostel for showers and dinner. We went to this little restaurant around the corner a ways that had a lot fewer touristy people and Marta got soup and her soup had a chicken foot in it. No joke. Naturally, I took a photo, so that´ll be up later.

We took a picture of Casa Viena on our way home from dinner.

I have to figure out what I´m doing tomorrow. Marta has to get up early(8am) to find out what blood type she has at a doctors and go down to the cedula place. Hopefully I can find someone here at the hostel to hang out with and see some places. I don´t know, I just don´t really want to venture out on my own. Pretty much all day today EVERY guy that passed by stopped and stared or said something ridiculous, either all the english they knew or, if they knew no english, lots of spanish stuff. Often a guessing of the height (2 meters, I heard once, which is an overestimate). It was just a bit strange.

That´s all for now!

xoxo,
A

Day 2... the beginning

Delicious empanada and coffee for breakfast. Time to go exploring I suppose.

Last night, I slept pretty soundly although marta says that I was talking in my sleep. About bicycles or something. And I was peddling in my sleep. haha. whoops.

Anyways, today marta is gong to the gobernacion for her passport, and I will hang out somewhere... palacio de la inquisicion? Who knows really.

Last night a group of soldiers walked by our hostel. There were about a dozen of them, all toting very large guns. It was kind of surreal. There are a lot of police most everywhere, especially in the historic part of town, where all the tourists are. I suppose that's a pretty good thing, all things considered.

This morning alone, a dozen males have honked their horns or whistled at me. The sight of a tall blonde girl roaming the streets of Cartagena is too intriguing to pass up on. Nothing I hadn't experienced in Spain, although the volume is a bitter larger. In spain, there were a few blondes walking around. Here there aren't nearly as many. Hopefully I'll be able to get on later today and post again.

Hasta luego

xoxo,
A

En colombia!!

Marta and I made it to Colombia safe and sound. So far no huge hiccups, although it turns out marta has to get a new Colombian passport and Cedula tomorrow. That leaves me to explore a bit on my own, hopefully at the palacio de la inquisicion o lo que sea.

The plane flight was smooth, nothing crazy at all. Immigration went fine (not including Marta´s little passport snafu). Everyone in the immigration booths was wearing masks and rubber gloves, which was a bit intense. Swine flu pandemic fears are in the air I suppose. We exchanged out money and for about 2 dollars caught a taxi to where we thought we were staying, Casa Viena. Unfortunately, the website and photos had very little in common with the actual place. It was, in fact, pretty much a dump. We went across the street to an internet cafe to try to find other options. No real success, just a lot of hoping. We went back across the street to a little juice/smoothie stand and ask that lady where we could eat and if she knew of any hostels. Luckily, she was incredibly helpful on both accounts. We had lunch of arepas (con queso for me and con carne for marta) and the headed off to Hotel Marlin, where we are staying in a private room for 20,000 pesos/night, or roughly 10 dollars.

Already we´ve walked around a lot of the walled city, which is the historic part of the city. We went to a couple parks (there were little monkey like things EVERYWHERE) and got followed by a creepy homeless guy, and watched traditional dances in a plaza/parque area. We walked out to the wall and looked out over the ocean, which was super cool. I hope that tomorrow we can go to the Castillo and look around there and maybe hit up the beach...

Anyways, I think I´m gonna hit up a little food stand a couple places down and try to get a shower and sleep. My hostel has internet so maybe I will get to post more after all.

p.s. I tried some incredible sweet bread, pan con queso, and some frutas that are called something like marmoles...?

p.p.s It is SOOOO hot and humid.

T-minus 24 hours...

Tomorrow I leave for Colombia. I've got pretty much everything all packed up, with the exception of liquids and toiletries. Packing was fairly straightforward and simple, although I have NO idea exactly how using my new backpack will go. It's basically got just two spots for clothing, with openings at the top and bottom. It has a lot of other pockets that I'm using for little things (toiletries, socks, and wet wipes), but all my clothing is in one giant pocket that I'm nervous I'm going to have to dig through to find anything. Luckily, we're in the same place for a couple days at a time, so I should have the opportunity to keep organized.

I went to church on Sunday, which was, to say the least, an interesting experience. I haven't been to any church service since Christmas Eve, probably, and I've almost forgotten exactly how strange it can be. To tell the truth, I don't miss it. Rev. Richter gave a message about fathers, and I see where he was coming from, but I can't help but see where my opinions conflict with the church's. The idea of a male being the head of the family, and women submitting to their husbands. The idea of a husband and wife being the only way to restore American "morality". It was just a tough pill to swallow.

I saw the Michel's and Richard Smith, my old youth pastor who was in town with his youth group in Charlotte for a mission trip. It was nice to see all of them. They all seemed to be curious about what I was up to now that I've graduated and it was simultaneously nerve-wracking and invigorating to say, "you know what, I'm not sure exactly" and see the looks on their faces.

I am thrilled to be heading to Colombia. By this time tomorrow, I will be en route, about an hour from landing in Cartagena. I've been checking and double checking everything for my trip. So you know, I'm not bringing my laptop to Cartagena, and I probably won't be hitting up any internet cafes, so don't expect any updates until next Tuesday, June 30, when I return. I will be sure to take LOTS of pictures, and remember everything. I will try to write everything down the old-fashioned way so I don't forget.

xoxo,
A