Colombia-Joyas y Cafe Day 10
Colombia-Joyas y Cafe
Day 10 - Wednesday, April 2, 2014 - Explore Cartagena and Ciudad Amarullada & Bocagrande; Home-Hosted Lunch of Colombian Cuisine; Visit Local School- FOUNDATION VISIT; Cumbia Dance Lesson
After breakfast we met our local guide, Katty and began a two-hour walking tour of the city. Edgar gave us water and we gave him the gifts we brought for the home-hosted lunch and the foundation so the bus can carry them for us.
Katty explained that all of the gold and treasures that came from South America came through this port to go back to Spain so it was very rich and incredibly beautiful. This made the city a prime target for pirates.
A seven-mile long 20-foot high wall surrounded the city for protection. We walked around the wall last night and today we followed it around the old city.
On our walk we met a Palenque woman, often symbolized as a Caribbean icon. She carried a container of fruit on her head that she would sell today. Julia told us the fruit weighed more than 30 kilos, over 60 pounds.
The fruit was fresh, but we all surmised that she made more money having her photo taken by tourists than selling the fruit! Edgar and Vic gave her thank you tips. No matter how much money these vendors make, it is still very little compared to salaries in the United States.
Our next stop was the University of Cartagena. A public university, the students must take a rigorous exam and then only a small percentage of them are accepted, as there are so few spaces.
Katty took us to visit many other places and talk with many of the colorful local Cartagenians. As the sun was getting high and the temperatures were rising, 92° with the humidity at 95% humidity, we caught a city bus that took us to meet José, our OAT driver for the day.
The bus was cool and he took us to the highest point in the city, the hilltop La Popa Convent. Honoring La Virgin de Candelaria, Cartagena's patron saint, the warm tropical breezes and the shade of the cloister was the perfect place to sit to avoid the many tourists from the cruise ship in port today.
When we left the convent, Katty continued to describe each neighborhood we drove through. Because of the severe drought, all of the streets were dusty and the trees and shrubs were dry.
José drove us to the home of Alex Rocha and his family. Alex was a former OAT Tour Director who has used his money and talents to open a Youth Center. Along with Jinny and Jim, we enjoyed a delicious home cooked meal by Mercy, Alex’s wife.
After our lunch we picked up the others at another home and went directly to the Alex Rocha Youth Center. Sponsored by Grand Circle, we had a wonderful time meeting the children and listening to the stories of how they are turning their lives around.
As she usually does on these trips, Gennie brought school supplies for the students who come to the center after school. With the help of Alex and Mercy and with financial contributions from OAT, Alex is giving these children hope for a better life by teaching them English and supporting their educations.
It was about 3:00 when we arrived back at the hotel. We had time to rest a bit and then met our group in the lobby to walk to the Clock Tower Square.
At 5:00 we went up to the studio of Crazy Salsa where Maurice and Joanna gave us an hour’s Cumbia lesson. Influenced by rhythms and music of Africa, the Indigenous people, and the Spanish, this dance is a custom of the Caribbean coast.
After our lesson and thanking our dance teachers, we walked back to the Clock Tower to meet the musical trio of Inquietos, three men who accompanied us on our ride on a brighty painted Chiva Bus.
While we enjoyed the music in this open-air form of transportation, we got to see even more of the city. Passing the high-rise hotels and condominiums that only celebrities can afford, we saw another distinct part of Cartagena.
We thanked our musical friends and as dinner was on our own tonight we walked to Santo Domingo Square. We ordered our new favorite drink, Coco Lemonade, made with lime juice, coconut milk, and cream, blended with a few ice cubes!
It is relatively easy to get around in the city so in 15 minutes we were back on our hotel street. The staff at Hotel Bantu welcomed us and we began our journal for the second day in Cartagena.
Accommodations: Hotel Bantu - - - Meals included: B & L
To receive $100 per person off your first reservation with OAT, mention the following information when reserving your Overseas Adventure Travel Trip: Mr. Victor Garcia Customer #673062
OAT's - Colombia's Colonial Jewels & the Coffee Triangle
Comments
Post a Comment!Brought back many memories of our time on the post trip in Cartagena several years ago - saw many of the same sights! Wonder if you are going for a mud bath?? It was a lot of fun! Cheryl
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Fat Gertrudis by Botero
Colorful Vendor - Julia
Church of Saint Peter Claver
La Popa Convent
The Alex Rocha Youth Center – Alex &...
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