Road Trip To Baranquilla, Colombia

Yesterday we took a day trip to Baranquilla, Colombia. 

Baranquilla is a city located in northern Colombia, near the Caribbean Sea.  As of 2011 the population was listed as 1,885,500 which makes it the fourth most populous city in Colombia.

The city is located about 2 hours from Cartagena.  The drive was beautiful with the Caribbean Sea on one side and hills with lush valleys on the other.  Along the way there were numerous small fishing villages nestled along the route.  The road from Cartagena to Baranquilla is a 2 lane curvy road until you get about 30 minutes outside of Baranquilla, then it becomes a 4 lane nice highway.

Living in Cartagena the area is flat with water surrounding you.  The view I look at each day is filled with modern condos, hotels and businesses.  Although the ocean is beautiful to look at each day I miss seeing miles and miles of nothing but green.  Yesterday, I sure did get to see that!

Our mission Saturday was shopping.  Baranquilla has a store called PriceSmart which is like a Sam's Club or Costco in the US.  You buy a membership and everything is in a warehouse setting. 

I was so excited about this trip I hardly slept the night before. 

Our friends Toni and Doug came with us.  The driver arrived in the van to get us at about 9:20am and we picked Toni and Doug up and headed out. 

Once we arrived in Baranquilla  the driver took us by the Mall first.  I was so impressed.  It was 4 stories high and very modern and much like what we have in the US.  I even found a Payless Shoe Store and bought me a new pair of shoes.

Next it was PriceSmart and it did not disappoint.  The amount of US products was great and I was so excited to find USDA beef and pork.  The selection of can goods here in Cartagena is not that great so my BIG score yesterday was Van Camp Pork n Beans (bought 2 cases) and Hunts Stewed Tomatoes and Hunts Tomato Paste.  I had also been sad that I couldn't find any Tortilla Chips in Cartagena and was excited to find Tostitos Chips. 

We took a large cooler and I was thrilled to find a great frozen section.  I came home with Red Baron frozen pizza, El Monterey Burritos and Quesadillas.  They had Campbell's soup, Kraft Ranch Dressing, and off all things to miss from home...pickles.  The stores in Cartagena don't have pickles.  There were numerous other things we got.  Four hours, 2 baskets and $2,000,000 pesos later we were headed home.

I do believe between our friends and us we had at least half a cow and 1 pig in meat in the van on the drive home!!!!

It was a long day, about 9 hours from start to finish,  but well worth the drive.  I am already making my list for the next trip!

Dia de Amor y Amistad

Colombians celebrate their version of Valentine's Day "Dia de Amor y Amistad" (Love and Friendship Day) on the 3rd Saturday in September.

Now unlike the American tradition of Valentine's Day being about your wife, girlfriend/boyfriend or love interest, in Colombia it is about celebrating both your love and your friends.  It's a chance to show them how much you care about them.

At the different grocery stores and shops around Cartagena I had noticed all the candy displays, heart shaped balloons and flowers being displayed and wondered what the deal was.  Robert came home from work and told me his office had exchanged names for "Love and Friendship Day" and he would need me to help him get gifts for his secret person.  It seems that among the Colombians it is common to pick names secretly among your co workers and show them some "Love and Friendship".

Well last night I had the privilege of seeing "Love and Friendship Day" happen among some Colombian co workers.  While eating dinner at Hard Rock Café I noticed many tables put together and party decorations displayed.  I even mentioned to Robert that it must be someones birthday.  What a treat it was when we realized it was a group of friends celebrating "Dia de Amor y Amistad".

I tried not to stare, it was hard...but the fun and love coming from that group said it all.  Didn't matter that I couldn't understand the language because the laughter and smiles told me exactly what I needed to know.  Each one would stand up (this was a large group of over 20) and tell something special about their special friend and present them with a small gift, then it was that person's turn to go next.  This went on until all secret friends had been revealed. 

What I learned last night is that no matter what country you are from, we are all the same.  Maybe we speak different languages, eat different foods and look different, but at the end of the day....we are all so alike.  Just like the group of young professional Colombians I watched last night, no different than when we get together with our co workers or friends.  Celebrating "Love and Friendship"!

It sure made me miss my friends and family but it also made me realize I didn't have to be a Colombian to celebrate "Dia de Amor y Amistad" AKA "Love and Friendship Day", so to all my friends and family much love from me to you.

Convents La Popa dela Galera

The views from LaPopa will take your breath away!  The steep and narrow road to get to LaPopa is well worth it once you arrive and can see the entire city of Cartagena.

When we arrived our guide took us on a tour.  This is the courtyard of the building and he was showing us how the well worked.

The locals believe LaPopa was once an Indian Temple for a Golden Baby Goat who they worshiped.  They believed he had "Higher Powers".  When the Spaniard's settled in Cartagena they wanted to prove this was foolish nonsense son they threw the baby goat over the hill.  The locals call this "Elsaltodel Carbo".

The church is small, but the history surrounds you.  The alter is beautiful and brings you back in time.  Robert and I both felt so moved by the spirit of this church.  Knowing it is hundreds of years old and we felt so untouched...like it was just as it was back then.  We both said a silent prayer for my Mom and left an offering in her name.

This is a display of all the gowns worn by the statue of Mary as the virgin of Candelaria.   Each year a competition is held to choose which dress the statue will wear for the feast day which is Feb. 2 each year.  The local Cartagena women make all the gowns.

LaPopa means "The Stern", this name was given because when entering Cartagena by boat the hill looked like the stern of a boat.

Between 1822-1963 LaPopa was inhabited by the Augustinian Fathers.  It has always been the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Candelaria, patron saint of Cartagena.  This is the image located at the golden alter of the chapel.  Pope John Paul II Lady canonically crowned on Sunday July 6, 1986 in his Apostolic visit to Cartagena.

This is the design model that LaPopa was built from.

To this day a few monks still reside at LaPopa.  Mass is still held in the chapel each morning at 6:30 am.

Ciudad Amurallada also called The Walled City

The city of Cartagena was founded on June 1, 1533, and was named after Cartagena, Spain.  The region around Cartagena Bay however dates back to 4000 BC and was populated by various indigenous people.  Cartagena served a major role during the colonial period of expansion during the Spanish empire.  The city of Cartagena, Colombia is most associated with pirates in the Caribbean, and the world. 

In 1984 Cartagena, Colombia was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This picture is of the wall surrounding the old city.  The old city has 11 kilometres or 6.8 miles of walls.  Some measure 20 meters thick.  Today these are Cartagena's most significant identifiable features.  The wall was built to protect Cartagena from attack.

Construction of the walls began in 1631, all of the neighborhood of Getsemani, outside El Centro, had been enclosed; most of the wall is still standing today.  In 1721, the construction of the walls resumed and by 1796, Cartagena, Colombia was completely surrounded.

Inside the Walled City there are four sectors or neighborhoods.  Each one has a story to tell.  The names are San Diego, LaMatuna, Getsemani and Santo Domingo.

Walking around within the walls transforms you to hundreds of years ago.  I sat on the steps in a plaza and wondered what life was like many years ago.  The colonial architecture takes your breath away.  The beauty in all the detail is overwhelming.

Before I came to Cartagena, Colombia I had read so much about the Walled City.  I didn't know what to expect?  It was everything and more, I could have stayed for hours.  It's so large that we only experienced a small part.  We will be going back for many visits and plan to take anyone who visits us to see this beautiful place.

Cartagena is very special; lost in time and from another age!  You cannot visit this city without experiencing the Walled City. 

The View From Here...

 

 

I finally finished unpacking and found my camera so I decided to start with the view.

The picture above showing the U.S. Coast Guard Ship is the view when you walk out on the balcony and look to the right.  This is the harbor and the location of the Colombian Navy.  The U.S. Coast Guard has been here doing training exercises with the Colombian Navy.

 

This picture above is the view straight out our balcony and looking down.  This is the early morning hours but by 10:00 am this will be filled with chairs and umbrellas and lots of activity.

This picture is to the left of the harbor picture and shows how Cartagena is located on a point with water all around it.

 

When I sit in my chair on my balcony this is the view.  The Walled City of Cartagena is on the point.  We are going to the Walled City tomorrow so I am excited to see it and I plan on taking lots of pictures.  I also have this view from my kitchen and living room.

The views are beautiful and I still can't believe I am here!

I Am Finally In Cartagena Colombia

I arrived Wednesday night late and by the time I went through customs and found ALL my luggage we arrived at the condo around 11:30pm.

The flight was long but for the most part uneventful.

Funny thing that happened was while in Panama City waiting for my flight to Cartagena I found a quiet place to sit at the gate.  I remember Robert telling me to watch my luggage at all times so I had my rolling carry on bag next to me and my purse at my feet in front of me.  I had my drink and cell phone sitting on the top of my suitcase so I could check the time.  I was just people watching and next thing you know I see a baby about 18 to 24 months run by and she is carrying a cell phone.  I look closely and think ...wow her Mom's cell phone case looks like mine!  Next I see the Mom chasing the baby and she grabs the cell phone away and begins to walk towards me..

THE BABY STOLE MY PHONE AND I NEVER HEARD HER!!!!!!

The Mom was so sweet and in her broken English said how sorry she was.  The baby just smiled!

Then I decided to go to the restroom before I boarded the plane (I hate airplane bathrooms) and as I am walking up to the one with the lady with a dress on.. a man in a wheelchair goes in the women's restroom.  I stopped, looked again to make sure it was a dress..it was!  Then I hear someone say "this is a women's restroom" and the man responded "I have a disability"  not sure what that has to do with it.  I waited for him to come out needless to say.

Finally, as we were about to board our plane... a lady standing next to me asked if I had come from the Houston flight.  I said yes and we talked a few minutes about why she was going to Cartagena.  Turns out she was going to the Hilton and since Robert had just spent 6 weeks there I was able to tell her some things about it.

Now if you are wondering why I am telling you all this there is a reason, I promise!

When we got up Thursday morning and were having coffee... Robert asked again about my flight.  I told him all of the above.  All three stories I just told you.

Today as we are out exploring the city of Cartagena , which by the way has millions of people who live here, we had lunch at the Hilton and ran into the lady from Houston.  While leaving the grocery store we saw the "BABY Cell Phone Thief" and her Mommy and right as we turned the corner to come back to our condo that evening the guy in the wheelchair was driving his wheelchair down the sidewalk.

Now if that isn't strange I don't know what is.  These are the three things I told Robert about and we run in to all these people today?????   Crazy I tell you and had I not already told Robert these stories I don't think he would have believed me.  When we saw the wheelchair guy Robert said he knew it was time to go home because at that rate I was probably going to start seeing strangers from the plane I was on...LOL!!!!

Today I have been busy unpacking and resting.  Colombia is as beautiful as I had thought it would be and I am so happy to finally be here.

I didn't bring by good camera yesterday but plan on doing some exploring on Sunday so hopefully I will have some good pictures to share.