World Colombia Bolívar Cartagena

Sue and Kim Trying Not to Get Kidnapped in South America

Bus rides and Mud baths Oct 16, 2009

Arrived in Cartagena mid-afternoon on Tuesday--what a change from everything else we´ve seen so far in Colombia! The city is surrounded by water and ancient walls to prevent pirates from attacking, it almost reminds me a bit of Cadiz in Spain. All the old colonial buildings have been maintained and it has a very european feel. Sidewalk cafes, narrow and winding streets, open air markets, and cathedrals and museums galore. A grand castillo sits on the hilltop above the city.

Our first night there we met up with some travelers we found in Tayrona and they took us to this AMAZING restaurant up on the wall right next to the carribean sea. The views were to die for, unfortunately I didn´t have my camera. Prices were American though, I believe we paid 16.000 pesos ($8) for a mojito.

The next morning we wanted to go visit this mud volcano that you can bath in outside the city. You can pay for a group tour that takes you directly there from your hotel, but we decided we could probably find the way ourselves and pay half the price to get twice the adventure. The adventure we got, the price...well we maybe paid about the same but oh well!

Our Bible (Lonely Planet) told us to catch a bus from a small market outside of Cartagena to Galerazamba where we would then walk for an hour to the volcano--the directions seemed simple enough so off we went in a cab to the market.

Bump in the road numero uno: Our driver told us that he had lived in Cartagena his whole life and never heard of anyone catching ANY buses outside the city from the market. So we negotiated a price for his to take us to the bus terminal.

Bump in the road numero dos: At the bus terminal there were no buses that went to Galerazamba...until one vendor selling beers out of a portable cooler led us across the street, down an alley to a gas station where there were empty buses waiting. We negotiated a price and set off.

Numero tres: The bus took so long to Galerazamba that by the time we got there we didn´t have time to walk to the volcano and back in order to catch the last bus home (or so they said at least). Conveniently there were guys there on scooters who were willing to take us, for a price of course. It ended up being a fun little scenic ride anyway.

Numero cuatro: The dark clouds looming overhead decided to let loose their fury upon us just as we were about to jump in the mud. All of our bags got soaked. At least it was easier to wash off after we got out...

Cinco: After getting back on the scooters. Then back on the bus for an hour and a half we decided we had reached our budget limit so instead of a taxi back from the bus terminal we took a city bus. This ride consisted of weaving in and out, up and down every single calleta in the slums surrounding cartagena for another hour or so. The driver had an affinity for stomping on the gas as hard as he could then slamming on the breaks. (NB. There are no bus "stops" in Colombia, you simply shout out PARADA whenever you want them to stop and flag down a bus at any time on the street. So there were approximately 687,976 chances for the bus driver to launch us from our seats into the aisle, window, people standing next to us, etc.

All in all it was rediculous to think about the time and money spent for a simple dip in some mud, but the experience was priceless. We saw more of the Colombian countryside and had so many chance encounters with the people that it is probably one of my favorite days so far of the trip.

Time and time again I am reminded of how little these people have yet how happy and helpful and friendly they still are despite the hardships they face each day. I am sad to even think about leaving this country in a few days....