Happy Christmas everyone!! Wishing you all a very happy festive period. Very honoured to have the old man himself write on my wall.
Wednesday:
Spent the evening out exploring Santa Marta. It was buzzing with markets and shops. I grabbed some street food and only got lost a few times in my wanderings- so many new places, I just get my bearings in one and then move on and it's fair to say that my sense of direction is non existent. Back in the hostel I sat chatting with a couple of German guys, two Swedes and an English woman working for the foreign office in Ukraine relating to the Russian conflict- apparently there is no hope and Russia are taking over the world.
Thursday:
Spent much of the day chilling as I fully recovered from my recent ailments. I walked to the beach and around the town. Had a nice lunch in a vege restaurant. Got a taxi to the bus terminal to book my bus to Medellin, only to realise that in my paranoid state I had left my bank card in my locker. Luckily the taxis are dirt cheap, so come back and then went back. Booked my hostels in Medellin for Christmas. Read my book up on the rooftop in a hammock.
Friday:
Got picked up about 8.30 by my shuttle to Tayronna National Park. About 45mins. A lady started talking to me in Norwegian- she's the third person in as many days to mistake me for a Scandinavian- apparently I have all the features, not just the hair?! Could be worse! Anyway, she become my buddy and when we arrived at the park we went hiking together, which was nice. She must of been nearly 60 and has spent much of her life jetting off on jaunts- very inspiring. We walked through the jungle- 100s of exotic bugs and plants. Beautiful views of the lush forested mountains on one side and white sands and ocean on the other. Extremely hot! We arrived at Arreciefes beach, but the current is far too strong to swim. So we walked a bit further to a little cove where we swam to cool down and wash off the sweat. A big pufferfish washed up. We grabbed a juice and then she headed back. While I got myself a pitch for my hammock for the night. I also hired a mosquito net. I walked to the beach to watch the sunset and then grabbed dinner at one of the little cafés. Struggling to meet people, so ended up in my hammock reading. Although probably not a bad thing as there was an invasion of mosquitoes! I have never seen anything like it- it was like a horror film! You know in Birds where you can't escape! I was in my hammock under the net and the little b******s kept finding their way in! And were teasing me as I wasn't quick enough to squash them. Then when I dared get out for a wee I was literally having to push my way through them! Little suckers!! Still, an experience sleeping outside listening the ocean and buzzing!
Saturday:
Had breakfast in the cafe. Then set off on the hike back. Really hot again! I caught a local bus back to Santa Marta and went back to the hostel to shower and get ready for my bus at 5. The bus was ok, not as fancy as some- no food or drinks, but more leg room and recline than others. However, the drivers insist on having the air con at full blast the whole time so it is freezing! Luckily I have got used to it, so had my track suit bottoms and jumper on, but was still cold! All the roads here are single carriageway and I was on one of the front seats behind the driver so could watch how they crazily overtake all the time and how close they come to head on collisions! I slept ok.
Sunday:
Very windy drive through mountains that resulted in numerous people on the bus being sick in the bags they provided. Not nice listening to people puke behind you. Arrived in Medellin around 9.30. I got a taxi to my hostel. I went out exploring the local area- particularly known for it's bars and restaurants. I needed some cash, but the local machine wasn't working. A colombian guy was trying it at the same time and I asked if he knew where another one was. He said there was one in a nearby mall and told me to jump in his car. I knew you'd all kill me, but he had a nice car and seemed normal so I jumped in. As we were driving I did think he could do anything, but he parked beside the mall. We both got money and then he dropped me back at the hostel- so nice people do exist! I booked a Pablo Escobar tour for mañana. Then laid on the roof reading. Got cerviche for dinner and spoke to a few people. Excuse the guy that hangs around outside the hostel on the pretence if selling cigarettes, who sells every drug you've heard of.
Monday-
Popped out for breakfast, then headed to another hostel where they picked me up at 9am for the Pablo Escobar tour. It is a company run by his brother Roberto and it was all incredibly interesting, but I was left with more questions than it answered and I get the impression it was a slightly bias version of events. For example, it told us that in 1993 he shot himself in the end as he knew he was going to get caught or killed, whereas reports generally say he was shot. It took us to one of his 8000 houses he owned in Medellin at one point, but which the police have now taken over. Then we went to the cemetery and saw his grave. Then while we drove to another of his houses, now lived in by his brother and a sort of museum, we watched some of a film about how he used football to launder a lot of his drug money by buying a couple of big clubs in Colombia and so he was partly responsible for improving colombian football. But we learnt loads about how he started exporting cocaine and then moved on to personal planes and submarines. He was the 3rd richest man in the world at one point and invested money in housing and stuff for the poor people of Medellin. But he would pay his bodyguards $1000 for every policeman they killed and gradually the need for power was what raised his profile. He offered to clear Colombians national debt if he could take power. He killed off a couple of presidential candidates, including one in a plane crash that killed over 100 others. His cartel were at war with the Cali cartel and he was responsible for the death of 1000s. He built his own zoo and imported loads of animals from Africa, when he died they released some of them in the wild and now there are wild hippos in the hills! He built his own prison, so when he was caught he said he would go here. But on the condition that no police were allowed in, so it wasn't really a prison at all. And he ran he cocaine business from here. Then when he was going to be extradited he made a run for it for two years- paying off people to keep them from reporting him. Eventually they tracked him down and he died. His brother spent 14 years in prison and has a glass eye, is a bit deaf and has had lots of plastic surgery after a letter bomb was sent to him in prison. But he was very friendly and we all asked him questions and stuff. A good tour!
I come back and had a lovely lunch at a vege restaurant. Then walked to the metro- the only metro system in Colombia, and went to do the free walking tour at 2.30. Again, it was so interesting! I'm glad I decided to spend Christmas in Medellin! It has so much history and has seen such a transformation in the last 12 years- from the most dangerous city in the world to a buzzing, beautiful city. We visited churches and saw the dodgy businesses that go on nearby- prostitutes, porn film sales, etc, as the people go in the churches to confess their sins. The street markets were busy with last minute shopping. Learnt about how Medellin had gold and then coffee which initially bought wealth. The political problems in Colombia between the left and right which each had their own armies and has only recently become settled. Basically it was a pretty horrendous place and the reason people here are so friendly and always welcoming us is because tourism is still so new and they are pleased we feel it's safe enough to visit. Saw bomb sites where loads were killed in the conflicts of the 90s- one of Botero's statues was blown up- the shell of it still remains as a reminder. When the tour finished, a couple of others were heading to the river to see the infamous Christmas light display- the best in South America apparently. So I got a taxi with them. It was pretty spectacular! All along the river- grand displays! A nice atmosphere too, loads of food and drink stalls. We walked a while. Then got a taxi back. It was getting late- a very productive day. So shower and catching up on here.
Anyway, merry Christmas! Hope you all get everything you want and enjoy!