Welcome to Colombia!
After this rough sailing trip, I finally arrived in Cartagena. And it is true Colombia welcomes you! I can highly recommend everybody to visit this unique country.
The people are friendly and helpful, food is great and it offers all kind of landscapes, from tropical beaches to snow covered mountains and from bustling cities with intense nightlife to dreamy little villages.
For me Cartagena was somehow special, because I had this romantic thought of this old movie in my head. haha The city isn't that romantic, but the old town still keeps its charm and it is nice to wonder around the old streets. But the prices there are more for the richer travellers.
A little side trip to Playa Blanca turned out to be interesting because it was fully packed with local tourists who spend their holiday month January somewhere at the beach. We barely found a tent for the night and tried to get out there by boat next day again.
Since my credit card got hacked in Panama and I tried to get a new card to Cartagena, I had to stay for a while. But it never got there. Very lucky and happy I travelled with a friend paying all my expenses during that time.
So we went on to Santa Martha and Taganga to see and dive the beautiful Tayrona National Park. We got a two nights, three days diving trip in the park and stayed at one of the beaches in hammocks. This bay and its beaches were just for us and we were only three, Tine (Norway), Grady (US) and me. A little paradise in Colombia's north. Got to dive to a coral nursery as well what was something new and cool.
From there we went south and stopped in several little mountain villages, e.g. Giron, San Gil and Villa de Leyva. I had the feeling I'm somewhere in Spain in the Pyrenees, same vegetation and look of the houses and streets.
Was really nice to hike around there, explore nature and some waterfalls. If you like rafting and paragliding, that's a good place to go. In one of these towns they had hot springs that you could swim in at nighttime with candle light, very romantic. Something more action you get if you are up for a bungee jump, like my friend. I never understand how people can do it, for me it's enough just to watch it! ;-)
After that I was ready for some cold and was looking forward to go to Bogota and to wear jeans and a jumper. Temperatures dropped down to 10 degrees Celsius at night, on the mountain even down to 3. But I enjoyed the change and Bogota, did some shopping, good dining, museums (gold museum!!) and coffee drinking. Went up the mountain, to a tower and saw a bull fight. After that, now I understand all the protests against this. What an animal cruelty! I expected something different with a fair chance for the bull, but it is just torturing and murdering poor animals. Apart from the fight the time in Bogota was very relaxing and enjoyable.
Ah and I finally received a new credit card from home and was able to travel on alone. Big thanks to my friend for lending me the money and to my parents for organising all the mail thing to Colombia.
Hope it won't happen again.
From Bogota I flew again into the heat, down to the Amazon basin. Leticia is a humid and hot but friendly little border town and I walked over to Brasil to get my passport stamps and to find a boat to Manaus.
For me Colombia is one of the top countries so far, all is very safe and friendly. Just go and find out yourself!
After this rough sailing trip, I finally arrived in Cartagena. And it is true Colombia welcomes you! I can highly recommend everybody to visit this unique country.
The people are friendly and helpful, food is great and it offers all kind of landscapes, from tropical beaches to snow covered mountains and from bustling cities with intense nightlife to dreamy little villages.
For me Cartagena was somehow special, because I had this romantic thought of this old movie in my head. haha The city isn't that romantic, but the old town still keeps its charm and it is nice to wonder around the old streets. But the prices there are more for the richer travellers.
A little side trip to Playa Blanca turned out to be interesting because it was fully packed with local tourists who spend their holiday month January somewhere at the beach. We barely found a tent for the night and tried to get out there by boat next day again.Since my credit card got hacked in Panama and I tried to get a new card to Cartagena, I had to stay for a while. But it never got there. Very lucky and happy I travelled with a friend paying all my expenses during that time.
From there we went south and stopped in several little mountain villages, e.g. Giron, San Gil and Villa de Leyva. I had the feeling I'm somewhere in Spain in the Pyrenees, same vegetation and look of the houses and streets.
Was really nice to hike around there, explore nature and some waterfalls. If you like rafting and paragliding, that's a good place to go. In one of these towns they had hot springs that you could swim in at nighttime with candle light, very romantic. Something more action you get if you are up for a bungee jump, like my friend. I never understand how people can do it, for me it's enough just to watch it! ;-)
After that I was ready for some cold and was looking forward to go to Bogota and to wear jeans and a jumper. Temperatures dropped down to 10 degrees Celsius at night, on the mountain even down to 3. But I enjoyed the change and Bogota, did some shopping, good dining, museums (gold museum!!) and coffee drinking. Went up the mountain, to a tower and saw a bull fight. After that, now I understand all the protests against this. What an animal cruelty! I expected something different with a fair chance for the bull, but it is just torturing and murdering poor animals. Apart from the fight the time in Bogota was very relaxing and enjoyable.
Ah and I finally received a new credit card from home and was able to travel on alone. Big thanks to my friend for lending me the money and to my parents for organising all the mail thing to Colombia.
Hope it won't happen again.
From Bogota I flew again into the heat, down to the Amazon basin. Leticia is a humid and hot but friendly little border town and I walked over to Brasil to get my passport stamps and to find a boat to Manaus.
For me Colombia is one of the top countries so far, all is very safe and friendly. Just go and find out yourself!
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