Hola mi amigos!  Just as I finished my last post, the Airbnb host asked if I wanted to walk to see some live musica.  I quickly changed and we walked to the San Diego section of Cartagena.

Background: The old town portion of Cartagena is surrounded by 20 or 30 foot high walls.  Below, you can see me skillfully holding the wall up and drinking a Colombia beer.  (PS: You can drink whilst walking the streets)

The local university was hosting an event where different groups would perform acts around the perimeter of the city.  The winner will perform in Vegas in 2016.  I caught 4 different acts.  This one was my favorite.

The previous performances were all very fun, but the crowd was mostly subdued.  This group had everybody dancing, and at the end yelling “otra mas!!”  It turns out my host knew the singer.  So, I got to say ‘hola’ and hang out for a bit afterwards.  By hang out, I mean join a crazy fiesta in the center of the city.  A parade with hundreds of dancers, musicians, acrobats, jugglers, and everything you can imagine.  Below is one of my favorite pics, because the group all wanted to take it with me.  The Colombian people are so warm and friendly.  Their culture is so vibrant.  If Italians speak with their hands, Colombians speak with their hips.

After the fiesta, we went ate arepa, which is egg and beef in a rice patty and a drink called LuLo (a type of juice)  It was the perfect food to go with the Columbia beers I had.  (Sorry, no pictures, I ate too fast)

DAY 4: 

Spent the day on a cruise to Islas de Rosario with one of the other guests staying at the Airbnb.  A lovely Swiss student, studying Spanish abroad.  The trip catered to the lowest common denominator of tourists.  Every step of the way seemed to be a trap.  A stark contrast to the ‘local’ experience I had been having the previous few days.  However, it was still a day in paradise.  A few highlights…

Whilst packing, I assumed that people in Colombia would certainly wear speedos as the most common albeit revealing bathing suits.  Plus, packing light, I figured I could bring a pair of shorts AND a bathing suit and still have plenty of room.  Well, out of hundreds of beachgoers, there was nary another banana hammock to be seen.  Well, except for me.  It’s OK, I needed something other than not speaking Spanish to help me stand out.  {pictures of have been due to inappropriate nature, please enjoy this wholesome picture of golden retriever puppies being walked by their Mother}

After the day trip, I finally made my way to the best lil steakhouse in town.  It was worth the wait.  The steak was perfectly prepared.  (read: bloody) Accompanied by mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables.  And finished with a 24 year McCellan Scotch served neat.  The whole affair was a study in perfection.  The steak went down like butter.  The saltiness of the potatoes provided a perfect soundtrack to the seduction of the scotch.  While ordering, the waiter nodded and shook his head in shocking approval.  Afterwards he said, ‘sir, a perfect order.’ and walked away.  He excitedly checked on me and confirmed his suspicion that it was indeed perfect.  He poured another glass of the McCellan, on the house.

I meandered back towards my temporary home and stopped to sit in the aforementioned square. (read: https://timtears.com/2015/10/23/and-thats-when-things-all-went-south/)

Here, I met several Colombians that have spent years traveling.  We discussed burning man, Iowaska and places to visit in South America)  She gifted me this lovely shark tooth bracelet and said it will grant me protection from evil forces.  I asked her for the best advice she had and received this: “Be the best person you can be.  Always.  Others will follow their path.  You follow yours and everything will be as it should” I like that advice.  It had me thinking of another piece of advice that someone gave me a few months ago.

When I first left Convertro, a co-worker told me “This is ballsy and big.  Just don’t go back to doing the same thing.  Make this mean something.”  Make this mean something.  That has been a mantra for me as I set forth.  Travel with purpose.  Live with purpose.

Adios!