Last vacation day

We planned a full day of activities to send ourselves off in style. 

First, we went about 45 minutes outside the city to a "mud volcano." We heard mixed reports about this place but since every guide book/blog mentioned it, we knew we had to check it out for ourselves. 

Let me share with you my own mixed review: if you come to Cartagena, you have to go. I didn't necessarily enjoy it, but you still have to go. 

If the term "volcano" intimidates you, know that it's a very manageable volcano. 20 feet high-ish?

You climb up to the top and them descend a ladder into...mud. Thick, goopy, warm mud. With other people. Lots of other people. 

(Can you sense my enthusiasm?)

After climbing back up, you shuffle down to the river where local women insist on washing you (for money). Alexis and I were like, please, we have this covered. We don't need some woman to wash us, thankyouverymuch. 

Let me tell you, you don't really stand a chance. We told them "no, no tengo dinero!" but doesn't matter. They get all up on you, pour buckets of water over your head, and TAKE OFF YOUR BATHING SUIT. Luckily, I was wearing a cobbled together "bathing outfit" composed of lululemon separates and the women couldn't manage to remove that but Lex got the full experience. 

Next we went to a beautiful beach where we had lunch and relaxed. Doesn't get much better. 

 Final activity for the day was a "mangrove tour." Had zero idea what this entailed and neglected to read the fine print. Honestly, like what's a mangrove?

I assumed we were getting in a tour bus to "view some mangroves." Nope, we get into a wobbly wooden canoe with a dude pushing us slowly along a river with a big wooden stick. 

Here's what mangroves look like. 

Imagine these all around you, forming a thick canopy above you and only a little tunnel to travel down. And it starts raining. POURING. And they tell me it's a 6 kilometer journey. I'm thinking, ok, a 5k is 3.2 miles so 6k is like...more than that?

We stop halfway through the trek on an island that highlights the indigenous history of the area. There were other Spanish speakers on our tour so the guide was giving long explanations about each of the little ceramic displays (gods, animals, "erotic displays" showcasing fertility...) in Spanish and THEN giving the same explanation in English. Usually I'm all for this since mi espanol es muy mal, but I just so happened to be experiencing an "eaten alive" episode by the island's indigenous Mosquitos. I'll spare you that photo but ohmygod, I've never had more bug bites in my entire life. 

Along the river were shacks that people lived in. We saw some people just wading across the river at a shallow point which I guess is what you do when your sidewalks are just water. Seemed like a hard life and made me think how lucky I am to have actual sidewalks, and a bike, and the metro, and a car to get wherever I need to go. 

Tomorrow we make the long trip back to the states (taxi, two planes, taxi again- we are lucky). I'm exited to wear my Colombia Outfit (reminder below) on the flight home. It's like a bridge between two cultures! (Or as Sheila says "Erin, those are not special to Colombia. The kids at my (middle) school wear those. You shouldn't wear leggings past age 12. Come to think of it, only the 6th graders wear them.)

Xoxo, kdubsisters

On the up and up!

Alexis is recovering quite nicely. I'd say she's about 80% recovered. I let it slip today that I thought she looked like one of those blue people yesterday? You know, the Jim Cameron movie? "AVATAR?!" Yeah, she really did look kinda like that, but, I'm happy to say that today, she looks more and more like one of their distant cousins.

Last night we treated ourself to dinner at the Sofitel hotel. Ahhhh, luxury; never gets old. 

The hotel's in a 17th century convent and there are some super cool/creepy things there to see. The old part of the church was all lit in candles and red lighting and gregorian chants were playing. We got to see the old crypt where the nuns (?) were buried. 

Even the bathrooms are amazingly decadent. I never thought I would say that about bathrooms but when you've become accustomed to using mini toilets with no toilet seats and no TP, this was something to write home about. 

This morning we took a boat to Baru beach on a nearby island. 

There were vendors up and down the beach, interrupting you every 2 minutes to sell you fruit, beads, drinks, water sports, etc. My tried and true method of ignoring + b*tch face did not work here. They wouldn't leave unless you screamed "No!"  each time. 

There were also several women hawking "massages." They were the worst. No lady(ies), we DO NOT want you to awkwardly rub us down on the beach. Not once, but twice Alexis was accosted by a "masseuse" who not only proactively started massaging her, but put coconut oil on her! While she was sleeping! The nerve...

Our boat trip to the island included lunch. Lest you think beach shacks have menus, we were just presented with a plate. I wish I had a picture... On the plate was salad, rice, fried plantains, and a whole grilled fish, head in tact, that looked auspiciously like the fish that got Alexis sick. No thank you...

All in all, great day at the beach, and one more day tomorrow before we come home on Thursday. 

Xoxo, kdubsisters 

Enferma update de Alexis

Decamping at the Sofitel for the rest of the day will do wonders for the infirm. 

Too soon?

Oh, traveling: new experiences, new people, new allergic reactions. 

We're currently narrowing down the culprit but I'm guessing it was the "pescado rojo" that was our first lunch in Cartagena that did the trick. Apparently it's from the "rio," not "el mar."

Our experience at a Colombian hospital was interesting. We were at the ER for about three hours where Alexis was seen fairly quickly (though Little House on the Prairie was on TV in the waiting room and it was the one where Adam gets his sight back!) She was given a saline bag IV with cortisol and a shot of adrenaline in the arm. 

The entire experience was about three hours. It was clean, though not like US standards, and cost $70, plus $25 for meds over the next three days. Only Spanish was spoken At the hospital. It's not to say I expect people in other countries to speak my language, it's just frustrating not being able to be understood. Alexis' Spanish, I should say, is much better than mine so it's good this happened to her and not me!  

We postponed our beach day until tomorrow and our tour of a volcano and mangroves to Wednesday. I was ready to just get on the next plane home but Alexis is the one who wants to stay! Her face still looks like a Real Housewife after plastic surgery so hopefully this isn't premature blogging and she'll be better by tomorrow. 

Xoxo, kdubsister the elder (plus RHOCartagena)

p.s. had just read this last night. Interesting commentary on drug pricing. 

 http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/27/health/exploring-salines-secret-costs.html?ref=health&_r=0

Cartagena!

We arrived to Cartagena this morning. It's hot and humid and very tropical. We had kind of a slow day but will be taking a boat to a lovely beach for the day tomorrow. Some pics of the "walled city" we are staying in. 

Xoxo, kdub sisters

Update!

A whole post just got deleted. Eh, it wasn't a great one anyway. Cartegena tomorrow!

Day 7- Medellin

Since Erin has been blogging thus far, I thought it was time for my voice to be heard. First things first- I did not encourage the purchase of those pants....

Now on to our first full day in Medellin. The day started with Erin suggesting we do barre on the roof of our hotel at 6:45am

We lasted 10 minutes before we made our way to the breakfast buffet. This is why we need to pay people at bfit barre to make us workout.

Next it was on to Botero plaza via the metro (it's super easy and just like DC- minus the overcrowding, delays, and smartrip cards).

Fernando Botero is a famous figurative artist from Medellin. He has trademarked "boterism" which essentially means he makes everything and everyone he paints fat.

"I fatten my characters to give them sensuality. I'm not interested in fat people for the sake of fat people" - Fernando Botero.

Botero plaza has about a dozen sculptures of larger than life voluminous men, women, and even dogs. This all leads to the Museum Antioquia which displays quite a bit of his work that he generously donated.

This is titled "Pablo Escobar Dead(2006)"

Conveniently located next the museum is the Rafael Uribe Palace of Culture. It sounds cooler than it Is. It is home to Colombia's historical archives and an art gallery. Strangely there were what seemed to be students running through the building with wigs/weaves in their hands. Unfortunately I didn't get a photo, but here's a cute one of Erin in front of something historical looking.

We hopped on the metro again and then a cable car going up a giant mountain. Many of Medellin's poorer neighborhoods are located in the hillside. Until the cable cars opened, it could take people two hours to get to work. Today, it's only minutes. The houses are all made of the same pink colored brick and tin roofs, giving Medellin the name "the pink city."

On to the Parque Explora. We stumbled upon it when we were starving and saw people with food. We paid a $10 entrance fee, not entirely sure what is was for other than access to a cafeteria, and were pleasantly surprised. First off, there was a lunch option other than potatoes and meat! Lunch was pollo a la plancha and beans.

Since we've been in Colombia, we've met only 3 english speakers. While in the museum, someone overhears us and says "oh, you guys speak English?" We started chatting and ask him where he's from. "California." Where? "Los Angeles." Where? "Torrance?" I mean, fo' realz?!  

The whole museum was very interactive and turned into a competition between myself and Erin.

I beat Erin at the longest stretch

We tied for who could jump the highest

That's Erin in a giant version of that cool needle contraption that held your imprint.

There was some lesson about centrifugal force but it was in Spanish threfore lost on me. So much fun though!

The museum also had an aquarium.

Next was the botanical gardens. The highlight was Erin's purchase of mango strips with honey, lime, salt and pepper.

After an exhausting day, we came back to our glorious hotel, and we ate street empanadas so fast we forgot to take a picture.

Medellin- The Journey

There's quite a story behind this picture but to back up for just a moment...

Before we left Bogota, we knew we had to visit Andres, D.C. Every Colombian we encountered told us about this "crazy" restaurant that was truly Colombian. We were told to come hungry. I can eat quite a lot so I wasn't worried. 

Maybe I should have been- the portions were HUGE! The menu was 60 pages long: every cut of beef, cooked every which way, chicken, fish, pork, about 100 appetizers, dozens of desserts, pages of liquor, beer, cocktails, etc. What you see before me is a 440 gram steak, herbed butter, and a tomato stuffed with mashed potatoes. 

Dessert could not be avoided. 

We opted for two: rice pudding and a tres leches cake. I ordered coffee which is served uniquely in Colombia. Apparently, Colombians like their coffee weak so they bring you strong coffee (but not espresso), along with a cup of hot water to dilute it with. 

We literally had to waddle home.

Today, we had a leisurely morning roaming our Bogota neighborhood as we waited to leave for our 2pm flight to Medellin. We called a cab just before noon because we know how bad traffic in the city is and we are conscientious travelers. Always better to be early, right? (Ahem, to the men in our lives who like to cut it close, pay attention here).

We get to the airport and our driver pulls up to the international departures lane. We say "no no no! Vamos a vuela domestica! Vamos a Medellin!" And he has no idea what we're saying. Finally we try it like we've heard some locals say "Meda-jeeeen?" 

"Oh, oh, oh! Meda-jeeeen!" It's too late for the correct level of the airport but we realize we can figure it out once we are inside. Our pigeon Spanish gets us to the right place and we breeze through security! Perfecto!

We have time before we board (they board a full hour early here because then you sit on the runway waiting for your plane's turn to fly) so Alexis gets a sandwich at the only place available after security, Dunkin Donuts. Note to travelers: Pavo y queso (turkey and cheese) looks just like jamon y queso (ham and cheese). Alexis took one look and was like "ummmm...no. Pavo?" "Si, si! Pavo!" Alexis starts flapping her wings like a turkey and says again "Pavo???" And the Colombian DD employee says "si! Pavo de jamon!" Apparently, ham flavored turkey is a thing here.  

Anyway, we make it to our gate only to have the screen read, in teeny tiny letters, "cancelado." Since that looks a lot like "cancelled," we investigate. We find some non-English speaking Copa Air staff who confirm that yes, your flight is cancelled. No, it's not being rescheduled. Yes, you will need to take a different airline to Medellin. I try not to panic while thinking of my stuffed, checked luggage that may already be on its way to Meda-jeeeen (especially my hot Bogota leggings!) and my sad, worn-twice outfit I'm currently sporting. 

Ill spare you all the details but our miracle trip went something like this: after searching her online database for what seemed like forever, and finding nothing, our Copa lady motions for us to follow her. Every other Medellin straggler trails behind us, hoping she'll work magic for them, too. 

She disappears into the Copa Club room and emerges with two tickets. She hands them to Copa Lady #2 who motions for us to follow her, rapido!

We have no idea what's going on but follow her. We are literally running through the airport, weaving in and out of people. We run outside the airport. She cuts to the front of the long taxi line and tells the guard something in Spanish. Everyone is giving us the evil eye but we just look apologetic and gringo-ish and smile sheepishly. 

Copa Lady #2 gets us a cab and jumps in with us; still no clue what's going on. She directs the driver to take us to another airport, nearby but it's becoming clear that we needed to take a cab since we are very short on time. 

When we arrive at airport number 2, Copa2 pays the driver, hops out with us, and motions for us to keep following her, quickly! We go through security again, as does she, along with us. We all run to another gate, make it through, and she's still with us!

There's a maze of routes to take once we're through the gate so she navigates us to the correct one and literally does not leave until we're boarding the plane!

Much to our amusement, we were seated in first class. As frequent but budget travelers, we never fly first class. Like ever. Much to our chagrin, the flight was only 45 minutes. Still, it sure was nice to live like a king, if even for a little bit. 

Medellin is amazing and beautiful and green and mountainous; I'm sure we will have more to report tomorrow. For now, I leave you with views from the roof of our kick-ass hotel, the Art Hotel. 

Xoxo, kdubsisters