Today it is time to press on and I am anxious to do so. After the crazy evening yesterday Rudy and I wake up early and are ready to go. Actually I have been awake periodically during the night trying to sort out the chaos that was yesterday evening. My dreams were wild. I dreamt about almost every possible scenario that could go wrong on a trip that could including the multiple variations on the key fiasco. But today we are putting that behind us. Sol Marie, whom we rousted from her routine yesterday to save us and get us back into our apartment, arrives cheerfully at the appointed hour. We take a taxi to the bus terminal and wait for our bus.
Rudy loves the bus and I don’t mind it at all. It is comfortable and air conditioned and it is a great sightseeing tour across the country. In some ways it is better than flying because we watch the change of scenery mile after mile. And we get to experience things you would never experience at home. For instance, we have left Santa Marta and suddenly, randomly, at the edge of the road in the middle of nowhere the bus stops and a couple of men jam a mattress and a headboard into the cargo hold below. It almost feels illegal the way it is done. And then a hour or so down the road it is quickly offloaded. Initially we are traveling through dry mountainside with sequoias and small houses perched precariously on the slopes. And then we are traveling along the coast. There are ancient long wooden fishing boats at the mouths of the rivers, roadside stands where fish and strings of shrimp are being offered up. There are salt flats and lagoons and then there is a section of miles where the ocean is on both sides of us and we are driving on a spit of land. It is lovely a desolate and occasionally there are small houses packed into fishing towns.
Past Barranquilla the landscape changes and, although there are still trees, it is farming country. I see fields of sugar cane and pastures of brahma cattle. The fincas are varied but the finca yards are often lush with plants and large houses with cool verandahs.
We finally make it to Cartagena and the bus terminal. And then there is a long ride into the historic centre in a taxi. When we arrive at our place we are delighted. It is in an old historic building. The woman who lets us in shows us around our spacious quarters. We have come to expect the bare minimum with regards to supplies at Airbnbs. Often there are no hand towels, just barely enough toilet paper etc. But here we are astonished to find that there is beer and water in the fridge for us and every other amenity. We share a beer and then head out to explore and have supper.
Cartagena (the historic centre) is exactly what you would expect of a Central or South American colonial place. It is gorgeous. But it has its own feel as well. It is definitely Carribean. The people are darker and it feels a bit like a European city. It is Saturday night and everyone is dressed to the nines. Many men wear linen or cotton pants and shirts. The women are dressed in long classy dresses that are often cotton or linen as well. Rudy was sporting a clean t-shirt and I managed to wear a long dress so we managed to fit in okay. After supper we wander up and down the streets. In the main square there are drummers and musicians and dancers and the show is definitely not Spanish. It is Caribbean. It is wild and lovely.
I can barely wait until tomorrow to do more exploring.