Taganga

hey M&D!

looking forward to seeing romancing the stone again... yeah, it is a good film and i'll be interested to see if things stack up as i call them here on the ground.

been enjoying the beach and sun for the first time this trip... at least ALL day like a soldier doing his duty: sat in the sun, swam, sat in the sun, swam... repeat. then had a beer and smoked a decent colombian cigar (for you dad), then went back to the hostal for a homemade jugo de maracuya and a hammack nap (no siesta can compare to one in a hammack). a true hedonist, i am.

tomorrow i think i'm off to Parque Tayrona for just a day to enjoy more pristine beaches, muy tranquillo they say. jungle going right up to the sea, white sand, no people (except me and all those others who have gone there to be all alone). the water is cool and deep here after the bathwater down south. the air is fresh too even though the scenery is brutally dry... its "waterfront property in Arizona", as they say, but seriously. its a neat place but most of the fun is being had by the locals who seem to have a 24/7 disco set up on the beach that rocks out the latest salsa and vallenata tunes and they are dancing and drinking all day... in shifts i'd presume but i'm going to find out for myself... today is Anzac Day in Australia and some new friends aim to celebrate, so there we go, a place to rumba.

speaking of Vallenata: its a style of music unique to Colombia but sounds a bit like the Norteño music of Mexico... folky traditional and with an accordian. most of the people love it hear, although the more "cultured" people that i have met here hate it. guess its sort of peasant music which explains why i like it... music for the masses with communistic tendencies... viva la revolucion! Viva Vallenata! maybe thats a bit of a stretch but i'll find out because beginning tomorrow is the big music festival in Valledupar, birthplace and capital of this style and i plan on catching a bus out there on friday. its been in the plans for over a month now and i'm going to rendevous with some other travelers out there before finishing up my travels back in the Andes while rolling back to Bogota. things are winding down for me... or are they? hey, gotta split...

out for now, abrazos y amor!
d

PS a few days ago, about a day out of Cartagena if i remember right, i came across a sign for a "Vulcan" and rode out a few kms to find out what it was all about. sure enough it was one of the mud bath volcanos i'd heard about from other travelers and so i took the plunge. don't have any pics because... well, i was covered in mud from head to toe, and wish there were some here on this link but its a decent writeup nontheless. i stumbled upon this by complete chance on a totally unrelated sight... didn't know it was a destination til after the fact. i was the only person there and thought i was being scammed. talked them down from 4000 to 2500 pesos!

http://www.hostelscentral.com/hostels-article-107.html

---yes, thats an apple... the first non-local fruit since seattle. pretty good, but i shouldn't be promoting that chilean crap.