{"id":274,"date":"2016-11-04T06:31:05","date_gmt":"2016-11-04T04:31:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.spang.ch\/aude\/?p=274"},"modified":"2016-11-04T06:35:15","modified_gmt":"2016-11-04T04:35:15","slug":"calor-caribe-caribbean-heat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.spang.ch\/aude\/2016\/11\/calor-caribe-caribbean-heat\/","title":{"rendered":"Calor Caribe – Caribbean Heat"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Medell\u00edn\"<\/a>
Medell\u00edn<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n

To leave Manizales I got not on a bus, but a… big car, and I spent 5 hours in there, stuck between my two strangers. Thank god I’ve got books with me! I arrived in Medellin and met Catalina, that I also know from the time of my student house in Zurich. Awesome to meet like that, later and in a completely different context! Thanks to her I had a calm and tidy reference place for the evenings of my wandering days. I also had the chance to meet her aunt and uncle, musicians and among builders of harpsichords (the sort of old medieval piano) (!), whose workshop I could visit, first time for me. It’s a really fascinating place, it smells like sawdust and it goes from raw wooden planks to a harpsichord in the making, to the 4 to 5 harpsichords that occupy the living room space. Another world…<\/p>\n

\"Medell\u00edn<\/a>
Medell\u00edn from the cable car<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Death<\/a>
Death of Pablo Escobar, by Fernando Botero, two big names from Medell\u00edn!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Medellin is a very impressive city, in regional comparison! Known \u00a0to be the most dangerous city in the world during\u00a0the times of Pablo Escobar, it came back to life since his death and the country worked to put it back on its feet. Since then, it became one of the most progressive in South America, and notably came first before New York and Tel Aviv at the 2012 international ranking of most innovative cities. It gives an idea of how far it got… Indeed, Medellin is generally very well organised and clean (well, the non-poor area of course). In the public transportation system you can find a few metro lines of superior quality as well as a cable-car taking to poor neighbouroods (and to a park at the top of the mountain) – it was so well made that I had the feeling I was flying over Swiss mountains. The city solved its open violence issues and now offers an ideal setting for modern urban life. I liked the botanical garden, as well as the Museo de Antioquia (department in which Medellin is located), but to be honest I find that except for being well taken care of and admirable, it remains a big city with by the way a pretty limited historical center. Pretty, but not in my Colombian top 5.<\/p>\n

\"Artwork<\/a>
Artwork of the Museo de Antioquia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Guatape\"<\/a>
Guatape<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"img_9549\"<\/a>
Guatape – view from hostel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Guatape's<\/a>
Guatape’s church<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What shows up in my top 5, on the other hand, is Guatape! This little village stands a few hours from Medellin and is really worth the trip: it’s a little multicolored jewel in a splendid natural setting, at the foot of a big rock standing out from the rest of the surroundings that are composed of an artificial lake with numerous arms. One walks around in this particular village, savors a not so light (but typical)\u00a0bandeja paisa,<\/em>\u00a0before starting the ascension of the local giant. And from up there, what a sight! The bucolical appeal of that place aside, I was sleeping in a very cute hostel, with the best view I could imagine: lake and rock. I found myself so well there, and people were so nice and chill, that I decided to stay at the hostel on the second day and to not do… anything. A well-appreciated break in the quick sequence of my days and visits. I also found the Argentinian couple living and working there very inspirating;<\/p>\n

\"Bandeja<\/a>
Bandeja paisa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

they stay for a few months, the hostel serving as mental rest and source of financial income before keeping on with their duo adventures. Then at some point I had to sing and translate a famous French song about Ireland (Les Lacs du Connemara) to a couple of Irish people who had heard of it from a French guy but who actually didn’t know it, a moment of anthology! I also met a nice Austrian girl, with which I spent the return trip and shared a meal in Medellin, before understanding that she actually lives in Bern, Switzerland! The world’s small…<\/p>\n

\"View<\/a>
View from El Pe\u00f1ol, Guatape’s rock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"El<\/a>
El Pe\u00f1ol, Guatape<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Jard\u00edn\"<\/a>
Jard\u00edn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Another excursion was that to Jardin, and it was really short: 4 hours in a bus on the way there, 5 hours on the spot and 5 hours back, everything in the same day! In theory I should have stayed longer, among other things because there’s a beautiful cave doubled with a waterfall that is the local attraction, but for organisation reasons it was better like this (for me). And as I have repeated to my Colombian friends, stunned that I would go for that absurd trip; I love buses. I’m planning on taking the\u00a0bus as much as possible during my travel, because it’s cheaper, more environmental-friendly, and because there’s something to it that I can’t find on plane rides. A certain simplicity (getting there last minute, buying a ticket and taking your luggage with you without security checks nor waiting lines), and long hours spent feeling the landscape, feeling that one’s travelling the distance for real while reading, resting, sleeping. I liked Jardin, even though there’s relatively little to do there during the week. I spent the day with an American met on the bus, who made the day more interesting and suggested that we climbed the hill with view over the village (suggestion he immediately regretted, noting that physical effort in that heat has nothing charming). For the anecdote he apparently serves as driver to Justin Bieber when the latter is on a tour in Miami, because the security guy is a friend of him and sometimes needs a hand. I’m therefore a handshake away from Justin Bieber, and thus probably not too far from Barack Obama and Putin! Makes me laugh a lot.<\/p>\n

\"Bus<\/a>
Bus ride to Jard\u00edn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Jard\u00edn's<\/a>
Jard\u00edn’s church, one of the most beautiful I’ve seen I believe (don’t tell my Roman, proud of his St-Peter)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Former<\/a>
Former Inquisition court, Cartagena<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Then, I could test my resistance to bus hours with the trip to Cartagena: 16 hours that became 18 hours to reach the coast way to the North, far from the Cordillera de los Andes. And to be honest that didn’t really bother be, I liked the trip. I must say that I was on a perfectly acceptable bus (just need to be ready for the AC cold and sleeping sort of sitting). Ready for always more bus rides, then! In Cartagena I sleep at the place of friends of the wife of the best friend of my boyfriend Emanuele (easy to follow), two nice Spanish guys who have been working here for a few years. I envy them a bit… Cartagena is splendid! Well, it’s tiny. But the center is a masterpiece of romantism with a colonial touch. Cartagena means Spanish conquistadores, doubled with pirates of the Caribbean and African slaves (as well as indigenous populations that got more or less slaughtered). An explosive mixture resulting in a fortified wall surrounding the center, an Afro musical culture and an Inquisition court having judged about 900 people (and sentenced to death a number of hereticals, Jews, witches…). Little\u00a0recaller of the European talent for civilising the rest of the world while convincing itself it’s morally superior (should I address\u00a0the refugee crisis? ok no I don’t).<\/p>\n

\"img_8865\"<\/a>
Cartagena<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"A<\/a>
A university in Cartagena<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Cartagena's<\/a>
Cartagena’s fortified wall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here I got my first sunset on the sea, which is when I repeated to myself that I am really made for warm countries by the sea. I wasn’t born at the right place! Or my fairy godmother and my guardian angel decided that since I’m from the mountains I’d get the travelling virus to compensate for the lack of salty water and heat. Which would explain my love for the South: Italy, Indonesia, Colombia… (and several others). I just feel good there, in spite of the layer of sweat and humid skin that you can’t avoid while walking between the fortified walls of Cartagena, where the average temperature is about thirty degrees and the sun that goes with it. A souvenir seller even though I was crying… No no I’m just sweating from my nose, thank you madam. Cartagena has repelled assailants numerous times; memories of it are its fortress and ramparts, on which people nowaday stroll with a view on the cars that drive along the coast rather than on foreign vessels ready to attack. And on the streets one observes a continuity of flowered balconies and colored walls, elegant courtyards and colonnade windows. The only house that doesn’t follow the local colonial style is that which Gabriel Garcia Marquez built for himself when he left his town to come live in the city, a big orange villa protected by an anti-curious wall.<\/p>\n

\"Cartagena\"<\/a>
Cartagena<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Cartagena\"<\/a>
Cartagena<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"img_8941\"<\/a>
Cartagena<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cartagena was the city of my first salsa night on the continent, awesome! Caribbean salsa is danced differently from the Cuban we know in Europe, happier I believe (but I’m no expert). I also had the chance to discover champeta<\/em>, a very local music and dance since it’s found only in Cartagena and Barranquilla, Shakira’s city. It’s a direct testimony of the African heritage of local populations, since it consists of African rythms that had lingered in memories and that got repopularised in the 80s, accompanied with lyrics in Spanish and a few more modern vibes. You dance the champeta<\/em> in a free and happy fashion, as requires the music, and it’s mostly black people who unleash themselves (pun intended) on that unique sound. What a party! Cartagena will probably remain one of my favorite part of that adventure.<\/p>\n

\"Cartagena's<\/a>
Cartagena’s fortress<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I’m writing this post from the island of San Andr\u00e9s, to the West of Nicaragua and way North from Colombia, but part of its territory. That’s where I was told to come diving, I’ll let you know about that! Meanwhile I share with you a little linguistic observation that makes me smile. Let’s put aside the fact that it’s perfectly natural that men and women call me “mi amor” as well as “ni\u00f1a” (girl), at the hotel or on a bus. Colombians share with Italians (and Swiss-Germans) their love for cute suffixes, and to certain words it sounds surprising, even for a lover of the Italian language (normally used to playing\u00a0with speech). I can handle “momentito” (little moment) and “horita” (little hour), as well as I can accept “amorito” (little love), but I must say that I find “ahorita” (“little” now) rather touching and “diocito” (little god!) straight weird! All is true, heard by me from friends or strangers on the street. I also love how when leaving someone you always wish them something nice: “que est\u00e9 bien” (be well) or “que tengas un buen d\u00eda” (have a good day). Pretty, right?<\/p>\n

\"img_8942\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I forgot to tell you that this travel will have confirmed to me in a 5-min conversation that I am an actual true Swiss, despite what one might think. The receptionist of my hostel in Manizales (where I planned the trek to Los Nevados), when I told her that I wasn’t especially looking to meeting other Swiss, reacted by saying that Swiss people are particularly like that, contrary to other nations they tend to avoid themselves while travelling. First confirmation, I apparently behave like a normal Swiss; interesting (I love explaining that I don’t travel thousands of kilometers around the planet to meet my neighbours). Then, she was presenting me the several trekking options for the morrow and she specified that the first one consisted of climbing up on a car, to which she added when she saw me grimace “…but I know that Swiss people don’t like that”. Ok fine, I got it, I am from that culture. Come on, climbing up on a car!<\/p>\n

\"Cartagena\"<\/a>
Cartagena<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"img_8791\"<\/a>I conclude this article with my prediction for Colombia, echoing the last article I wrote: in my opinion, in about a decade, when people will have overcome their prejudices and when stereotypes will have faded away, the world will understand this country’s worth and tourists will pour into Colombia en masse. Go now, it’s still relatively preserved and authentica but already developed enough for visitors! Here’s someone who shares that opinion and expresses it better than me:\u00a0http:\/\/seecolombia.travel\/blog\/2016\/10\/21-reasons-why-you-have-to-visit-colombia-in-2017\/<\/a>. By the way, I had planned to spend October in Colombia and to move to Peru for November… Guess what? I love Colombia too much, I’ll stay till I have enough! Probably 2 to 3 weeks more, then. My only certain destination if Bolivia for Christmas to meet my Emanuele!<\/p>\n

\"Cartagena's<\/a>
Cartagena’s fortified wall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Next steps<\/strong>: the East of the coast with Santa Marta, the Lost City in the Sierra Nevada, the Tayrona park for its jungle and its mountains, and Taganga and Palomino for beaches and calmness<\/p>\n

For more pictures, click here<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"Cartagena\"<\/a>
Cartagena<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

To leave Manizales I got not on a bus, but a… big car, and I spent 5 hours in there, stuck between my two strangers. Thank god I’ve got books with me! I arrived in Medellin and met Catalina, that I also know from the time of my student house in Zurich. Awesome to meet… <\/p>\n

Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":355,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.spang.ch\/aude\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/IMG_8861-e1478190533612.jpg?fit=3456%2C5184","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7EYAh-4q","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.spang.ch\/aude\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/274"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.spang.ch\/aude\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.spang.ch\/aude\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.spang.ch\/aude\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.spang.ch\/aude\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=274"}],"version-history":[{"count":33,"href":"http:\/\/www.spang.ch\/aude\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/274\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":384,"href":"http:\/\/www.spang.ch\/aude\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/274\/revisions\/384"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.spang.ch\/aude\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/355"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.spang.ch\/aude\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=274"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.spang.ch\/aude\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=274"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.spang.ch\/aude\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=274"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}