'I made it, I'm finally in the Caribbean!'

.........

After the problems and all the stress in Bogota, I finally arrived in Santa Marta. The airport is small and I am more or less right at the exit. When I put on my backpack and go outside, very warm air greets me. It's hot, really hot, even at 8 pm. David is still not in sight. I wait in the warmth for a while and suddenly he appears in front of me. We greet and hug each other warmly! After almost 3 months of traveling separately, we are reunited for a short time.

.......

David and I had a great time together in the Caribbean. We visited Santa Marta, Tarranga, Palmino, the Tairona National Park, and Cartagena. In total, we only had about 10 days together for traveling, as David had booked a flight to the USA. Unfortunately, because I broke my phone in the Santa Marta region, I can only show you a few photos from there.

The pictures were taken in the Tairona National Park, which is a very popular destination among travelers in the north of Colombia. Therefore, it is also quite touristy. Fortunately, we also found places where there were almost no people. In the park, we spent one night in a camping site in hammocks. For me, it was a somewhat uncomfortable night. Maybe because I'm not used to it and it was my first night in a hammock.

Another highlight for us was sleeping in a fishing hut right by the sea. A paradise for me and David. White sandy beach, palm trees, and lots of fishing huts. We were lucky to stay with a friend of David's who lived in a fishing hut.

After our trip in the Santa Marta region, we took a bus to Cartagena. We traveled for 4 hours until we arrived in the new environment.

Cartagena is one of the first cities founded by the Spaniards. After traveling in Spain, we immediately noticed many similarities to Seville. The architecture is very similar to Southern Spain. Today, there is not only the historic district but also other areas. Tourists are more drawn to the old town, as it is quite beautiful and very safe. There is a wall around the city center because pirates used to frequently attack the city. The city is also known for having many dark-skinned people, because when the Spaniards came, many slaves from Africa were brought here. Today, the city has about 1 million inhabitants and is the most touristy city in Colombia. I spent 3 nights in Cartagena with David. After that, I stayed alone for another 3 nights in two different hostels. I really liked the city (or rather the historic center), especially the architecture. The big drawback is the many tourists and the street vendors who constantly try to sell you something (water, beer, ...). After a few days, it just annoyed me. Also, guys kept offering me weed or other drugs. The problem in Cartagena is that many street vendors are from Venezuela and desperately need every cent. That's why you are constantly approached. Especially as a foreigner...

On Wednesday, the last day of David in Colombia, we had to say goodbye once again. Now, I was alone again.

On August 25, 2018, I continued to Medellin. After considering it for a while, I decided to take the bus. Flying was also an option. I booked a bus online that would travel from 9 pm to 12 noon the next day. The night was unpleasant, and I could only sleep for a few hours. Totally exhausted and feeling dizzy, I arrived in Medellin the next day.

Other highlights in Cartagena:

- I had vegan food almost daily in Cartagena, as I found a vegan restaurant that offered great lunch menus. A meal cost 12,000 pesos (3.40 euros). Always included was a soup, juice/lemonade, and main course.

In the next article, I will talk about my time in Medellin! See you soon amigos! ;)

(Don't be surprised if I sometimes don't use Ä, Ü, Ö. It's a bit difficult when I'm writing on the computer. The keyboard doesn't have Ä, Ö, Ü.)