Colombia, Part 1


Back in August, I visited a friend in Japan for six days. Part of me wishes I could have stayed longer--I love the city of Tokyo and there is always more to explore. But after flying back to the US I had to get ready for my next trip: a month in Colombia! I didn't have to be back in San Diego for fall quarter classes until the end of September, so I wanted to make the most of my summer break. Who knows when I'll have another five weeks free.

Again, since I'm behind here, I'll keep the details short and add pictures. After a couple days in Ohio visiting family, I flew to Bogotá, where I couchsurfed for the weekend. After three days there, I flew to Cartagena, where I met Mike and Sam, who I had lived with with at OSU. We spent three nights in Cartagena, then flew to the island of San Andrés, followed by another trip to Bogotá. Sam, who had limited vacation, flew back to the US, but Mike and I went on to explore a few small towns near the capital.

The following weekend we meet two other college friends who came for a short trip. Together the three of us went from Bogotá to Taganga, a small town near Tayorna National Park. After the others went back to Bogota for the weekend and their flight back to the States, Mike and I spent two days in the park itself, then flew to Medellin. After a week in Medellin and the coffee region, I flew to Barranquilla, where I had booked an award flight back to California. In four weeks I took six internal flights and went to Bogotá three times; not the most efficient route, but it was fun to travel with old friends who were more time-constrained.

Below are pictures from Bogotá, Cartagena, and San Andrés:

Cathedral of Colombia in Bolivar Square, la Candelaria (old town) Bogotá

Paintings from the Botero Museum in the old town:

A Pablo Picasso

Botero, in the eponymous Boterismo style


Ajiaco, a chicken and potato soup with capers, corn, rice, and avocado

Breakfast at my couchsurfing host's apartment (with fresh squeezed OJ)

Sam, Mike and I went to a Millonarios soccer/football game in  Bogotá

View of downtown during our hike up Monserrate

View over San Andrés, a small island in the Caribbean. It is
much closer to Nicaragua, but part of Colombia.

beach in San Andrés

View from the hotel lounge in Cartagena

The Castillo de San Felipe, a Spanish fort

Mike and Sam manning the wall

View from the Convent of Santa Cruz

With Mike; I got a lot of comments on the Bolivia jersey

Church in the old town, over with 500 years of history and one of
the best preserved Spanish colonial towns in the Americas

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