The Colombian adventure (City of Cartagena)

There is so many places we have on our list to visit before our bodies start complaining about all the normal hassle of traveling, specially as we age. Fortunately, we have the opportunity of taking a break from working to fulfill a dream that most of us have; so we call ourselves "The adventurist."

Colombia was on our list, and I´m happy to say that we´re living the Colombian adventure as I´m writing this subject.

As you all know, we have been house sitting for a while now. This gives us the opportunity of traveling to new places without having to go over budget. Plus we get to meet wonderful people and spend time with loving pets in beautiful houses.
We found a house sit in Colombia for three weeks but, we decided to stay here for two months so we can explore different cities in this amazing country.
We took a flight from Guadalajara, Mexico to the city of Barranquilla, Colombia; having one stop at the airport in Panama City. We arrived in Barranquilla around 12:30 pm and I have to say that flying with COPA airline was a great experience. They were always on time, the staff was very friendly and something we were not expecting was to have full meals, even in our short flight from Panama City to Barranquilla.
The only awkward moment for me was going through customs once we arrived in Barranquilla. I decided to travel with my Mexican passport since we flew from Mexico; when the immigration officer saw my passport, he asked "Where´s your Colombian passport?" I said "I´m Mexican not Colombian" then he started asking other questions until he finally stamped my passport for the 90 days permit to stay in the country. I asked JJ if he went through the same situation, and he was not asked any questions at all... so I decided from now on, I would travel with my American passport and I won´t speak Spanish at all... That seems to work for JJ, but I also know it´s all part of the adventure :O) 
After being "free" from customs, we had a little adventure trying to find the way of getting to our first destination. The easy and most expensive way was to take a taxi for about $95 dollars but, we always try not to pay the "gringo" prices; so we decided to try something else. We met a nice taxi guy who drove us to a terminal that have small vans that take you "puerta a puerta" to your destination (door to door). This is a good way of traveling from city to city in a very comfortable and inexpensive way; we ended up paying $30 dollars for the two of us to get to Cartagena, including the taxi fare... Big savings!

There are many companies that do door to door transportation, one of them is MarSol which seems to have more of the tourist clients.

We had about four days before our house sitting assignment, so we decided to start our adventure in Cartagena de Indias which is a Caribbean city that keeps history secrets in its fort and balconies. This city has been associated with pirates history since it was here where Europeans pirates attacked many times; making it one of the most reinforced cities in South America and the Caribbean.
Now in days, Cartagena is one of the most important ports in Colombia and the Caribbean; with an amazing historical district that brings international tourism.

The historical old town is a mix of charm, culture, beautiful architecture and it´s surrounded by the fort; you can have a nice walk on the wall and appreciate the amazing views of the city and the ocean.
This is a very romantic place, where you can go to one of the many nice squares around the city and sit down to relax or to enjoy a nice meal at the outdoor restaurants.
Cartagena also has the modern section along the ocean, with high rise buildings and all the amenities you might look for.
The mix between the modern and the historical sections, gives it a feel of Miami and New Orleans.

 

Cartagena goes above and beyond with all the Christmas lights! The whole city gets beautifully illuminated at night, giving it a very special festive touch.

  Our house sit is in the city of Santa Marta, which is about 4 hrs driving from Cartagena. We would be staying for three weeks in El Rodadero, which is a beach town outside of Santa Marta... Colombian adventure to be continue!
Safe travels my friends and Happy Holidays!

Next travel adventure...Colombia!

We had a good time in San Miguel de Allende... House sitting has been a great experience!
It gives us the opportunity of traveling more often, making new friends, enjoying beautiful houses in the company of loving pets.
We are getting ready to leave to Colombia for two months. We would be house sitting in Santa Marta which is a beautiful city by the ocean for three weeks; then we would go to explore cities like Cartagena, Medellin, Bogota and the coffee plantations as well.
I will be writing about our adventure and posting lots of pictures from all these places... It makes me excited to travel to new countries, there is always something we can learn from their people and culture.
We are enjoying our house in Colima, Mexico for a few more days and making sure everything is in place. Our plants are very important so we are giving lots of love to our little garden before we leave, and making sure Zoretta, our dog, gets plenty of our attention as well. She will stay with my parents so she will be getting lots of love, and we will find her overweight by the time we get back because my mom spoils her to much :O)

Safe travels and Happy Holidays everyone!

Our little paradise!

Our beautiful girl!

The enchanting city of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

In central Mexico, there is a magical town in the state of Guanajuato that is well known internationally. San Miguel de Allende is a very charming and historical city with a beautiful architecture from 17th and 18th centuries. 

Walking around the city doesn't get old; there are always new places to be discovered. The charm of the narrow cobblestone streets and the colonial houses covered by different plants, give it a very special touch.
There are beautiful gardens and gorgeous colonial houses hidden behind old walls, that you would never imagine finding places like this.

Life in San Miguel de Allende is safe and quite but not boring; there is plenty of art galleries to visit, there are cultural events all year around, many cute coffee shops, small bars and international restaurants to spend a great time with friends or to meet new people. The library is a great place that offers an infinity of activities; from art classes, house and gardens tours, artistic events, language classes and also has a nice cafe where you can enjoy a cup of coffee while reading your favorite book.
Overall, the quality of life in this colonial city is perfect for the ones who are looking to live a less hectic life style and like to go out for a nice sunny walk around the city.

A perfect day to spend in San Miguel de Allende is by visiting the Botanical Garden. This is a great place to go for a nice hike and spend quality time with your love ones out in nature. At the end of the adventure, you can have a well deserved meal at its out door cafe.

If you like eating healthy and cook your own organic meals, you have to visit the local mercados (Farmers Markets). You would find all kind of fresh vegetables, fruits and meats; you can also go to one of the small shops to get your natural fresh juice that is made at the moment from fruits and veggies. They also have the traditional local food that is very hard to resist... it is delicious!
The mercados are also full of handcraft and textiles shops made by locals... Walking around these places is a very colorful experience!

After a long day of walking and exploring the city, you would be ready to have some of the local homemade ice cream. There are vendors all over downtown selling this delicious treat.
Be adventurous and try some of the many exotic flavors they offer; like sweet potato, cheese, rose petals and many others... You wouldn't be disappointed! 

 

 For a relaxing day, I will suggest the hot springs which are located about 20 minutes outside of the city and a taxi cab can take you there. 
I assure you that it would be a great experience bathing in the outdoor pools or getting inside the caves where the hot water comes from.

San Miguel de Allende has become a home for people from all over the world; making it a very multicultural place. The mix of people gives it a very special touch and the friendly attitude of locals make you feel like home.

Safe travels my friends!