OUR RETIRED ADVENTURE
qUEREMOS VIVIR AL SOL
KSha
Costa Rica is amazing! Beauty abounds.
Panama is "home" for now. Loving life!
South America is next! Columbia here we come.
Costa Rica is amazing! Beauty abounds.
Panama is "home" for now. Loving life!
South America is next! Columbia here we come.
Our initial foray into South America will end after 5 months with a satisfying stay in Salinas Ecuador. Our penthouse condo view has been spectacular and we've enjoyed keeping an eye on the walkers, joggers, the youth soccer team's workouts on the beach, the constant boat and ship "traffic", and the snorkelers and families in the ocean and on the sand. Our music playing garbage trucks and crews will always be at the top of this list as well! We had dinner on the malecon awhile back at Luv'n Oven; a highly recommended open-air restaurant across from the shore. Sha had the lasagna and I had the cazuela, a hearty seafood stew packed with most of the edible things you find in the ocean; delicious! This happened to be the day before a special national election to decide if the new president was to be granted different powers to fight the drug cartels that have created violence and turmoil in the prisons and across the country since he was elected. A mini parade came by the restaurant as we had dinner in support of the referendums up for the vote. Sha and I have continued to enjoy not only our walks on the beach, but also our walks through the different neighborhoods and along the malecon. Salinas is a beautiful part of the Santa Elena peninsula, where the roads are in excellent condition, public transportation buses are numerous and always available and the people are almost always friendly to us wherever we go. All properties are walled and gated for security; but many walls in the neighborhoods are painted to give them a welcoming and friendly vibe. Talented artists are featured in these few examples below. (yada; then yada again) We decided, before we left Salinas, we had to do one "touristy" thing that would get us to the area of the peninsula we really couldn't walk to; on board El Tren Touristico. Our destination was points on the southern part of the peninsula that are located on a Naval Base. Our train ride tour took us around the malecon in Salinas (which we were very familiar with) giving us a chance to see the crowded beach on the weekend from the shaded train. We then headed south past the harbor and into Playa Chipipe, the next beach community as we continued on to the Naval Base. After entering the Base, we rode 3.5 kilometers and first stopped at La Chocolatera; this point got its name due to the foamy appearance that the waves acquire when hitting the rocky cliffs, 'creating a similar effect of hot chocolate.' The train stopped here for about a half an hour so we could get off and walk on paths to the different viewpoints along the shore. The second point on the Base we got to visit was La Loberia, a rocky beach a short ride from La Chocolatera and home to a colony of sea lions! Both points were cool to see; but the sea lions were worth the $5 train ride. (yada for the 29 pics) Didn't think I was going to forget a sunset did ya? Not quite like P.L.'s going into the ocean; but, Salinas has its own unique flavor to enjoy. (yada) We have a 1 AM pick up scheduled for Monday, May 6th for our ~2 hour ride to Guayaquil Airport. Our 6 AM flight to Miami should afford us some time to catch some shut eye; or the comfy airport chairs as we wait for our connection to Atlanta where we will get to spend some time with our life-long friends Randi and Ed in Greensboro GA. We'll then head to NE and SD to see mom, dad and family and then to see my high school classmates for our 45th reunion. We will then head to Chi town for the summer.
Of course, this is all based on our being allowed back into the United States on May 6th; and that North America is warm enough so my fingers can type an update...I'll keep you posted on that. We very much enjoyed our time in beautiful Ecuador! The people are friendly and welcoming; the mountains, beaches and cities have been amazing to explore; and the equatorial weather is just what the doctor ordered. We are already planning a return trip to see Paul and Susan and more of what Ecuador has to offer. Ciao mi familia y amigos! Hablamos contigo en Estados Unidos. Pura Vida!
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Perdón por la demora en no saber de mi mis amigos (I'm apologizing, you have to translate it on your own). I have to say it took a bit to get over the Puerto Lopez high and transition to Salinas (that's Susan and Paul's fault). The trip south to Salinas covered some of the road we covered during our "South Tour" while at P.L.; and then transitioned into huge shrimp farms along the highway prior to entering Salinas. As we neared Salinas, the high rise apartments were easy to see; expats and locals call this "little Miami". I can see why...but might use "tiny" instead of "little". Salinas is on the Santa Elena peninsula that juts out into the Pacific ocean, the westernmost part of Ecuador, and the coastline is full of tall residential buildings and hotels butted up to each other lining the malecon and beyond. Our new home is atop a nine story residence near the "beginning" of town facing the ocean that has a spectacular view of the beach and the harbor. A quick update...We missed seeing the finished product of our stepping stone project at Susan and Paul's by just a few days. So I have to share the finished products that will now become a part of the VBV walking path. (Thanks again, S&P, that was the best!) Nowhere near approaching Quito's size, but vastly larger than Canoa or Puerto Lopez, we took our time "adjusting" to our new "big city" surroundings in Salinas. Having stocked up with supplies before we got to our building with our driver Tito; allowed us the option to slowly explore our new surroundings as the first days went by. (do you remember what yada yada means?) There may be some; I'm hoping not many, that will be happy to know that the sunsets are going down over the far point of the peninsula from our condo and not into the water that we got so used to at P.L (I may find a way to fix this, but you'll need to stay tuned for that). Regardless, sunsets on the ocean are still pretty cool from our balcony. Just had to share my cool membership card from one of the local grocery+ stores in town, Mi Comisariato. Please don't share or use my account number to try and get discounts on any future purchases; you could get me in trouble. Our weather here in Salinas has been consistently in the low 80's, with feels like temps in the mid to high 80's. Mornings have been mostly overcast, and as the day moves toward late morning, the sun comes out and it turns hot and beautiful. Don't get me wrong, this is not your grandpa's low 80's, this is equatorial low 80's; it's still hot people. Rehydration is a full time job for BB; and I mean not just water, this requires the good stuff. NGG, and her inner Dora the Explorer, have continued to encourage us to get out and see our new neighborhoods; although we have smartly been "traveling light" with no valuables and keeping our phone (for pics) low key. We have found the people of Salinas (and Ecuador in all our visited places) to be friendly and welcoming to us in every interaction. The malecon is home to the high rise buildings; but mere blocks from there is where the local neighborhoods are. We have felt safe and enjoyed these sights almost every day. We even found a large outdoor market on one excursion. One of our favorite daily occurrences, and usually 2-3 times a day, is the arrival of the garbage truck. No lie, they play the coolest song (over and over) to let the neighborhood know they are coming (so get your stuff out to the street!) and are some of the hardest working people in the city. We have even seen them at 8:30 PM, for the third time in that day collecting refuse. We smile every time we hear their music playing! (Play the video in the second frame for a small taste of their groovy tune.) The city is super clean! Oh, and by the way, the roads are in excellent shape throughout all the areas that we have explored. Ok, there's your first taste of Salinas. We hope you've enjoyed our experiences so far. I'll bring the second half of our stay to life in the near future.
Stay safe and breathe deeply my family and friends. Ciao for now. Pura Vida! Puerto Lopez is beginning to feel very comfortable, friendly people, great sunny days and our Villa has that "home-like" atmosphere that allows you to enjoy everything about this special place. I finally got up early enough to take Paul up on his offer of going to town for breakfast (bed is too damn comfortable!) Encebollado is a must-have breakfast dish if you ever travel here. Encebollado is a fish stew made with tuna and served with boiled yucca and pickled red onions. Everyone seems to have their special way of "doctoring up" this dish; from freshly squeezed lime juice, oil, crushed plantains, or hot sauce. It is considered the national dish of Ecuador; mostly popular in the country's coastal regions. A cold beer and a large bowl of encebollado is the perfect way to start your day! Villa Bella Vista not only has great private apartments with superior comforts and views; it also has its own art studio on the property (an outdoor gym is also on site and equipped to use if you were so inclined). Sha and I scheduled a painting session with Susan to do the Puerto Lopez bay and sunset. We had a blast painting them...and they didn't turn out too bad...I think. Susan's an excellent and patient instructor. Each long term guest at VBV is also invited to create a design for a stepping stone that a local craftsman completes; which will then be placed on one of the walking paths around the Villa property. Susan walked us through the size and shape for the stones, and showed us how to use the cutting/snipping tools to customize the tiles and other materials made available for us to use in our creations. My design of a sunset (I might be a bit obsessed with the setting sun!) going into the ocean, may need a bit of interpretation by the viewer...but Sha's Flower in grass with owls turned out fantastic! I was very impressed with the way she snipped all those tiles into the shapes for her design! In addition to the cool activities that Susan and Paul had for us on the property; they also made us feel like family by inviting us to local events and to meet their friends from different nearby communities. One such occasion was the Art Show in Puerto Cayo, a short drive south from Puerto Lopez. The day started by arriving at Gord and Kathy's house, where we met several friends and then walked the 2 blocks to a restaurant on the beach for brunch. Puerto Cayo is a similar but smaller version of Puerto Lopez; although not nearly as active a place. We almost felt like the town was "asleep" with many empty houses; exampled by the 1st pic with trees and cactus growing on that house's roof. The art show exhibited wonderful local artists' paintings, carvings and jewelry available for purchase. The day's heat was oppressive, despite the overcast skies and after a short stay, we all were ready to go back to Gord and Kathy's for a visit and drink. We added more friends to our list we met at the house during the afternoon; including a "local legend", Carlos, who is an octogenarian and pictured with Paul and myself at the bottom of this group. We also organized a "martini nite" that was coordinated with the availability of a nearby neighbor Chris and Luke; an archeologist who is heading up a dig in northern Ecuador. The Garden apartment became the drink preparation station, including blue cheese stuffed olives thanks to Susan's hard work. Warm and interesting conversations ensued during the afternoon that was "balanced" by some great appetizers including Sha's prosciutto wrapped asparagus! (slideshow, yada yada) Friday nights at VBV are designated as Pizza Night. It is always a masterpiece of a variety of pies (usually 5 different ones-one night we had 6!) made with Susan's homemade masa she prepared that morning. The outdoor pizza oven was where Paul masterfully cooked Susan's creations and the communal table area by the pool was where we got to enjoy the fantastic pizzas. Chris joined us for our last pizza night prior to our departure. Since the first day we arrived, I have (and I'm sure Sha has too) marveled at the thought and detail that went into designing and building this piece of paradise on Lomas de Canadienes (Canadian hills; or hill of the Canadians). Paul and I had numerous conversations about the thoughts and processes that has resulted in this fabulous property. During one of those conversations, Paul talked about digging during construction of a new addition to the property and finding artifacts and tools from extinct indigenous people living here long ago. Paul was unsure as to their exact age; but guesses them to be several thousand years old. It is hard to imagine how the details in some pieces was done that long ago. We were grateful and amazed the afternoon he shared them with us. (slideshow y, y) NGG the explorer, really liked VBV's location halfway up the hills surrounding Puerto Lopez's bay because we could venture up the roads of the hills around the area. We always felt safe enough to say on our morning walks; "Let's see where this road goes." We somehow saved the steepest and highest hill for our last climb, a week before we left. Not sure if the pictures will impart the steep incline or the beautiful views we saw on reaching the top. Our legs were questioning the sanity of the climb when we got home. During the last pizza night conversations with Chris, we all successfully invited ourselves to his birthday party on the 30th. Chris lives about 10 minutes to the north of Susan and Paul just around the point outside Puerto Lopez. Chris also had his Ecuadorian neighbors that helped him build his house there for the celebration as well. We both enjoyed meeting the extended family of his neighbors. It was a wonderful afternoon party with burgers and hotdogs and a great cake (Paul didn't have any fun either!). The four "amigos of VBV" planned out a Surf and Turf menu for Easter Sunday dinner, so Paul and I went to town early that morning to get the 'surf" (the turf was already purchased and on a two-day marinade). We of course, started the day with encebollado and a beer prior to hitting the fish market on the beach. Ever the masterful negotiator, Paul worked a deal for us to get 2.5 kilos (~5 1/2 pounds) of large shrimp for $15! I seriously wondered what the price of all that shrimp would have been in Chi town. We then went up to the next level of the market to get them shelled and cleaned. These three ladies worked on our pile for about 10 minutes, chatting and laughing while expertly cleaning each shrimp in a matter of seconds. That process cost three dollars, including a $1 tip; and then we were on our way home in a $1 Tuk Tuk to Lomas de Canadienes. All hands helped in the afternoon preparations producing a table fit for kings and queens that included glazed carrots, steamed broccoli, roasted potatoes, a perfectly cooked beef tenderloin, along with spicy shrimp and cheesy shrimp. It was quite difficult to put down my fork! I was lucky enough to take some leftovers to our apartment after that incredible meal...the beef and shrimp burrito I made on Tuesday was the best burrito I've ever had! Usually, traveling to Ecuador involves a discussion about visiting the Galapagos Islands; until you actually check closely and realize it's not as easy as you would think and much more expensive than makes it a must see. Especially after we researched our stay in Puerto Lopez and found that this is the only place you can get to Isla de la Plata; a.k.a. the "poor man's Galapagos." We knew we couldn't leave here without visiting. Susan helped us schedule the tour to the island the Monday after Easter. We Tuk Tuk'd into town and met our guide and walked with a couple of other tour mates and walked through the south half of town to the pier and our boat. There was ten of us "tourists" that boarded the boat with the guide and boat crew as we set off to Isla de la Plata. Twin 150 HP engines had us cruising at a good clip over the waves as we headed NW to the island on our 60+ minute ride. As the mainland was beginning to shrink and everyone was getting used to the ebbs and flows of riding over the waves, we reduced speed and slowed down to an almost halt. Before I could complete the thought that we had run out of gas; excitement spread through the boat as dolphins were sighted breaching the surface near the boat! After watching in amazement for a bit, I realized I needed to document--get the camera BB!!!! We saw a great deal more dolphins than my video captured; sorry I was gawking prior to grabbing the camera. As we reengaged the warp drive engines continuing on and finally were approaching the island, we noticed a single structure on the island. We also noticed the lone camouflaged military person with an AR-15 rifle monitoring our approach. We found out from our guide that in "the beginning" this structure had been the only hotel on the island and only available to the very wealthy Ecuadorians during the turn of the last century. Now, it houses park rangers and researchers that come for a week's stay rotation. The armed military personnel presence is to enforce the 2 mile no-fishing zone around the island for commercial fishing ships (Chinese ships violating this policy were mentioned as having been a problem in the past). After we all had a chance to clean the sand off our feet from the beach landing, put shoes back on and use the baños, we met up at the head of the trail for the initial briefing of do's and don'ts on our visit from our guide. Basically, the only thing you should/can bring and leave on the island are your footprints on the trail. Human residents during the turn of the century introduced rats and other invasive creatures that were a problem for the local bird populations and are currently still being dealt with as park rangers and researchers have developed rat-specific poisons to control their population. Clouds had been prevalent in the skies up to this point; and as we headed up the trail, they seemed to suddenly disappear like they knew we began climbing. At first, the trail had a manageable slope that wasn't too bad to climb; then came the stairs! I won't bore you with the grisly details of my struggles up the mountain; but it kicked my butt! At the summit, and the divergence of several trails, we had a palapa with seating for a break. This is where we got our first close up view of the blue-footed boobies, who are the main inhabitants of the island. We watched a romantic encounter with several males trying to impress a lone female with their "moves" and blue feet. Vibrant blue feet are a result of a good "fisher-bird" catching plenty of sardines, therefore absorbing the blue dye in the sardines and showing the female he is a good provider for offspring. After resting and regaining some strength, we started on the downward slope to the opposite side of the island. NGG, being her inquisitive self, found out that the nests of the BFBs have a ring of poop around them to protect the featherless new borns from rats, ants and other insects who could harm the chicks. (6 pic slideshow; y,y) Our guide was so informative and had us enthralled with his narrative until it was time to return. I forgot that we had to climb back up the hill to get back to the boat--damn! Long story short; I was sweating like a dog, even after many, many breaks to resupply my lungs with oxygen. Burning thighs were my reward for making it up and back down the mountain. I felt a little bit better when I realized we had walked across the island and back to get to the boat. We loaded back onto the boat and left the shore when... We floated a short distance from shore watching (I think 3) turtles eat the lettuce offered from the boat. The captain moved us a little farther out and floated while our guide tossed small pieces of bread in the water. BB was the first one in the water when the snorkeling gear came out. As I was looking around, I noticed a wriggling orange string floating below me, then got caught up in the fish swarming around me. All the while feeling little stinging sensations on my arms and legs. As the fish finished the bread and moved, the stinging sensations increased and became an increasing problem. Several other people had entered the water by now and when I heard "jellyfish", I headed for the boat. Exiting the water we found out we were in a cloud of string jellyfish and then headed back to the mainland. Damn, those stings hurt for awhile as we headed back. We stopped in a different place before we returned to the pier to do some (safer) snorkeling. We were super glad we did this tour; but glad to get back to the Villa at the end of the day. The following day, we did not move from our apartment due to the resistance our legs professed to unnecessary movement. We did emerge the next day for our last full day before we had to leave. Susan, as always came up with the perfect set of nibblers as we talked about our great month in Puerto Lopez. I will leave you with our last Puerto Lopez (minimalized) sunset. We were very sad to leave VBV and our new friends Susan and Paul, and look forward to our return visit to Puerto Lopez.
We will check in soon from our new location in Salinas off the southern coast of Ecuador. Ciao for now mi amigos! Loving life. Pura Vida! Wednesday was South Tour day for us. It is, a most of the day tour of the towns, culture, history and sights of the nearby costal region south of Puerto Lopez, Ecuador, that Susan and Paul have been doing for their guests for many years. Our trusted driver, Tito, picked us up at Villa Bella Vista and navigated the pothole filled main road outside of town and the gnarly dirt roads less traveled for us to see the full tour sights throughout the day. As we drove, Susan gave us facts and history about the area and towns we passed (some we would be stopping at on the return) along the road. Our first stop was Libertador Bolivar, named after the man who lead the fight for freedom of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Chile from Spain. The town, incorrectly labeled on some maps, is more commonly known as Simon Bolivar. At the south end of town, we stopped to do a little looking/shopping at several local craftsman's shops with products of wood, weave, clay and shells. The added bonus to the beautifully crafted items, was the view from the small patio in the back of the shop of the beach. (Yada yada) Our second stop was a short drive heading back north to a pottery shop that had 1000's of items; some from Colombia. Any need requiring a clay pot, bowl, planter etc. was here. Paul did some master bartering and bought multiple items for under their original starting price. Bartering in local shops and markets is a general and expected practice in Ecuador. Paul passed on some of his most successful bartering strategies to us in the car; but swore us to secrecy on penalty of death. The surf town of Montañita was our next stop. Much larger than Libertador Bolivar, this "happening" pueblito is well known for its party vibe, surf tournaments and trendy bars and restaurants. We spent some time window shopping along the streets of town as we strolled around enjoying the sights. It isn't hard to imagine these streets at night full of people, music, and partying. Heading for the beach, we got to the raised walkway along the malecon by the beach that allows for great views up and down the beach. We stopped at Casa Blanca for a quick appetizer and a drink before moving on. Here's a little of the cool vibe of Montañita. (Yada yada) Feeling refreshed after some fish bites, fries and a beer, we all climbed in Tito's truck and headed north to Olon. Without signs to guide you, local knowledge is needed to find the road to experience this. I'm going to have to hope that our pictures here drop your jaw half as far as BlogBoy's did. Just outside Olon, on a cliff 60 meters above the (Immediately below rocky shore but otherwise) sandy shore of Olon beach resides Santa Maria de la Esperanzo Orphanage and Blanca Estrella de la Mar church. Built in the shape of a ship in 1984, the church and connected orphanage supports about 80 children with minimal support from the government. (Yada yada) It was hard to get back in the truck and leave these views; as well as think there were any more amazing sights that could top this left in our tour. Traveling up, over and through the mountainous terrain along the coastal highway; Susan explained where the borders of the provinces were as we drove, and pointed out details of businesses they have used or knew owners of, all along our path during the day. One of which was where we made a truck-running, pit stop to pick up a beloved cheesecake from a frequented shop in the town of La Entrada (The Entrance). Paul handled the pick up and in NASCar-like speed we were off for the short ride to La Rinconada, (The Balcony). You are looking at the town. We needed to honk for the the boy to come out and unlock the gate and move the soccer goal so we could enter and park. "Captain NGG" (named for this instant, being in the right position during the photo shoot), was sad to announce that the kitchen here was closed...but softened the blow with the news that we could order a beverage of choice and enjoy the view. The climb back (not pictured) to the level of the parked truck was not to be taken lightly. My burning thighs were glad to finally reach the top and not have required mechanical or human assistance getting there. Susan didn't flinch an eye about changing places for lunch and after loading the truck, had us heading for D' Jimmy's, the beachside restaurant in the town (not the island) of Puerto Rico. The welcoming owner met us at the covered, outside tables (currently without chairs) and Susan and Paul had a conversation with him that had people bringing the chairs and readying the tables before it was over. Sha had garlic shrimp in a peanut sauce, and BB had the mixto seafood and arroz. s I hope you didn't forget about the cheesecake we picked up in La Entrada; cuz even the majority of us taking leftovers home didn't. Susan had it ordered to celebrate her eldest daughter's birthday as well as Tito's birthday (2 days belated). We all found at least a little room for dessert, delicious! We had one more stop on our tour before we returned to the foothills of Puerto Lopez. There is a road, that if you didn't know it was there would be so easy to drive right by, just outside Salango that Tito found somehow and turned onto that wound upward and back and forth in the direction of the beach. Nearing the top, we parked in the small designated area and saw the high wooden observation platform. What a great last stop on our South Tour with Susan and Paul (and Tito). (yada) In case you were wondering, yes, there is a 'North Tour' as well. Had an unusual visitor the other day... NGG, ever vigilant, spied the intruder and professionally dispatched it like a champion. There may have been some screeching in there at one point, but I can't remember for sure. We were assured that they aren't scorpions (although they look exactly like one) and have a bee-like sting, painful, but not deadly! I'm afraid I'm not leaving until I give you a sunset...and a little moon action. Can you believe that purple sky with a sliver of the moon? Pure beauty and even better in person! Well, that will be all for now from Ecuador; until next time.
Be well mi amigos! Ciao. Pura Vida. Our 3 hour drive south from Canoa was far more mountainous than you would have thought traveling mostly along the coast of Ecuador. This area also had a wide array of agricultural products being farmed. Fields were planted and grown from along the road, and up into the foothills of the undulating terrain throughout the area we drove through. We practiced our Spanish, and our super nice driver Tito, worked on his English as he "narrated" the highlights of the towns we went through, and what the fields of crops were that we passed [corn, banana, dragon fruit, and rice]. Ecuador (that we have seen) is a lush beautiful country and its people are friendly, nice and hard working. The slideshow below has some sights on our road trip to Puerto Lopez. [Slideshow; yada yada--you do remember what that means, right?] Right on cue at our expected arrival time we crested a rolling hill in the road and entered the outskirts of Puerto Lopez. The town runs along the coast of the bay and looks and "feels" like what I would expect an Ecuadorian fishing village to be (more info and pics to come about town). Shortly upon entering town, we turned off the main road and started up into the foothills-I quietly asked Sha if Tito knew he was taking us away from the beach...we do tend to like staying next to the shore. The auxillary roads are mainly dirt and can be riddled with holes and rocks; Tito did a great job of navigating rough and narrow roads. We had a steep climb up a private dirt road to the entrance of our new property. We happily got out of the vehicle, stretched and then met our new hosts, Paul and Susan (picture not taken as we got out of the car). Here's where we will be staying for the next month (You'll see why I'm not minding the walk to the beach). [Slideshow w/captions; yada yada.] Welcome drink in the pool with Susan! No matter by plane, train or automobile; travel days are tiring. We enjoyed the pool, a beer or two, and a wonderful sunset before a light dinner and early to bed. [Slideshow; yada yada.] You would have thought it was "sleep in Friday" by the time I got out of the way-too-comfy bed we have. Coffee and a little breakfast on the veranda whilst listening to the neighborhood roosters and dogs talk to each other at great length and in detail was a super way to start the first morning in Puerto Lopez. We checked in with Susan and Paul and then headed off on foot on a mission to explore the town, the malecon, and shop for groceries. Our property is located about a 15 minute walk from the water. Here's some sights on our first trip into town. [Slideshow; yada yada.] You may have noticed, we didn't walk back home. We had planned the walk to incorporate shopping at two of the 3 local grocery stores before returning and were counting on a ride (I didn't want you to think that Sha was tired from carrying me on her back for the last half hour to be the reason we didn't walk home). Local taxis are Tuk Tuks, abundant and economical and can navigate the narrow and sometimes rough dirt roads in and around town; not to mention knowing where/when to turn, or handling the "traffic" on two, three, or four wheels, or 4 legs or 2. This was our first ride in a Tuk-Tuk; and we amazingly loaded up all of our reusable shopping bags full of groceries into the back of the Tuk Tuk with the two of us, and off we went (we had planned to take "some" groceries from here and walk down the street to the other store to get the "rest" of the shopping list before catching a taxi...but, we couldn't get to the second one because we bought all we could carry at the first place). I was impressed the way our Tuk Tuk barreled us up the steep entrance road to our home. Sha even got to "drive" the Tuk Tuk after we arrived. The ride was 10 minutes, tops; and cost $1. (We found out later that Paul and Susan have a personal Tuk Tuk "UberEats" driver they use to occasionally drop off needed supplies; beer included--slick!) An afternoon beer preceded Friday Nite pizza at Villa Bella Vista; featuring the outdoor pizza oven just off the pool deck in the community area. On the menu was your choice of 3 pizzas (Hawaiian, Veggie, and Meat), made with homemade pizza dough and homemade sauce, and each personally designed by Susan. Vino, cerveza, or sangria were available for consumption as well; if you had the desire. Paul expertly manned the oven, perfectly preparing the pizzas. Susan, somehow found time to even bake a cake! A wonderful poolside dinner and great conversations was capped of with a cool sunset. We both were excited to find, as one of the perks of booking on the property, we received Paul's official guided town tour and transportation demonstration. Paul showed us how to cut our transportation cost into the city in half by walking to this junction in the roads for a 50 cent ride to town; he taught us the secret signal to wave down a Tuk Tuk, and then demonstrated it to us by securing us a ride into town at that junction. The three of us in the back; we rode through town and near the southern end, got out at the fish market. At first glance, it's a sight to take in and a little intimidating, but after experiencing it, I'm going to disagree with myself. [Slideshow; yada yada.] It was a real treat to have Paul lead us through the market. The informational and interactiveness of our tour came from insights and experiences that 14 years as a property owner here bring. Having done everything at the market except catch the fish, we continued walking south over a small bridge to the pier stretching into the bay affording a nice view of the beach and town. There is also a small landing dock for boarding island and fishing tour boats. This cool piece of art along the malecon, showing 3 different guys fishing, was so big I had to piece it together with multiple pics to get all the details. Paul gave recommendations on places to eat as we made our way walking back past the market along the malecon while he was greeting and speaking with friends and business owners along our path. Paul was even thoughtful enough to ensure we were properly hydrated during the tour by stopping at a 2nd story deck at an ocean front bar for a beer during our long walk. Minor business at the pharmacy and hardware store and our movement through town to find them, gave us the layout of where to go to for what and other positive info. We finished the shopping, and using the secret signal, flagged down a Tuk Tuk and headed for home; feeling wiser for the morning's activities. Worth noting; we have completed the cycle of walking to town and returning all the way--yes, we made it up the steep hill as well. Our daily pace is tranquil and slow with pool time and sunset a mandatory scheduled activity. Ok, this will be my last half-assed apology for sharing too many sunset pics..."sorry, not sorry!" Look for the little sliver of moon in the purple sky NGG captured in the second sunset example, last pic. [yada yada.] We have Tito picking the four of us up tomorrow at 8 AM to start our "South Tour" adventure. Looking forward to sharing that experience, next time.
Enjoying Ecuador; stay safe and well mi amigos. Ciao. Pura Vida! Our wonderful hosts, Jeff and Carole, having an early dinner with us on the beach in Canoa. One of the cool things we did in Canoa before we moved on was the Beach Crawl on Sunday March 3. Five locations, 5 different drinks, 5 different appetizers and 5 different team challenges before moving on. The ticket prices and the "live auction" proceeds (at stop #5) go to the local school for a variety of needs. We were welcomed into the large crowd of expats living in the area near Canoa that are part of this annual event. The forty-fifty people that were participating appeared to be connected as an expat community; but also committed to the local community as they supported the local school (among other projects). [Brief, bottom of photo captions, "narrate" the slideshow below when you hit 'play' in the upper L corner of photo]. During our stay, Carole had wanted us all to go to dinner at a new "French" restaurant on the malecon in Canoa. Our first (unsuccessful) attempt, was hampered by us not knowing the name of the place as we drove up and down the malecon looking for a french-looking place among the many available establishments on both sides of the road, both open and closed that were 50 meters from the ocean. The four of us dined at another beachside place. The second attempt, Jeff, Sha and I took a trip into town to pick up 'carbon', which is their form of charcoal, and drove the malecon on the way home to find the French restaurant. A local man on the road that was willing to share the menu of "his" restaurant and seat you right away, that Jeff recognized, ran down the street ahead of us when asked, directing us to the place down the road further that we had passed many times. He thought that they were only open Saturdays and (maybe, we were never sure) Sundays. Attempt number three was our last Saturday night at Canoa Oasis and the four of us eagerly anticipated that date, knowing the third time's a charm and all was good with the world. We laughed and joked about what was on the menu as we drove into town for dinner. The truck was really quite quiet as we rolled to a stop on the malecon in front of the French restaurant; that the four of us could see was quite closed, until someone snickered and we all started laughing knowing we had swung and missed a third time. Our alternative dining choice became a recommendation from our cab driver from Quito, Deliciosa Del Pacifico. We all thoroughly enjoyed our seafood meal there, and another amazing sunset. We enjoyed one last meal together at the famous Bambu, a hotel-bar-restaurant at the end of the malecon and it turned out to be fabulous. Cool, wood table and chair seating in sand, under covered open-air palapas with ocean views was a wonderful way to enjoy dinner and the sun going into the ocean. [Slideshow with captions below, hit the yada yada; you know what to do.] We also attended Trivia Nite (last night in Canoa for us), at the Surf Shak, and as good as we were last week...we were not as good this go around. Meatloaf and mashed potatoes were the special this week. Good food and fun with another 30-40 people making up multiple group teams. The rain woke us up before the alarm the morning we were leaving for Puerto Lopez. The little rains we had seen here prior had been infrequent, overnight, and usually short duration. The rain continued as we watched the dot, showing our driver, on our location sharing app in WhatsApp, get closer to our property. I may have mentioned the difficulty we experienced upon arrival; well I ended up schlepping through the wet puddled sandy access road to go see if I "could see the driver's car" approaching the property. It didn't work out so great for BlogBoy as the small umbrella didn't keep all the rain away and my sneakers got abused in the sloppy conditions of the flooded road. As I was giving up and returning to the property; slipping and sliding my way to stable ground, I realized our driver had arrived and was following me home. The rain continued as we loaded the bags containing 93% of our worldly possessions and said our sad goodbyes to Carole, Jeff and Buster. After 20 minutes on the highway going south, the rains stopped and it was smooth sailing to Puerto Lopez. We will report the highlights of our road trip and arrival soon. Looking forward to exploring Puerto Lopez!
¡Ciao amigos! Pura Vida! Once again, I was glad to have had a driver to bring us up to the peak and down the Andes mountains from Quito to Canoa and the coast. The road, took active driving, as it was continuously snaking back and forth and very steep; secondly, the views were incredible and I wouldn't have been able to see the sights on the way down (all the while trying not to take too many pictures!). Bye Quito! Hillside farming! Active mining operation on the descending side of the mountain; as well as a cattle drive! Five hours after cresting the Andes, and thousands of switchback turns, we got our first glimpse of the ocean, (in eight whole days!) with a sigh of relief. Or maybe we were just glad to be breathing sea level air. We finally turned along the coastal road into Canoa and after several near misses of going down the wrong small beach side dirt/rock/sand roads, needed to use GPS location on WhatsApp to find our new place nestled in down a nondescript curved road heading toward the beach. Our private casita has a kitchen area and space for the wooden table and chairs from our patio we are using to eat on and play games. We do not have a TV. A sitting area and king bed with ensuite bath make up our living space. Jeff and Carole are wonderful hosts and live in the main house at the front of the property. We are so lucky to have local "guides" with 7 years of experience living here as hosts that show us were to shop and eat. "Buster" is the super friendly guard dog of the property, and a good beach walk companion. The small fishing village of Canoa is a kilometer or so north of our property and an easy 20 minute stroll on the beach or the road. Sha and I ventured into town one of the first mornings to explore and pick up some fresh bread for breakfast and dinner that day; here's some of the sights we saw along our way into and around town. [Press play upper L in picture.] In town you can find the baker, butcher (excellent chicken freshly chopped to order), the pharmacy, hardware store, grocery store, laundry services (your clothes come back neatly folded and smelling great) and numerous beach side restaurants/bars and shops to patron. Being on the Equator, there is 12 hours of each sun and night and the sun goes down into the ocean directly off our beach. I have 2 good examples to share with you. [Press play upper L in pictures.] In addition to taking us shopping and to town multiple times, Jeff also has two shore fishing poles and wondered if that might be something I would want to join him in doing...and I said I would before he finished asking. We bought some fresh shrimp from a vendor in Canoa and we hit the beach with poles, a bucket and shrimps, gloves and pliers. We started out in about thigh deep water and had some success with little catfish--need the gloves to protect yourself from their dorsal spines when you release them. As the day advanced, we were ending up casting in near chest deep water with waves slapping you good in what felt like full contact fishing. I started one session with a headband on and by the time I needed new bait, the ocean had blasted it off my head and eaten it alive. Jeff and I both caught a few fish including a couple of those little catfish, a flat silver fish, a couple of puffer fish and the big 18-20 inch slender silver fish that broke the line and got away at my feet as I reeled it in. Full contact shore fishing in action with 2 short videos below. We are enjoying walking on the beach each day and watching the sun go into the ocean. We feel safe walking the kilometer or so to town on the road or on the beach; just never at night. Our pool is a perfect place in the late afternoon for relaxing with a beer and renewing KSha Rummikub battles originating in Panama. Besides enjoying cooking in our kitchen and BBQing some shared meals with Carole and Jeff, we've eaten breakfasts (one was the local delicacy of tuna soup; yes for breakfast-Sha wasn't a fan but I was!) and dinners at some local places that were excellent. We still have a few more recommended places we want to go to before we leave. We went to Trivia Nite at the Surf Shak in town Wednesday; Happy Hour from 5:30-6:30; Trivia at 7 PM. Special was chicken and waffles, and yep I ordered it. About 40 expats from Canada and the U.S. showed up to form teams and do battle for the championship of the week at "The Shak". Sha and I ended up picking the right group to sit with (although we had met some of them at another restaurant before connecting for Trivia) because we won the grand prize...of a pat on the back! Weather here has days in the 80's and feels like temps in 90's; nights are 70's and a light breeze. It has been sunny about half the time and it has rained one morning and also a short time when we climbed the cliff road across the street from the property.
I'll let you know if anything cool happens during our last week in the Canoa Oasis property. Our next place we head to will be in Puerto Lopez, three hours drive to the south. Later mi amigos! Ciao. Pura Vida! We met a new friend on the second leg of our flight out of Santa Marta via Bogata to Quito; a twenty two year old videographer for Alberto Brasso. Who, we found out, is well known in Colombia and Latin America and is caled "El Titan de la Salsa." He and his band and crew (26 in total-not all on this plane) flew on our flight. A smooth hour and a half flight into Quito and into the endless snaking lines of Immigration and Customs we went. Before long we were getting a new stamp in our passports and meeting up with our driver to take us to the hotel. Quito Ecuador is located high in the Andes Mountains on the equator, yea, of the world. It's elevation of 9000 ft. above sea level; give or take depending where you are in the city, takes some getting used to. Checking in and walking the stairs to our room on the second floor had me winded and taking deep breaths to regulate my breathing! We brought (the majority of) our worldly possessions of 2 bags, a carry-on and 2 back packs into the room-man this tiny room is also going to take some time getting used to. All travel information to Ecuador declares that the tap water is unsafe to drink; so we needed a short delve into the neighborhood to find Tia's, a grocery store, to pick up some bottles of water and a few things. Neither of us slept very well that first night..frequently needing to take big deep breaths throughout the night, always feeling out of breath. Breakfast was included during our stay and as soon as we were finished the next morning, we found ourselves back in the room and needing to rest. I'm not sure who woke up first at 4 PM that afternoon. We felt much better and ventured out for a bit of exploring and locating a place for dinner. You may recall that Quito is in the Andes Mountains. So only the large town squares throughout the historic part of the city are flat; you are either walking uphill, or you're walking uphill (good thing we got prepped by walking the "mini "mountains of Santa Marta!). Quito is a beautiful and unique city that ebbs and flows within the hills and valleys near the peaks of the Andes. Renown as one of South America's most scenic cities. Quito, the busy capital of Ecuador, has a mix of the old and new. The historic Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site housing a bunch of monuments, churches, museums and colonial architecture; and all of it was built on the ruins of an Incan city. The three sectioned public buses are quite a sight to see make turns on the narrow hilly streets of Old Town! (Hit the play button in top left corner of the first picture for the slideshow.) We found the food in Quito to be flavorful and delicious. Foods were not spicy; but it was available to add in many places. At one of the neighborhood restaurants we had a typical Ecuadorian lunch that was $1.25 per person. We sat down at one of the five tables in the place and didn't even have to order. Within 3 or 4 minutes of entering, an nice lady brought us out a large bowl of soup (yucca pieces, a piece of pork and full of onions and vegetables) and a glass of fresh juice. Before we were finished with our soup, the second course came in the form of a plate of rice with beans and chicken, accompanied by a small salad and a tomato. In a small sandwich shop along one of the busy walkways around one of the public squares we had a $5 lunch that included 2 sandwiches, chips and a drink. We ate at a variety of restaurants which also included Chinese, Italian, and a fancy one for a great Valentine's Day dinner. Best lunch ever! Five egg rolls in an order! Sha had a carne noodle dish and look at the size of those shrimp in my shrimp noodles and rice combo dish! Sha found us a free walking tour around the Historic City; starting at the Community Hostal. The gathering place was at the rooftop restaurant; up some four flights of stairs. Finally making it to the top after stopping to rest twice, the view of the city was worth the climb. It was a short five minute walk from our hotel. We joined some American people and families (about 11 or 12) and a French woman living in Panama. Our english-speaking guide was so knowledgable throughout our nearly 4 hour tour about the history of his country, the churches, museums, and the people and individuals that significantly influenced the emergence and growth of Ecuador. We toured the outdoor fruit and vegetable market and then into the indoor market that spanned several city blocks. You could find restaurants, smaller food vendors, fruit stands, an herb and spice stand that was used to buy things to cook with as well as heal the body. "Butcher" stands selling most parts of the chicken, pig or cow; oh and, beautiful flower stands. We walked to the community Squares of the city and heard about the historic churches, monuments, museums and government buildings that defined each of them. We visited some unique local restaurants along the way and even had our own history of chocolate tour and tasting in one of them. (There will be a couple of slideshow boxes below; hit the play button in upper left hand corner of the first picture in the box.) In one of the Squares we passed through was the Sucre National Theater that would be hosting a free performance celebrating the festival of Carnival later that afternoon. This opera theater, one of the oldest and most prestigious in Ecuador, was built between 1879-1886. We were making sure not to miss that opportunity. After saying goodbye to new friends met along the tour, we headed home to regroup and went back out to take in the historic theatre and orchestra's music. It was a wonderful performance; beautiful music! (Play the slideshow below.) We also booked a half day tour to see the equator...both of them. The "first" one is where the original French explorers documented the equator to be in the 1600's. During the early 20th century, with better measuring instruments, the actual Equator is a few kilometers away. Our guide here was very informative detailing the historical and cultural background of the monument and area. The actual Equator was our next stop with its own tour through the history of its indigenous people and the uniqueness of the Ecuadorian Equator. (Play the slideshow.) NGG received her Egg Master certificate at the Equator by balancing an egg on the head of a nail at the Equator! We enjoyed our time in Quito; although we never fully felt like "yourself" the entire time at 9000 feet elevation. We always felt very safe and loved walking the streets in the historic city. Even though Carnival was all but cancelled this year, local dance groups and musicians performed in the squares throughout the Old City. Young and old still participated in the tradition of spraying foam (or water) on passing people; family, friend or stranger. Aerosol can refills were never hard to find or far away. We packed up the bags and braced for the 6 hour drive from Quito to Canoa. We had to climb even higher as we left Quito; and crossed over the peaks of the Andes Mountains before descending along the steep and winding road with unbelievable views to the coast.
I'll update from Canoa in the near future. Can't wait to see the ocean!! Ciao! Pura Vida! Getting ready for our exploration of Santa Marta; NGG and BB had some discrepancies as to where and which direction from our condo in Playa Rodadero it actually was. NGG had the addresses of two "expat-friendly" places and thought it was to the south of us; whereas BB was using Google maps and thought it was to the north. Just for reference as to why BB wasn't 100% confident in his Google map...he got lost on several occasions in Cartagena trying to use Google maps for directions to a restaurant. Playa Rodadero is fairly easy to navigate as the Calles run E-W (from the beach inland) and the Carreras run N-S (along the shore). The addresses to the places we wanted to go to in Santa Marta, seemed to be to the south if they were a continuation of our streets in Rodadero. We picked a central location in Santa Marta for our cab driver to let us off and trusted him (he was the one who picked us up in Cartagena) to get us to the right spot. We started out weaving through the Calles and Carreras of Rodadero in a southern fashion; and I thought damn, NGG's right...until we turned left and headed for the "highway" and then headed north. We both looked at each and silently chuckled and were glad that our friendly ex-policeman/taxi driver knew what he was doing. About 10 minutes later we were driving through the Calles and Carreras of Santa Marta (in the same directions as in Playa Rodadero). We got dropped off at one of the small parks in the historic district near the beach. Here's some of the sights we took in. The streets had a Cartagena feel to them; but with a completely different vibe. If I had to put a characterization on it, I'd say Cartagena-quaint, Santa Marta-city. Even though Cartagena is twice the size of Santa Marta; comparing the historic districts of each, Santa Marta felt more city than Cartagena. We enjoyed our stroll around the streets being tourists all the while trying not to look like tourists. We had a little lunch and then decided to go to the lowest number of Carrera to...if you were following along you know we were going to...the beach. (Hit play for the 11 pic slideshow) We bought a king size freeze pop from one of the beach vendors for $2000 Copoas (that's about 51 cents) and cooled off a little as we strolled the malecon along the beach. We were both surprised to see the large port at the end of the beach to the north. After we successfully walked off lunch, it was time to replace the lost liquids from the hot afternoon of exploring. BB just happened to remember the locale of an afternoon beer special so the two explores navigated the Calles and Carreras to the Vape King sidewalk bar. This place had 4 small tables outside and room for about 10 people standing shoulder to shoulder inside. The beer special was 6 beers for 30,000 Copas; the number (on the sign) is usually used and the thousands is usually inferred, which is $7.66 USD. We got two beers at a time (too warm for a bucket of iced beer in the open air) as we watched the foot traffic go by. After a bit a man came by and asked if I wanted my shoes shined (poor translation on my part because he meant cleaned); and maybe because he had shoe shining equipment, I said no thank you in Spanish because I was wearing tennis shoes. He then asked another man who was also wearing tennis shoes if he wanted his cleaned as well and he also declined; then I regretted saying no; realizing he would clean them and not "shine" them. He walked off as I looked down at my dirty and dusty shoes hoping he would come back this way. Those crazy mountain treks NGG has us going on most mornings have taken a toll on my gyms. Luckily I saw him returning a short while later and asked the price, 10 (000) and I immediately agreed to the cleaning! Halfway through I knew it was one of the best purchases I'd made since my $15 USD manny/peddy combo a week or so ago. After enjoying the people walking by and a few late afternoon beers, we walked to the second planned destination of the day, "The Best Wings in Santa Marta". I'd have to say, adequate wings with a good hot sauce. The staff was super friendly as we sat in the corner table and only patrons at the time. When the owner came out of the back section of the restaurant she "instantly recognized us" and welcomed us back, asking how we've been and that it was good to see us again. She left and we both looked at each other like WTF? We laughed it off and finished our food and worked out our path to the neighborhood grocery store before going home. Using the Girl Scout rule while exploring of never passing up a bathroom, I asked and found the washroom in the back section of the restaurant. Well, before reaching my destination, who do I run into but my old aquaintance, the owner. She restates that it's so good to see me again and then comes and hugs me with a kiss on the cheek, with a "hope you enjoyed your dinner and thanks for coming back." Well...I couldn't pee fast enough so I could tell NGG that bit of news! We were chuckling about that on the cab ride home after grocery shopping that ended our wonderful day in Santa Marta. Lately, during the day, our beach has been less crowded than when we first arrived. Don't get me wrong, there are still people on the sand and in the water at the crack of dawn (or at least when I get up); but not as dense throughout the day. That is, until sunset approaches. I think Colombians enjoy watching the sun sink into the ocean as much as Sha and I. During one of our previous morning treks up the neighboring mountains of our area, we met a couple at the peak while resting that said there was a great beach at the end of the downhill road ahead; only ten more minutes, "You gotta go see it!". At the time we declined as we weren't sure if we would make it back home that day. Well, last week we decided we would take the backpack with towels, extra water and go the full distance to the great beach "we had to see" called Inca Inca Beach (cool name for a beach so we had to go see it!). Our mountaineering endurance was getting pretty good so the walk to the peak wasn't quite as tough as the first time (but it wasn't "frickin" easy!). We encountered a group at the peak that we exchanged pleasantries and began the descent "kinda together". We each recalled the "10 minutes to the beach" our earlier "friends" had said was the descent to the beach. We soon lost track of keeping time as we were so intent on not falling from the steepness of the descent and the uneven and rocky terrain of the "road" going down. About 20 minutes into the extremely difficult descent, I wanted to time travel back to kick the crap out of that couple we met earlier. You wouldn't think you'd have to rest going down hill but, we did, multiple times! During these times, our fellow descendants caught up with us and we were discussing the merits of safety and hoping we were nearing the end of the road. You all can relax; Sha and I made it to the bottom and the end of the road and the beach. We were very happy! I believe it was about 36 or 37 seconds later that I said "there is no way I'm walking back up that *$&#@% hill to go home!" We got ourselves ready for the beach; taking off our tennis shoes, socks, soaked shirt and then finding a place to store our stuff. We sort of followed the Colombian group of people we walked down the hill with and put our stuff near theirs as we all went to the sea to cool off. Inca Inca beach is in a small half a mile bay and beautiful. We enjoyed the calm cool waters lapping quietly up on the shore as we brought our body temperature back to normal. We hadn't planned on spending the whole day at this beach, but as we both realized we weren't climbing back up that hill, our Colombian friends began to talk to us more and we found they had plans to take the water taxi back to Playa Rodadero later. Long story short; this group of people were extremely friendly to us and even invited to have lunch with their whole group when they took a break from the water to eat. They invited us to play games in the water with them and were always keeping an eye out for us and trying to include us in their group. By the end of the day, we felt close to them, finding out that a couple was getting married in a few months, some were family, some friends; but all were super friendly to us. After having a fantastic day that we spent mostly in the Caribbean Sea, near 5 PM, we all boarded the water taxi to return to Playa Rodadero. The water taxi ended up dropping us all at the far end of our beach (so we had a far walk to get home), but we had hugs and kisses when we parted with our new friends we spent the day with at Inca Inca Beach. Besides some of the great meals that Sha has created at our home during this trip; we have been to the great Italian pizza place and the cliffside restaurant for sunsets (and my Bday) and sushi. We also have a beach side restaurant at the beach entrance from our complex. Chucho Blu, is right on the water at the end of the Bay. We enjoyed a great dinner with an even better seafood appetizer... You might recall that I told you a bit ago that I had been able to count the number of clouds in the sky we'd seen in Colombia on two hands; well that changed just the other day when we woke up to this. I'm sorry; but I didn't sign up for this crap! So, I'm sorry to say that it's time to leave Colombia... but not before a blast from the past. Damn, didn't know BB had hair!
We are off to Ecuador in a few days...we thank everyone for the heads up about the turmoil within this country; we have been getting regular updates from the US Embassy. Just an FYI, we have registered with the US Embassy as to our travel destinations and will be vigilant and careful wherever we are going. We are excited to continue our exploration of South America and look forward to showing you what we are up to next in our following posts. Three months in Ecuador before we return to the States. As always, we are hoping the best is surrounding you and your families! Pura Vida! The number of clouds Sha and I have seen in Colombia can be counted on two hands. I recall I mentioned in the last post that it was hot here; that still remains true. The sunshine hitting the ground here does not have any interference as it bathes the beach and anywhere that is not behind a building or mountain. The one difference between Cartagena and Santa Marta is the wind. Blowing much harder in this region of Colombia and tends to help with keeping BB from needing two bandanas during the day most of the time. As the title of our blog states; we wanted to move where the sun is...so we are very happy to be here and enjoying this new experience! Speaking of enjoying the sun...our first sunset in Santa Marta was at the cliffside restaurant on top of the hill by our condo complex. Watching this spectacle never gets old for me, and I hope my sharing it doesn't either for you. A bottle of wine was the perfect companion to have as we watched the sun go down, and then we focused on ordering some dinner. The good reviews for this place didn't let us down and we enjoyed an order of sushi, then NGG ordered a steak (it was more like a roast!) that was awesome and BB had a pasta and seafood mix where no leftovers were leftover. Dessert wasn't necessary; but a must! As you may have been able to discern, we like to explore our surrounding areas by foot whenever we can. We have located multiple grocery stores within the "town" area over our first week and then we started to go outside the buildings and see the sights in the surrounding hills/mountains. Here are a couple of the sights we have seen on our travels...found this sexy young thing at the top of one of the hills I climbed and asked her if she wanted to share her water. Thankfully she did, because I was parched! Our beach is an extremely popular place for people to be; whether it be at 6 AM or 10-11 PM. Before the sun rises over the mountains just east of our bay, there are people on the beach and in the Caribbean Sea. We haven't got up early enough to see the beach empty or with no one in the water yet. Here's a peek at the early morning scenery and fisherman activity on our beach... As an old retired guy, I find mornings are difficult some days...but not every day! I am a lucky guy to be able to have celebrated birthday #63 in Santa Marta Colombia with the love of my life! We had so much fun and enjoyed ourselves the first time, that we went back to our cliffside restaurant for the sunset and a sushi dinner (my choice!). I was super happy and really enjoyed getting a day older! We ended having a bonus birthday gift as the moon made a brilliant appearance that was wondrous and provided the icing on the cake. For safety and security, we don't tend to be out at night, or at least not late at night. But we did happen to catch the sun setting while in town one night as we picked up a couple of necessities for the condo (ok, I ran out of beer, but that's important...right?). I can't forget to tell you about the best Italian place in Playa Rodadero that is like a piece of Italy transplanted into Santa Marta. Nuvola Rossa has an authentic (brought from) Italian fire brick pizza oven and an Italian chef that creates pasta better than homemade! Our pizza and eggplant lasagna were soooo good! Now, here's the second part of the story... Our bill came...and as I have said, Sha checks the reviews of the places we go to and checks their websites before we go, so we were confident they took credit cards for payment. We were startled to find out they didn't when our bill came. Not wanting to be carrying a lot of cash (local or dollars) we only had a portion of what our tab was! We were frantic as to how we were going to figure this problem out. Do I go home and get some cash to then go to the exchange "store" to get the needed pesos to pay our tab? Well, we decided to let the owner know of our problem and she was so nice and said whatever you have will be fine...we both were embarrassed. So, we assured her that we would be back tomorrow to settle up in full (which we did). I am not sure she was surprised when we came back the next day. But when we returned for a second dinner a week later we were treated like family during our dinner! Returning from our second dinner at Nuvola Rossa, we got to see what the "city life" was like. Calle 7, is the place to be and the businesses that are here are packed with people! We have a venture into Santa Marta (proper) planned this Friday to explore the historical part of Santa Marta and check into two "expat" friendly establishments that may (or may not) have another person who speaks english...we have come across two sets of people who have spoken english to this point in our visit (just so you know; we don't mind that a bit--still need to improve our Spanish). So, that venture may be enough for the last blog post in Colombia before we head to Ecuador.
So I will sign off for now...I hope you find some joy in following our explorations of the sun-filled areas of our planet. P.S. My apologies if at times I find myself funnier than I really am. Please find warm thoughts for our friends and family in the U.S. that are not wearing shorts and tank tops when they go outside at this time. Until next time mi amigos... Pura Vida! |
Kevin & Sharon SeibelBeginning our next big adventure! Archives
December 2023
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