Colombia, New York, North Carolina, Ecuador...I'm so confused!

Hola travellers!

You people will think I deserved it, but there I was, on a 17 hour overnight bus from Santa Marta to Bogota surrounded by children. Thankfully after a while the parents smarted up and drugged them and they went to sleep.....so ended my last trip to Colombia which I have to say is one of the best places on earth and I highly recommend everyone go there if given a chance. I do have some secrets about that trip which I will not divulge here (a girl has to have some secrets!), but suffice it to say it has been a highlight of my trip here to South America.

I know it has been forever, and tomorrow I am off to the Black Sheep Inn www.blacksheepinn.com to do some volunteer work so who knows when I will actually find the time to update this again!

Some thoughts as I sit here at the Papayanet here in Quito before I head out tomorrow. Coming back to the states was a lot of fun for a while, although I probably spent too much time, as now I have to get back in the groove and try to think en espanol again.

I sit here listening to, of course, Culture Club because it is all about the 80's here, and consider the differences 24 hours can make. Last night I was having drinks at some semi ritzy hotel in Manhattan with a friend who flew out all the way to NYC from New Mexico to surprise me, and then not 10 hours ago I was browsing the sky mall catalog on my flight from New York and pondering the real need in the world for an instant doorway puppet stage (complete with working curtains!) and something called the marshmallow shooter, which as you have probably guessed, is a gun that shoots marshmallows. But all is right with the world as not more than a half hour ago I got to through the toilet paper in the trash again. Although in reality I now know someone who would actually probably like the marshmallow shooter (you know who you are, but your secret is safe with me!).

I think we last left off in Cartegena which is very beautiful and very hot. Those folks speak very fast and apparently have collectively decided to do away with the S is all Spanish words. I got to wear the shorts I have been carrying around in my bag for 6 months there and so justified packing them to bring back, although in reality don't think I will wear shorts again for 6 more months. I also got to tour one of the old forts in Cartegena that was constructed to protect the city and see the museum of the inquisiton. Creepy. I did get to have drinks at an awesome outdoor restuarant at sunset, so that was cool. Very romantic and I was there alone, but that is kind of the story of my life...sigh. For my trouble I got to spend 27,000 pesos on a mojito! Preparing me for my reentry into New York, I guess.

I then pressed on to a small town called Taganga which is in the Northeast of Colombia near the Venezuelan border. I did nothing there but look at the amazing view, sweat, and try to think of ways to foil the mosquitos. I took a "direct" bus from Cartegena which turned out to involve sitting in Baranquilla (has to be one of the ugliest cities on the planet, I don't care what Shakira says!) where the same bus then picked me up an hour later to continue on to Santa Marta. I have a total of about 1 picture of Taganga which is the lovely bay picture you will see in the photos.

Other photos are of the statues in San Augustin, which apparently come from a civilization no one really knows anything about, and our horseback ride into the hills to see some of them and Lucas, our guide, demonstrating his horseriding abilities. Of course the guide kind of started stalking me in town after that, but did give me a lovely pair of earrings that I wore on my birthday, so it's not all bad! Weird, but not bad. Before I forget, here are the photos

http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w190/sweidmann/Colombia%20dos/?start=all

I am hoping at some point to figure out how to make that a link rather than something you have to copy and paste, but for now you just get to deal with it.

Better run for now as the music has decidedly turned 90's, which I will take as my cue to head back to the hostel, where they even put me in the same room as last time, which is somewhat comforting. It was great to see everyone in New York and North Carolina, and thanks to dad, Cheryl and Kris for coming to see me in North Carolina, and to Maryann for coming to see me in New York. Kudos to Doina for a surprise well done!

Further updates will include the sordid details regarding my realization that it is not only my life that is all about laundry, but it is everyone else's life here too. I finally fit in somewhere as these people can all appreciate my issues!

Love you all!