Castillo de San Felipe

Ah carumbus! I just realized that I did not post this one. So better late than never. Back to Cartagena for a short while.

Have I said just how humid it is here?!!! If I am not in air conditioning or near a fan, I sweat - my face, my arms etc, even when I am just sitting. I am feeling some consolation because even my family and teachers are commenting on how hot it is.

My Spanish classes are going really well and I am learning a lot. I am really glad I am going to school AND staying with a family. I am getting a lot of practice J There are 6 students in my class - 3 germans, 1 swiss (who speaks german) and another american from NYC. To all those who are worried about me traveling solo in another continent and country, I have met a least 6 other single women traveling in South America. All of them are traveling for at least 3 months. It is encouraging to know there are others out here in this vast world that have similar adventurous yearnings.

My 2 friends, Anna from London and Leslie from NYC, and I found a great restaurant for lunch. It’s about 3 blocks from the school and they have awesome food!!! I love it because they serve one meal for lunch with your choice of meat. The lunch includes soup, homemade juice, rice, beans, vegetables and the meat. All for about $3.00!!! It’s prepared differently every day. Some days the rice has cacao, other days it is white etc. I totally love the concept of not really having to make any decision but at the same time getting something scrumptious and different every day.

We have a nice routine: we take classes in the morning, go out for lunch and then adventure in the afternoons. We went to the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas. It’s a fortress a few blocks from where I am staying that took 150 years to build starting in 1639. We got to walk in the tunnels and absorb all the views of the ocean. Our favorite part was the breeze at the top. (Go figure!) Leslie and I are practicing our Spanish even when we are not in class and Anna helps us since she is more advanced.

Here are some pictures from el Castillo. You can see the view of the old city from the top, one of the tunnels, a stairway going down to the tunnel and the whole fortress itself. There also is a picture of the Colombian flag. These colors are everywhere. Colombianos are similar to our Texans in their attitude and zest for their country.