Cartagena Columbia

We will be spending the next 3 nights in Cartagena Columbia before we all head off in different directions more or less.

Tues December 10, 2013 Aduanas dia!
We met at the docks at 7am.  We took the zodiac out to the Stalaratte.  Our bikes were then hoisted one by one on to a small barge (held 6 bikes).  We then motored to shore and drove our bikes off onto a small dock.   We are now driving in South America, completely illegally!  Sweet.  So we headed off to the Aduanas office to get all the paper work done.  We left the office just after noon to head back to the docks to pick up all our gear, then off to the insurance office.  Which was closed from 12-2.  We left the office with hour newly purchased $16 insurance policy around 3:30pm.  Long day!!   We bid farewell to those riders we may not be seeing again. 

Out for drinks with the guys, part of the Stahlratte crew now...

Wed Dec 11 Bike Repair/ Old Cartagena Fort
On Wednesday a large group of us headed out to get our bikes worked on.  Greg needed a tailight, Zac needed his exhust welded, Matt needed his oil changed, Dave needed chain lube and we still needed our wheels checked.

Kyle's rear wheel seemed to be straight and true however the bearings were shot (not bad for 13,000km).  It cost $5 to get them changed.

Trevors front wheel has many loose spokes, however, they are seized and we were unable to get them repaired.  We will try again in Medellin (approx 600km south).

Cartagena is a beautiful city, rich with culture and history.  It was originally named after Cartagena Spain and during the colonial period, Cartagena served a key role in administration and expansion of the Spanish empire. It was a center of political and economic activity due to the presence of royalty and wealthy viceroys. Cartagena is the city most associated with pirates in the Caribbean, and the world. Cartagena's colonial walled city and fortress were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Better not miss that one, in the afternoon we visited the old fortress.

Not built for tall people. 

Typical Columbia dinner, cost us $3.50 each.

Christmas lights

 

Thursday Dec 12 Mud Volcano - El Totumo
The highlight of today was the mud volcano.  A volcano filled with sulfur and mud, where do we sign up? Well AJ, Ian, Kyle and Trevor signed up.... We opted for a tour as it only cost approx $15.

Uruk-hai coming down the hill! RUN!!!!  LOTR

 The mound itself raises at about 5 ft and there is a staircase that leads to the crater, which can accommodate about 10 to 15 people at a time.   Once at the top we descended a ladder to bathe in the dense warm mud.

Kyle and AJ and some other random people.   The guys with the hats were giving massages. haha.

The mud is Luke-warm, and very buoyant, it was like being suspended in outer-space, except with air, warmth, and mud. Ok, so nothing like outer-space, but the sensation was other worldly.

Trevor, Kyle, Ian and AJ

Literately you could not sink!  The tour guide informed us that the hole was 2,300 ft deep! 

We are then led down to the lake, where women from the village asked us to strip naked and then wash us and scrub our muddy swim suits. Hours later we are still pulling mud from our ears!

The photographer, the massage and the mom’s scrubbing. In the end it was a surprisingly fun afternoon. 

Wrestling the reluctant AJ, forcing him completely under like the rest of us.

Tomorrow (Friday) We head south with Zac, AJ.  It should take us 2 days to get to Medellin.  Some of the other guys left today for the northern coast (most northern point in South America)