Bright and early this morning our cohort was sent out to several communities in Colombia. We are exploring Cartagena, Armenia, Bucaramanga and Cartago. Annie and I arrived in Cartago after a very short 30 minute flight from Bogotá. The contrast between the two cities was felt immediately. We went from 60 degree weather to upper 90s with humidity that rivals the humidity in Oklahoma. Our sweet host teacher, Angelica, and her husband drove for another half hour from Pereira to Cartago. We checked in at our hotel...HOUSTON ,WE HAVE A PROBLEM. I am not a finicky traveler (or so I thought); however, the hotel was not going to be a place of relaxation for the next eight days. Annie and I decided to find another hotel. I am happy to report that we are comfortable in our new hotel.
Angelica and her husband, Mario, invited us to a quaint restaurant for lunch. The building itself wasn't very old . However, the owner designed it with pieces of antiques, doors, windows and decorations from very old buildings in the city. We enjoyed coconut lemonade (I'll try to find the recipe) and traditional Colombian dishes. The early morning, the headache of airports and the heat were quickly catching up with us. A shower (c0ld) and a nap followed. We rejoined Angelica, Mario and their adorable son for a tour-by-car of the city and later joined the locals at Parque Lineal for evening that turned into one of the most incredible moments of my life. It is so hot in Cartago that everyone pulls chairs out onto the porch or goes to the Parque Linares to enjoy the somewhat cooler weather of the evening. The park was full of families, children, and friends. The park is lined with ancient, wise trees draped in Spanish moss. There are playgrounds, chairs for sitting, little tables and every type of food vendor you can imagine. Tons of coffee. We found a spot to sit and enjoy the company when a man approached our group. He is a dear friend of Angelica and Mario. His name is Luis Carlos Franco. He is a walking history textbook. The richness of his storytelling is something I will never forget. His love for his little community came from deep within his soul. He is proud of Cartago. He is proud of Colombia. We spoke about everything from politics, tourism, landscapes, coffee and modern technology. I hung on every word. My hope is to record an interview with him for this blog. Best.day.ever!
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AuthorI am a professional educator, lifelong learner, and global citizen with a passion for travel! Archives
September 2018
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