Day 16- Farewell Santa Marta, hello again Bogota (24/7/25)

 


I was a little sad to leave Santa Marta. It is not the prettiest city that I have visited but it has a certain vibe that really sat well with me. Cartagena was too busy and clearly has been overwhelmed by tourism, whereas Santa Marta enjoys a more laid back feel. The Caribbean culture is not as strong but it retains an identity that is intrinsically tied to it’s proximity to Tayrona, and it’s history as the oldest city in Colombia.

I had tried unsuccessfully to pre-book an Uber for my journey to the airport, but I had seen that there were plenty of cars in the area. As such, I felt comfortable in waiting until the last minute to book a car. Sure enough, Ricardo arrived 1 minute after I had booked the car.

Ricardo, like many other taxi drivers I have met, spoke no English. However, we managed a conversation about football. This began like so many conversations I have had with other drivers… “de donde eres?”, “soy de inglaterra”, “Ah Chelsea!”. The assumption that all English people Support Chelsea is starting to grate a little. I tried to explain that West Ham is another team in London, but he hadn’t heard of them. At traffic lights, two beautiful young women on a motorbike pulled up next to us. I noticed his gaze and commented that Colombian women are very beautiful, “Si! Ellas son la major en el mundo!”(they are the best in the world). I asked him if him was married, to which he replied that he was not. I congratulated him, he laughed, and we continued on the journey.

Santa Marta airport is right on the sea. You can sit on the beach before entering the terminal, which is a nice touch.

By arriving back in Bogota, I have now come full circle. This time I am staying in an area called Chapinero; it is not too far from La Candelaria, from where I started this trip. Here it looks more like a city than a quaint historical area like La Candelaria.

The apartment that I have booked is an Airbnb. It is actually the apartment that I booked when I originally made my Colombia plans, back in 2020, but then had to cancel it due to the Covid19 pandemic. So, it feels like I have tied up a loose end, and that my trip can conclude in a state of equilibrium. The view from the apartment is incredible. It offers a 180 degree view of Bogota from the 24th floor. It is a well presented and cosy little place.

As much as it is nice to have your own space, and a beautiful view, I miss being in a Hostel or Hotel, where you can meet and talk to other people. There is something socially isolating about being in a tall tower block.

Wandering out into Chapinero, the city was coming alive for the night. Bars and cafes vibrated with the sound of the music. People were starting to occupy the seats outside, despite it being something of a cold evening. I am seeing a different side to the city this time round. La Candelaria is quite low key in the evening, whereas Chapinero has a bit more energy.

I am off up Cerro de Monserrate tomorrow morning. I have arranged for the same taxi driver to take me as she gave me her contact information and offered to take me wherever I wanted. Quite a nice upselling strategy, I think.

Back at the apartment, the view across the city at night is spectacular. This is clearly quite an expensive apartment. On his Airbnb profile, Nick, the host, states that he is a financier. So, obviously not short of a few pesos.

I am going to sit and enjoy the view for a while then get some rest.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day 1- Travelling day (9/7/25)

  The start of a long journey to South America began at Lara’s house, with Tilly laying next to me. Tilly has always been very aware of any little signs that I might be going away, even before I start packing. So, the last few days, despite her suffering from a tummy upset, she has stuck by my side all the time. When I was having a coffee with Lara, Tilly was giving me that look that says “you’re going away and leaving me, aren’t you?”; she does it so well. Lara drove me to the train station at Ford and we said our goodbyes. The journey to the airport takes you through some of the most beautiful countryside that the south of England has to offer. And, as a bonus, the train takes you directly to the South Terminal of Gatwick. The flight to Madrid left a little late for some unknown reason. Knowing that I had a fairly small window to get to my next flight, I was getting a little anxious. However, the pilot seemed to be in on the plan and flew the plane like he’d just stolen it...
Read more

Day 14- A different day in Santa Marta (22/7/25)

  Today is not what I had planned it to be due to the cancellation of my trip last night. So, as a last-minute thing, I booked something else for the evening. Still, very much in holiday mode, I had a slightly later start to the day. I didn’t fancy the same breakfast as yesterday as that seemed to play havoc with my digestive system. It has occurred to me that eggs have been a regular part of my diet since I have been here, whether it be scrambled eggs in the morning, or fried eggs on my evening meals, and even turning up in the occasional Arepa. I asked the waiter to just give me some fruit. He asked if I would like some pancakes with that and I said yes, then realising that these include eggs too. The pool man has done a fantastic job; the pool is crystal clear this morning and the signs telling us not to use the pool have been removed. Allowing myself an hour of sitting in the sun to let my breakfast go down, I went for a dip. And then another a short while after. Being in...
Read more

Day 15- Tayrona National Park (23/7/25)

  Today is the day that I got a small taste of Tayrona, the jewel in Colombia’s crown. Covering 150 square kilometres, it is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. Set in the heart of the Sierra Nevada mountains, it consists of rain forest, marshland, arid mountain peak, and white sandy beaches. Apparently, it is one of the few places on earth where rainforest meets the sea. Today, I got to go to one of these beaches: Bahia Conche, or shell bay. My original booking was to get there by catamaran, but apparently the boat has been experiencing some engine problems. So, an alternative sail boat was laid on. The day consisted of a one and a half hour sail around the coast, from where we could get an amazing view of the Sierra Nevada mountains, falling away to the sea. There were about 12 of us in total. I chose to sit on the front of the boat in both directions, giving me a fantastic view, but also subjecting me to a lot of splashing from the waves as they crashed agains...
Read more