26 November 2010

This morning I left Cartagena. Took me an hour just to get out of the city but after that it was back to normal. Straight cruising on a two lane highway past rolling hills and floodplains. The road is good. Lots of toll stops. Tomorrow Medellín. Joelson stayed in Cartagena so once again I’m on my own.

Driving out of Cartagena

25 November 2010

I stayed today to make sure Joelson can get his money but it looks like his friend will not be using my bank account. Today I had trouble with my own bank accounts as Bank of America froze my funds. I chatted online with a bank employee and he claimed I had not informed them I would be out of the country. It was a lot of trouble and infuriating but I was finally able to get through on their international collect line and sort things out.

I walked around the Cartagena Museum of Modern Art. Is is very small but there are some interesting pieces in the collection. It rains every afternoon and this afternoon the sky really opened up and let us have it. My pants are still soaked.

Last night I was hanging out with an Irish lady from the Hostel who claims her brother is the drummer for My Bloody Valentine and that she has done PR work for numerous rock bands. Last night I also had a dream about Anastasiya but I did not write it down so I forgot it.

View from the hostel balcony

24 November 2010

Getting the car was extremely easy. We went to the Dian (customs) first thing in the morning to have an agent assigned to inspect the cars and our exit papers were waiting for us. There was no need to have anyone inspect the car. Upon exiting the port, the police inspected our papers and car but that was it. A lot of hassle I thought would occur did not happen.

Obtaining insurance was a bit of a hassle. Apparently you can get insurance at any gas station. But they directed us somewhere else.  The lady entered the wrong model of car in the computer and that took a bit to clear up.

Finding a post office to mail a postcard to my brother was a hassle. Even the owner of the hostel who led me to the post was given the runaround. Finally we found it in a tourist gift shop.

Cartagena is vibrant during the weekday. Not so much on the weekend. Everywhere someone is trying to sell something. Socks. Mangoes. Bracelets. There are no pay phones. Instead there are people on the street with multiple cellphones whom up pay to use.

Joelson wants to use my bank account for his friend to deposit money in. I will then withdraw this money and give it to him. I hope it does not take too long. I want to leave quickly. I want to be quickly on my way. Tonight we watched the movie he stars in “Escape From Darwin”. He plays a Crackhead Joe.  This low budget film was made in Darwin, California which is a small desert town near Death Valley.  It was quite ridiculous. I do not know if we will travel together but it has been good to have him navigate the whole process. We photocopied my map today for him.

23 November 2010

Today our container was not ready until 4:30. This was two and a half hours later than expected. It wasn’t even in the computer system. By the time it was ready, there were no customs agents around to inspect the vehicles. I was able to look at the cars and verify there was no damage and I was able to retrieve a fresh change of clothes and my macbook. Tomorrow looks very hopeful for finally being able to retrieve the car but there are no guarantees in this bureaucratic jungle. Hopefully the third time’s the charm.

22 November 2010

Joelson’s airplane was late but that didn’t matter because the ship hadn’t even arrived yet so we couldn’t do anything. I paid for his room at the hostel and we played pool at a pool hall. He won every game except when he hit the eight ball in on accident. We walked around town a bit then I went off to have a beer. Nothing it seems is ever happening. At the bar outside the hostel I met a Norweigan man and his girlfriend. He bought me a drink and shared his whiskey.

Wandering troubadours with guitars walked by and I asked if he played. Then he invited them over and requested I play some American tunes (Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, etc.) but I couldn’t so I jammed with the one of the guitarists. It was pretty awesome playing an impromptu guitar session in Cartagena.

Tomorrow the ship is scheduled to arrive. I hope I can retrieve my car.  I’m eager to get back on the road.

21 November 2010

Last night an American man gave me a DVD about Solomon’s Temple by a Messianic Jew named Michael Rood. Today I walked all around Cartagena. On the city walls, up and down the streets, and to Castillo San Felipe which is a huge fortress on a hill above Cartagena just outside the city walls. The town is quite lovely. Joelson will not arrive until tomorrow morning.

Castillo San Felipe

Inside Castillo San Felipe

New Cartagena seen from the Old City walls

20 November 2010

I have made it to Cartagena, Colombia. I’m in South America. It’s pretty exhilarating to know I’m far away on another continent and that I am well on my way on this trip.  Joelson will not be here until late Monday or Tuesday but I will start the process of retrieving our cars without him. I’m staying in central Cartagena within the walls of the old city. The streets are narrow and the architecture is beautiful Spanish Colonial. Same as the French Quarter in New Orleans. Tomorrow I will have to explore the city properly.

A wedding celebration spills out into the street

Cartagena at night