STAGGERING The port of Cartaghena is a spectacular sight from the sea. Here is the anchorage where also Underveis is anchored. Few tourists and a low crime rate are key words for Cartaghena.
NEWS AND FEATURE STORIES
CARTAGHENA: Following seven days of quick sailing from Chaguaramas, we raised the skyline of Cartaghena in the horizon. This was to be the start of a month`s touring around in this magnificent South-American pearl of a country.
- Only 500.000 people live in Oslo? How nice! That means everybody knows everybody, right? Jennifer sends us an impressed smile. Bogotà, the capital of Colombia, has a population of between six and eight million people. We are sitting on the bus from Cartaghena, a 22 hour busride. But the bus is the bset bus we have ever ridden. Jennifer isn’t too bad, either. She works as an accountant in the States, and hence she is the only person on the bus that speaks any English. We ask and ask, and she answers as best she can. – Colombia is the country that has everything – both good and bad, Finn Olav states, after we have travelled through the country for a month. This is Colombias blessing, but also her curse.
EXOTIC In Columbia Christmas is also celebrated with Santas and snowmen. But only inflatable ones. No real snowman would ever survive 35 degrees centigrade in the shadow, and hadrly any Santas either!NOT BEAUTIFUL Bogotà is not a beautiful city, but still attractive. Green hills surround it, and the climate is like in Norway in the fall.JUST LIKE GOOD OLD TIMES The capital Bogotà supposedly has between six and eight millkion inhabitants. Igt is in many ways a modern, but ugly city. Still, horse and carriage is a common sight. A testimony to the large differences in wealth that charachterise and haunt this beautiful country.AS IN NORWAY The climate in Bogotà and surrounding areas is like in Norway. Here from 3,400 metres above sea level.RAINFALL When it rains in Bogotà, it rains for real. Hailstorms paralyzing the entire city are not unusual. Finn Olav went for a swin in this taxi.BURGERS We served burgers for dinner together with the missionaries in Bogotà. Very popular for the more than 70 boys and men residing there. The project is supported financially by NORAD.ARTIST Jefferson became a drug addict when he was already a grown up. He is now rehabilitated, and has taken up his art profession again.
CALI: Cali is known as the city with the most beautiful women in Colombia, and in spite of a population of some 2,6 million, it barely has a single tall building. We lived in a hotel a stone`s through from the central bus station, at 20 USD a night, including air condition and pure luxury for two circumnavigators. Even though the city is worn and torn, the centre of the city is beautiful. We strolled about the Christmas-decorated main streets and photographed, and we have barely seen anything like this before. Police is everywhere to be seen, and we felt very safe. We celebrated Christmas together with a married couple from Lofoten, and had a great time. We didn’t stray far from the centre of the city before we hit rural surroundings, and Colombia is really a beautiful country! In the mountains, it resembles Norway, whereas in the lower regions, it resembles Africa and the tropics.
HEAVY LOAD Old and new lives side by side in Colombia, and many people live their lives in outmost poverty. This boy is on his way home from the market after a days work. He can not be more than 10 years old, but hauls a heavy burden.SANTAS SLEIGH?: Look again. This isn`t Santas sleigh, this is a overcrowded bus we passed in Cali. Se en gang til.MOONSHINE The moon peeks throug the foliage on this giant tree in Cali.
COLOURFUL: Cali is worn and torn, but still colourful and beautiful. Here from the fountain in front of the mayors office.