Category: Travel Essay

nagoya & the ōsu kanon temple market

wanderessence1025 November 20, 2024

Arrival in Nagoya

Monday, September 16, 2024: After driving from Takayama to the two post towns along the Nakesendo Trail and then to Nagoya, I couldn’t take the hassle of getting a shuttle from the Toyota-Rent-a-Car place to the airport, then the Express bus from the airport to Nagoya Station and then switching trains + a 15 minute walk to our hotel, Gold Stay Nagoya Osu, while hauling our luggage. So we opted for a taxi, our first in Japan, directly to the hotel 🏨. I was so exhausted and sick after the day that I put on my PJs and got in bed while Mike went out to a convenience store to nab us some dinner. We have a wonderful apartment here in Nagoya, but it’s sadly not conveniently located to any subway stops, with at least a 15-minute walk to any station. It does have its own Japanese bath, a kitchen and, best of all, a washing machine. We were able to watch Maestro in Blue on Netflix, but I fell asleep in the middle of it. This place would turn out to be one of our most favorite places to stay in Japan.

Gold Stay Nagoya Osu

Steps: 8,139; Miles: 3.44. Nagoya: Hi 92°F, Lo 77°F. Mostly cloudy.

Tuesday, September 17: We started our Tuesday in Nagoya by walking toward the metro to go to Nagoya Station to buy our Shinkansen tickets to return to Tokyo on Thursday. On the way, we passed a modern temple with an old drum tower.

old drum tower in front of a modern temple in Nagoya

Ōsu Kannon Temple

On Wednesday the 18th, there would be a big antique flea market on the grounds of Ōsu-Kannon Temple, which we planned to go to. Since it was nice and quiet today, we stopped to take some photos.

Ōsu Kannon Temple has roots back to 1933. The main object of worship at the temple is a wooden statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, which was carved by Kobo Daishi, an famous figure in Japanese Buddhism. The present building dates to 1970. Originally built during the Kamakura Period (1192-1333) in neighboring Gifu Prefecture, the temple was moved to its current site by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1612 after the original temple had been repeatedly damaged by severe flooding. The current buildings are 20th century reconstructions.

Ōsu Kannon Temple

Underneath Osu Kannon’s main hall is the Shinpukuji Library which contains over 15,000 classic Japanese and Chinese texts. Among these texts are several national treasures and important cultural properties, including the oldest copy of the Kojiki, a chronicle of the early history of Japan including its mythological origins.

me at Ōsu Kannon Temple

Mike at Ōsu Kannon Temple

ema at Ōsu Kannon Temple

Leaving the temple, we went on to the metro station and then to Nagoya station where it took us quite a while to find the place to buy our Shinkansen tickets.

I know it was a bit strange but we would be taking the Shinkansen to Narita, after only 10 days in Japan, to fly to Bali for 10 days. Then we’d return to Japan for another 19 days. It was cheaper and less time in the air to get round trip direct tickets from home to Tokyo and then round trip direct tickets from Tokyo to Bali and back.

Nagoya Castle

We took the metro to Nagoya Castle, but before going into the complex, we stopped at a coffee shop where we found a little boy eating a crazy-looking shaved ice concoction.

NAGOYA SIGN

little boy in coffee shop with his shaved-ice concoction

Nagoya Castle Map

We visited Nagoya Castle (名古屋城, Nagoyajō), built in the beginning of the Edo Period (1603-1868) as the seat of one of the three branches of the ruling Tokugawa family, the Owari branch. As such, it was one of the largest castles in the country, and the castle town around it ultimately grew to become Japan’s fourth largest city.

Nagoya Castle, one of the most representative Japanese castle structures of the early modern period, was constructed by Ieyasu Tokugawa (1542-1616), founder of the powerful Edo Shogunate. Following the construction of Edo Castle and Sumpu Castle, the Shogun in 1610 ordered construction of Nagoya Castle, actually the last to be built during his reign.

The operation was carried out as a national-level project to build a great castle that would symbolize the power and authority of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The five-storied Great Tenshu, the Castle’s donjon, crowned with a pair of glittering golden dolphin-like “shachi”, was especially famous as the largest wooden castle structure in Japan.

Nagoya Castle

Most castle buildings were destroyed in the air raids of 1945, including the castle keep and the palace buildings. The current ferro-concrete reconstruction of the castle keep dates from 1959 and – before its closure in May 2018 – contained a museum about the castle’s history. The park surrounding the castle keep features two circles of moats and impressive walls with corner turrets.

Near the entry was a stone topped with a man; it was called Kiyomasa’s Stone Pulling. It is said that Kato Kiyomasa, a renowned samurai who was ordered to supervise the construction of the stone walls of the Castle Towers, issued commands atop this stone.

Nagoya Castle moats

Kiyomasa’s Stone Pulling

Nagoya Castle’s Hommaru Palace was built in 1615 as the residence for the leader of the Owari Domain. Genkan, the entrance hall, was the first building to which visitors to the Hommaru Palace were admitted. The walls were adorned with bold depictions of tigers. Oroka, the grand corridor, was a passageway between the Genkan and the heart of the palace.

The palace burned down in the wartime air raids of 1945. Restoration work began in January 2009. Genkan, the entrance hall and Omote Shoin, the main hall, opened to public viewing in 2013. We walked through in single file lines, wearing mandatory slippers, and took photos of the beautiful tatami rooms and painted screens. Sadly, there was no air conditioning, so it was terribly stifling.

Genkan in Hommaru Palace

Omete Shein, the main hall was used for official audiences. The raised-floor room at the furthest end was reserved for lords.

Omete Shein

me in front of Omete Shein

Omete Shein

The Taimenjo (Reception Hall) was used for private banquets or meetings between the lord and his relatives or vassals. The Jodan-no-ma, main audience chambers, and Tsuginoma, connecting room, was decorated with paintings of famous sites, scenes of the four seasons, and groups of people.

Taimenjo (Reception Hall)

The lord or Shogun would use Saginoroka (Heron Corridor) when passing between the Taimenjo and the Jorakuden. It was constructed in 1634 at the same time as the Jorakuden. The screen paintings extending above the Nageshi, decorative beams, are a feature introduced around this time.

Saginoroka (Heron Corridor)

The Jorakuden (Shogun Accommodation Hall) was a palace extension built in 1634 for the impending visit of the Third Shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, en route from Edo (Tokyo) to the capital, Kyoto. During the Edo period it was known as the Go Shoin or the Oshiro Shoin. It was the most luxurious of the Hommaru buildings, with gorgeously decorated walls and ceilings, and an intricately carved, richly colored transom.

Jorakuden (Shogun Accommodation Hall)

The Umenoma (Plum Room) was a waiting room used by the high ranking vassals of Owari Province prior to audiences with the Shogun in the Jorakuden, Shogun accommodation hall. It was constructed along with the Jorakuden in 1634.

Umenoma

The main keep of Nagoya Castle was closed to visitors as it was undergoing a reconstruction to make it more earthquake proof.

main keep of Nagoya Castle

me at the main keep of Nagoya Castle

Mike at the main keep of Nagoya Castle

Nagoya

After visiting Nagoya Castle we returned to Ōsu-Kannon and then wandered through the shopping arcades all around there. We got little fish-shaped pastries filled with a sweet bean sauce. They were quite tasty. Japanese people love their sweets; you can find anything you imagine.

Ōsu-Kannon

Ōsu-Kannon shopping arcades

me coming out of Alice on Wednesday

Alice on Wednesday

fabrics inn Ōsu-Kannon shopping arcades

Ōsu-Kannon shopping arcades

Mike eats a fish-shaped pastry

fish-shaped pastry

fish-shaped pastries

Ōsu-Kannon shopping arcades

We went to a sushi bar, Sushi sakaba Matsubara, for dinner on Tuesday night. The menu was all in Japanese. Nagoya must not be much of a tourist town because often restaurants in Japan have an English menu. We haven’t found English menus much in Nagoya. I used my Papago app: it sucks! We ordered some kind of sushi, some kind of snack, beers and sake. I couldn’t tell for sure what any of the food was. We enjoyed the cozy atmosphere of the bar though.

me at Sushi sakaba Matsubara

Me with the Sushi sakaba Matsubara menu

Mike with the Sushi sakaba Matsubara menu

sushi at Sushi sakaba Matsubara

Sushi sakaba Matsubara

Steps: 15,518; Miles 6.57. Weather Hi 94°, Lo 74°. Mostly sunny.

Ōsu-Kannon Temple Market

Wednesday, September 18: The main reason I wanted to come to Nagoya was for the flea market held on the grounds of Ōsu-Kannon Temple on the 18th & 28th of every month. I was inspired by Peta of Empty Nesters on a Green Global Trek because I love textiles and she had found some pants made from temple flags when she was here last year. I was especially interested in lightweight summery pants with Japanese lettering. I found one lady who sold pants and clothes but she didn’t speak English; when I asked if hers were the pants made from temple flags, using Google Translate, she said no. Other merchants sold pieces of fabric or kimonos, but this one was the only merchant I could find who sold clothing. I ended up trying on a bunch of pants that didn’t fit, but I found two that did (although one needs hemming). I also found a dress embroidered with handmade stitching which I bought. I look horrible in the pictures because I was trying them on under or over my clothes and the high today was 97 degrees with super high humidity. Needless to say it was miserable. But at least I showed up and found a merchant (not the same one) who sold clothing and I found a couple of Japanese items. The merchant was super friendly and kept giving me things to try on that I had no interest in.

It was fun to wander through the market looking at pottery, fabrics, kimonos and every other kind of imaginable thing. Also, I took some surreptitious photos of pretty ladies in fancy yukata or kimono (I don’t know how to tell which is which). Also we glimpsed some strangely stylish space-age looking women walking through the temple gate.

Ōsu-Kannon Temple Market

me at the Ōsu-Kannon Temple Market

Ōsu-Kannon Temple Market

my favorite pants I bought at the Ōsu-Kannon Temple Market

me with the market vendor

the dress I bought

Mike at the Ōsu-Kannon Temple Market

the vendor at the Ōsu-Kannon Temple Market

ladies in kimono

Ōsu-Kannon Temple Market

Mike at the Ōsu-Kannon Temple Market

me at the Ōsu-Kannon Temple Market

Ōsu-Kannon Temple Market

Gate of Ōsu-Kannon Temple

space-age women walking through the Ōsu-Kannon Temple Gate

Ladies in kimono

ladies in kimono

Tokugawa Art Museum & Tokugawa Park

We took a JR line and a subway and walked about 15 minutes in the hot sun to the Tokugawa Art Museum in Nagoya. The first picture in the set below are two girls on the metro who were dressed alike. We found two sets of matching girls today.

Some of the galleries were closed in the museum but we enjoyed the ones we could see, especially as the museum was air-conditioned.

THE TOKUGAWA ART MUSEUM and surrounding public garden, THE TOKUGAWA PARK are situated in what was the main section of a mansion complex and grounds known as the Ozone yashiki.

The second lord of the Owari branch of the Tokugawa shogun family, Mitsutomo, had the mansion built and lived here in retirement from 1695. After Mitsutomo’s death in 1700, the location was used for the homes of three high-ranking Tokugawa retainers, the Naruse, Ishiko and Watanabe families. At the Meiji restoration (1868) the land reverted to the Tokugawa family.

In the museum, we found a helmet and armor from the Edo period, 1849. It was worn by the 14th lord of Owari, Tokugawa Yoshikatsu.

We saw a modern reproduction of a lord’s tea house in the simple sukiya-style. The design is based on records of the SARUMEN tea-house at the Owari Tokgawa’s Ninomaru residence at Nagoya Castle. The name Sarumen (“monkey’s face”) comes from the resemblance of the knots purposefully left exposed in the cedar pillar flanking the alcove.

We also enjoyed the formal chamber of a daimyo’s residence. The main rooms were used for official and ceremonial purposes. Here the lord issued orders or received guests at banquets.

matching girls on the metro to the Tokugawa Art Museum

helmet & armor from Edo period, Tokugawa Art Museum

Record on the repair and manufacture of matchlocks, Edo period, 18th-19th c.

Water Jar with cloud, rabbit and crane design. China, Ming Dynasty, 15th C.

Modern reproduction of a lord’s tea house

Tokugawa Art Museum

Formal chamber of a Daimyo’s Residence

Replica of decorative alcoves and raised section for the lord to sit

Tokugawa Art Museum

We found costumes related to Noh Theatre. Noh is a sophisticated musical drama that relates a delightful or often tragic story. A masked protagonist performs in dance and song, with one or two others in unmasked subsidiary roles, accompanied by a chorus, drums and flute. Shorter comic plays called Kyogen are interspersed to enliven a full performance. Noh’s restrained conventions of movement and texts full of poetical allusions achieved much of their present form by the mid-15th century under the enthusiastic patronage of the Ashikaga shoguns.

The warrior elite patronized Noh in the 16th century when many warlords were accomplished amateur performers. Noh drama in the Edo period became the official entertainment of the shogun and daimyo, powerful Japanese feudal lords, who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast hereditary land holdings.

Noh performances were obligatory at ceremonies and festive occasions throughout the year and to celebrate special events. Most daimyo families had a stage and a collection of Noh (and Kyogen) costumes, masks, and simple props to use whenever professional actors were called in. The amateur tradition continued. Practice in singing the texts was part of the education of any lord, and many are recorded as being talented dancers.

After our tour of the museum, we stopped in the museum “coffee room” to have cool drinks and “chestnut crunching” snacks.

Noh Theatre costumes

Tokugawa Art Museum

Flowers and Grasses, Edo period, 19th c.

Case for Incense Implements, maki-e lacquer design, peony arabesque. Edo period, 19th c.

Tokugawa Art Museum

me having a snack and cool drink at the Tokugawa Art Museum

After leaving the nice cool air conditioned museum we walked around the beautiful water garden that is part of the museum, The Tokugawa Park. It would be lovely in spring with the cherry blossoms and irises.

Tokugawa Park

me at the Tokugawa Park

Tokugawa Park

Mike at Tokugawa Park

Tokugawa Park

When we left the park we had to retrace our 15-minute walk from the Museum and Park back to the metro in the hot sun. It was sweltering and we were hungry so we were on the lookout for a cool place to eat. Luckily we found a little Italian restaurant where we enjoyed pasta. I had creamed risotto of smoked salmon and Mike a kind of spaghetti with corn.

Ōsu-Kanon Temple Market & wrapping up our visit to Nagoya

We passed by the Ōsu-Kanon Temple Market on the way back to our hotel and I took some photos of the colorful textiles and kimono for sale. The woman who had sold me the dress and two pants had already packed up and gone home for the day. She had probably made enough money from me to call it a day!

textiles at the Ōsu Kannon Temple Market

We dropped into Hioki Shrine near our hotel. Then we were happy to return to our room to rest for a bit and escape the heat… and have a beer!

Hioki Shrine

Mike in the hotel pajamas

us in our PJs, cooling off and enjoying a beer

Near Ōsu-Kannon, when walking back to our hotel, we’d seen the alluring plastic food display at Shinpachi Shokudö Ösukannon Ekimae. I had a craving for a fish meal, so after resting in our hotel during the hottest part of the afternoon, we went to the restaurant for a delicious fish dinner.

I enjoyed the Salt Char-grilled Thick-cut Coho Salmon Combo Meal and Mike had the Char-grilled Atka Mackerel Combo Meal (half).

Mike in Nagoya

Nagoya traffic

Shinpachi Shokudö Ösukannon Ekimae

plastic food display at Shinpachi Shokudö Ösukannon Ekimae

Mike in front of Shinpachi Shokudö Ösukannon Ekimae

Salt Char-grilled Thick-cut Coho Salmon Combo Meal with Standard Rice

Mike eating Char-grilled Atka Mackerel Combo Meal (half) with Standard Rice

Char-grilled Atka Mackerel Combo Meal (half) with Standard Rice

Shinpachi Shokudö Ösukannon Ekimae

We wandered back to the hotel through the covered arcades and finished readying ourselves for our next move: taking the Shinkansen to Narita for our flight to Bali on Friday.

Ōsu Kannon shopping arcade

walking back to our hotel after dinner

Steps: 14,888; Miles 6.3. Weather Hi 97°, Lo 78°. Mostly sunny.

Thursday, September 19: We left Nagoya Thursday morning on the Nozomi 314 Shinkansen at 9:41. While waiting for the train to arrive it was fun to capture the girls making fashion statements.

Japanese fashion at Nagoya Station

our Shinkansen tickets from Nagoya to Tokyo

views of Japan out the window of the Shinkansen heading back to Tokyo

We headed to Tokyo and then onward to Narita, where we would spend the night and fly to Bali on Friday morning.

arrival in japan: a brief visit to tokyo & surrounds

wanderessence1025 November 6, 2024

The journey from Virginia to Tokyo

Monday, September 9, 2024: We arrived by Uber to Washington Dulles International Airport at 9:45 a.m. for our 14-hour direct 12:25 pm United Airlines flight to Tokyo Haneda Airport. I was all about comfort for a long flight such as this, so I wore my PJ-like airplane set.

I sat in the aisle seat (Mike and I always get aisle seats across from each other) with three seats to my right. As the plane nearly finished boarding, I realized no one would be sitting in those three seats. I couldn’t believe my luck because it meant I’d be able to stretch out and sleep over all four seats. The feisty older male flight attendant said the plane must have been carrying a lot of cargo because he had never seen that flight so empty.

I settled in for the flight and opened a pack of trail mix Mike had packed. He always takes care of our snacks on trips. I watched Mama Mia! before and during dinner for about the millionth time. Our dinner was a very blah pasta with tomato sauce and a salad.

We flew at an altitude of around 38,000 feet across the northern U.S., up near Alaska and then across the northern Pacific Ocean. At take off, time to destination was 13 hours 55 minutes. The distance to Tokyo was 6,781 miles (10,913km).

Mike on his way to the gate at Dulles

Our United Flight, waiting for us!

me with three empty seats

the wonderful 3 empty seats!!

Time to destination: 13h 55 min

eating boring pasta and watching Mama Mia!

the flight path across the northern U.S.

Steps: 3,986; miles 1.68. Weather in Virginia: Hi 76°F. Lo 65°F. Sunny.

Tuesday, September 10: At some point in time we moved into Tuesday. When I wasn’t sleeping, I watched The Idea of You with Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine; it was about a 40-year-old single mom who begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet.

For breakfast on the plane sometime Tuesday afternoon (Japanese time), we had scrambled eggs with corn and black beans and grapes with pineapple.

The flight path across the Pacific

Time remaining 2hr 5 min

breakfast in the afternoon

approaching Japan

Getting closer

Tokyo, Japan

As we approached Tokyo at about 3:25 on Tuesday afternoon, Mike captured photos of the largest metropolitan area on earth, with 41 million people as of 2024. (This includes the Greater Tokyo Area, which includes Tokyo and parts of six neighboring prefectures). Fourteen million residents lived within the city proper as of 2023. Delhi, India is 2nd with 28 million (2018).

Tokyo, Japan – the largest metropolitan area on earth

Tokyo is Japan’s economic center and seat of both the Japanese government and the Emperor of Japan, Naruhito, the hereditary monarch and head of state of Japan, who has served since May 1, 2019.

Before the 17th century, Tokyo, then known as Edo, was mainly a fishing village. It became politically prominent in 1603 when it became the seat of the Tokugawa shogunate. The historical novel, Shōgun, by James Clavell takes place during this time period. The character of Blackthorne in the novel is loosely based on the historical English navigator William Adams who rose to become a samurai under Tokugawa Ieyasu, a powerful feudal lord (daimyō) who later became the military ruler of Japan (shōgun) and the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate.

By the mid-18th century, Edo was among the world’s largest cities, with over a million residents.

Following the Meiji Restoration in 1868, the imperial capital in Kyoto was moved to Edo and the city was renamed Tokyo (“Eastern capital”). In 1923, Tokyo was damaged substantially by the Great Kantō earthquake, and the city was later badly damaged by Allied bombing raids during World War II.

Beginning in the late 1940s, Tokyo underwent rapid reconstruction and expansion where Japan’s economy was propelled to the second largest in the world at that time, behind the United States.

We took the Keikyū Airport Line to Shinagawa Station (18 minutes) and then The Ueno-Tokyo Line to Tokyo Station (8 minutes). From the Yaesu North Exit, we walked 8 minutes to our hotel: karaksa hotel TOKYO STATION. Tokyo Station is the busiest station in Tokyo in terms of scheduled trains, with over 4,000 trains arriving and departing daily. It is the fifth busiest in terms of passengers, with 500,000 people using it each day.

As many hotels do in Japan, they gave us pajamas to wear. Mike had me take a photo of him standing outside our tiny room 906. The pants were a bit short! 🙂

Welcome to Tokyo

me on the train to Tokyo Station

Mike in the too-short hotel PJs

karaksa hotel TOKYO STATION

We had dinner Tuesday night at a place at Tokyo Station. We had no idea what we were getting and to be honest, it wasn’t my favorite. We got oden, a type of nabemono (Japanese one-pot dishes) consisting of several ingredients such as boiled eggs, daikon or konjac, and processed fishcakes stewed in a light, soy flavored dashi broth (this broth forms the base for miso soup, clear broth soup, and noodle broth soup; it accentuates the savory flavor known as umami). We ordered white radish, potato, soft boiled egg, chopped green onion in fried fish cake and shrimp in minced fish ball and some kind of chicken salad. All were in broth except for the salad.

I love Japanese places where the waitress yells out things in a high-pitched sing-song voice and the chefs yell back and every one is yelling in a way that can only be described as “cute.” 😊

the “Oden” restaurant at Tokyo Station

me at the oden restaurant

Mike at the oden restaurant

chicken “salad”

white radish, potato, chopped green onion in fried fish cake and shrimp in minced fish ball – all in savory broth

After dinner we got cozy in our hotel and zonked out, exhausted by our long flight and the end of a roughly 24-hour travel day.

Steps: 5,891; Miles 2.49. Weather in Tokyo: 93°F, Lo 78°F. Sunny.

Wednesday, September 11: At breakfast this morning we met a Japanese-American couple who had lived much of their lives in Los Angeles. They were on a cruise and gearing up to explore Tokyo for the day. The breakfast was very good at the hotel, a good mix of Western and Japanese food but nothing too outrageous. This would not always be the case with our breakfasts.

We spent a lot of time on trains in Tokyo on our first day; the country has the most efficient and punctual transportation system in the world. From the beginning, Mike said he was impressed by my ability to figure out train schedules with the help of Google Maps, which works amazingly well: it spells out arrival times, platform numbers, where to board for the fastest transfers, and how many minutes you will be on the train with all stops listed.

I was happy to be returning to a country where I could use clean bidet toilets that were abundant and easily accessed throughout the country. It seems most other countries want to ignore the inconvenience of people having to use the bathroom, including the U.S.

Aoyama-Gakuin University- Sagamihara campus & meeting an old friend in Fuchinobe

One of Mike’s wishes was to see where I taught English for a semester in 2017 at Aoyama-Gakuin University- Sagamihara campus; it is near Fuchinobe Station on the JR Yokohama Line. He hadn’t been able to visit me while I was there. From Tokyo Station, near our hotel, the trip took us 1 hour and 25 minutes. After arriving in Fuchinobe, we walked from the station to the university. I showed Mike the bicycle garage where I often parked my bike when I went out to explore Tokyo on weekends. We walked past a few houses with cool gardens along the way.

We arrived at the university, where I introduced myself to the guard (using Google translate) and told him I taught there in 2017. He told us we could walk around the dining hall but couldn’t go into the main building where our offices had been. I gave Mike a tour of the cafeteria/dining hall, showing him the numbered plastic food representing the lunch choices, the machine where I paid for and got a ticket for my choice, and the windows from which the ladies served up the meals. I pretty much ate Udon noodles topped with vegetable tempura every day. I was lucky I was able to find the university again as it had been 7 years since I taught there and I didn’t usually approach it from the train station.

Mike ready to tackle the trains to Fuchinobe

Fuchinobe

bicycle parking garage near Fuchinobe Station

house seen on the way to the university

me at Aoyama-Gakuin University- Sagamihara campus

Aoyama-Gakuin University- Sagamihara campus

me at Aoyama-Gakuin University- Sagamihara campus

Aoyama-Gakuin University- Sagamihara campus

dining hall at the university: plastic food display

dining hall: where you push the button to get your ticket

This is where the ladies prepare the food in the dining hall. We presented our ticket to them to get our lunch.

Aoyama-Gakuin University- Sagamihara campus

Mike also wanted me to take him on my daily 30-minute walk each way from the university to my tiny Leopalace apartment, which he called a rabbit hutch. It was touch and go, but luckily I was able to remember the walk. Starting out was easy and familiar, and when I got close to the apartment I started to recognize my neighborhood, but in-between everything was very nondescript (and my memory is not so great these days!). I tried to loosen my mind and let my feet lead the way. I couldn’t believe I was able to find it! It was very hot, 93°F with 85% humidity, so I was drenched by the time we made our way back to the station. Mike was happy to have seen parts of the life I lived during that spring semester.

I showed Mike the outside of my Leopalace apartment and its vending machine. We visited the 7-11, a block away, where I often got dinner, drinks or sweets. We took pictures of one of my favorite foods, onigiri, or rice ball, a Japanese food made from white rice formed into triangular or oval shapes and often wrapped in nori (seaweed). Traditionally, an onigiri is filled with pickled umeboshi (salted Japanese plums), salted salmon, katsuobushi (simmered, smoked and fermented skipjack tuna), kombu (edible kelp), tarako (salted pollock roe), or any other salty or sour ingredient as a natural preservative. The one I ate most often was filled with tuna and mayonnaise. It tasted a bit like an old-fashioned tuna-rice casserole.

My Leopalace apartment building. My apartment was on the top far right.

vending maching outside my apartment

the steps in back leading to my apartment

The 7-11 near my apartment

Onigiri in the 7-11. I ate this often. 🙂

Back at Fuchinobe Station, we met my friend and colleague Graham (from Aoyama Gakuin) and his Japanese wife Ako at a Thai restaurant, Jaruan. Graham is now retired and lives permanently in Japan. It was such a wonderful treat to see him again and to meet lovely Ako. He had recently had a knee replacement and said he was feeling younger than ever.

Graham and I agree politically on almost everything, so we could commiserate about U.S. politics even though he’s British. He was hoping Kamala Harris would choose Tim Walz as her running mate, which she eventually did. He is knowledgeable about everything American; he had visited me in Virginia in March of 2019 and wanted me to take him to see Gettysburg as he’s a big Civil War buff. We ended up going to both Gettysburg and Antietam in one day (no small feat) and he knew more about Civil War battles than I did.

Ako gave us each t-shirts with funny sayings on them in Japanese. I’ll tell more about those later. She also gave me a package of facial masks, which I used every night until they were all gone. I, on the other hand, committed a Japanese faux pas by arriving empty-handed. Graham even insisted on treating us to lunch!

Graham, Ako, me and Mike

Graham and Ako

the Thai restaurant near Fuchinobe Station

Kichijōji and Harmonica Yokocho

After leaving Graham and Ako, we took the Chuo Line to Kichijōji and walked around the covered shopping arcades and the narrow alleys of Harmonica Yokocho. It was super hot, so of course we found a cute bar to dip into. Mike had a pour of whiskey and I had a refreshing Mango Sour. We chatted with the woman bartender whose daughter, Karen, just got married to a Brazilian man in Boston. She had recently spent time in Argentina with her Japanese boyfriend (he lives there) and raved about her time there. Her little bar was cool and cozy and we enjoyed talking with her while having a drink. How I love meeting people who are as full of wanderlust as I am.

Harmonica Yokocho

plastic food in Harmonica Yokocho

plastic gyoza in Harmonica Yokocho

Harmonica Yokocho

a nice Japanese lady who spoke perfect English in a bar in Harmonica Yokocho

Mike & me in the Harmonica Yokocho bar

Tokyo

One of Mike’s jobs when we travel is to look for our dinner restaurants. Wednesday night, he found Yaesu Hashimoto, which we had some trouble finding. The specialty was unagi, or Japanese freshwater eel. We had an eel appetizer, which we were offered as if it were free, but then we were charged for it. Then we had eel in omelette (super yummy) and grilled eel on rice.

eggs with eel at Yaesu Hashimoto

grilled eel at Yaesu Hashimoto

Mike at Yaesu Hashimoto

me at Yaesu Hashimoto

We still were not acclimated to the time difference so we went right to our hotel and zonked out.

Steps: 15,800; Miles 6.69. Weather in Tokyo: 93°F, Lo 78°F. Sunny.

Thursday, September 12: This morning in the breakfast room of the hotel, we again met the Japanese-American couple from L.A., who were off for another day in Tokyo. We met another couple from New Jersey who were about our age. They had just flown into Japan the day before and had rented a car for an open-ended trip all around Japan. I said, “You drove into Tokyo??” I was shocked. The man’s wife said, “He can drive anywhere. It doesn’t matter if it’s the right or left side of the road, if it’s a big city or a rural area, it doesn’t matter. He just gets in the car and drives!” I was surprised that someone would actually drive into the center of Tokyo. When we asked about their plans, they said they only planned a few days at a time. If they liked a place, they stayed longer, if not, they moved on quickly.

I thought: We need to be more like them!! We especially felt this way after this particular trip when we were stuck in certain places for way too long, or where we didn’t have enough time in other places.

Sensō-ji

I had only one day to show Mike some of my favorite places in Tokyo. We started with Sensō-ji, Tokyo’s oldest-established Buddhist temple, and one of its most significant. It is dedicated to Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion. Structures in the temple complex include the main hall, a five-story pagoda and large gates. It is the most widely visited religious site in the world with over 30 million visitors annually.

Legend has it that in the year 628, two brothers fished a statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, out of the Sumida River. Each time, they put the statue back into the river, but it kept returning to them. Thus, Sensō-ji was built nearby for the goddess of Kannon. It was completed in 645, making it Tokyo’s oldest temple.

We entered through the Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate), the outer gate. We walked down the 200-meter shopping street called Nakamise, a street with a history of several centuries. This street leads to the second gate, the Hozomon Gate. In front of us, we found the temple’s main hall. The Asakusa Shrine (of the Shinto religion), built in 1649 by Tokugawa Ietmitsu, stands immediately adjacent to the temple’s main building.

The temple was destroyed during a March 10, 1945 firebombing air raid on Tokyo during WWII. The main hall was built in the 1950s.

We each shook a long cylindrical container with a small hole in it, and out came a stick with a number. We found the drawer with that number and found our fortune inside. Ours were both positive, but if they had been negative, we would have tied them to a stand and left them behind.

Before leaving, we checked in with the Nisonbutsu (“A Pair of Buddha”). The figure on the right is said to bring mercy to worhsipers, the one on the left, wisdom.

It’s an impressive and lively temple complex. Though it was hard to be highly motivated in 93 degree muggy weather, we survived and enjoyed the temple.

Sensō-ji Kaminarimon Gate

Mike and me at Sensō-ji

Sensō-ji

Sensō-ji Hozomon Gate

pagoda at Sensō-ji

Buddha’s sandals at Sensō-ji

Sensō-ji

my fortune at Sensō-ji

my fortune at Sensō-ji, up close

incense burner at Sensō-ji

Sensō-ji

Asakusa Shrine

Sensō-ji

Mike prepares to wash at Sensō-ji

Sensō-ji

Asakusa Shrine

Sensō-ji

Mike’s fortune at Sensō-ji

Sensō-ji

Sensō-ji Nisonbutsu

Ueno Park

After leaving Senso-ji, we went to Ueno Park where I saw the cherry blossoms 7 1/2 years ago. Today it was hot and humid and no cherry blossoms were in evidence but we stopped into three places, firstly the Ueno Daibutsu (Remains of the Ueno Daibutsu).

Map of Ueno Park in Tokyo

Ueno Daibutsu was an Edo-period giant seated statue of Buddha (Shaka Nyorai) in what is now Ueno Park. Of bronze and dating to 1631, it was restored after earthquake damage in 1640, a fire in 1841, and again after the 1855 Edo earthquake. Its head was toppled during the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake, and much of its bulk was melted down for reuse during the Pacific War. In 1972 the face, stored in Kan’ei-ji, was put on display in its former location.

I love the ema hanging in temples. Ema are small wooden plaques, common to Japan, in which Shinto and Buddhist worshipers write prayers or wishes. Ema are left hanging up at the shrine, where the kami (spirits or gods) are believed to receive them. They often carry images or are shaped like animals, or symbols from the zodiac, Shinto, or the particular shrine or temple.

Ueno Daibutsu

ema at Ueno Daibutsu

Ueno Daibutsu

ema at Ueno Daibutsu

Our next stop in Ueno Park was Hanazono Inari Shrine. This shrine is dedicated to Inari, the god of fertility, rice, agriculture, and foxes. Inari shrines are easily recognizable by their vibrant vermilion torii gates.

Mike entering Hanazono Inari Shrine

me at the torii gates of Hanazono Inari Shrine

torii gates of Hanazono Inari Shrine

Hanazono Inari Shrine

ema at Hanazono Inari Shrine

two young ladies in kimono at Hanazono Inari Shrine

Hanazono Inari Shrine

Our last stop in Ueno Park was Kiyomizu Kannondo Temple, built in 1631. It is one of the remnants of the Kan’ei-ji temple. Its design, including a wooden balcony extending from the hillside, was inspired by Kiyomizudera in Kyoto. The temple is home to an image of Kosodate Kannon, the goddess of conception, and is particularly popular among women hoping to have children.

The temple has a platform overlooking a circle made from pine tree. This circle is called the pine tree of the moon (tsuki no matsu in Japanese). This shape became famous with local people and was picked up by Ukiyo-e artist Hiroshige in his One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (1856–59), giving this shape historical significance. The original pine tree was unfortunately destroyed in a storm during the Edo period (1603-1868); the current tree dates from 2011.

pine tree at Kiyomizu Kannondo Temple

Kiyomizu Kannondo Temple

ema at Kiyomizu Kannondo Temple

bad fortunes at Kiyomizu Kannondo Temple

Ameyayokocho Shopping Street

It was super hot by the time we left Ueno Park so we strolled briefly down the Ameyayokocho Shopping Street. Soon we found a restaurant where we could cool off and have some lunch: Shrimp tempura for me and a chicken rice set meal for Mike. After this we were exhausted because of the heat, our lunchtime beers, and our discombobulation due to our flip-flopped time zone. We returned to our hotel to relax for the hottest part of the afternoon before going out to explore at around 5:00 pm.

Ameyayokocho Shopping Street

the ever ubiquitous vending machines on Ameyayokocho Shopping Street

Ameyayokocho Shopping Street

strange socks onn Ameyayokocho Shopping Street

fish at Ameyayokocho Shopping Street

Ameyayokocho Shopping Street

having lunch at Ameyayokocho Shopping Street

tempura and rice for lunch

Monzennakacho

After our rest in the hotel, we took a short train to the Monzennakacho neighborhood, a place I’d never been during all my Tokyo explorations in 2017. I really loved this quiet old-school neighborhood. We stopped in first at Fukagawa Fudoson Temple. It belongs to the Shingon Buddhism esoteric school, founded in Japan in the 9th century by monk Kukai (Kobo Daishi). It is also affiliated with Narita-san Shinsho-ji, a temple located near Narita International Airport in the east of Tokyo.

Built in 1703, the temple was damaged by the Great Kantō Earthquake in 1923, then by 1945’s aerial bombings. It was thereafter reconstructed in a mish-mash of ancient and modern styles.

Fukagawa Fudoson Temple

ema at Fukagawa Fudoson Temple

Fukagawa Fudoson Temple

Finally, in the blue light, we visited Tomioka Hachiman Shrine, the largest Hachiman shrine in Tokyo, built in 1627. The shrine began with the worship of the god Hachiman, the god of martial arts and war. It is also intimately connected to the history of sumo in Japan.

The shrine’s big festival, the Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri, takes place in mid-August. We saw one of the two massive festival floats that are used in that festival.

Tomioka Hachiman Shrine

ema at Tomioka Hachiman Shrine

festival float at Tomioka Hachiman Shrine

famous character at Tomioka Hachiman Shrine

We strolled around the adorable neighborhood of Monzennakacho and tried to figure out where to eat. Of course everything on menus was in Japanese and using our translator we found things like “a drooling chicken with a blue-tartan sauce,” “CHEESE-IN-MIL-FUYU HAM CUTTLE” and other mysterious foods. Finally we happened upon a pizza place and that saved us. We had some Prosecco and a tomato mozzarella & basil salad and a Romano pizza. Then we returned to our hotel and prepared ourselves for our Friday morning Shinkansen 🚄 to Nagoya, where we would get a rental car to drive to Takayama in the Japan Alps.

Monzennakacho

Steps: 14,530; Miles 6.15. Weather Tokyo: Weather in Tokyo: 93°F, Lo 78°F. Mostly sunny.

Here’s a short video showing some scenes from Japan.

Tokyo to Nagoya

Friday, September 13: Friday morning, we left our hotel by 8:30 to go to Tokyo Station, where it was swarming with Japanese commuters. From there we got on the 9:30 am Shinkansen (Nozomi 21) to Nagoya.

leaving our hotel in Tokyo

walking to Tokyo Staion

Tokyo Station

Mike wating for the Shinkansen at Tokyo Station

me waiting for the Shinkansen at Tokyo Station

me on the Shinkansen to Nagoya

We arrived at Nagoya Station at 11:10 and went in search of the express bus to the airport to pick up our rental car.

the october cocktail hour: another stint in japan & a last birthday before the big 7-0

wanderessence1025 October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024: Welcome to our October cocktail hour. I’m so happy you’ve dropped by during my favorite month of the year: for the crispy cool weather, for all the autumn stuff (like pumpkins, pumpkin spice latte, apple desserts and cider, to name a few of my favorite things), for visiting wineries and for walking outdoors under crimson & gold tree canopies. Today of course is Halloween, and though I’m not really into it, I do enjoy seeing the decorations in people’s yards. I suffered through an extremely long summer in Japan and Bali, but once I got home from Japan on the 18th, I fell right into my favorite season, and my 69th birthday soon followed.

At this point, I’m so over Japanese drinks, although I did fall in love with plum wine and soda, which I’ll be happy to offer. I also have Prosecco, a variety of beers, soda or seltzer water.

To celebrate my last visit EVER to Japan, I wish you “Kanpai (乾杯!)” which means “dry the glass” or “bottoms up.”

How are things going as we are fully in the midst of fall? Have you read any good books, seen any good movies, binge-watched any television series? Have you planned any adventures or had any fall getaways? Have you dreamed any dreams? Gone to any exotic restaurants, cooked any new dishes? Have you been surprised by anything in life? Have you enjoyed the simple things in life? Have you learned anything new, taken any classes or just kept up with the news? Have you sung along with any new songs? Have you undertaken any new exercise routines? Have you marched or otherwise participated in political protests? Have you been battered, or alternately, uplifted by any news?

The first day of October, Mike and I dove fully into |*Kyoto*|, starting with Kinkaku-ji, the Zen Buddhist temple known as the Temple of the Golden Pavilion. It was hot, as it was every day, so I bought a fan which I carried everywhere with me. We then walked about a half hour to Kyoto’s famous rock garden, Ryōan-ji, or Temple of the Peaceful Dragon. I dragged Mike on the cutest train imaginable, the purple Randen Historic Tram, which tickles me pink (or purple!). In Arashiyama, we ate lunch, found kimono-clad girls on the Togetsukyo Bridge, and waded through crowds in the famous bamboo forest. We wandered through Tenryu-ji, founded in 1339. We topped off our exhausting day with okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake) and plum wine with soda, then finally enjoyed our free welcome drink at our hotel, Sakura Terrace The Gallery.

Mike and I at Kinkaku-ji

Kinkaku-ji 2024

ema at Kinkaku-ji

Ryōan-ji 2024

me at Ryōan-ji

Ryōan-ji

Mike at Ryōan-ji

Randen Historic Tram

me on the Randen Historic Tram

Japanese girls on the Togetsukyo Bridge

Arashiyama

little things for sale in Arashiyama

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

me at the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

shrine at Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Mike at Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove 2024

Tenryu-ji

me on the train

okonomiyaki restaurant in Kyoto

Mike at okonomiyaki restaurant

me with okonomiyaki

Our second day in Kyoto we walked uphill through the infinite torii gates of Fushimi Inari Shrine. Again, there were hordes of people, and it was sweltering, especially as it was all uphill. After that exhausting ordeal, we tried unsuccessfully to go to Ohara, which my friend Graham had highly recommended, but we couldn’t fit on the two buses going there. We then went to Nishiki Market AFTER eating lunch at a German-type restaurant, a big mistake, as one is supposed to sample the great variety of food at the market. We were so exhausted, we got convenience store food and ate dinner in our room, finally going down to the lobby to enjoy another free welcome drink (for me, always a gin and tonic).

Fushimi Inari Shrine

Mike at Fushimi Inari Shrine

map of Fushimi Inari Shrine

Fushimi Inari Shrine

Buddha sandals at Fushimi Inari Shrine

Fushimi Inari Shrine

ema at Fushimi Inari Shrine

me at Fushimi Inari Shrine

cats at Fushimi Inari Shrine

origami and ema at Fushimi Inari Shrine

waygu beef at Nishiki Market

Nishiki Market 2024

Nishiki Market

Mike at Nishiki Market

sake at Nishiki Market

It rained our third day in Kyoto, but of course we still went out and walked along the Philosopher’s Path at the foot of the Eastern Mountains. We wandered around the beautiful Ginkakuji, the Silver Pavilion (it doesn’t actually have a silver pavilion) and its moss and rock gardens. After all that, we were looking forward to the covered arcade of Nishiki Market, and this time we sampled waygu beef, eel, shrimp tempura and sake. We ate our last Kyoto dinner at the cozy okonomiyaki restaurant.

The Philosopher’s Path

Ginkakuji 2024

Ginkakuji

shopkeepers along the Philosopher’s Path got a hoot out of Mike’s shirt

The Philosopher’s Path

Mike eating waygu beef at Nishiki Market

shrimp at Nishiki Market

eel at Nishiki Market

gyoza and sake at Nishiki Market

me at the okonomiyaki restaurant

Mike at the okonomiyaki restaurant

sake place at Nishiki Market

Our next destination was Tokushima on the island of |*Shikoku*|. I had been determined to walk the first 10 temples of the 88-temple pilgrimage, spread out over 2 days. It turned out we were too exhausted and we ended up finishing only 7 of the 10. I’m certainly glad I didn’t attempt the full 88-temple circuit. I wouldn’t have made it, for sure. It didn’t help that we both got sick with head colds and all-over aches and pains.

Temple 1: Ryōzenji 2024

Temple 1: Ryōzenji

Temple 2: Gokurakuji

Mike after ringing the bell at Temple 2: Gokurakuji

Temple 2: Gokurakuji

Mike with large cedar tree at Temple 2: Gokurakuji

Temple 3: Konsenji

Mike at Temple 3: Konsenji

Me on the way to Temple 4 (which we skipped) and on to Temple 5

wishes left at Temple 5

Temple 5: Jizoji

Getting my stamp & calligrapy in my pilgrim book at Temple 5

stamp from Temple 5: Jizoji

Mike washing at Temple 10: Kirihataji (Day 2)

me after ringing the bell at Temple 10: Kirihataji

Temple 10: Kirihataji

on the 4km walk to Temple 9

Temple 9: Horinji

stamp for Temple 9: Horinji

Japanese house on the 2.5 km walk from Temple 9 to Temple 8

Temple 8: Kumadaniji

pizza reward after our second day of walking

While we were in Shikoku, on October 5, our granddaughter Allie had her first birthday and Alex and Jandira took her to the Atlanta Aquarium for a memorable birthday.

Jandira, Alex and Allie at the Atlanta Aquarium for Allie’s first birthday

Allie, Jandira, & Alex at the Atlanta Aquarium for Allie’s first birthday

We headed to |*Okayama*|, right across the Seto Inland Sea on the only train bridge that connects Shikoku to Honshu. From there we had a number of day trips planned, but we were feeling pretty wiped out from traveling in general and from Shikoku in particular, and we didn’t find the areas very exciting. Our first day trip was to |*Bitchu-Takahashi*|, where we visited the interesting Takahashi Folk Museum, the Raikyuji Temple (once the residence of a local feudal lord), the large Haibara Samurai Residence from the Edo period, and the Orii Samurai Residence with its rather eerie lifesize dolls. Actually, this was my favorite of the places we visited mainly because there were hardly any people here.

On the way to Bitchu-Takahashi

Takahashi Folk Museum

festival floats in the Takahashi Folk Museum

Raikyuji Temple

Raikyuji Temple 2024

Raikyuji Temple

Mike at the Haibara Samurai Residence

Orii Samurai Residence

On the way back from Bitchu-Takahashi to Okayama

Our next day trip was to |*Kurashiki Bikan Historical District*|, where we took a rickshaw, wandered around the weeping willow-lined canals, and climbed to A Chi Shrine. We spent the afternoon in the public onsen in our hotel and ate Indian food at the nearby shopping mall.

Cat shop in Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter

canals in Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter

Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter

me with Mike in a rickshaw in Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter

me with our rickshaw driver

Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter

me in Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter

view from shrine over Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter

Ohara’s wife’s house

Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter

The last day, we took a train and ferry to |*Naoshima*|, an island in the Seto Inland Sea known for its many contemporary art installations and museums. We were frankly a bit bored by the whole thing; the best part was riding rented e-bikes all around the island (except where prohibited by the museums).

I wished I had taken Mike to Hiroshima and Miyajima (a little further south of Okayama), even though I’d been to both of these places in 2017. I was trying to see new things in Japan on this trip, but I had discovered many great places when I was there before and wished in retrospect I’d just taken him to the places I loved.

me at Naoshima 2024

Naoshima

Mike at Naoshima

Naoshima

Mike & I at Naoshima with the Inland Sea reflected

Naoshima

Benesse House Museum

me on my ebike on Naoshima

Mike on his ebike on Naoshima

Mike at Juicy in Okayama

Our final destination was |*Kyūshū Island*|. We took the Shinkansen from Okayama to Kokura and rented a car, a Toyota Yaris, to explore the island. Again I was amazed at Mike’s ability to drive on the left. Luckily the island is not that crowded, so the traffic was generally not too bad (except in Yufuin). From Kokura, we drove to |*Beppu*|, where we visited the Seven “Hells,” (jigoku), hot springs presented in a touristy way that are for viewing only.

overlook view of Beppu

me at one of Beppu’s seven “Hells”

one of Beppu’s seven “Hells”

Mike at one of Beppu’s seven “Hells”

one of Beppu’s seven “Hells”

me at one of Beppu’s seven “Hells”

Mike at one of Beppu’s seven “Hells”

one of Beppu’s seven “Hells”

After leaving Beppu, where we stayed for only one night, we drove to |*Yufuin*|, an onsen town in the mountains. It was a cute-looking town but was overrun by tourists for some three-day weekend holiday. The “shopping street” had nothing worth shopping for. We had paid for half-board at Yufuin Onsen Wafu Ryokan Tsuenosho, which meant we were subjected to two dinners and two breakfasts, all of which were comprised of very weird and unpalatable stuff. Though artistically presented to us in our tatami room at our low table, the Kaiseki (a traditional multi-course Japansese dinner) was a marathon to be endured. The worst thing was that the whole ryokan experience cost us an arm and leg, and since we stayed two nights, we had to eat this way for 4 meals (breakfast and dinner). The famous Kinrin Lake in the town was more like a pond without much of interest. The best thing we found in Yufuin were the grasslands, Tsukahara Highlands, outside of the town.

Yufuin

looking down over Yufuin

Yufuin

the only worthwhile shop in Yufuin

Yufuin Onsen Wafu Ryokan Tsuenosho

me at Yufuin Onsen Wafu Ryokan Tsuenosho

sashimi at Yufuin Onsen Wafu Ryokan Tsuenosho

me at Yufuin Onsen Wafu Ryokan Tsuenosho

dinner at Yufuin Onsen Wafu Ryokan Tsuenosho

Mike at Yufuin Onsen Wafu Ryokan Tsuenosho

dinner at Yufuin Onsen Wafu Ryokan Tsuenosho

breakfast at Yufuin Onsen Wafu Ryokan Tsuenosho

me at Kinrin Lake

Kinrin Lake

Yufuin

Tsukahara Highlands

Tsukahara Highlands near Yufuin 2024

Yufuin Onsen Wafu Ryokan Tsuenosho

the outdoor part of the onsen at Yufuin Onsen Wafu Ryokan Tsuenosho

sashimi night 2

dinner at Yufuin Onsen Wafu Ryokan Tsuenosho

2nd dinner at Yufuin Onsen Wafu Ryokan Tsuenosho

Sea bream head at Yufuin Onsen Wafu Ryokan Tsuenosho

The highlight of Kyushu was the |*Mount Aso *|area. After leaving Yufuin, we stopped at the beautiful Park Oike, an off-the-beaten-path moss-covered forest and freshwater spring from which people could drink. This was the only cold day we had on our trip. Finally, I got a taste of fall. We also walked on some grasslands at the Mount Aso Visitor Center. The whole area reminded me of Ecuador’s Andes (except that Ecuador didn’t have crowds of people), which I loved. We enjoyed the nicest of the four ryokans we stayed in during our travels in Japan, and thankfully NO food was involved. We visited the crowded and touristy Takachiho Gorge in the rain and then visited a bizarre shrine only 3 minutes from our ryokan, the Hogihogi Shrine, known for bestowing luck on those who bought lottery tickets. It had a weird fun house on the grounds, with strange stuffed animals stuffed into corners.

Park Oike

Mike drinks from Oike Spring

me at Park Oike

Park Oike

Park Oike 2024

Park Oike

Mike at Park Oike

Mount Aso

me at Mount Aso

Mike at Mount Aso

Mount Aso

caldera at Mount Aso

view of the valley from Mount Aso

Ryokan Konomama in Minamiaso

onsen in our ryokan

view of Mount Aso from our ryokan

Minamiaso Tourist Information

me at Minamiaso Tourist Information

Mike at Minamiaso Tourist Information

Minamiaso Tourist Information

Takachiho Gorge

Takachiho Gorge 2024

Takachiho Gorge

drive back from Takachiho Gorge

view over the Mount Aso valley 2024

Hogihogi Shrine

Finally, we started making our way slowly back toward Tokyo so we could fly home. We drove to see the Usuki Stone Buddhas, another out-of-the-way place south of Oita which was worthwhile. The Mitsujoin Rice Terraces, near the Oita Airport, were nothing to write home about. We stayed in Hiji, the closest town to the Oita Airport, and flew back to Haneda on Thursday morning, October 17.

me at Usuki Stone Buddhas

Usuki Stone Buddhas

Mike at Usuki Stone Buddhas

Usuki Stone Buddhas

Mike at Usuki Stone Buddhas

Mike eating a white bread sandwich from a convenience store

Mitsujoin Rice Terraces

flying from Oita to Tokyo Haneda

We took the train from Haneda to |*Yokohoma*|, a city south of Tokyo that I visited several times when I lived and worked in Japan, and I took Mike to the beautiful Sankeien Garden which exhibits a number of historical buildings from across Japan. I wish we had spent more time around Yokohama because I would have taken him to Kamakura and Enoshima, south of the city.

Ramen in Yokohama

me at the ramen place

Sankeien Garden in Yokohama

Sankeien Garden

Sankeien Garden Yokohama 2024

Sankeien Garden

Mike at Sankeien Garden

Sankeien Garden

me at Sankeien Garden

Sankeien Garden

We flew home from Tokyo Haneda on Friday the 18th at 3:45 p.m. and arrived home before we left Japan, at 3:20 p.m. that same Friday. We were utterly exhausted and we still haven’t quite recovered from a way-too-long trip. I can’t tell you how sick I was of eating Japanese food and living out of a suitcase.

Our United Airlines plane at Haneda Airport

After 12.5 hours, almost back home to Dulles Airport in Virginia

Of course we’re fully into election season here in the U.S., most of which I tried to ignore while traveling. My attempts to avoid all the rancor were not very successful, as I couldn’t stop myself from looking at social media and getting infuriated over all the idiotic, fascist and greedy Trump supporters in this country. Of course, my November cocktail hour will have the final verdict, I hope, and of course I’m wishing for a Harris/Walz victory. If Trump wins, I will be ashamed to call myself an American, and I hope I can keep away from this country for much of the time he is in power.

As soon as Monday the 21st rolled around, I went to cast my vote early for a 100% Democratic ticket, especially Harris/Walz. There the Democrats asked me if I wanted a Harris/Walz sign, which I gladly accepted and put in my yard, right on the corner, where everyone can see it! If anyone dares to touch it, I can easily get 5 more and I’ll put them ALL up!

On a walk around Herndon, Virginia, I found a lot of Harris/Walz signs, Halloween decorations and fall colors.

I voted!

Harris/Walz

Mind your own damn business!

Harris/Walz signs

More Halloween decorations

old train station in Herndon

Herndon Town Hall

W&OD train in Herndon

Halloween decorations in Hernodon

Herndon mural

Halloween

Herndon mural

Halloween decorations

scarecrow in our yard, who Mike calls “Catcrow”

fall colors

My 69th birthday rolled around on Friday the 25th. I almost always get a beautiful day for my birthday, and this was no exception. Mike took half the day off and we stopped at Puccio’s in Leesburg for sandwiches and took them to Three Creeks Winery in Hamilton, VA. The winery sits in a beautiful spot where three creeks converge, and Mike drank a Cab Franc while I had a Viognier to accompany our sandwiches. It was a perfect birthday although Mike keeps reminding me I’m beginning my 70th year. So what!? That birthday is still a year away, and by the time I turn 70, he’ll be 71 going on 72! 🙂

Mike at Three Creeks Winery

me at Three Creeks Winery

Three Creeks Winery

me at Three Creeks Winery

P-J and Mike at Three Creeks Winery

Mike at Three Creeks Winery

Three Creeks Winery

me at Three Creeks Winery with my Ford Bronco Sport

We extended my birthday celebration by going out to eat Thai food at Vienna Thai and Bar, where I enjoyed white wine and a green curry with shrimp.

me at Vienna Thai and Bar

Green curry at Vienna Thai and Bar

Mike at Vienna Thai and Bar

Over the month, the kids sent us some family pictures, which helped us feel connected to the family while traveling.

Allie starts trying on costumes for Halloween

Allie eating in her high chair

Allie is now walking

Allie shows off her new winter coat

Allie at the park

Little Mike in Nicaragua

Cristy and little MIke

Little Mike with Cristy’s hair over his head

Maria and Mike

Maria and her cooking

During the time we were in Japan and once I returned home, I read three books, bringing my total to 42/52 (and putting me behind on my annual goal). I loved all of them: Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami, Kokoro by Natsume Sōseki, and Beauty and Sadness by Yasunari Kawabata. We didn’t watch much TV while traveling, but in the few places we had Netflix, we watched the Turkish series Zeytin Agaci, aka Another Self and the Greek series Maestro in Blue, and finished On the Verge (just okay). Once we got home, we finished Atlantic Crossing and the most current season of Emily in Paris; we continued watching Grantchester, Pachinko, Trying, Shrinking, Lincoln Lawyer, Another Self, Maestro in Blue, The Bear, and Modern Family.

I hope you’ll share how the year is panning out for you, and what plans you have for the last two months of the year.

a belated september cocktail hour: a final summer concert & a trip to the other side of the world: japan {pt.1} & bali, indonesia

wanderessence1025 October 24, 2024

September 30, 2024: Welcome to our very belated September cocktail hour. I’m so happy you’ve dropped by. Although the weather in Virginia finally became the perfect fall weather, we weren’t here to enjoy it, and in fact, our summer stretched out to the end of the month in Japan and Bali.

I can offer you some hot sake and a Sapporo. Or even some cold sake. We can offer a Michelob Ultra or Hop Slam. I’ve now developed a liking for plum wine and soda water – yum. Soda or seltzer water is also available.

From Japan, and then returning to Japan from Bali on the final day of the month, I wish you “Kanpai (乾杯!)” which means “dry the glass” or “bottoms up.”

We spent the first week in September wrapping up our preparations for our trip to Japan and Bali, Indonesia. We went to our final summer concert: Julieta Venegas – Mexican singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, and producer who specializes in pop-rock-indie music in Spanish – at Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts.

me with Mike at Wolf Trap to see Julieta Venegas

Julieta Venegas tickets

Julieta Venegas concert

We took off for |*Japan*| on September 9, arriving in |*Tokyo*| on the 10th on a mostly empty plane where we were able to stretch out and sleep. Once in Tokyo, I took Mike to visit the Sagamihara campus of Aoyama-Gakuin University and to show him my daily walk from the university to my Leopalace apartment, where I lived for one semester in spring/summer of 2017. We met my friend and colleague Graham and his Japanese wife Ako at a Thai restaurant near Fuchinobe Station. After parting ways with them, Mike and I walked around the covered shopping arcades of Harmonica Yokocho in Kichijōji. I took Mike to see Tokyo’s oldest established Buddhist Temple, Sensō-ji, and Ueno Park. We strolled down Ameyayokocho Shopping Street on a relentlessly hot afternoon. We also visited the adorable neighborhood of Monzennakacho, a place I’d never visited during my previous time in Tokyo.

me on a mostly empty United Airlines flight to Tokyo

me at Aoyama-Gakuin University – Sagamihara campus

Graham, Ako, me and Mike at a Thai restaurant near Fuchinobe Station

Sensō-ji in Tokyo 2024

Ueno Daibutsu in Ueno Park, Tokyo

Kiyomizu Kannondo Temple in Ueno Park, Tokyo

Tomioka Hachiman Shrine in Monzennakacho, Tokyo

restaurant in Monzennakacho, Tokyo

On the 13th, we took the Shinkansen to Nagoya, where we rented a car and drove through over 30 tunnels to |*Takayama in the Japan Alps.*| We visited the village of Ogimachi in Shirakawa-go and the more remote town of Ainokura, best known for farmhouses in the gasshō-zukuri style. Back for the evening in Takayama, we met Atsu, a Japanese man who spoke excellent English, at his tiny sake bar in Takayama and enjoyed drinks there. The next day, we drove north to Hida Furukawago and walked in constant rain around the canal-lined town and saw the excellent museum with its elaborate festival floats. Later that afternoon, we explored Takayama’s old town in the rain. When we left Takayama, we stopped at two towns along the Nakasendo Trail, Tsumago-juku and Magome-juku, on the way to Nagoya, where we returned our rental car. I got a bad cold from trudging around those towns in excruciating heat and humidity.

taking the Shinkansen to Nagoya

me at Ichinomatsu Japanese Modern Hotel in Takayama

Mike at Ichinomatsu Japanese Modern Hotel in Takayama

Gasshō-zukuri houses in Ogimachi in Shirakawa-go 2024

Gasshō-zukuri houses in Ogimachi in Shirakawa-go

Gasshō-zukuri houses in Ogimachi in Shirakawa-go 2024

Atsu at Sakedokoro Tamotsu in Takayama

Sakedokoro Tamotsu in Takayama

Festival Exhibition Hall in Hida Furukawago

Hida Furukawago

canals in Hida Furukawago

Konkoji Temple in Hida Furukawago

Atsu at Sakedokoro Tamotsu in Takayama

famous ramen shop, Menya Shirakawa Bettei in Takayama

Tsumago-juku

Magome-juku

On the 16th, we returned to |*Nagoya*|, where we visited Nagoya Castle and and the famous flea market held on the grounds of Ōsu-Kannon Temple in 97°F heat; there I bought a dress and two pairs of pants. We also visited the Tokugawa Art Museum and its water garden in Nagoya. We enjoyed a delicious grilled fish dinner near Ōsu-Kannon Temple.

Ōsu-Kannon Temple in Nagoya 2024

Nagoya Castle 2024

Nagoya Castle

Nagoya Castle 2024

Nagoya Castle

me at Ōsu-Kannon Temple Market

Ōsu-Kannon Temple Market

Tokugawa Art Museum in Nagoya

Tokugawa Art Museum in Nagoya 2024

Tokugawa Park

Hioki Shrine near our hotel in Nagoya

Part 1 of our Japan trip on Polarsteps

fish meal at Shinpachi Shokudö Ösukannon Ekimae

dinner at Shinpachi Shokudö Ösukannon Ekimae in Nagoya

Thursday morning, September 19, we took the Shinkansen from Nagoya to |*Narita*|, where we spent the night in Wakamatsu Honten Ryokan and visited Naritasan Shinshoji Temple.

Taking the Shinkansen from Nagoya to Tokyo and on to Narita

views out the window of the Shinkansen

Naritasan Shinshoji Temple in Narita 2024

goodies in Narita

me at Wakamatsu Honten in Narita

Mike at Wakamatsu Honten in Narita

On September 20, we flew to |*Bali, Indonesia*| on Garuda Indonesia, a lovely airline. We stayed our first three nights in |*Jimbaran, Bali*|, where we explored the Bukit Peninsula, especially Nusa Dua and Museum Pasifika. We went with a driver through insane traffic to Pura Luhur Uluwatu to see the Uluwatu Kecak Dance, which was overcrowded and extremely disorganized. Finally, we went in search of batik at Krisna Oleh Oleh Bali, hung out at the Jimbaran Beach and, later, relaxed at the Movenpick pool.

Flying to Bali on Garuda Indonesia

views of Mount Fuji as we leave Japan

our flight path to Bali

flying above the clouds on the way to Bali

Movenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali

Mike and me at Movenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali

offerings for the gods

Museum Pasifika at Nusa Dua

shrine along beach promenade at Nusa Dua

hotel at Nusa Dua

me at Uluwatu on the Bukit Peninsula

view from Uluwatu

monkeys at Uluwatu

me with Mike at Uluwatu

sunset at Uluwatu

Uluwatu Kecak Dance

Krisna Oleh Oleh Bali

me on the Movenpick grounds

Jimbaran Beach

the pool bar at the Movenpick

Jimbaran Beach at sunset

Mike at Akusuka Bali

fish tacos at Akusuka Bali on Jimbaran Beach

A driver drove us to the east side of the island, |*Sidemen, Bali*|, stopping first at The Klungkung Palace, where we got taken by touts selling sarongs, which we happily wore in our photos. We enjoyed massages at Alamdhari Resort & SPA. One morning, we took a 2 1/2 hour walk through the rice terraces surrounding our hotel, dipped into the pool, enjoyed a private yoga class, and relished another massage. We went on an excursion with a driver to Tirta Ganga (a royal water palace), a White Sand Beach (meh), and Tenganan Village (known for its double Ikat textiles).

Klungkung Palace

Mike at Klungkung Palace

me at Klungkung Palace

ceiling at Klungkung Palace

me with Mike at Klungkung Palace

Alamdhari Resort & SPA

streets of Sidemen during festival

Sidemen rice fields

Mike in the pool at Alamdhari Resort & SPA

pool at Alamdhari Resort & SPA

pizza at Alamdhari Resort & SPA

me with Mike at Alamdhari Resort & SPA

Alamdhari Resort & SPA

yoga at Alamdhari Resort & SPA

massages at Alamdhari Resort & SPA

Tirta Ganga

me at Tirta Ganga

Mike at Tirta Ganga

Tirta Ganga

me with Mike at Tirta Ganga

White Sand Beach

Lezat Beach Restaurant

Tenganan Village

me at Tenganan Village

Tenganan Village

making offerings at Alamdhari Resort & SPA

Alamdhari Resort & SPA

On September 26, we moved to |*Ubud, Bali*| for our last home-away-from-home, The Hava Ubud A Pramana Experience, to the west of Ubud’s center. We loved our visit to the Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA) in Ubud, which we had almost to ourselves. We enjoyed lunch at Café Lotus, right on the edge of the Ubud Water Palace. We relaxed for an afternoon by the hotel pool. We took a Gojek (like Uber) to the center of Ubud, where we wandered around Ubud Palace and the Ubud Water Palace; there, we had to dress up in a sarong and jacket. We visited Museum Puri Lukisan where we found, quite by accident, a Balinese dance performance. We enjoyed deep tissue massages at Sari Laba and went to a restorative yoga “Air Class” at Alchemy. Finally, we visited the Ceking Rice Terrace, aka Tegalalang Rice Terrace, a very touristy and rather confined set of rice terraces.

The Hava Ubud A Pramana Experience

streets of Ubud

me at La Luz Mexican Restaurant in Ubud

Mike at at La Luz Mexican Restaurant in Ubud

at La Luz Mexican Restaurant in Ubud

pool at The Hava Ubud

me at The Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA) in Ubud

Mike at ARMA

me at ARMA

ARMA

ARMA Resort

view of Ubud Water Palace from Café Lotus

me at Café Lotus

me with Mike at Café Lotus

Mike at Tygr Sushi

Tygr Sushi

me at The Hava Ubud

Ubud Palace, aka Puri Saren Agung

Mike at Ubud Water Palace

me at Ubud Water Palace

the king and queen at Ubud Water Palace

Balinese dancers

Museum Puri Lukisan

pool at The Hava Ubud

yoga studio at Alchemy

me on the grounds at Alchemy

Alchemy yoga studio

me at Ceking Rice Terrace

Ceking Rice Terrace, aka Tegalalang Rice Terrace

Our Bali adventure on Polarsteps

We left Bali at 12:20 a.m. on the 30th and returned to |*Narita, Japan*| on the morning of the 30th. We immediately took the Shinkansen to |*Kyoto*|, where we checked into the very nice Sakura Terrace The Gallery and wandered around the mysterious Gion area.

Back in Japan, on the Shinkansen to Kyoto, eating onigiri

Mount Fuji from the Shinkansen

me in Gion, Kyoto

Yasaka Shrine, aka Gion Shrine, in Kyoto

Before we left for Japan, we watched shows on streaming services: Atlantic Crossing, Another Self, Grantchester, Maestro in Blue, Pachinko, Trying and Modern Family. I read 3 books this month, bringing my total up to 39/52, with my favorite being Fault Lines by Emily Itami and Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen.

I hope you’ll share how the year is panning out for you, and what plans you have as summer turns to fall.

sweltering in cartagena, colombia: jewel of the caribbean

wanderessence1025 September 4, 2024

Traveling from Medellín to Cartagena & Casa Quero Hotel Boutique

Monday, April 1, 2024: After our hour-long flight from Medellín, we made it by taxi to our hotel, Casa Quero Hotel Boutique in Cartagena’s Histórico Centro. We were lucky that they had the room available for us at about 9:25 am, so we cooled off a bit in our high-ceilinged room before venturing out into Cartegena’s hot, humid and lively streets. I’d been spoiled in Bogotá and Medellin with relatively “cool” weather for 10 nights, but now we were back to tropical heat and humidity, always a challenge for me.

Casa Quero Hotel Boutique

Cartagena’s Centro Histórico

We took our first walkabout in Cartagena’s Centro Histórico, past colorful buildings decked out in vines, past vendors selling fruits, sunglasses, boat tours, cigars, and hats.

According to Lonely Planet Colombia, “Cartagena de Indias is the undisputed queen of the Caribbean coast, a historic city of superbly preserved beauty lying within an impressive 13km of centuries-old colonial stone walls. The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – a maze of cobble alleys, balconies covered in bougainvillea, and massive churches.”

Cartagena’s Centro Histórico

Our first lunch in Cartegena was a feast for the eyes and for the stomach. We ate at Buena Vida: Marisquería Caribena. We saw people being served some very creative dishes like a whole mojarra fish marinated with a blend of spices, such as garlic, cumin, and paprika, then deep-fried to achieve a crispy, golden exterior and a tender, flaky interior. Someone else got fried shrimp (like shrimp cocktail?) on a toothpick over a tall glass of mixed Bloody Mary and beer.

I ordered Tacos Buena Vida CAMARÓNES PARRILLADOS: coleslaw / cebollita encurtida / cilantro / crema de aguacate.

Mike had CANGREJO BUENA VIDA: carne de jaiba / vino blanco / ajo / chipotle / arroz titote / ensalada Cartagenera / maiz crocante / ají dulce. Both were colorful, tasty and beautifully presented.

Buena Vida: Marisquería Caribena

Tacos Buena Vida CAMARÓNES PARRILLADOS

Mike at Buena Vida

me at at Buena Vida

CANGREJO BUENA VIDA

After lunch, we took a short afternoon walk through part of the historic center.

We found ourselves in Parque de Bolívar: This Spanish-style square, framed by lush tropical vegetation, was the center of colonial life in Cartagena de Indias. Initially called Plaza de la Catedral due to its proximity to the city’s main cathedral, it adopted the name Plaza de la Inquisición in 1610 due to the presence of the Inquisition Tribunal. The first Auto-da-Fé took place here in 1614. Enforced and carried out by civil authorities between the 15th and 19th centuries, the auto-da-fé was the ritual of public penance by punishment (most extremely, death by burning) of condemned heretics and apostates imposed by the Spanish, Portuguese or Mexican Inquisition.

In 1896, the equestrian statue of Simón Bolívar was installed in the center of Bolívar Square.

Surrounded by historic buildings such as the Palace of the Inquisition and the cathedral, as well as modern institutions like the Bank of the Republic and the Gold Museum, this square is a symbol of Cartagena’s rich history. Today, locals enjoy gathering under the shade of trees and participating in various cultural and social events.

Along one sidewalk around the square were pictures of Miss Colombia over the years.

Parque de Bolívar

statue of Simón Bolívar

building around Parque de Bolívar

pictures of Miss Colombia over the years

statues in front of Santuario de San Pedro Claver

Old Town Cartagena

Santuario de San Pedro Claver

Old Town Cartagena

Casa Quero Hotel Boutique

After walking around and sweltering through the historic center, it wasn’t long before we opted to go to our hotel’s small rooftop pool with mixed drinks of aguardiente and ginger ale. It was so refreshing especially with the afternoon breezes that are typical of Cartagena. We tried to take some selfies but are notoriously bad at doing so. One accidental shot was with a palm tree 🌴 growing out of the back of Mike’s head, looking like some bizarre hairpiece. When I saw it, I cracked up laughing. That picture gives me chuckles every time I look at it!

an afternoon at the rooftop hotel pool

Mike at the rooftop pool

an afternoon at the rooftop hotel pool

me in the rooftop hotel pool

Mike wears a palm tree wig!! 🙂

cracking up after looking at the crazy picture

sunset from the rooftop pool

Lobo de Mar

We went to Lobo de Mar for dinner and the food was delicious. Mike had pork belly and a delicious asparagus mushroom rice while I had bao shrimp on warm soft fluffy bao bread. The only irritation was the waiter, Wilfredo or something like that. Before we could even get settled or look at the menu, he wanted to give us his recommendations. That wasn’t the end of his annoyances. For most of our meal, he stood looking over us, leaning against the wall and watching us eat. Who does that? Then he had the nerve to ask at the end if we liked his “service” and didn’t we want to add to the normally charged service fee? In fact, I would have deducted from his service fee for being so smothering and annoying. It was too bad because the atmosphere was nice and the food wonderful; that waiter just ruined the whole experience.

The restaurant’s music playlist created a wonderful ambiance:

“Paradise” by Total Giovanni
“Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac
“Instant Crush (Drumless Edition)” featuring Julian Casblancais and Daft Punk – LOVED this!

church in Cartagena

Lobo de Mar

Japanese wave mural at Lobo de Mar

me at at Lobo de Mar

bao shrimp on warm soft fluffy bao bread

Mike at Lobo de Mar

pork belly and a delicious asparagus mushroom rice

Steps: 13,040; Miles 5.53. Weather Hi 96°, Lo 74°. Sunny and humid.

Isla Bela

Tuesday, April 2: Tuesday morning we fought the crowds at the port to take an hour-long boat to Isla Bela, a tranquil oasis with an aqua cove, thatched gazebos, beach beds, and a little wooden swing where everybody posed for pictures. Mike was having stomach problems and was worried about the long boat ride with no bathrooms on board but he managed to survive. We swam, relaxed, read, and bought coco locos from a young man selling them out of his kayak bar. Luckily it got a bit breezier as the morning progressed.

For lunch, we enjoyed a grilled fish fillet lunch with sweetened iced tea and relaxed a bit more in the shade.

Boat ride to Isla Bela

Cartagena from the boat

Mike on the boat ride to Isla Bela

Isla Bela

Mike at Isla Bela

me at Isla Bela

view from our loungers on Isla Bela

the kayak bartender

Isla Bela

Mike gets Coco Locos from the kayak bartender

Mike with his Coco Loco

me with my Coco Loco

view of the beach with Coco Loco

the kayak bartender

the kayak bar

the cove at Isla Bela

Isla Bela

grilled fish fillet lunch

Mike at lunch at Isla Bela

Isla Bela lunch spot

As the afternoon breezes kicked in, it was time to board the very choppy one-hour boat ride back to Cartagena. It was rough; people kept looking around at each other with looks on their faces that said: “We’re all terrified (aren’t you too?) but we’re pretending we’re having a grand old time and we’ll keep pretending and laughing until we capsize or get overwhelmed by the sea!” Mike and I sat in the back and got soaked by waves, so I put on my sunglasses just to prevent something sharp from flying into the boat and poking my eye out. My sunglasses got drenched and I caused quite a crack up among my fellow passengers. We were all laughing uncontrollably. It was crazy!

Check out the short video of our boat ride back at the end of this post.

Finally we made it back to the harbor, covered in sand and sea water, and we traipsed back to the hotel to rinse off and soak in the pool.

the port area at Cartagena

palanquera statue on the way back to our hotel

Cartagena

After a rinsing-off swim at the hotel rooftop pool, we had dinner Tuesday night at Restaurante Da Pietro, an Italian restaurant with live music. We shared a pizza with hamburger and veggies, and lingered quite a while to enjoy the atmosphere and the music. The waiter, Anderson, was very nice but it was a relief not to have him hovering over us all night as the waiter at Lobo de Mar had on Monday night. Some background music played when the musicians weren’t playing: “Can’t get enough of your love, Babe” by Barry White and “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye.

On our way back, we stopped for gelatos and sat on a balcony watching the street life below.

Restaurante Da Pietro

Mike at Restaurante Da Pietro

me at Restaurante Da Pietro

pizza with hamburger and veggies

Mike having gelato

Steps: 13,523; Miles 5.73. Weather Hi 91°, Lo 74°. Sunny and humid.

Hop-On Hop-Off City Sightseeing Tour of Cartagena

Wednesday, April 3: We started Wednesday morning, after a nice breakfast in our hotel courtyard, by walking to the clock tower to take the Hop-On Hop-Off City Sightseeing Tour of Cartagena. On the way we passed a vibrant flower market and men typing official documents (leases, registrations, etc.) for people on old manual typewriters.

courtyard at Casa Quero Hotel Boutique

seating area at Casa Quero Hotel Boutique

flower market on the way to the port

men typing official documents

Castillo San Felipe de Barajas

We got on the Hop-On Hop-Off bus and got a slow start waiting at a big square and driving through slow-moving traffic.

getting on the Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus

me on the Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus

View of Cartagena from city wall

We stopped first at the fortress of Castillo San Felipe de Barajas. The castle, originally known as Castillo de San Lázaro, was built over two centuries beginning in 1536 and is located on the Hill of San Lázaro in a strategic location, dominating approaches to the city by land or sea. It was built by African slave labor under Spanish supervision during the colonial era. It is known as the greatest fortress ever built by the Spaniards in any of their colonies, according to Lonely Planet Colombia.

In 1762 an extensive enlargement was undertaken, resulting in this powerful bastion dominating the entire hill. The castle sits 41 meters (135 ft.) above sea level.

The castle is striking for its grand entrance and its complex maze of tunnels which connected strategic points to allow provisions to be distributed and to facilitate evacuation. The tunnels were built such that any noise reverberated all the way along them, making it possible to hear the slightest sound of an approaching enemy’s feet and also easing internal communication. The fortress was involved in several battles from the late 17th to early 19th centuries between European powers. It also sought to protect the city from pirate attacks. It was impregnable and was never taken despite numerous attempts to storm it.

Castillo San Felipe de Barajas

me in a tunnel at Castillo San Felipe de Barajas

Castillo San Felipe de Barajas

me at Castillo San Felipe de Barajas

Castillo San Felipe de Barajas

Chocolate Museum outside of Castillo San Felipe de Barajas

Back on the Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour

We got back on the Hop-On Hop-Off bus but not before I bought myself a turquoise and pink mochila hanging from the ceiling of a souvenir shop (the green building to the right of the Chocolate Museum in the photo above. 🙂

We continued on the city sightseeing tour around Bocagrande, the upscale and modern area of Cartagena known as Little Miami. We passed the Hotel Caribe, a Cartagena landmark. The Caribe Cartagena Hotel opened in 1945 with five floors that could accommodate 172 guests in 87 rooms. Even in those long-ago times, they had hot water and air conditioning.

Cartagena from the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus

Caribe Cartagena Hotel

Beach in Bocagrande

Hop-On Hop-Off Bus

Centro Histórico

After we got off the bus and walked back into the Centro Histórico, we encountered the famous palanqueras of Cartagena. They are originally from San Basilio de Palenque – a small village located in the southeast of Cartagena ruled entirely by runaway African slaves. In 1691, the village signed a Royal Decree stating the town’s independence from Spanish colonial powers. The palanqueras originally came into Cartagena to sell fruit from baskets carried on their heads, but these days they pose for photos against the colorful and crumbling walls of the old city.

Palanqueras of Cartagena

We did another walkabout through colorful Cartagena and dropped into Kia for some shopping. The shop sold linen pants and other clothes in “one size fits all” that didn’t fit me! The shop had an Indian vibe to it.

We passed by the Cloister of San Toribio, an old convent built in the 17th century. Inside is supposedly a beautiful patio-garden, but we didn’t see it because it was closed.

Mike at the gate to Cartagena’s Centro Histórico

Cartagena’s Centro Histórico

Kia

Kia

Kia

Cartagena’s Centro Histórico

Cloister of San Toribio

Cartagena’s Centro Histórico

We stopped at Tahini Kebab which provided a respite from the heat with its air conditioning going full blast. I had a kibbeh wrap and Mike had a cerdo (pork) wrap.

Tahini Kebab

Casa Quero Hotel Boutique

Anyone who knows me knows I don’t tolerate heat well; soon after lunch we went back to our room to relax a bit and escape from the heat. This is the benefit of having a longer time in a place. Mike complains that we don’t get enough down time on our vacations. I’ve always insisted that it’s because we don’t stay long enough and have to pack everything in over a few days. Now we’re in a rhythm where we go out in the mornings, relax in the room a bit after lunch, then go to the hotel pool in the afternoons. As it gets cooler in the evenings, we go out and wander and eat dinner as the sun is going down.

A bit of a relaxing time in our room

We hung out in the pool on Wednesday afternoon and talked to a couple, Valerie and Steven, from New York who were in Cartagena for a wedding. We shared our Colombia experiences and found they really enjoyed Bogotá and Guatapé while we preferred Medellin and Guatapé.

Then we went out to wander around as the sun was going down, planning to stop at a ceviche place for dinner. We walked by the city walls and the sea and even by Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s house.

Old Town Cartagena

Mike in Old Town Cartagena

Old Town Cartagena

Old Town Cartagena’s wall

Mike in Old Town Cartagena

Mike in front of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s house

Old Town Cartagena

me in Old Town Cartagena

me on the city walls

church at Plaza de San Diego

La Cevicheria

We had dinner at La Cevicheria on Wednesday night. Mike had shrimp empañadas and a smoked eggplant salad, with sautéed onions, boc bufala, fresh tomatoes with basil, black or sesame seeds and roasted peppers.He drank a BBC Cerveza Rubia Honey Ale.

I had Ceviche Mexicano: Shrimp ceviche with lemon juice and avocado, tomato, sweet corn and sour cream, garnished with nachos and BBQ sauce.

We chatted briefly with a group of ladies from Chicago who had just arrived in Cartagena for a week-long vacation. We enjoyed the ambiance of the place with its wooden mermaids decorating the walls and Nickodemus and Osiris serenading us with “Mariposa (feat. Carol C).”

We walked by a statue in the square of Jose Fernandez de Madrid La Patria Agradecida.

La Cevicheria

BBC Cerveza Rubia Honey Ale at La Cevicheria

shrimp empanadas

smoked eggplant salad

Ceviche Mexicano

mermaid decor at La Cevicheria

statue of Jose Fernandez de Madrid La Patria Agradecida

By the time I went to bed, I was suffering with stomach cramps and in the middle of the night my stomach went on full attack. No fun at all. I don’t know what caused it, but it was obviously something I ate that didn’t sit well with me. The strange thing was that Mike suffered from the same problem on Monday night and Tuesday morning. We’ve both been eating the same things, but we couldn’t pinpoint the cause because we were sick at different times.

Steps: 11,875. Miles 5.03. Weather Hi 90°, Lo 74°. Sunny + humid.

Centro Comercial La Serrezuela

Thursday, April 4: On Thursday morning I didn’t feel like venturing out far from our hotel as my stomach was still churning and cramping. My heart wasn’t into doing any of the things I still want to do in Cartagena. We took a short walk and ended up in a modern mall, Centro Comercial La Serrezuela, with multiple floors and air conditioning. The old theater and bullring, set in the traditional San Diego neighborhood, has been restored and turned into a cultural, entertainment, shopping and culinary center.

It was rather boring as the shopping was too high-end for my liking. On the top two levels of the round mall was a kind of bullring-style concert or performance venue.

Old Town Cartagena

me in Old Town Cartagena

door in Old Town Cartagena

window in Old Town Cartagena

Cartagena door knocker

view from Centro Comercial La Serrezuela

view of city walls from Centro Comercial La Serrezuela

Centro Comercial La Serrezuela

bullring performance venue at Centro Comercial La Serrezuela

treats at Centro Comercial La Serrezuela

Centro Comercial La Serrezuela

At the mall, we stopped in for cappuccino & café and some dedos con queso at Cafe Quindio.

Cafe Quindio

Mike in Cafe Quindio

me in Cafe Quindio

After leaving the mall, we walked along the city wall to a market where all kinds of souvenirs and trinkets were for sale. I didn’t feel like eating out, so we returned to our hotel, ate some leftovers we had, and relaxed for a while. I was waiting for my stomach to get back to normal. In the meantime, I didn’t feel like eating or drinking anything. What a waste of a day!

We spent much of the afternoon lounging around in our room because my stomach was still feeling awful and I didn’t feel like going out. We couldn’t even go to the pool because a thunderstorm rolled in.

Window in Cartagena

Old Town Cartagena

door knocker in Cartagena

Door in Cartagena

door and window of Cartagena

Cartagena door

city wall and beach

open air market

hammocks in our hotel

Mike in our hotel room

Pezetarian

We finally went out because I thought I might be able to eat a light sushi meal so we went to Pezetarian, a small, packed and lively place where we enjoyed our meal. We shared pork gyoza: Pork, mushrooms, cabbage, ginger and scallions. I enjoyed a Pezetarian Roll: Five pieces of tempura salmon skin and five pieces of acevichado shrimps, with avocado, cream cheese and topped with mango and masago, on purple sushi rice (beets extract). Mike had a Crispy Salmon Roll: Salmon tempura, avocado, and cream cheese, topped with spicy-mayo and ceviche sauce.

Mike took the last photo of me diving in to our supposed-to-be-shared brownie and ice cream dessert before we thought to take a picture (about par for the course). Some things just can’t wait. 🍴🍴🍴

our hotel courtyard as we left for the evening

Mike and me at Pezetarian

Mike at Pezetarian

pork gyoza

Pezetarian

Mike at Pezetarian

Crispy Salmon Roll

me at Pezetarian

Pezetarian Roll

Steps: 7,321. Miles 3.1. Weather Hi 89°, Lo 80°. Overcast with some thunderstorms.

Getsemaní

Friday, April 5: Friday morning I finally felt well enough to explore the Getsemaní neighborhood. We had thus far spent our time in the inner walled town consisting of the historical districts of El Centro and San Diego. The outer walled town of Getsemaní has more modest architecture but more atmosphere. It is full of colorful houses, plenty of street art and also numerous bars, cafes, fruit vendors and restaurants.

In the center of the town we found the Church of the Holy Trinity (Iglesia de la Trinidad), which dates from the beginning of the 17th century and is one of the oldest churches in the city. In the square in front of the church are some bronze freedom fighters.

newspaper stand near Getsemaní

Getsemaní

doors and knockers of Getsemaní

Getsemaní

me in Getsemaní

Getsemaní

me in a cafe in Getsemaní

Mike in a cafe in Getsemaní

Getsemaní

Church of the Holy Trinity (Iglesia de la Trinidad)

freedom fighter sculptures in front of Church of the Holy Trinity (Iglesia de la Trinidad)

Getsemaní

hats for sale in Getsemaní

Getsemaní

staircase in Getsemaní

Getsemaní

me in Getsemaní

Getsemaní

me in Getsemaní

Getsemaní

Besides the amazing street art, we also found more charm and met some friendly palenqueras.

palenquera in Getsemaní

palenqueras in Getsemaní

palenquera in Getsemaní

me with two palenqueras in Getsemaní

We continued walking around Getsemaní, making our way down some lively streets and then eventually headed back to the Centro Histórico.

a favorite scene in Getsemaní

Getsemaní

Getsemaní

Getsemaní

Getsemaní

me in a cafe in Getsemaní, trying to cool off

Getsemaní

Mike in Getsemaní

Centro Histórico Cartagena

We returned to the Old Town and ate lunch at La Mulata. I had Filet Camaronero: Pez blanco a en salsa de Camarones y Coco. Mike had Camaron Habanero: Camarones en mango y ají habanero.

This place came highly recommended and it was directly across the street from our hotel, Casa Quero. This was the first and only time we ate here. It was yummy and had a lively atmosphere.

We spent the afternoon at the pool.

La Mulata

Filet Camaronero: Pez blanco a en salsa de Camarones y Coco at La Mulata

La Mulata

Mike in the Old Town

Friday evening we walked to the end of the old town where we hadn’t walked much before. I wanted to see the church attached to the large dome we’d seen when we had views from a distance. Convento & Iglesia de San Pedro Claver was founded by Jesuits in the first half of the 17th century, later named to honor Spanish-born monk Pedro Claver (1580-1654), who lived and died here. Called the ‘Slave of the Slaves,” the monk spent his life ministering to enslaved people brought from Africa.

Sadly we still couldn’t see the large dome from the street. We wandered through a market at that end of town where we bought a few pictures.

Old Town Cartagena

Convento & Iglesia de San Pedro Claver

Old Town Cartagena

Botero sculpture in Old Town Cartagena

Perú Fusion

We ate our last dinner in Cartagena on Friday night at Perú Fusion. We had some delicious dishes: Causa de cangrejo: Peruvian cause base (mashed potato) with avocado and tomato, accompanied by crab with a touch of olive sauce and caviar.

I wouldn’t think of sushi as a Peruvian dish, but the “fusion” must have made it so. We shared half an order of Sushi Yacuza: Blown salmon with nippon sauce, tempura vegetables, avocado and hearts of palm bathed in ponzu sauce. We shared a whole order of Rolls de Langostino Trufado: Crispy shrimp, avocado, & asparagus with truffle sauce topping.

We talked to our friendly Venezuelan waiter who had left his country to start all over again. It’s tough for people who have to leave their own poorly-managed countries for opportunities elsewhere. He wanted to return home but couldn’t do so for the time being; he hoped things would improve there one day.

We were serenaded by another wonderful playlist. Colombians really know how to compile music playlists.

“Supergirl” by Dream Chaos and Della
“Calm Down” by DJ Goja and Magic Phase
“Crazy” by DJ Goja and Nito-Onna
“Hymn for the Weekend” by Cale and haLuna
“I’m Blue” by DJ Alex Man, Dj Diac and haLuna
“Flowers” by Hard dope, Lex Morris and Veronica Bravo
“All of Me” by CALE and Catching Sunrises
“Mockingbird” by ReMan, Zentone and Banny

Perú Fusion

Mike at Perú Fusion

Causa de cangrejo: Peruvian cause base (mashed potato) with avocado and tomato, accompanied by crab with a touch of olive sauce and caviar

Sushi Yacuza & Rolls de Langostino Trufado

me at Perú Fusion

On our way back to the hotel, we came across a Michael Jackson performance. The two accompanying dancers were dressed in rags and were dragging themselves across the street. Crazy!

Steps: 14,379; Miles 6.1. Weather Hi 91°, Lo 80°. Sunny + humid with chance of rain.

A final walk around Old Town Cartagena

Saturday, April 6: We took one last morning walk around Cartagena before checking out of our hotel at noon. Our flight to Bogotá and then on to Washington didn’t leave till 8:15 p.m. that night; we would arrive home at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday. A long afternoon stretched before us while waiting to leave; luckily after lunch we could still use the hotel pool until it was time to go.

Last walk through Old Town Cartagena

We ended our last day in Cartagena eating lunch at the same place we ate lunch on our first day here, Monday: Buena Vida. This time I had a pesto crusted fish fillet – coconut sacue / grilled tomatoes / pesto crust. My stomach, though it had felt better yesterday, started acting up again this morning, so lunch was not very enjoyable. Mike had smoked beef brisket tacos: melted cheese / avocado / street picadillo / chipotle mayo.

Mike at Buena Vida

me at Buena Vida

Lunch at Buena Vida

At the hotel pool after lunch, we talked again to Steven from New York. He had been having stomach issues as well, as had several members of the wedding party. It was a mystery as to the cause; I believed it was the ice in the drinks as we’d been told not to drink water from faucets. Anyway, no one knew but the worst thing was to have these issues on our travel day. It could be a long miserable pair of flights if things didn’t get better.

last day at the rooftop pool in Cartagena while waiting for our overnight flight

I was so excited to get back to springtime temperatures in Virginia. I really cannot tolerate the infernal heat and humidity. I don’t know how people can live in this kind of climate.

Here’s a short video of a couple of scenes of our boat ride from Isla Bela to Cartagena and some lively street scenes from Getsemaní.

Flying home from Cartagena to Bogotá to Virginia

We arrived at Cartagena Airport and got an earlier flight to Bogotá. Sadly, it just meant a longer wait in Bogotá as our flight from Bogotá to Dulles remained the same at 11:55 p.m.

Bogotá Airport

Our Colombia trip on Polarsteps

Steps: 12,900; Miles 5.47. Weather Hi 93°, Lo 80°. Sunny and humid.

Arriving home to Virginia

Sunday, April 7: We arrived at Dulles Airport at 6:25 a.m. after a 5 1/2 hour uncomfortable flight on Avianca. The seats were tight and didn’t recline and there were no snacks offered onboard. It made for a miserable flight. I ended up catching a bad cold onboard and was so exhausted that it took me an entire week to recover.

flying into Dulles Airport at sunrise

Steps: 11,895; Miles 5.05.

the “resurrected” medellín, colombia

wanderessence1025 August 28, 2024

Arrival in Medellín

Tuesday, March 26, 2024: We had one of the shortest flights ever from Bogotá to Medellín. What beautiful countryside all around Colombia’s second largest city. The city sits in the Aburrá Valley surrounded by the verdant Andes mountains.

approaching Medellín

The metro area of Medellín is the second-largest urban area in Colombia in terms of population and economy, with more than 4 million people. The city is important to the region for its universities, academies, commerce, industry, science, health services, flower-growing, and festivals. The city sprawls north and south along the valley floor, with slums hugging the upper reaches of the hills. We could see these slums on our way into the city from the airport.

Medellín was founded in 1616, nearly 75 years after the Spaniards first arrived in the Aburrá Valley in the 1540s. Historians believe the early settlers were Spanish Jews fleeing the Inquisition. They divided the land into small haciendas which they farmed themselves, as opposed to the slave-based plantation culture that dominated much of Colombia. These early self-reliant paisanos had a streak of independence unmatched in the rest of the country.

Medellín became the capital of Antioquia in 1826, but was a kind of provincial backwater, with few and modest colonial buildings. When the railroad arrived at the start of the 20th century, coffee production boomed and transformed the city. Mine owners and coffee barons invested their profits in the budding textile industry and their gamble paid off. Within a few decades, Medellín grew into a large metropolitan city.

In the 1980s, the city became menacing under the violent leadership of Pablo Escobar, when it became the capital of the world’s cocaine business. Gun battles were commonplace and the city’s homicide rate was among the highest on the planet. Escobar was killed in 1993, and the city has slowly and painstakingly resurrected itself as a tourist destination.

We arrived at our apartment, Go Living and Suites El Poblado – Jalo Rent at around d 3:30. El Poblado is a very upscale part of the city, way more upscale than we expected or than we’re used to. The whole hilly landscape, full of tropical abundance, is dotted with modern high rises where apparently most of the wealthy people live. Restaurants and shopping malls abound. This was certainly not what I expected. It was over the top!

bedroom in Go Living and Suites El Poblado – Jalo Rent

living room in Go Living and Suites El Poblado – Jalo Rent

Go Living and Suites El Poblado – Jalo Rent

view of Medellín from our apartment at Go Living and Suites El Poblado – Jalo Rent

Someone in our building recommended the Asian fusion restaurant Niku in Provenza, so off we went by Uber. The restaurant was quite fancy and we looked like what the cat dragged in. I asked the waiter a question about an appetizer, but I didn’t order it. They brought out the appetizer, and acted shocked that I hadn’t ordered it. I felt as if they thought I was lying. But honestly, we rarely order appetizers because we can barely even eat the meals we order.

I ordered Three Seas Rice (prawn, shrimp, salmon, whitefish, and sauteed vegetables, with an egg) and Mike ordered a Salted Loin stir-fry (Sirloin stir-fried with vegetables and edamame in ponzu and tamarind sauce). It was decent but expensive, probably the most expensive meal we’ve had on our trip. It wasn’t worth so much money, to be honest.

Niku

Salted Loin stir-fry (Sirloin stir-fried with vegetables and edamame in ponzu and tamarind sauce)

Three Seas Rice (prawn, shrimp, salmon, whitefish, and sauteed vegetables, with an egg)

inside Niku

I’ve been on the lookout for an Óptica store where I could get my glasses tightened so we walked around the huge El Tesoro shopping mall and there I found a glasses store where the woman painstakingly did the repair for free, trying multiple tiny tools until she got it right. Mike and I wandered around and around the mall and couldn’t find our way out. Finally someone directed us to the entrance. Outside, we got an Uber to bring us back to the apartment.

El Tesoro shopping mall

Ssteps: 6,898; Miles 2.92. Weather Hi 83°, Lo 64°.

“Real City Walking Tour” in Medellín

Wednesday, March 27: Even though I had just sworn off tours after our horrible bike tour in Bogotá, we decided to take the free highly-rated “Real City Walking Tour” in Medellin this morning. We met the group on the pedestrian bridge at the north ticket booth of Alpujarra metro stop. We arrived early as we always do to everything. There were a lot of people in the group; we early birds were separated off with Julio, who was to be our tour guide for 3 1/2 hours.

the meeting place for Real City Tours Medellín

me at the meeting place

Mike at the meeting place

We took off before the 10:00 time and immediately sat down on some steps for a half hour while Julio told us about the history, tragedy, growth, and “resurrection” (his word) of a city that has suffered much over the decades, especially in the 1980s and 1990s when the Medellin drug cartel under Pablo Escobar wreaked havoc on the city. Julio was a lively and passionate guide who used to be a professor and he had definite opinions about those years as he was a young boy at the time and remembers vividly living under menacing and lurking fear.

Julio told us that the people of Antioquia, where Medellín is, are known as paisas, and they tend to place themselves above the rest of the country in pride and attitude.

We stopped first at the La Alpujarra Administrative Center, an urban complex of government buildings built in the 1980s for the administration of the Antioquia department and Medellín municipality. The center consists of a plaza flanked by two buildings. This plaza is dominated by the sculpture called Monumento a la Raza (Monument to the Race) by Rodrigo Arenas Betancourt (1919–1995), which honors the history of Antioquia including its agriculture, religion, and solidarity. The monument is a curved concrete structure covered in several bronze sculptures, and it was inaugurated on 31 May 1988.

Monumento a la Raza

One of the buildings beside the plaza has a huge wall covered in plants in an effort to help abate climate change’s detrimental effects on the city.

plant-covered building in La Alpujarra Administrative Center

another sculpture in La Alpujarra Administrative Center

La Alpujarra Administrative Center

Next we walked to Plaza Cisneros, also known as Parque de Las Luces. It has an artificial forest of 300 light poles, which are up to 24 meters high. Bamboo stands are also interspersed among the the light poles. The plaza used to be the main marketplace of the city. Later, it became a very dangerous area of the city where drug cartels often shot down enemies, rival cartels, government officials, or witnesses.

The plaza was renovated with its current light fixtures as part of a renewal effort to rejuvenate the area. This project was called “Medellín is light.” However, Julio said currently the park does not light up at night because a company took all the lights down to replace them, and to this day have not replaced them. Julio believes the creation of the park in a once dangerous area gives hope to the citizens of the city.

Parque de Las Luces

We stopped into the Palacio Nacional Mall, which dates back to the 1920s when the city of Medellín needed new facilities to accommodate public, political, and educational offices. Renowned Belgian architect Agustín Goovaerts was tasked with designing this building, which was inaugurated in 1933.

Despite its historical heritage, the building experienced physical and social deterioration in the 1980s and 1990s. As a result of that, in 1993 it underwent significant revitalization and began to be transformed into a shopping mall.

walking to Palacio Nacional Mall

Palacio Nacional Mall

Mike in Palacio Nacional Mall

Iglesia de la Veracruz is regarded as one of the oldest churches in Medellin. The colonial church dates back to 1682 when the first brick was laid. It was completed in 1712 with the help of European immigrants.

By 1791, the church was approaching ruin with a major threat of collapse, so it was demolished almost entirely with the rebuilding of the church starting in December of that year. The blessing of the present Church of the Veracruz took place on March 25, 1809. Iglesia de la Veracruz was declared part of the cultural heritage of Colombia on March 12, 1982. Unfortunately, the area around the church currently has a bad reputation for crime and street prostitution, especially after dark.

Iglesia de la Veracruz

Before long, we ended up at Botero Plaza, bordered by the Museum of Antioquia and the Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture. The 7,000 square meter outdoor park displays 23 sculptures by Colombian artist Fernando Botero, who donated these and several other artworks for the museum’s renovation in 2004.

Botero Plaza

Botero Plaza with Museum of Antioquia

Botero Plaza

The Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture houses cultural programs related to the Department of Antioquia, such as concerts, conferences, and art exhibitions. Belgian architect Agustín Goovaerts designed the building in a striking black and white Gothic Revival style. The palace was named after Rafael Uribe Uribe, a General for the Colombian Liberal Party. Construction on the project began in 1925 although only a quarter of the original design was completed.

Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture

a building bordering Botero Plaza

Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture

We stopped to admire the Parque Berrío Metro Station, another aspect of what Julio called the “resurrection” of the city. It first opened for service in November of 1995. As one of the first implementations of modern mass transportation in Colombia and the only metro system in the country, the Medellín Metro is a product of the urban planning of the Antioquia department of Colombia.

Parque Berrío Metro Station

We finished our tour at San Antonio Plaza where there was a bombing during a music concert in June of 1995, killing 29 people and wounding 205 others. According to police, a 22-pound bomb filled with shrapnel was placed beneath a bird sculpture created by renowned artist Fernando Botero. When later the mayor of Medellin wanted to remove the statue, Botero called him and told him not to dare remove that statue. He donated another bird to stand next to the bombed one. Now side by side the two birds represent the tragedy and hope of the city.

on the way to San Antonio Plaza

bombed Botero bird in San Antonio Plaza

New Botero bird in San Antonio Plaza

me, Julio and Mike in San Antonio Plaza

Hacienda Junín

Our guide Julio from Real City Tours recommended we have lunch at Hacienda Junín to try one of Medellin’s typical dishes, Bandeja Paisa: famous beans, rice, meat powder, pork rinds, blood sausage, chorizo, egg, slice of sweet plantain, avocado and arepa. My favorite was the blood sausage and reminded me of having blood sausage in Spain with Darina during our Camino de Santiago. Mike and I shared some of that huge dish and also some empañadas with pineapple chili and avocado. It was delicious and the place had a very nice setting.

Hacienda Junín

empañadas with pineapple chili and avocado

me at Hacienda Junín

Bandeja Paisa: famous beans, rice, meat powder, pork rinds, blood sausage, chorizo, egg, slice of sweet plantain, avocado and arepa

Mike at Hacienda Junín

Hacienda Junín

Museo de Antioquia

We spent the afternoon after our tour exploring the Museo de Antioquia, housed in the grand Art Deco Palacio Municipal. It is Colombia’s second oldest museum, after the Museo Nacional in Bogotá. Its permanent collection spans 19th-century and contemporary Colombian art as well as pre-Columbian pieces. The third floor highlights paintings and sculptures by Botero as well as other artists’ works from his personal collection. There are wonderful Pedro Nel Gómez murals around the building. Sadly we weren’t able to take pictures of any of the Boteros.

me at Botero Plaza

Botero statue with Museo de Antioquia in background

Museo de Antioquia

Escena con jinete, 1960 by Fernando Botero Angulo (1932) at Museo de Antioquia

Los iguazos, 1980 by Nirma Zárate (1936/1999) from The Cotton Series at Museo de Antioquia

Museo de Antioquia

Caballero, ca. 1967 by Marta Elena Vélez (1939)

El cáliz, 1962 by Hernando Tejada (1924/1998)

Alliance for Progress, 1964 & Walking Machine, 1964 by Leonel Estrada

Museo de Antioquia

Bodegón en amarillo, 1955 by Alejandro Obregón (1920/1992)

The Waiting, 1958 by Lucy Tejada (1920/2011)Museo de Antioquia

Flutists, 1958 by David Manzur (1929)

Ocher Figure, 1956 by Judith Márquez (1929)

Self-Portrait, 1941 by Pedro Nel Gómez (1899/1984) at Museo de Antioquia

Still Life, 1958 by Aníbal Gil (1932)

Flora, ca. 1968 by Alejandro Obregón (1920/1992)

Museo de Antioquia

Festival of Life, 1968 by Fred Hausman (1921)

Museo de Antioquia

Grand Highland Tangle, 1970 by Olga de Amaral (1932)

Scorpio 1, 1972 by Gerry Hoover (1943)

From the Situations Series – Prostitutes, 1972 by Saturnino Ramírez (1946/2002)

Waterfall, 1979 by Rodrigo Callejas (1937)

Museo de Antioquia

Imperialist Agression (Vietnam Is Showing Us the Way), 1972 by Taller 4 Rojo (1971/1975)

Museo de Antioquia

Petra and Mikaela. From the Lovers Series, 1984 by Flor María Bouhot (1949)

Museo de Antioquia

Black girl, 1949 by Mariela Ochoa Uribe (1912/1999)

Christ on the Cross by Ana Fonnegra

Museo de Antioquia

Dialogue, 1937 by Ignacio Gómez Jaramillo (1910/1970)

Museo de Antioquia

Landscape, 1940 by Darío Tobón Calle

Museo de Antioquia

A Woman Ironing, 1938 by Eladio Vélez (1897/1967)

Museo de Antioquia

Image of Antioquia, 1969 by Rafael Sáenz (1910/1998)

Museo de Antioquia

Portrait of a Village, 1997 by Ethel Gilmour

Museo de Antioquia

Witness Calf, Limón, Bolívar, Colombia, 2010 by Juan Manuel Echavarría (1947)

The Holyday, ca. 1958 by León Posada (1923/2010)

Museo de Antioquia

Mural al fresco, 1936 by Pedro Nel Gómez

My favorite was a special exhibition on Dora Ramírez, born on June 18, 1923 in Medellín. At that time the city had 100,000 residents, “with a few pretensions of modernity while still being a conservative and parochial city. For women in Medellín, their destiny was confinement, whether in marriage, at home or in convents,” according to the exhibit.

Dora went through transformations in her life but remained faithful to herself and her convictions. She exercised her right to vote at age 34.

She and other women artists had a hard time being recognized and respected in the male-dominated art world and were often called “crazy.” Later, she gave up painting to dedicate herself to tango dancing. In 2005, she said, “When one realizes how much violence exists in Colombia, one comes to the conclusion that this country can only be fixed by dancing.”

I loved how she depicted women in sumptuous textiles. At a time when women were limited almost exclusively to a reproductive role, it is almost a miracle to find a body of documents produced by a woman throughout her life. Dora Ramirez married, fulfilled the mandate of her time; then, when she divorced, she did countless other things: she painted, exhibited all over the world, traveled, wrote letters to presidents, mayors and ministers with ideas and projects; she managed the affairs of cultural entities, danced tango… she made an archive. She was an artist who did not give into submission, who lived in her freedom.

Dora Ramírez exhibit

Dora Ramírez exhibit: “Otra chicha maya” 1989

Dora Ramírez exhibit

part of the Dora Ramírez exhibit

Dora Ramírez exhibit

Museo de Antioquia

Janethy Moda

For a couple of years I’ve been following a tienda de ropa (clothing store) on Instagram called Janethy Moda. I was determined to search it out in Medellin, so after the museum, although I was super tired, we decided to walk to the store, about 20 minutes away. When we arrived, the store was in disarray from a renovation in progress, with construction debris all around and the store in a disheveled and disorganized state. I thought, “Damn! I’ve finally found this store and I can’t even shop in it!” However, the salespeople, especially Alba, invited me in and helped me pick out lots of clothes to try in the midst of all the construction. I was in a hot little dressing room in a corner of the store, sweating like crazy, and Alba kept bringing me more things to try on.

I’ve noticed Colombian women seem to generally have tiny waists and big hips; that is the opposite of my body which is pretty much straight. But in the end, I found five shirts that I liked so I was able to buy something from this store I’ve been following for several years.

Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture from Botero Plaza

Botero Plaza as we walked to Janethy Moda

Janethy Moda going through a renovation

me with Alma and another saleswoman at Janethy Moda

Right in front of and perpendicular to Janethy Moda was a funky street filled with bars and painted with graffiti. Mike thought we should stop and have a beer there after my little shopping spree. We had eaten the huge lunch at Hacienda Junín and we didn’t want dinner, so we sat and had a beer at La Jaus Pub Rock. A young boy was singing up a storm on the street and he actually had a great voice so we enjoyed his songs with our beers. I had to give him some money for his fabulous singing especially when he sang a song by Colombian singer Juanes, who we had seen in concert at Wolf Trap in 2023. It was a fun way to end our first full day in Medellin.

street near Janethy Moda

Steps: 12,517; Miles: 5.31. Weather Hi 85°, Lo 63°.

Guatapé and La Peñol

Thursday, March 28 and Friday, March 29: On Thursday morning, we went to Guatapé and La Peñol and returned to Medellín late Friday afternoon. You can read about our overnight trip here: guatapé & la peñol, colombia.

Guatapé

street of umbrellas in Guatapé

El Peñol

view from the climb up El Peñol

La Mayoría Restaurante: donde bailan los caballos

On Friday night, after returning to Medellin from Guatapé, we went out to dinner at La Mayoría Restaurante: donde bailan los caballos (where horses dance). All the tables were around or in the center of a square corral of sorts, and the vaqueros (cowboys) brought horses around for people to pet. Cowboys rode around the square on their clopping horses or had the horse stand on its front legs on a barrel. Background music played over a loudspeaker or the vaquero sang a song. It had more of what I would think was a Mexican vibe, as this was the first time I’d seen anything like this in Colombia. It was quite fun and the food was pretty good too.

I had a lot of sympathy for the poor short pony at the end as I’m always struggling to deal with my own short legs!

view over Medellín from our apartment

La Mayoría Restaurante

me, Mike and a horse at La Mayoría Restaurante

La Mayoría Restaurante

me at La Mayoría Restaurante

La Mayoría Restaurante

me with horse at La Mayoría Restaurante

La Mayoría Restaurante

salad at La Mayoría Restaurante

La Mayoría Restaurante

me at La Mayoría Restaurante

short pony at La Mayoría Restaurante

La Mayoría Restaurante

view from La Mayoría Restaurante

La Mayoría Restaurante

me at La Mayoría Restaurante

Mike at La Mayoría Restaurante

After eating our dinner (Mike had BANDEJA PAISA: Traditional antiquia’s dish of red beans, white rice, chicharron, ground meat, fried egg, fried plantain, avocado and arepa, while I had LANGOSTINOS A LA PARRILLA: Grilled prawns with spicy panela sauce, mashed native potatoes and salad), we walked around the grounds to see the view over Medellin (we were in Envigado) and the entire La Mayoría complex.

Here is a short video of the horse action at La Mayoría Restaurante.

Steps: 8,223; Miles 3.48. Weather Hi 75°, Lo 56°. (Guatapé)

Museo el Castillo

Saturday, March 30: Saturday morning, we trudged uphill about a mile from our apartment to the Museo el Castillo. By the time I got there, I was drenched in sweat.

walk from our neighborhood to Museo el Castillo

We walked around the grounds where I was annoyed by all the photo hogs: people who grab the most scenic spots and take multiple pictures there, switching out family members in the photos, for a good 5-10 minutes. People: have some consideration for others!

In order to see the inside of the castle, a 45-minute house tour was required, with about 20 people per group squeezed into airless rooms. It was all in Spanish and though I tried my best to understand I was only able to catch bits and pieces and soon was bored by the whole thing. Also, no photography was allowed inside. I would rather just wander through houses such as these on my own, but it was not to be.

The castle was built in 1930 by the architect Nel Rodríguez in the Medieval Gothic style. The design was inspired by castles in Loire Valley in France. It was the house of physician José Tobón Uribe until 1943 when industrialist Diego Echavarría Misas bought the house for his family. In 1971 it became a museum when the wife of Diego Echavarría Misas, Benedikta Zur Nieden, known as “Dita,” donated the house and all its furnishings after the death of her husband.

approach to Museo el Castillo

Museo el Castillo

me at Museo el Castillo

Museo el Castillo

Mike at Museo el Castillo

me at Museo el Castillo

Museo el Castillo

Mike and me at Museo el Castillo

painting at Museo el Castillo

El Poblado Park

After our visit to Museo el Castillo, we took an Uber to El Poblado Park where we had seen a little market on our way to Guatapé on Thursday. We ate a lunch of tacos 🌮 at Tacos el Tigre which looked like a late-night music venue and bar; it had a stage for live music. We listened to “Little Talks” by Of Monsters and Men.

Then we walked up to the park and perused the market stalls. I got a few more raw emeralds (earrings and necklace), a couple of cheap woven bracelets and Mike got a new wallet.

Tacos el Tigre

lunch at Tacos el Tigre

me at Tacos el Tigre

Mike at Tacos el Tigre

Tacos el Tigre

me at the El Poblado Park market

sculpture at El Poblado Park market

Santa Fe Mall in El Poblado

After lunch Saturday, we took an Uber to the Santa Fe Mall in El Poblado, a short walk from our apartment. I ended up buying some linen pants and two shirts while Mike bought a bathing suit and a pair of pants. The malls in this part of Medellin are behemoths. The Santa Fe Mall has multiple plazas and is at least 5 stories tall. Both times we entered a mall here in El Poblano, we couldn’t find our way out without asking for directions.

an over-the-top display at Santa Fe Mall

When we finally escaped the mall, we walked back to our apartment where we had a short rest before going out to eat.

the walk back to our apartment

view from our apartment

Laureles

When we were in Bogota, we met two friendly women from Medellin who highly recommended that we go to the Laureles area while in Medellin, and especially that we eat at Saludpan, an organic food market that serves healthy meals. So we went and had a delicious corn chowder with cheese and tortilla chips. I got a salmon sandwich in Ciabatta bread and Mike got turkey sandwich also on Ciabatta.

me at Saludpan

Mike at Saludpan

Saludpan in Laureles

corn chowder with cheese and tortilla chips

me with Mike at Saludpan

salmon sandwich in Ciabatta bread

Saludpan in Laureles

Then we walked down the Main Street of Laureles where all the loud nightlife bars blared with music. We didn’t care for the loud vibes so we found a side street with a nice quiet bar, BBC (Bogotá Beer Company) Bodega 70. There we met a newlywed Dutch couple slightly younger than us and their friend Jacko, also from Netherlands, who has lived in Medellin for 11 years. Jacko refurbished used sport utility vehicles, especially vintage ones like old Range Rovers and Land Cruisers to sell abroad. The couple was on their honeymoon and we talked for a long while about the difficulties of learning languages, our love of travel, and teaching English as a foreign language. It was a nice way to end our last Saturday in Medellin.

Mike at BBC (Bogotá Beer Company) Bodega 70

BBC (Bogotá Beer Company) Bodega 70

Steps: 9,984; Miles 4.23. Weather Hi 87°, Lo 66°.

Comuna 13

Easter Sunday, March 31: We had been warned by a number of people that Comuna 13 would be super crowded during semana santa (Holy Week), so we devised a strategy to visit as early as possible on Easter morning to beat the crowds. After all, in this Catholic country, everyone should be at church, right? Well, for once, our strategy worked. By the time we were coming down after visiting the top, the crowds were just arriving.

Comuna 13 was once the most violent barrio (neighborhood) in the most violent city in the world. It was where drug cartels, gangs and paramilitaries operated and killed or displaced thousands of people. In the 1980s and 90s, it was controlled by notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar. Even after his death in 1993, drug cartels sought control of the area, leading to more violence. It wasn’t until 2002, when the Colombian military carried out Operation Orion, a strike to get rid of all rebel groups, that Comuna 13 began to turn around.

The focal point of the area is around the escaleras electricas, the outdoor escalators that provide access to home in marginalized barrios that were formerly isolated from the city below. These escalators are of the icons of the resurrection of Medellín.

Concrete, rather ramshackle buildings climb up the western hills of Medellin. They are now covered in colorful murals and graffiti. The area now welcomes tourists and offers street performances and artistic forays.

entering Comuna 13

Comuna 13

me at Comuna 13

Mike at Comuna 13

Comuna 13

painted staircases next to escaleras electricas of Comuna 13

Comuna 13

painted staircases next to escaleras electricas of Comuna 13

Comuna 13

view from Comuna 13

Comuna 13

me in Comuna 13

Comuna 13

coffee shop/music venue in Comuna 13

Comuna 13

view from Comuna 13

Comuna 13

view from Comuna 13

Comuna 13

view from Comuna 13

Comuna 13

view from Comuna 13

Mike in a coffee shop in Comuna 13

me in the coffee shop

painterly ceiling of the coffee shop in Comuna 13

Comuna 13

leaving Comuna 13

Jardín Botánico Medellín

After our walk through Comuna 13, we decided we needed some peace and quiet and fresh air so we went to Jardín Botánico Medellín. The Botanic Gardens cover 14 hectares, showcase 600 species of trees and plants, and include a lake, a herbarium, and a butterfly enclosure.

There we found a huge slatted wooden canopy, called the Orquideorama – an organically expanding meshwork of wooden flowers – with a yoga class going on beneath it. They were doing my favorite part of yoga class: shavasana, or corpse pose (final relaxation).

The Orquideorama was built beginning in 2008 and includes ten hexagonal “trees” of steel tubes which rise up to support a space frame that is covered by glass and screened by wooden slats. Orchids are planted at the base of each tree. They are a symbol of Medellín’s “regeneration.” The structures is 65 feet high. They collect rainwater and shelter an orchid collection and butterfly reserves.

Taken as a whole, the Orquideorama is where nature and architecture meet. It is a delicate display of the relationship and structural similarities between architecture and living organisms.

Then we wandered around more of the gardens until we were bored and then returned to our apartment. As soon as we returned, the skies opened up, and a thunderstorm roared through.

Orquideorama at Jardín Botánico Medellín

me at Jardín Botánico Medellín

Mike at Jardín Botánico Medellín

Jardín Botánico Medellín

Mike at Jardín Botánico Medellín

me at Jardín Botánico Medellín

Jardín Botánico Medellín

man-eating plants

Jardín Botánico Medellín

Alambique

We had our last dinner in Medellin at an atmospheric restaurant called Alambique, which means “an alchemical still consisting of two vessels connected by a tube, used for distillation of liquids,” according to Wikipedia.

Alambique menu

Alambique: “an alchemical still consisting of two vessels connected by a tube, used for distillation of liquids”

This restaurant was near El Poblado Parque where we had gone the day before to the craft market. It had a vibe reminiscent of The White Lotus, especially the menu with its antique botanicals, the effusive plant life, its playlist of exotic music, and vintage things like old typewriters and old books attached to the walls.

Alambique menu with The White Lotus vibes

Alambique

Alambique menu

me at Alambique

Mike at Alambique

Alambique

Mike at Alambique

Alambique

bathroom sink at Alambique

We were warmly welcomed into Alambique and were told that our experience there was meant to be a slow one, that the dishes come out slowly, and that they are meant to be shared as they are quite large.

Here’s what we had. It was all delectable:

Drinks: (me) FRESH CUCUMBER Gin, Chartreuse, Roasted Lemon, Cucumber Juice, Grapefruit Juice, and Simple Syrup.
Mike: a double pour of 1800 Añejo Tequila.
Appetizer: BUÑUELO BASKETS: A mouthful of textures and flavors. [Buñuelos are hand made balls of maize and cheese with a soft crumb and a crispy crust]. Filled with shrimp cocktail with a rum and coconut lemonade shot x4 pieces.
Main course: BEEF AND PORK MEATBALLS WITH ALMONDS: Wrapped in pastry, stuffed with savannah cheese, on a reduction of basil and sesame.
Dessert: COLA DE RATON: Gulupa ice cream, coconut meringue and mouse tail: tree tomato candied with panela and wine [Tree tomatos are a delicatessen fruit from the Andean region, sweet, sour and with a pinch of salty].

a double pour of 1800 Añejo Tequila

FRESH CUCUMBER Gin, Chartreuse, Roasted Lemon, Cucumber Juice, Grapefruit Juice, and Simple Syrup

BUÑUELO BASKETS

me at Alambique

BEEF AND PORK MEATBALLS WITH ALMONDS: Wrapped in pastry, stuffed with savannah cheese, on a reduction of basil and sesame

the ambiance of Alambique

COLA DE RATON

The playlist included the following:

“Fekete Tyúk, Fekete kút” by Goulash Exotica
“Cumbia del Olvido” by Nicola Cruz
“El Oro de la Tolita” (feat. Grupo Taribo)
“La Danza de los Mirlos” by Los Mirlos
“Torre de Marfil” by Gustavo Certati
“Quantic Flowering Inferno” by DJ Cumbero

Overall, we LOVED this experience for Easter Sunday night and for our last night in Medellin.

Steps: 9,093; Miles 3.85. Weather Hi 80°, Lo 62°.

Departing for Cartagena

Monday, April 1: On Monday morning at 4:30 a.m. we left Medellin for the airport, arriving around 5:00 a.m. for our 7:14 a.m. flight to Cartagena.

Mike in the Medellín airport

me in the Medellín Airport

We would arrive in Cartagena at 8:20 a.m. on April Fool’s Day!

guatapé & la peñol, colombia

wanderessence1025 August 21, 2024

Medellín to Guatapé

Thursday, March 28, 2024: On Thursday, we hired an English-speaking driver, Peter from Belgium, to drive us from Medellín to Guatapé, a town about a 2-hour drive east of Medellín. Since we had our Medellín apartment for six nights, we decided to keep most of our things in our apartment and take only an overnight bag to Guatapé, where we would spend the night. We had originally intended to take only a day trip to Guatapé but decided we’d like to enjoy the spot at a relaxing pace.

Peter asked if we wanted to go the scenic route over the mountains rather than through the 8-mile-long tunnel through which we came from the airport. We chose the scenic route. Colombia is a big cycling country with many famous cyclists and we saw plenty of them climbing on their bikes on this route through the mountains. Peter stopped at a viewpoint over Medellín, but sadly it was too hazy to get a good view of the city.

viewpoint over Medellín on the way to Guatapé

viewpoint over Medellín

Guatapé

Outside of Guatapé, Peter stopped at our hotel, 1714 Boutique Hotel, to let us drop our bags and then drove us into the town of Guatapé, which is a major tourist attraction, especially for travelers from Medellín. El Peñón de Guatapé, a large rock that visitors can climb, and the famous zócalos (friezes or murals) that adorn many buildings in the town attract tourists.

The flamboyant town of Guatapé sits on the shores of the Embalse (Reservoir) Guatapé, a sprawling artificial lake dotted with islands and peninsulas. It is known for the fresco-like adornments of its traditional houses. Brightly painted bas-relief depictions of people, animals, and shapes cover the lower halves of many dwellings. Besides, there are plenty of painted murals adorning walls throughout the town. These sometimes advertise businesses but also tell stories of the town’s history.

Since it was approaching Easter weekend and the crowds and traffic were already heavy, we skipped climbing the rock on Thursday and made a plan to be there at 8 am on Friday morning. Instead, we wandered around the colorful town admiring all the vibrant buildings and murals. We had fun taking photos of the cutely painted motochivas, like tuk-tuks commonly found in other countries but much cuter.

We also saw the beautiful Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Carmen de Guatapé church on the main square, built in the Greco-Roman style. Its construction began in 1865 but it took 70 years to complete. Parishioners buzzed around the church putting finishing touches on their floats for the Good Friday procession.

Guatapé

motochiva in Guatapé

Guatapé

Botero painting in Guatapé

Guatapé

motochiva in Guatapé

Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Carmen de Guatapé

Guatapé

We had lunch at Donde Sam, an Indian restaurant recommended by our Belgian driver Peter. We posed with Sam after we finished our delicious green shrimp curry and palak paneer.

me at Donde Sam

Mike at Donde Sam

green shrimp curry

palak paneer

Mike, Sam and me at Donde Sam

After lunch, we continued our wanderings through the colorful town, which is wildly photogenic.

Guatapé

motochiva in Guatapé

zócalos in Guatapé

Guatapé

motochiva in Guatapé

me in Guatapé

Guatapé

Mike with zócalos in Guatapé

zócalos in Guatapé

me in Guatapé

Guatapé

zócalos in Guatapé

Guatapé

a dalmation in a shop in Guatapé

another zócalo in Guatapé

Besides the colorful buildings, we found streets shaded by a rainbow of umbrellas, and packed with people. We made a stop to rest and have some coffee at a friendly and adorable coffee shop called Folklore, which we would adopt as our own and revisit the following day. I also couldn’t resist buying another hat despite Mike’s protests that I never wear hats that I buy while traveling once I return home. He’s not totally wrong, but every once in a blue moon I do wear them at home.

street of umbrellas in Guatapé

Mike on the street of umbrellas in Guatapé

me on the street of umbrellas in Guatapé

me with a funky little car

folklore coffee shop

Guatapé

Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Carmen de Guatapé

inside Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Carmen de Guatapé

me with another new hat in Guatapé

Mike with the zócalos of Guatape

1714 Hotel Boutique

We took a motochiva back to our hotel, 1714 Hotel Boutique, quite a distance from the town of Guatapé. On our way, we passed the famous rock which we’d climb the following morning, El Peñol.

taking a motochiva back to our hotel

El Peñol

taking a motochiva back to our hotel

Once at the hotel, we changed into our bathing suits and relaxed in the pool and hot tub, enjoying beers at the swim-up bar. We chatted with one young couple who had driven 9 hours from Bogotá for a 3-day holiday weekend. Another young couple was from Uruguay visiting Colombia.

1714 Hotel Boutique outside of Guatapé

1714 Hotel Boutique

In the evening it was too much hassle to go back into town, so we had a nice dinner on the terrace at the hotel. I enjoyed a vodka tonic and Mike had a good pour of tequila. We shared a delicious cauliflower onion soup, I had Salmon ravioli and Mike had a steak. For desert we had a chocolate volcano cake which they delivered to our room. What a relaxing afternoon after all the crowds we’ve been fighting all week during semana santa (Holy Week).

me on the terrace at 1714 Hotel Boutique

Mike at dinner at 1714 Hotel Boutique

salad at dinner

salmon ravioli at 1714 Hotel Boutique

Mike and me after dinner

Steps: 7,190; Miles: 3.05. Weather: Hi 74°, Lo 56°.

La Piedra, or El Peñol

Friday, March 29: On Good Friday morning, we enjoyed a lovely breakfast at the hotel and checked out early, leaving our bags in reception. Our driver was to pick us up at 2:30 today to take us back to Medellín.

an early breakfast at the hotel

me at breakfast at 1714 Hotel Boutique

We arrived at La Piedra, or El Peñol, by 8:00 a.m. to get ahead of the crowds. El Peñol is a granite inselberg or monadnock (an isolated rock hill, knob, ridge, or small mountain) that rises abruptly 200 meters from a gently sloping plain. This rock is near Guatapé; both the rock and the town are about 2 hours east of Medellin.

At the base of the rock are tourist shacks selling knickknacks and numerous restaurants serving lunch. At the top of the rock, shops sell fruit juice, ice cream and salpicón (fruit salad in watermelon juice), along with souvenirs.

A brick staircase of 659 steps (the number of steps varies by source) rises up through a broad fissure in the side of the rock. From the top, there are supposedly magnificent views of the region, the fingers of the lake sprawling amidst an endless expanse of green mountains.

El Peñol

view from the climb up El Peñol

staircases going up El Peñol

view from the climb up El Peñol

Mike at step 277

Virgini Mary part of the way up

looking down at the interweaving staircase

view from the climb up El Peñol

We didn’t have the best views for two reasons. One, the lakes had been drained to a level about 30 feet lower than normal because of a 6-month bridge-building project. On the morning we went, it was very cloudy, so we didn’t get those blue sky views.

We decided any views we got would have to suffice as we hadn’t wanted to stand in a long queue to climb the 708 steps to the top. Luckily we arrived early enough that hardly anyone was there.

The first 650 steps lead to a large platform with souvenir shops and cafés. Then the other 58 steps lead up into a tower. The first 650 steps are one way up. The downhill 650 steps are on an intertwining staircase. Thus you don’t have to encounter people coming down when you’re going up.

The area around the rock and Guatapé is very scenic, with fingers of the lake curling in between the rolling hills.

me atop El Peñol

Mike at the top of El Peñol

view from the top of El Peñol

me at the top of El Peñol

view from the top of El Peñol

a selfie from the top

Mike at the top of El Peñol

view from the top of El Peñol

view of the steps back at the bottom

a statue at the bottom

We returned to Guatapé after we climbed El Peñol, hoping to beat the crowds. Our driver wasn’t due to pick us up until 2:30 pm to take us back to Medellin, so we had a lot of time to kill anyway. We enjoyed ourselves for the second time in this charming town.

wandering around Guatapé

Mike on a flag street in Guatapé

me in Guatapé

Guatapé

me back on the umbrella street (not as crowded as the day before)

Mike back on the umbrella street (not as crowded as the day before)

selfie with umbrellas

the umbrella street in Guatapé

Mike in Guatapé

me in Guatapé

Guatapé

me in Guatapé

Mike in Guatapé

Guatapé

We walked by the church as people were getting ready for the Good Friday procession.

preparing for the Good Friday procession

We stopped into our favorite coffee shop, Folklore. When we visit a place more than once on a vacation, we tend to call it “our” place, so Folklore was “our coffee shop.”

Folklore

the server at Folklore

our fancy coffee at Folklore

After wandering around the town, and stopping into a shop for what would be my first mochila purchase, we stopped at Donde Sam again for a light lunch of veggie quesadillas.

the shop where I bought my first mochila

sitting at Donde Sam

Medellín to the west, Guatape to the east

It just so happened that a Good Friday procession went right past us as we sat at our table. It brought tears to my eyes to see the whole community walking along with the procession.

Here’s a short video of a motochiva in action, along with some of the Good Friday procession.

Returning to Medellín from Guatapé

Our driver on the way back to Medellín, Dino (a Colombian man who has lived off and on in the U.S. and spoke perfect English), told us a long and convoluted story about a young Canadian college student who got involved with the drug scene in Medellín. He was kidnapped and held hostage and the gang was extorting his mother in Canada for endless sums of money. Somehow the mother got in touch with Dino and arranged for him to go up in the hills to the house where the young man was being held. Dino was supposed to wait outside the house for a very short and specific time, early one morning. The young man watched for him from a window and escaped the house at that time, while his captors were sleeping. It worked out that Daniel rescued the young man and returned him safely home.

Who knows if this is a true story or not? But kidnappings in Colombia definitely do happen, according to the U.S. State Department.

Steps: 8,223; Miles: 3.48. Weather Hi 75°, Lo 56°.

three days in bogotá, colombia

wanderessence1025 August 14, 2024

Friday, March 22, 2024: We arrived in Bogotá at 1:10 p.m. on Friday. We’ve never been through a faster and more efficient immigration and customs process. We got our suitcases and then proceeded to get a yellow taxi 🚖 to our hotel. Our taxi driver was super friendly and talkative, and of course he only spoke Spanish. We somehow managed to sustain an hour-long conversation with him despite much being lost in translation. The traffic in Bogotá, especially coming out of the airport at the beginning of the Holy Week holiday, was insane.

Welcome to Colombia

Usaquén & BioHotel Organic Suites

We finally checked into BioHotel Organic Suites in the Usaquén neighborhood, in the northern part of Bogotá. It’s an upscale neighborhood that is known as one of the safest in the city, with lots of restaurants and cuteness to go around. Unfortunately, it’s far from everything there is to see in Bogotá.

The hotel gave us a warning card when we first arrived with things such as: “Never show your identification card, passport or money to strangers. Show your ID only if requested by a police officer wearing a proper uniform.” They told us to be aware that people often pose as police officers to steal IDs from people.

BioHotel Organic Suites

lobby of BioHotel Organic Suites

warning card given to us by the hotel

We hadn’t had lunch and though it was getting close to dinner time, we had some delicious soups and beers for a late afternoon snack in the little bar area. The young cook who worked at the bar, Fabian, had been studying English two days a week and was eager to practice his English with us. He chatted with us for a good long time, talking about his country and how no one spoke English in Colombia, which we had quickly figured out. He gave us lots of recommendations of things to do. It was fun conversing with him; he was quite the talker.

bar at BioHotel Organic Suites

Mike at the bar

soup at the bar

me with Fabian

bar at BioHotel Organic Suites

After lunch we ran over to the nearest supermercado to pick up a few things. One of the employees followed us around as a sort of personal shopper, explaining what items were and showing us where to find things. Of course she only spoke Spanish, but we got the gist of things.

We took a 10-minute walk to Usaquén Park where we found the adorable restaurant, 80 Sillas. And yes, they do have 80 seats, set in a redone colonial farmhouse on the southwest corner of the plaza. We each had a glass of wine and I had Ceviche with camarones: AL ROCOTO: Creamy avocado, sautéed corn, onion, cilantro and tigre de rocoto (hot pepper). It was scrumptious.

Mike had the catch of the day (corvina) pan-fried, creamy corn and leek purée with roasted beetroot salad. It was all so good!

The atmosphere at this place was fabulous. I added lots of great music to my Spotify playlist by using Shazam to identify the songs.”Man Funk (feat. Leron Thomas)” by Guts; “Soulful Dress” by Sugar Pie DeSanto; “Guadalupe” by Jaguar; and “Muy Tranquilo” by Gramatik were some of the songs. The music and ambiance made for a very mellow mood.

We passed by a colorful cafe near Usaquén Park, had gelato for dessert, then walked back to our hotel.

mural in Usaquén

80 Sillas

me at 80 Sillas

Mike at 80 Sillas

Ceviche with camarones: AL ROCOTO: Creamy avocado, sautéed corn, onion, cilantro and tigre of rocoto

catch of the day (corvina) pan-fried, creamy corn and leek purée with roasted beetroot salad

80 Sillas

gelato for dessert

another eatery in Usaquén

Steps: 7,675; Miles: 3.25. Weather Hi 74°, Lo 51°.

Saturday, March 23: We enjoyed the morning view out of our 6th floor room in Bogotá. We had a huge buffet breakfast but I was really annoyed because one of the Colombian waiters asked me if I was for Biden or Trump and when I said Biden, that “Odio a Trump con todo mi corazón” (I HATE TRUMP with all my heart), he started arguing through Google translate (using MY phone!) that Rockefeller started as a shoeshine boy and made a fortune without any help from the state. (He didn’t mention that Rockefeller made his fortune on the backs of hard-working Americans by paying them slave wages). He said Trump didn’t start any wars, and I told him neither did Biden: Russians started the war against Ukraine and Israel started the war with Hamas after an attack by Hamas. Besides Trump promised to get us out of Afghanistan, yet it was Biden who did it.

He couldn’t believe I could support Biden and kept arguing with me, continuing to use my phone no less, to tell me why he was for Trump, writing in Google translate. Every single thing he said was was based on misinformation. I was infuriated and couldn’t believe I had to argue with a Colombian man who can’t even vote in the U.S. about OUR freaking presidential election. A good way to get my blood boiling my first morning in Bogotá.

view of Usaquén from our 6th floor room

La Candelaria: The Museo Botero

We took an Uber to La Candelaria. We went first to see The Museo Botero, also known as the Botero Museum. It primarily houses works by Colombian artist Fernando Botero; however it also includes artwork from Botero’s own private art collection by other international artists.

Fernando Botero Angulo (April 19, 1932 – September 15, 2023) was a Colombian figurative artist and sculptor. His signature style, also known as “Boterismo,” depicts people and figures in large, exaggerated volume, which can represent political criticism or humor, depending on the piece. He was considered the most recognized and quoted artist from Latin America in his lifetime, and his art can be found in public places around the world.

Some pieces we found included a parody of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa (1978) and the intimate Pareja Bailando (1987).

me at The Museo Botero

The Museo Botero

Una familia (A Family) 1989 by Fernando Botero

Monalisa 1978 by Fernando Botero

Flores 1988 by Fernando Botero

The Museo Botero

Mujer delante de una ventana 1990 by Fernando Botero

The Museo Botero

Pareja Bailando (Dancing Couple) 1987 by Fernando Botero

The Museo Botero

La carta (The Letter) 1976 by Fernando Botero

The Museo Botero

Guerrilla de Eliseo Velásquez 1988 by Fernando Botero

The Museo Botero

Botero’s works are simply named (Flowers, The Hunter, Still Life) and feature dodgy dictators, nimble dancers, dogs and birds. Curvaceous bronze statues display equally generous girth. Amidst the collection are haunting studies of Colombia’s drug-cartel violence in the 1980s and 1990s.

Naturaleza muerta con helado (Still Life with Ice Cream) 1990 by Fernando Botero

The Museo Botero

El Ladron (The Thief) by Fernando Botero

Terremoto en Popayan (Earthquake in Popayan) by Fernando Botero

Niña comiendo helado 1999 by Fernando Botero

Hombre con perro 1989 by Fernando Botero

Un pueblo 1997 by Fernando Botero

The Museo Botero

me at The Museo Botero

The Museo Botero

Hombre leyendo el periódico (Man reading the newspaper) 1998 by Fernando Botero

Colombiana 1999 by Fernando Botero

Celestina 1998 by Fernando Botero

El cazador (The Hunter) 1997 by Fernando Botero

The Museo Botero

Esmeralderos (Emerald Miners) 1999 by Fernando Botero

Masacre de Mejor Esquina 1997 by Fernando Botero

The Museo Botero

Mujer pequeña (Little Woman) 1975 by Fernando Botero

The Museo Botero

The museum was founded in 2000 when Botero donated more than 100 of his own works, along with 85 from his personal collection of other artists’ works. These included pieces by Picasso, Monet, Matisse and Klimt. The painter curated the museum himself.

The Museo Botero

Cézanne 1994 by Fernando Botero

Naturaleza muerta 1994 by Fernando Botero

Naturaleza muerta con guitarra 1993 by Fernando Botero

Girasoles 1995 by Fernando Botero

Mujer con sombrero 1943 by Pablo Picasso

Sin titulo 1945 by Sonia Delaunay

Hombre sentado con pipa 1969 by Pablo Picasso

El disco rojo persiguiendo a la alondra 1953 by Joan Miró

El divino rostro 1937 by Georges Rouault

Mujeres de vida galante 1962 by Paul Delvaux

Desnudo con silla 1935-1938 by Pierre Bonnard

El payaso volador 1981 by Marc Chagall

Maternidad 1936 by Max Beckmann

Busto retrospectivo de mujer 1933/1977 by Salvador Dalí

Paisaje de L’lle de France 1883 by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Bebedora de ajenjo en Grenelle 1886 by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Vera Sergine Renoir 1914 by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Gran espiral 1970 by Alexander Calder

Figura reclinada n 7 1978-1980 by Henry Moore

Perfil con sombrero déco 1996 by Manolo Valdés

Mike at The Museo Botero

Hortalizas frescas 1962 by Asger Jorn

Estructura con esquema de objetos 1944 by Joaquín Torres-García

Ramo inclinado 1998 by Miquel Barceló

Mornington Crescent hacia el sur 1996-1997 by Frank Auerbach

Matrimonio 1958 by Rufino Tamayo

Arlequin con bolas de nieve 1970 by Alexander Calder

Gran genio 1967-1998 by Max Ernst

The Museo Botero

The museum, which is free, is managed by the cultural branch of the Bank of the Republic and is part of La Candelaria cultural complex along with the Gold Museum, the Luis Ángel Arango Library, the Miguel Urrutia Art Museum, and the Museo Casa de Moneda.

We also perused the Colección de Art, part of the Banco de la Republica’s complex. This collection features 800 pieces by 250 artists spread over 16 exhibition halls at two addresses reached via elaborate staircases within the same museum complex as Casa de Moneda and Museo Botero.

We found an exhibit titled: “Geographies: Body and Territory:” “In the sixties and seventies, landscape painting in Colombia acquired connotations linking it to eroticism, violence and the human body… Other works refer to the physical conditions of a specific natural setting and allude to the sensory impressions they provoke…”

Subachoque 1970 by Marco Ospina Restrepo at Colección de Art

Mar de Leva 1983 by Hernando de Villar at Colección de Art

Colección de Art

“Interior en un hospedaje en Riosucio” 1978 by Fernell Franco at Colección de Art

La viuda 1976 María de la Paz Jaramillo González at Colección de Art

Dos peces 1958 by Judith Márquez at Colección de Art

La torre blanca c. 1960 by Cecilia Porras De Child at Colección de Art

Mandolina sobre una silla 1957 by Fernando Botero

Matrimonio con pajaro azul 1957 by Leopoldo Richter at Colección de Art

Retrato fondo rojo c. 1950 by Guillermo Wiedemann at Colección de Art

Colección de Art

El champán, navegación por Magdalena by Ramón Torres Méndez – Litografía de Martínez Hermanos

Campesinos propietarios 1851 by Ramón Torres Méndez – Litografía de Martínez Hermanos

Modo de viajar en las montañas de Quindio y Sonsón c. 1851 by Ramón Torres Méndez – Litografía de Martínez Hermanos

Vista del Chimborazo c. 1870-1880 by Rafael Salas at Colección de Art

Sor Rosalía de las Mercedes c. 1859 by Autor desconocido at Colección de Art

Paisaje del Cotopaxi (Autor desconocido) at Colección de Art

Colección de Art

Vista de Cartagena c. 1910 by Generoso Jaspe at Colección de Art

Colección de Art

Salto del Tequendama c. 1825 by Charles Stuart Cochrane (Atribuido) at Colección de Art

Plaza mayor de Bogotá 1846 by Edward Walhouse Mark at Colección de Art

Desnuda femenino 1945 by Hena Rodríguez Parra at Colección de Art

Staircase at Colección de Art

The collection has been reorganized into five time periods spanning the 15th century to modern day. Most includes oils by Colombian artists, including giant figurative paintings by Luis Caballero (1943-95) on the first floor. Two first floor falls toward the east focus on 17th and 18th century religious objects.

Colección de Art

The Church of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria

The Church of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, often called the Iglesia de la Candelaria, is a Catholic parish church in Bogotá. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary under the patronage of Virgin of la Candelaria.

Iglesia de la Candelaria

Before continuing to Plaza de Bolívar, we stopped for lunch at Balcones de la Canderlaria. I enjoyed AJIACO SANTAFEREÑO (a chicken and potato soup accompanied with rice, avocado , capers and crema de leche).

Mike had CHANGUA BOGOTANA (Sopa típica a base de leche, huevos, cilantro y cebolla, con calado, queso y almojábana: a typical soup with milk, eggs, cilantro, onion, with cottage cheese and meat).

on the way to Plaza de Bolívar

me at Balcones de la Canderlaria

AJIACO SANTAFEREÑO (a chicken and potato soup accompanied with rice, avocado , capers and crema de leche)

Mike at Balcones de la Canderlaria

Balcones de la Canderlaria

Plaza de Simón Bolivar

We made our way among throngs of vendors, pigeons, and street performers to Plaza de Simón Bolivar. It is marked by a bronze statue of Simón Bolivar, the city’s first public monument, cast in 1846 by Italian artist Pietro Tenerani.

Simón Bolívar (24 July 1783 – 17 December 1830) was a Venezuelan military and political leader who led what are currently the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, and Bolivia to independence from the Spanish Empire. He is known colloquially as El Libertador, or the Liberator of America.

The square has changed much over the centuries and is no longer lined by colonial buildings. Only the Capilla del Sagrario dates from the Spanish period. Other buildings are more recent and represent different architectural styles.

on the way to Plaza de Simón Bolivar

Plaza de Simón Bolivar

me at Plaza de Simón Bolivar

Mike at Plaza de Simón Bolivar

Casa Colonial

After visiting Plaza de Bolivar, we left La Candelaria and came by accident to Casa Colonial, which had a cute cafe in it called Nossa, as well as many other businesses and a lovely courtyard. There we ordered cappuccino and a blueberry cake and a coffee cake. Mike posed with the waitress because his shirt matched their uniforms.

Along the way, we’d seen numerous emerald shops for which Bogotá is famous. Attached to the café was an emerald shop, Fienne: fina Joyería en Filigrana, where I wandered and did a bit of damage buying a raw emerald necklace and earrings.

Colombia is the world’s largest exporter of emeralds. In the past, they were mined in dangerous conditions, similar to that of the diamond industry in Africa. In 2005, the government abolished tariffs and taxes associated with mining, effectively ending the power of the black market and associated elements.

By some estimates, the country accounts for up to 90% of the global emerald trade. They are known to be of high quality due to the perfect combination of chrome, vanadium and iron, giving them a vibrant green shade.

street mural in Bogotá

Casa Colonial

Mike at Nossa

coffee at Nossa

tart at Nossa

Mike at Nossa

me at Nossa

We then went to search for a non-pedestrian street where we could catch an Uber and found ourselves in a shady part of town. We waited a long time for an Uber, but in the app it showed the Uber driver picking up Mike but it was someone else. Mike called to report that it wasn’t him but Uber never answered. He cancelled the Uber but we weren’t sure it took.

We walked back toward La Candelaria where, near a Dunkin’ Donuts, we tried for another Uber and finally caught one back to our hotel in Usaquén.

mural on an underpass on our way back to Usaquén

Usaquén Park

After resting a bit in our hotel, we wandered through a small mall near Usaquén Park, then walked through the craft market, where I bought a pair of copper earrings and Mike and I each bought miniature leather wallets. The crafts on offer were creative and unusual.

Then we went to dinner at Osaki where I had a Tiger Roll (Tempura-fried shrimp with corn, avocado, scallions, topped with ceviche-style emulsion, pickled chilies, and macha sauce) while Mike had a Spicy Maki roll (Catch of the day tartare and tempura-fried shrimp, with dynamite sauce, crispy chili, and avocado 🥑).

mural on the way to Usaquén Park

mall near Usaquén Park

craft market at Usaquén Park

Mike at Osaki

Spicy Maki roll (Catch of the day tartare and tempura-fried shrimp, with dynamite sauce, crispy chili, and avocado 🥑)

me at Osaki

Tiger Roll (Tempura-fried shrimp with corn, avocado, scallions, topped with ceviche-style emulsion, pickled chilies, and macha sauce)

cute cafe near Usaquén Park

So far, we hadn’t gone wrong with food in Bogotá. We found quite a variety of cuisines from different cultures and quaint, charming restaurants.

Steps: 8,122; Miles 3.44. Weather Hi 73°, Lo 52°. Partly rainy.

La Candelaria

Sunday, March 24: Our second day in Bogotá, which happened to be Palm Sunday, wasn’t nearly as pleasurable as our first. First, we took an Uber to La Candelaria in order to go on a Bike Tour with Bogota Bike Tours. We didn’t quite find the meeting place at first, and we ended up in a cute little plaza. I wish we would have simply hung out there, but we’d arranged the bike tour so off we went to get our bikes.

Plazoleta del Chorro de Quevedo

For a short 15 minutes we enjoyed this plaza before our bikeride. Plazoleta del Chorro de Quevedo is the place where, supposedly, Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada, a Spanish conquistador, established his garrison, shortly before founding the city of Bogota there in 1538. The first Christian church in Bogota, the Humilladero Chapel, was built there. In 1832, an Augustine priest named Father Quevedo purchased the site and built a fountain there. The original fountain was destroyed in 1896, due to pipe damage from a collapsing bridge.

The small and lively plaza is adorned with graffiti and murals that narrate stories of the city and the country, creating a colorful and lively open-air gallery.

In the plaza, there is a small white chapel called the Hermitage of San Miguel del Principe that was re-built in 1969 on the site of the very first chapel in Bogotá.

Plazoleta del Chorro de Quevedo

Hermitage of San Miguel del Principe

Bogota Bike Tours

We left the charming Plazoleta and went to Bogota Bike Tours to pick out our bikes. We got ours and had to wait a long time because they kept accepting more and more people. They divided the unwieldy group into 3 smaller groups and we took off, for about 5 minutes. Right away we stopped at the Bogota sign, where we listened to the guide, Eduardo, talk for about 15 minutes about the history of Bogotá. It went on and on. I was ready to start riding and even though he was speaking in English, I could barely hear or understand him. My mind wandered. I simply didn’t want to hear that amount of detail.

This is why I hate tours and why I rarely go on them. Sometimes I forget how much I hate them and I sign up for one because it sounds promising. Then I realize very quickly why I hate them so much.

Finally, after the guide’s endless diatribe, we continued on. It was rough going because the city is extremely chaotic, with apparently all of its 12 million people out on this Palm Sunday of Holy Week: people, children, dogs, vendors, taxis, cars, convoluted roads, cylindrical concrete barriers and people dawdling obliviously on sidewalks. I could barely maneuver around all the obstacles on that bulky bike. I hated every minute and was gritting my teeth. I thought, “There is no way in hell I want to continue doing this for four freaking hours!”

Then we came to what seemed to be a nice green park in an area with British-style homes. Within minutes, inside the park, we were in the middle of a huge tent city, with plastic bag tents everywhere. Apparently these were refugees from Venezuela who were protesting their inability to cross through the Darien Pass on the border of Colombia and Panama. Though people are not allowed to sleep in city parks, Eduardo said, these people were sleeping there anyway, in protest.

In the midst of the tent city in the park, Eduardo said we’d sit at a kind of food truck for 10 more minutes while everyone had a drink. In a while, we would stop for lunch with the whole group. He was talking again about the reasons people were sleeping in the park although it was illegal.

By this time I’d had enough. It was 12:00 (we’d begun at 10:40) and the ride was due to go on for another 2 1/2 hours. I said I wanted out! I told Mike I wanted to go return the bike and escape this hellish ride. So we did; we rode back about 2 miles through the gnarly crowds and obstacles, with the kindly old repairman of the bike tour leading the way. On the way back, young boys doing wheelies whizzed around us all helter-skelter. I was surprised we made it back without having an accident of some kind. I was never so happy to escape an unpleasant situation!

Will I never learn my lesson about tours??

me starting out with Bogotá Bike Tours

Bogotá Bike Tours

BOGOTA sign seen on Bogotá Bike Tours

Bogotá Bike Tours

view of Monserrate from Bogotá

Mike with Bogotá Bike Tours

Bogotá Bike Tours

Museo Nacional

Bogotá Bike Tours

me: NOT a happy camper!

Bogotá Bike Tours

returning our bikes early to Bogotá Bike Tours

Back to Plazoleta del Chorro de Quevedo

Luckily, I had a chance to return to the colorful Plazoleta del Chorro de Quevedo that I had wanted to explore earlier.

Plazoleta del Chorro de Quevedo

After leaving the Plazoleta, we went in search of some lunch, finding more colorful street murals along the way. A cute pink VW bus popped up in our path and of course we had to pose with it. We stopped at one adorable café, but they didn’t seem to have a menu for lunch and only offered beans, rice and something else which we couldn’t determine. Cuteness doesn’t serve to abate hunger, so we left and continued our lunchtime search.

in search of lunch

streets of Bogotá

pink VW in Bogotá

me with the pink VW

first lunch stop: cute but we didn’t have lunch here

Lunch at T-Bone

Finally we ended up at a cool place called T-Bone. The waitress spoke a little English and was super welcoming. We ordered three dishes which we thought were small plates, but they ended up being huge. First, we got Choripán: Grilled argentinian chorizo sausage butterly cut, served with chimichurri sauce and sourdough bread. We got a Buratta Salad which was huge. Lastly, we got Paipa al Horno: Artisanal paipa cheese melted in the oven with baguette. There was plenty of balsamic vinegar to go around and the portions were so huge we couldn’t finish the meal. The place and the food were enjoyable, although extremely filling.

T-Bone

Mike at T-Bone

T-Bone

Buschetta

Choripán: Grilled argentinian chorizo sausage butterly cut, served with chimichurri sauce and sourdough bread

Buratta Salad

Paipa al Horno: Artisanal paipa cheese melted in the oven with baguette

view of Monserrate from outside T-Bone

more Bogotá street art

The Museo del Oro

We finally made it to The Museo del Oro, one of Bogotá’s most visited tourist attractions. It displays a selection of pre-Columbian gold and other metal alloys, such as Tumbaga, and contains the largest collection of gold artifacts in the world. Together with pottery, stone, shell, wood and textile objects, these items, made of a metal sacred to indigenous cultures, testify to the life and culture of the different societies which lived in present-day Colombia before the Spanish conquest of the Americas.

The Gold Museum contains more than 55,000 pieces of gold and other materials from all of Colombia’s major pre-Hispanic cultures. The collection is laid out logically, with descriptions in Spanish and English, over 3 floors.

Second floor exhibitions break down findings by region, with descriptions of how pieces were used. There are a lot of mixed animals rendered in gold (jaguar-frog, human-eagle, etc.). Female figurines show how women of the Zenú in the pre-Columbian north, played important roles in worship.

The third floor showed how gold was used in ceremonies and rituals.

“Metal objects (transformed by goldsmiths) return to the earth as gifts to the gods imbued with profound religious meanings, they are offered up in lakes and caves, in order to restore the balance in the world.”

The Museo del Oro was packed with people which made it rather unpleasant. Entry was free on a Sunday so everyone in the city must have decided to come. Also, I didn’t think it was quite as nice as the Gold Museum in San José, Costa Rica. But there were a huge number of interesting objects there.

Museo del Oro, Bogotá

Mike at Museo del Oro, Bogotá

Museo del Oro, Bogotá

More Bogotá street art

Usaquén & BioHotel Organic Suites

After our exhausting Sunday in Bogotá with the huge crowds we encountered on that infernal bikeride, as well as the hordes of people at the Museo del Oro, we returned to our room to relax for a while. We were both full from our lunch at T-Bone so we prepared to go in search of something light to eat when suddenly it started pouring, with thunder and lightning ⚡️ ⚡️ over the city. We decided not to bother going out, but we had a light dinner in the hotel. I enjoyed a small bowl of CREMA DE ZAPALLO CON CHONTADURO Y CAMARONES, a soup with chontaduro (like sweet potato) and shrimp. Mike had asparagus with hollandaise sauce and ham. It was perfect because they were small dishes and we didn’t have to go out into the thunderstorms or to fight any crowds.

our hotel room at BioHotel Organic Suites (with hot tub)

CREMA DE ZAPALLO CON CHONTADURO Y CAMARONES, a soup with chontaduro (like sweet potato) and shrimp

asparagus with hollandaise sauce and ham

dining room at BioHotel Organic Suites

Steps: 7,538; Miles 3.2. Weather Hi 73°, Lo 56°.

Monday, March 25: We hoped our last day, Monday, in Bogota wouldn’t be so stressful. We were beginning to feel we’d made a big mistake coming to a Catholic country during semana santa (Holy Week).

Monserrate

Monday morning, we made our way by Uber to the Monserrate station to catch the Teleférico 🚡 up to Monserrate, a mountain over 3,150 metres (+10,300 feet) high that dominates Colombia’s capital city. A church (built in the 17th century) has a shrine, devoted to El Señor Caído (“The Fallen Lord”). The altar statue has many miracles attributed to it. The church was built after the original chapel was destroyed by an earthquake in 1917.

The Mountain, already considered sacred in pre-Columbian times when the area was inhabited by the indigenous Muisca, is a pilgrim destination, as well as a major tourist attraction. In addition to the church, the summit contains restaurants, a cafeteria, and souvenir shops. Monserrate can be accessed by aerial tramway (a cable car known as the teleférico), by funicular, or by climbing, the preferred way of pilgrims. The hike is up 1500 steps to the top (a 60-90 minute walk).

When we arrived at the station, the whole place was bustling with people in action: snack and souvenir vendors selling their goods, people sipping coffee and eating at cafés, taxis and cars honking, and buses barreling through. We saw long snaking queues of people in two spots. The super long queue to the left was to go up on the funicular. The queue on the right, which at first glance seemed shorter, was to go up on the Teleférico, or cable car. We first stood in the line to buy our tickets and chatted with a young family; they were visiting from Reston, Virginia (about 15 minutes from where we live in Oakton). They live on Lake Anne, where I go to walk at least once a week. We talked to another man visiting from Houston whose parents were from Venezuela.

We got our tickets then stood in the very slow line for the Teleférico for at least 45 minutes. Finally we inched to the front of the line. When the cable car arrived, they squeezed 40 of us into the gondola 🚠. In all, the process to get onboard took a full hour.

me with Mike waiting for the Teleférico

Teleférico

view just before boarding the Teleférico

me with Mike on the Teleférico

view from the Teleférico

view of the Funicular track from the Teleférico

view as we approach the top of Monserrate

At the top of Monserrate we encountered hordes of people. The church at the top, a major mecca for pilgrims, was packed and a service was going on. The priest’s sermon was being broadcast on speakers throughout the park.

We wandered around, admiring the hazy views of the sprawling Bogotá below. All of downtown Bogotá, south Bogotá and some sections of the north of the city are visible facing west – a sprawling 1,700 square kilometers – making it a popular destination to watch the sunset over the city. We’d read that the metro area of Bogotá has a population of nearly 13 million people. This compares to Washington, DC’s metro area of about 6 million. We could see and feel the sheer size of the capital from that lofty viewpoint.

view of Bogotá from Monserrate

BOGOTA sign at top of Monserrate

church devoted to El Señor Caído (“The Fallen Lord”)

me in front of the church on Monserrate

view of Bogotá from Monserrate

me at the viewpoint over Bogotá

view of Bogotá from Monserrate

We followed the stations of the cross, set amidst beautiful gardens. Somehow we were doing them in reverse. Here, I show them in the proper order.

I Jesus is condemned to death

II Jesus is made to carry the cross

III Jesus falls for the first time

me at the Stations of the Cross

IV Jesus meets his mother Mary

flowers along the Stations of the Cross

V Jesus is helped by Simon of Cyrene

VI Jesus face is wiped by Veronica

VII Jesus falls for the second time

VIII Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem

IX Jesus falls for the third time

ivy covered arch and bell

X Jesus is stripped of his clothes

XI Jesus is nailed to the cross

XII Jesus dies on the cross

a restaurant amidst the Stations of the Cross

We dreaded getting in the line to go back down. Quite by accident, we found the funicular line to go down, which seemed short and fast moving.

me standing in the steep line for the funicular going down

I wish we could have been up at Monserrate on a quiet day. It is quite a lovely setting.

Usaquén & BioHotel Organic Suites

At the bottom on Monserrate, we walked to a main street so we could catch an Uber.

Bogotá at the bottom of Monserrate

We finally caught an Uber back to Usaquén where we went to Oliveto for pizza. Two women carrying mochilas, the famous indigenous handbags of Colombia, stopped to chat with us and gave us some recommendations for Medellín (they were visiting Bogotá from there). They suggested we to to the Laureles area and eat at the organic market called Saludpan, which serves healthy meals.

The craft market was still open, so we stopped at a few stalls for a raw emerald necklace, earrings and a colorful straw bowl.

Usaquén

80 Sillas in Usaquén

pizza at Oliveto

Mike at Oliveto

me at Oliveto

craft market at Usaquén Park

We returned to the hotel after lunch because we had set up hour-long deep tissue massages at 3:00 with Andrea and Melissa at the hotel spa on the terrace. The massages felt fantastic after our crowd-induced stress over the last couple of days. After our massages, we got beers and relaxed in the open-air hot tub on the terrace. It was such a nice way to end our time in Bogotá as we would leave for Medellín on Tuesday morning.

Masseuses Andrea and Melissa at BioHotel Organic Suites

Massage area at BioHotel Organic Suites

me in the hot tub at BioHotel Organic Suites

Mike in the hot tub

When we left the hotel to walk to dinner, the light was beautiful on the surrounding buildings. As we got about halfway to Usaquén Park, it started sprinkling and of course we’d left our umbrellas behind. We got inside the mall and Mike offered to run back to the hotel for our umbrellas. By the time he returned the rain was coming down hard and fast. He had already gotten soaked on the way back to the hotel and had changed his shirt. We then splashed through the rain and through roads torn up by construction to go to Mediterráneo, which we found to be closed, possibly due to the construction.

We backtracked and stopped at the first available restaurant, Wok, a chain eatery with sustainably sourced Asian-fusion food. We shook the rain off as we sat down in the covered courtyard dining area. I had a wonton ramen and Mike had Miso ramen de vegetales and we each enjoyed glasses of wine. We shared a sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

We talked to a local couple who warned that in Bogotá one must always carry an umbrella as it rains some each day and is always cloudy. The man said if you carry an umbrella, it’s sure not to rain, and if you forget to carry one, it will surely rain. So funny, but it always seems true!

By the time we left the restaurant it had stopped raining and we had a pleasant and cool walk back.

walking to Usaquén Park just before the storm

Mike at Wok

Miso ramen de vegetales

wonton ramen

sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream

Mike at Wok

me at Wok

For me, Bogotá’s weather was a welcome relief after the heat and humidity of El Salvador and Nicaragua. I loved the cool days and cooler nights and we were lucky to only have had rain a couple of times. It was very comfortable all around. Tuesday we would head to Medellin where it would be about 10 degrees warmer.

There is a lot to like in Bogotá, especially the museums, the vibrant street art, Monserrate, and the diverse and excellent restaurant scene. We’re not really night life people, so we missed that aspect of the city.

Steps: 9,181; Miles 3.89. Weather Hi 73°, Lo 56°.

Leaving Bogotá for Medellín

Tuesday, March 26: We enjoyed a rather leisurely morning in the hotel and then checked out. We got to the Bogotá airport way too early because we thought we’d encounter the usual congested traffic in he city. Luckily we got there rather quickly. We waited for or our 1:30 p.m. 55-minute flight to Medellín.

breakfast at BioHotel Organic Suites

waiting at the Bogotá airport

me waiting at the Bogotá airport

We arrived in Medelllín at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26.

isla de ometepe, nicaragua: final days & a loving farewell to the family {2/2}

wanderessence1025 August 7, 2024

Monday, March 18, 2024: On Monday morning, Mike and I took a walk after breakfast down and then back up Volcán Maderas, from our bungalow at Totoco to the main road and then back up again. It was rough. After three times doing this, I decided that was it. From then on, we would take our walks on the beach, where it was nice and flat.

Mike at the start of our walk down the volcano

tropical trees

Second-hand clothes shopping & Punta de Jesús María

Monday afternoon, after Maria made us a delicious tilapia lunch, we went clothes shopping for the girls at Luna Boutique, a secondhand clothing shop. Then we drove on to Moyogalpa where Adam and Maria shopped for some housewares and a large fan for their bedroom. The whole way in the car, we wanted the air conditioning on but the girls, who aren’t used to air conditioning, wanted the windows open. We couldn’t get the bluetooth to play any playlists from our phones, but we somehow got “La Island Bonita” by Madonna, which we played on a loop during our drive the whole day!

Maria makes us a tilapia lunch before shopping

shopping at Luna Boutique

shopping in Moyogalpa

Moyogalpa

After our shopping expedition we went to Punta de Jesús María, a sandy point that stretches out into Lake Nicaragua. It was an excellent spot to see the sunset but better yet, it had impressive views of Volcán Concepcion in the waning light. We enjoyed hanging out with the family in that beautiful setting.

Punta de Jesús María

Andrea & Mia at Punta de Jesús María

Cristy, Adam and Maria at Punta de Jesús María

Mike and Adam at Punta de Jesús María

Maria, Cristy, Mike and me

Andrea makes a heart of shells

Mia, Maria, Cristy & Mike

Andrea, Mia, Maria, Cristy and me in back

me with Mike at Punta de Jesús María

Maria and Adam at Punta de Jesús María

Mia at Punta de Jesús María

a heart stone found by one of the girls and given to me

Andrea, Mia and Cristy at Punta de Jesús María

Punta de Jesús María

Cristy, Adam, Maria and Andrea

Mia, Andrea, Cristy, Adam and Maria

Mike, me Adam, Mia, Maria, & Cristy

Punta de Jesús María

Mia and Adam at Punta de Jesús María

Mike at Punta de Jesús María

me at Punta de Jesús María

Mia at Punta de Jesús María

Adam and Mike at Punta de Jesús María

It was a long day driving all the way to Moyogalpa and back, so we ended up at Café Campestre in Balgüe at 7:10 pm. The place was packed, so it took us over an hour to get our meals. This made for some very grumpy little girls.

Again, I had the green chicken curry, which was as good as it was the first time I had it. I gave a bite to Cristy and she ran around like a wild banshee fanning her mouth and looking for water because it was soooo spicy! So funny, because to me it was just right. I loved it.

Andrea, Cristy, Mia and Maria at Café Campestre

my green chicken curry at Café Campestre

Adam and Mike at Café Campestre

Steps: 13,203; Miles 5.6. Weather Hi 92°, Lo 76°. Mostly sunny.

Finca Magdalena

Tuesday, March 19: On Tuesday morning, we dropped by Adam’s house to pick him up. We found Andrea sporting one of her “new” outfits on her way to school.

Adam thought we might like to have a coffee and check out Finca Magdalena, one of the oldest coffee farms on Ometepe. The main building of the plantation is a humble affair – wooden and old, with peeling paint and creaking floorboards. Murals and artwork are painted onto the exteriors, adding charm to the place. One of the buildings serves as part of the coffee business and hosts a cafe out on the porch deck. The porch, high up on Volcán Maderas, offers sweeping views across Ometepe and Lake Nicaragua. We enjoyed mugs of hot coffee and walked around to see the drying areas for the coffee beans, the murals, and the very rustic hostel lodgings.

Andrea with one of her new outfits

Finca Magdalena

mural of Ometepe at Finca Magdalena

Finca Magdalena

view from Finca Magdalena

Adam and me at Finca Magdalena

Adam & Mike at Finca Magdalena

Ometepe meanderings

After dropping Adam at home, Mike and I took a mile walk from Santa Cruz beach toward Santa Domingo and back.

a late morning walk on the beach

We had lunch at Büstavö, a Mediterranean cafe where you order your food from the kitchen, which is in a bus, and then they serve it to you in the shady cafe. I had a falafel sandwich in a soft warm pita and a Pink Panther, a smoothie with coconut milk, ginger and pitaya (dragon fruit). Mike had shaksuka and falafel on a plate.

We chatted with a young woman from the Canadian side of Niagara Falls and she (like me) was not coping well with Nicaragua’s unrelenting heat. She had plans to go to Corn Island; a number of people we met were heading that way.

The café was owned by a young Israeli man who is expanding the café to build a large oven and a large gelato bar.

the kitchen bus at Büstavö

me at Büstavö

Mike with his lunch at Büstavö

Mike’s shaksuka and falafel

We spent all Tuesday afternoon at the pool at Totoco. It was super relaxing. We met a couple from Philadelphia, Ryan and Siobhan; he was originally from South Africa and she from Ireland. We all shared stories about our travels, and groused about the horrible presidential candidate (Trump of course) in this year’s election, and lots of other things. They gave us some ideas for our September-October trip to Bali. Then we went to our room to take showers and prepare to go to Adam and Maria’s for dinner.

At the last minute the dinner plans with the family fell apart and we had no explanation as to why. To be honest, it seemed disrespectful. All that has to happen with people is that they communicate clearly things that are going on. Later we found out that Maria had been called to an “emergency session” at church; she was called because her older sister, who she hadn’t spoken to for years, wanted a reconciliation. She hadn’t even communicated to Adam where she was.

Anyway, Mike and I had to find alternate dinner plans at the last minute. We tried Pizza Mediterránea for pizza but it was closed. We’d already been to Cafe Campestre the night before and didn’t want to arrive late and have to wait an hour for food. So we stopped at a shady little spot called Isla Bonita and I enjoyed a fish fillet with French fries while Mike had grilled pork with rice and beans. The salad and vegetables were tasty too. It was a nice atmosphere but it was a bit disappointing not to have had our family dinner plans. I think we’ll keep our visits here to 5 days from here on out; 7 days are too many especially as our presence is disruptive to the girls and their school attendance and other plans.

Mike at Isla Bonita

me at Isla Bonita

dinner at Isla Bonita

We leave the island on Thursday morning for Managua and then on to Bogotá for the Colombia 🇨🇴 part of our trip.

Steps: 10,202; Miles 4.33. Weather Hi 92°, Lo 76°. Partly cloudy.

Wednesday, March 20: After breakfast this morning, we took another walk on the beach. We found kite surfers plying the air currents over the lake.

a walk on the beach {kitesurfing edition}

a walk on the beach

We spent our last afternoon relaxing at the Totoco pool because the family makes a giant pot of beef stew that they sell on Wednesdays; María had served us some of the soup for a late lunch. There was too much fat and gristle in the meat for me, so I just ate the vegetables which were mostly starchy: yucca, potatoes, etc. The broth had a wonderful flavor. The family was busy with that all day and Mike even helped them out with some deliveries.

Maria making her Wednesday beef soup

another afternoon at Totoco Eco-Lodge

When we went by to pick up the family for dinner, we found the girls dressed up in the second-hand dresses we had bought them on our shopping trip on Monday. We would have bought them new things but there really are only second-hand clothing shops on Ometepe (so says Adam).

We took the girls in the car to Pizza Mediterránea for dinner, while Adam and Maria joined us a bit later on their motorbike.

We had a farewell dinner there, as we would leave on Thursday morning. It was a nice evening where we all shared our happiness at meeting one another. Mike and I enjoyed a delicious broccoli and chorizo pizza, Adam and Maria had a 4-cheese pizza and the girls had their favorite, pepperoni. We took them home and said our goodbyes to the girls.

the girls dressed in their second-hand clothes

Cristy, Mia and Andrea at Pizza Mediterránea

Pizza Mediterránea

Andrea, Cristy, me and Mia at Pizza Mediterránea

broccoli and chorizo pizza at Pizza Mediterránea

Andrea being silly

Another silly Andrea photo

Steps: 10,236; Miles 4.34. Weather Hi 90°, Lo 79°. Mostly sunny.

Thursday, March 21: We ate our final breakfast at Totoco and then checked out of our room.

our final breakfast at Totoco

our room at Totoco Eco-Lodge

Altagracia

Adam asked if we’d drive him to Altagracia so he could buy two 100 lb. bags of rice for the dogs, the pigs and the chickens. We stopped for fresh fruit smoothies in the colorful town.

We made another stop to get Adam some water filters and then we stopped at a bakery, Pan de Mama, for coffee and sweets. The bakery is run by Adam’s friends Rachel and Trevor who have been on Ometepe for 12 years, involved in various projects.

Altagracia

me with Adam in Altagracia

Altagracia

me with Adam in Altagracia

Adam & me at Pan de Mama

Rachel & Adam at Pan de Mama

After dropping Adam at his house, we made our way slowly to Moyogalpa. Of course, we were stopped by police on our last day (just like the last time we were here) and they wanted to see our insurance card and circulation card. We couldn’t find either in the rental car and we were in a panic until they pointed out the compartment above the rearview mirror. We kept trying to explain it was a rental car but they still wanted to see the documents.

Luckily we found the documents and they were in order, so they waved us on. We wondered if they were just trying to get a bribe out of us (we paid them one last time we were here when they wanted to confiscate Mike’s driver’s license on a Friday and keep it until Monday).

Moyogalpa, taking the ferry to San Joge, and on to Managua

On the way to Moyogalpa, we stopped briefly to take a picture of Volcán Concepcion at the end of the island’s only private runway.

We arrived in Moyogalpa early and turned in our Toyota Rush rental car. Then we ate lunch at the Cornerhouse while we waited for the 2:00 ferry. I had an omelet with cheese, tomatoes and jalapeño, while Mike had a roasted veggie and cheese sandwich 🥪 .

Volcán Concepcion at the end of the runway

The Cornerhouse in Moyogalpa

We caught the 2:00 ferry to San Jorge. Luckily we had much calmer seas today. On the hour-long ferry ride we had some nice views of the volcanic island of Ometepe.

Dani picked us up at the ferry in San Jorge. We drove with Dani for 2 hours from the ferry in San Jorge to the Best Western Las Mercedes, directly across from the Managua airport. We immediately ate a dinner of shrimp with garlic and a fish fillet so we could get to bed early. We had an early 5:25 flight to San Salvador and then another flight from there to Bogotá.

the ferry landing on Ometepe

departing views of Ometepe from the ferry

Mike in the car on the way to Managua

Dani driving us to Managua

Best Western Las Mercedes

my shrimp with garlic

Mike at Best Western Las Mercedes

me at Best Western Las Mercedes

Steps: 5,528; Miles 2.34. Weather Hi 91°, Lo 78°. Mostly sunny.

Leaving Managua for Colombia via El Salvador

Friday, March 22: We woke up at 2:45 a.m. Friday morning and took a shuttle to the Managua airport for our first Avianca flight at 5:25 a.m. to San Salvador. Lucky for us, everything proceeded without a hitch and the short (40 min) flight took off right on time.

We flew into San Salvador from Managua on Avianca at 6:10 a.m. on Friday morning. The rosy sunrise was magnificent on the surrounding clouds.

Here’s a short video of the beach in Ometepe, driving up and down Volcán Maderas to Totoco Eco-Lodge, and flying into San Salvador.

We had over a 3-hour layover in San Salvador, so we ate breakfast at a jammin’ cafe, Café Tapacun. People were lively and noisy here! We both had arepas with scrambled eggs and shared a cappuccino.

the Managua airport

flying into San Salvador at sunrise

Café Tapacun at the San Salvador Airport

me at Café Tapacun at the San Salvador Airport

arepa at Café Tapacun

At 9:30 a.m., we caught another Avianca flight to Bogotá, which would arrive at 1:10 p.m.

meeting adam & family in isla de ometepe, nicaragua {1/2}

wanderessence1025 July 31, 2024

Arrival in Managua and a long day of travel to Ometepe

Thursday, March 14, 2024: After taking an 8:30 a.m. flight from San Salvador, I arrived at Augusto Cesar Sandino Internacional Aeropuerto in Managua, Nicaragua at 9:10 a.m. on Thursday and had to wait there until about 12:45 for Mike to arrive from his two flights from Washington to Miami to Managua. The airport in Managua is probably the worst possible place to have to spend over 4 hours because it is small and hardly has anywhere to sit or anything to do. I did have a little breakfast at a kind of food court, but it was nothing special.

When Mike finally arrived, Dani (a driver Adam had arranged for us) drove us over 2 hours to San Jorge port where we took the 3:30 ferry over VERY rough seas from San Jorge to Ometepe.It was an hour ride rocking violently to and fro in wild seas!

Unscathed, we finally made landfall in Moyogalpa on Ometepe. Luckily we didn’t capsize. 😳😮😱 In Moyogalpa, we rented a Toyota Rush for our 7-day stay on the island 🏝️. Then we drove over an hour to Balgüe, where our son Adam lives.

the food court at Augusto Cesar Sandino Internacional Aeropuerto

Augusto Cesar Sandino Internacional Aeropuerto in Managua, Nicaragua

billboard at San Jorge port

leaving San Jorge on the ferry to Ometepe

“Please take of your personal goals…”

me on the ferry

views of Ometepe as we approach on the ferry

views of Ometepe

Here’s a short video showing our ferry crossing to the island. The noise you hear of a woman crying is from someone playing a telenovela (soap opera produced primarily in Latin America) on their phone.

Balgüe & Totoco Eco-Lodge

We arrived at Totoco Eco-Lodge, did a brief check in, then Mike drove to pick up Adam, Maria and the girls: Cristy (12), Andrea (10) and Mia (7). We all had dinner together at the lodge and though I had trouble communicating in Spanish, I was able to understand and speak some, especially with Adam and Cristy helping to translate. What a wonderful experience to finally meet Adam’s Nicaraguan family. And we were excited to find out that Adam and Maria are expecting a boy, and Adam plans to name him Michael (not Miguel, which he hates) after his father, with Christopher as a middle name (the same as his own middle name).

sunset view of Volcán Concepción from Totoco Eco-Lodge

Totoco Eco-Lodge

Cristy, Andrea, Maria, Adam, Mia, and Mike

Cristy, Andrea, Maria, Mia, Adam and Mike

Cristy, Andrea, Maria, Mia & Adam, me and Mike

pasta at Totoco

Cristy, Mia and Maria

Mia

Steps: 10,483; Miles 4.44. Weather: Hi 90°, Lo 76°. Sunny.

Friday, March 15: We arrived after dark last night so this morning we were able to wake up in the paradise that is Isla de Ometepe. We’re staying for 7 nights at Totoco Eco-Lodge, a cool lodge on the slopes of Volcán Maderas. I enjoyed a breakfast of huevos revueltas (scrambled eggs) with onions, peppers and cheese, beans and rice, Nicaraguan cheese and fried plantains (they were hard like potato chips). It was delicious and the views were fabulous. The hotel has a small infinity pool and views of Volcán Concepción.

view from the porch of our bungalow

Mike on the hammock

our bungalow at Totoco Eco-Lodge

The dining area at Totoco

view of Lake Nicaragua from Totoco

breakfast at Totoco

view of Volcán Concepción from Totoco

small infinity pool at Totoco

Totoco Eco-Lodge

After breakfast, we hung out at Adam’s casita with the family. Adam’s wife Maria made a delicious lunch of fresh lake fish, rice, salad, and melon juice. Mike, Andrea, Mia and Adam played a game of chess after lunch. Cristy went to school and then had fútbol practice after school. She speaks excellent English and loves school; she’s at the age where her friends are very important to her.

Adam gave us a tour of his property where he raises chickens, a pig and some rabbits!🐇, Lola and Rabbititte!

Cristy and Mia at Adam’s casita

Mia with

Andrea with Rabititte

Mia fooling around in the hammock

Mia and Andrea

Maria’s delicious lunch

Maria, Mia, Andrea, me and Adam

Mike, Andrea, Adam and Mia play chess

Adam’s casita

Mike, Andrea, Adam and Mia play chess

We spent the afternoon with Andrea and Mia at the Totoco Eco-Lodge pool. Andrea is a little fish in the water and has endless stores of energy. She is athletic and active and has a lot of confidence. Mia is still learning to swim but she has no fear of the water. She swims a few feet with her head underwater and then she jumps up and shakes her head with gusto while brushing her long hair out of her eyes. Both of them would be exhausted that night!

Mike had brought several pairs of goggles which he gave the girls to use and to keep. They really liked having them.

Mike patiently worked with Mia by encouraging her to swim to him and we both tried to get her to practice her kick, which is quite spastic, kind of like Elaine’s dancing on the TV show Seinfeld.

Andrea and Mia in the Totoco pool

Andrea, Mike and Mia at the Totoco pool

view of Volcán Concepción from the Totoco pool

Andrea in the pool

the pool at Totoco

view of Volcán Concepción from the Totoco pool

Adam came by to pick up the girls while he delivered cheese to Totoco. Mike and I relaxed a bit before going to their house. We caught the tail end of the sunset 🌅 from Totoco Eco-Lodge.

sunset at Totoco

We arrived at their house around 6:30. The girls, decked out in colorful dresses, performed a “folkloric dance” to music before we went out to dinner.

the girls performing their dance

the girls in their dresses

Here is a short video of the girls’ performance. I changed the music because there was too much talking and exclaiming by some very noisy grandparents!

We had dinner at Pizza Mediterránea with the whole family. The girls all love pepperoni while Adam and Maria ordered a delicious broccoli and chorizo pizza. Mike and I enjoyed our funghi mozzarella pizza, but once I tasted the chorizo and broccoli one, I regretted not having that. The girls wanted some jewelry sold by Kemal, a Turkish man who has lived on the island for many years, so I bought them each a piece. It was a fun and laid back evening. Adam says Maria loves to cook and they rarely go out so they enjoyed the special treat.

the family at Pizza Mediterránea: Cristy, Adam, Mike, Mia, Maria and Andrea

Cristy, Adam, me, Mia, Maria, and Andrea

Cristy with her new bracelet

Andrea with a new ring

Mia with a new necklace

Steps: 6,626; Miles: 2.81. Weather Hi 91°, Lo 78°. Sunny.

Saturday, March 16: After breakfast at Totoco, Mike went to pick up Adam and take him to meet with someone who was selling a used refrigerator. Mike helped him buy the refrigerator so they could store the cheese they buy and sell. They arranged to have it delivered that afternoon.

While they were doing that, I walked about 2.4 miles, first downhill from Totoco Eco-Lodge to Balgüe and then, just when I thought it hadn’t been all that bad, I had to climb back up the steep and relentless hill back to the Eco-Lodge. Then I was too hot and tired to do anything but swing in the hammock, take a dip in the pool, and take a cold shower before going out into Ometepe’s constant heat.

Walking down from Totoco Eco-Lodge

Balgüe

Cafe Campestre

Walking back up to Totoco

The Saturday Market

We then went with the family to the Saturday market. I bought a necklace and some earrings (I threw them out when we got home because they broke). Lots of expats and Nicaraguans make and sell jewelry.

We ate some delicious vegan patties of lentils, yucca, potatoes or some combo of the above called “handkerchiefs” stuffed with frijoles or queso. Each patty was served on a banana leaf and topped with guacamole, shredded lettuce, tomatoes 🍅 and piquante sauce. So yummy.

Mike went swimming in Lake Ometepe (it is more like an ocean) with Andrea and Mia. They could go quite far out and the water was still only to their knees. Adam was having the new refrigerator delivered so he arrived late.

I couldn’t tell who outnumbered who, the gringos, the backpacker crowd, or the native Nicaraguans.

As we were leaving, one of Adam’s friends named Ryan, and his little naked son, Maximus, asked if we could drive him to his home near Totoco. He had a huge bag of papayas because he said he only eats fruit. Many of the long-time gringos here mostly go around bare chested. It seems quite the thing.

Andrea had fun wearing my hat; I was surprised it fit her because I have such a huge head. She looked adorable in it.

Maria and Mia at their casita

Andrea sports my hat

Saturday Market

Andrea in my hat

Maria pregnant and Cristy

jewelry for sale at the Saturday market

the beach near the Saturday market

Maria and Cristy have lunch

Cafe Campestre

Mike went to play poker at Cafe Campestre from 2:00-5:00 with Adam, Ben (the owner of Cafe Campestre), and Luke (another expat), so I took the opportunity to relax by the pool for the afternoon. Volcán Concepcion was wearing a cute little cap of clouds. ☁️ ☁️ ☁️

another afternnon at Totoco

Volcán Concepción wearing a little cap

Volcán Concepción

another afternnon at Totoco

hammock at our bungalow

view from the hammock

Cafe Campestre was where Mike and I headed for dinner when the family wanted to go to their house and relax for the evening. We couldn’t spend every waking hour together; at times, we all needed some down time.

I enjoyed a glass of wine and the most delicious green chicken curry. It was one of those dishes that tastes so good that you want to cry when it’s all gone.

Mike at Cafe Campestre

my green chicken curry

me at Cafe Campestre

We went up to the lodge to relax and read. It gets dark every night of the year here in Ometepe at 6:30 p.m. and the sun rises at around 6:00 a.m.

I couldn’t believe it, but Mike and I both slept for almost 10 hours. My normal night of sleep is 6-7 hours, so this was an extraordinary treat.

Steps: 10,553; Miles 4.47. Weather Hi 91°, Lo 78°. Sunny.

Sunday, March 17: This morning, Mike and I walked down and back up from Totoco before breakfast. We showered and enjoyed another lovely breakfast with grand views.

Walking down & back up to Totoco

Rabititte meets an untimely end

Shortly after we arrived at Adam’s house to pick up the family for our day’s outing, suddenly the girls came out of one of the bedrooms and began weeping. All of them were crying, even Maria, and it took us some prying to find out that one of the bunnies, little Rabbititte 🐇 , had died. No one knew the cause, possibly not having enough water or eating some vegetation not meant for rabbits. Anyway, it was devastating for the girls as it was the first pet they’d ever owned. Adam immediately took charge, dug a hole on the farm, and gathered the family for a little funeral service. They paid little Rabbititte a fond and loving farewell and placed him in the grave, covering him with dirt and a few large stones as a grave marker.

Ojo de Agua

It was a sad thing to watch them grieving for their little pet. After the funeral we all climbed heavily into the car for the drive to Ojo de Agua, a public swimming pool. The waters come from the volcanoes and are supposedly rich in minerals.

It didn’t take long for the girls to jump into the water and start swimming happily around. Andrea and Cristy are very good swimmers, while Mia is happy to repeat the same strokes over and over again: head underwater while pulling with her arms, butt in the air, and legs flailing every which way.

Ojo de Agua

Mia at Ojo de Agua

Mia with her goggles

Ojo de Agua

Maria and Mia

Ojo de Agua

Cristy at Ojo de Agua

Cristy, Maria and Adam at Ojo de Agua

We three adults (except Maria who is pregnant) ordered coco locos; luckily I didn’t choke on them as I did last year. Then we ordered a huge platter of meat and seafood: beef, pork, chicken, fish, shrimp, cheeses, plantains, and French fries. We took lots of photos and used my selfie stick for silly poses.

Mike drinks a Coco Loco

Adam & me with Coco Locos, Cristy and Andrea

Cristy & Maria

Cristy and Maria

Adam, Mia, and me

Mike, Cristy and Maria

Mia & Adam and me

Mike, Cristy and Maria

Cristy, Mia and Maria

Cristy, Maria, Andrea and Mia with Adam behind

Coco Locos

Ojo de Agua

Mia, Andrea, me and Cristy

Cristy after her “race”

Adam after the “race”

our big lunch platter

Maria and Adam

Andrea, Adam, me, Cristy, Mia and Maria

Andrea, Cristy, Mike and Adam jumped off the platform on the rope swing too many times to count. Adam and Cristy “raced”’down the pool with Adam trying hard to pretend he didn’t know how to swim. Cristy “won,” and was utterly exhausted. Andrea lost and did her pouting, faux crying and sniffling. Adam calls her a “drama queen.” She definitely has the strongest personality of them all. Below is a short video of the family’s swimming escapades.

What a fun day, topped off with ice cream treats for all.

Back to Balgüe

After we returned to Balgüe, Mike and I hung out at Totoco Eco-Lodge for a bit. Later, we drove to Merida to have dinner at Playa Mangoes. That place was packed and it wasn’t really my vibe, so we drove back up to Totoco, where we ate dinner. I had a filete de Pollo and Mike had Pasta Linguine Pesto y Pollo. The dinners at Totoco were just average, nothing compared to Cafe Campestre.

We were awestruck by a beautiful sunset and Volcán Concepcion was sporting a rather fluffy sombrero.

back at Totoco

Volcán Concepción

mural at Playa Mangoes

Playa Mangoes

Ometepe sign

Volcán Concepción at sunset

me at Totoco

dinner at Totoco

Volcán Concepción at sunset

Steps: 11,217; Miles 4.76. Weather Hi 91°, Lo 77°. Partly cloudy.

Arrival in Nagoya

Ōsu Kannon Temple

Nagoya Castle

Nagoya

Ōsu-Kannon Temple Market

Tokugawa Art Museum & Tokugawa Park

Ōsu-Kanon Temple Market & wrapping up our visit to Nagoya

Share this:

The journey from Virginia to Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan

Aoyama-Gakuin University- Sagamihara campus & meeting an old friend in Fuchinobe

Kichijōji and Harmonica Yokocho

Tokyo

Sensō-ji

Ueno Park

Ameyayokocho Shopping Street

Monzennakacho

Tokyo to Nagoya

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Traveling from Medellín to Cartagena & Casa Quero Hotel Boutique

Cartagena’s Centro Histórico

Casa Quero Hotel Boutique

Lobo de Mar

Isla Bela

Cartagena

Hop-On Hop-Off City Sightseeing Tour of Cartagena

Castillo San Felipe de Barajas

Back on the Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour

Centro Histórico

Casa Quero Hotel Boutique

La Cevicheria

Centro Comercial La Serrezuela

Pezetarian

Getsemaní

Centro Histórico Cartagena

Perú Fusion

A final walk around Old Town Cartagena

Flying home from Cartagena to Bogotá to Virginia

Arriving home to Virginia

Share this:

Arrival in Medellín

“Real City Walking Tour” in Medellín

Hacienda Junín

Museo de Antioquia

Janethy Moda

Guatapé and La Peñol

La Mayoría Restaurante: donde bailan los caballos

Museo el Castillo

El Poblado Park

Santa Fe Mall in El Poblado

Laureles

Comuna 13

Jardín Botánico Medellín

Alambique

Departing for Cartagena

Share this:

Medellín to Guatapé

Guatapé

1714 Hotel Boutique

La Piedra, or El Peñol

Returning to Medellín from Guatapé

Share this:

Usaquén & BioHotel Organic Suites

La Candelaria: The Museo Botero

The Church of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria

Plaza de Simón Bolivar

Casa Colonial

Usaquén Park

La Candelaria

Plazoleta del Chorro de Quevedo

Bogota Bike Tours

Back to Plazoleta del Chorro de Quevedo

Lunch at T-Bone

The Museo del Oro

Usaquén & BioHotel Organic Suites

Monserrate

Usaquén & BioHotel Organic Suites

Leaving Bogotá for Medellín