3/5/2012 Santa Veronica all day
No k’s
Overcast and humid maybe 28℃
Haing a fairly restless sleep, due to my knee and butt rash. A bit of thinking told me to rest up.
Catching up with Hernan at 0630, he and Margarita said I was welcome to stay longer.
They are great people and my condition was less than required for cycling in the present conditions.
In the heat and humidity, these rashes can’t heal, as they are nearly always in a damp environment, given this they could become infected, the trip to Medellin is very hilly and mountainous, negotiating these conditions in the wet season one needs to be in perfect working order.
The decision was made to stay at least a week in this everso relaxing seaside village. Hernan and Margarita are going to provide one meal a day.
It will be good to catch up with Micheal and Magdalena, Santa Lucia house mates from La Esperanza, Nic who will be in Cartagena about then, I hope.
Hernan being a lecturer at Universidad Atlantico, this side of Barranquilla said I could use the uni facilities to study spanish.
He said it was a good idea to use the library.We took the bus for about half an hour and jumped out at the uni.
Hernan introduced me to a few people.
The uni is sports based also offering degrees in architecture, pharmacology and engineering to name a few. It is state run. The road up to the faculty buildings was lined by an Olympic pool and diving facility also a huge basketball stadium.
Try like anything, myself and the computer techs could not get my lap top onto the wifi network. It gets overloaded. A decision was made to head to an I cafe..
It was good to catch up on friends and family, my mum was 80 yesterday. Luckily flowers had been arranged in Santa Marta, the internet is only portable here. Public internet is like feathers on a dogs back.
Arriving back to the house at 1500,feeling a tad ordinary sleep was sought.
A knock on the door saw Hernan enquiring whether I wanted to come beach fishing with him, needless to say my condition everso slightly improved.
He asked Margarita if it was cool, “yes” she said. Husbands and partners always ask their wife or partner if they can go fishing, regardless of the answer, they are going anyway.
The beach is an easy 200m walk.
Arrivingthere amongst trees and other debris on the beach we headed to a small creek, here Hernan tossed a throw net into the shallows and caught prawns though more importantly small fish to be used for live bait.
Grabbing a larger specimen my hook was baited and an healthy cast saw it land in dirty water not for from the creek mouth.
Shit, within 5 minutes an huge ( this is a fishing story) fish was hooked and with some difficulty landed. About 10-12 pound would pull it up. It was a great experience, Hernan was wrapped, we had tea.
The fish is locally called Rovalo, other people were catching Catfish and Sardina. The Rovalo looked similar to a Barramundi.
We fished till near dark, myself just enjoying the experience of doing something that would normally be done at home, also here in the company of good people.
At the beginning of this journey my memory recalls my dialogue to the effect that it is the people that will make this journey special. Here on this trade wind swept beach in Northern Colombia,these words took on a new meaning.
Back at the house Hernan cleaned the fish, Margarita fried it with platano, it was white fleshed with a medium texture and so sweet.
The head and carcass were kept, Margarita is going to make a fish soup, can’t wait.
Feeling a bit nauseous my head was on the bed fairly early, it had been an enjoyable day to say the least.
No k’s
Overcast and humid maybe 28℃
Haing a fairly restless sleep, due to my knee and butt rash. A bit of thinking told me to rest up.
Catching up with Hernan at 0630, he and Margarita said I was welcome to stay longer.
They are great people and my condition was less than required for cycling in the present conditions.
In the heat and humidity, these rashes can’t heal, as they are nearly always in a damp environment, given this they could become infected, the trip to Medellin is very hilly and mountainous, negotiating these conditions in the wet season one needs to be in perfect working order.
The decision was made to stay at least a week in this everso relaxing seaside village. Hernan and Margarita are going to provide one meal a day.
It will be good to catch up with Micheal and Magdalena, Santa Lucia house mates from La Esperanza, Nic who will be in Cartagena about then, I hope.
Hernan being a lecturer at Universidad Atlantico, this side of Barranquilla said I could use the uni facilities to study spanish.
He said it was a good idea to use the library.We took the bus for about half an hour and jumped out at the uni.
Hernan introduced me to a few people.
The uni is sports based also offering degrees in architecture, pharmacology and engineering to name a few. It is state run. The road up to the faculty buildings was lined by an Olympic pool and diving facility also a huge basketball stadium.
Try like anything, myself and the computer techs could not get my lap top onto the wifi network. It gets overloaded. A decision was made to head to an I cafe..
It was good to catch up on friends and family, my mum was 80 yesterday. Luckily flowers had been arranged in Santa Marta, the internet is only portable here. Public internet is like feathers on a dogs back.
Arriving back to the house at 1500,feeling a tad ordinary sleep was sought.
A knock on the door saw Hernan enquiring whether I wanted to come beach fishing with him, needless to say my condition everso slightly improved.
He asked Margarita if it was cool, “yes” she said. Husbands and partners always ask their wife or partner if they can go fishing, regardless of the answer, they are going anyway.
The beach is an easy 200m walk.
Arrivingthere amongst trees and other debris on the beach we headed to a small creek, here Hernan tossed a throw net into the shallows and caught prawns though more importantly small fish to be used for live bait.
Grabbing a larger specimen my hook was baited and an healthy cast saw it land in dirty water not for from the creek mouth.
Shit, within 5 minutes an huge ( this is a fishing story) fish was hooked and with some difficulty landed. About 10-12 pound would pull it up. It was a great experience, Hernan was wrapped, we had tea.
The fish is locally called Rovalo, other people were catching Catfish and Sardina. The Rovalo looked similar to a Barramundi.
We fished till near dark, myself just enjoying the experience of doing something that would normally be done at home, also here in the company of good people.
At the beginning of this journey my memory recalls my dialogue to the effect that it is the people that will make this journey special. Here on this trade wind swept beach in Northern Colombia,these words took on a new meaning.
Back at the house Hernan cleaned the fish, Margarita fried it with platano, it was white fleshed with a medium texture and so sweet.
The head and carcass were kept, Margarita is going to make a fish soup, can’t wait.
Feeling a bit nauseous my head was on the bed fairly early, it had been an enjoyable day to say the least.
Unfortunately consumers in over regulated countries have very little choice when it comes to food at a reasonable price.
Enterance to University Atlantico, Barranquilla
Within half an hour this was on a few plates.
Looking south from uni complex
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Hernan, keen fisherman and one hell of a good guy.
All the furniture in Hernans and Margaritas house was made from milled wood off the beach. An indication of the amount of rain recieved in the wet. Excuse the rubbish but there was a party here the previous night!!
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