Despues de 10 espectaculares dias en Santa Marta(colombia) con mi esposo, regresamos a nuestra fria y querida Bogota, como se pueden imaginar llegamos con manos y pies en completo desorden, que mas se puede esperar !!!!!!! Arena,sol,poca agua ,etc no peluquerias al alcance de nosotros , era lo mas logico en fin, despues de probrar en mil sitios de argentina, uruguay,chile, manila(philipinas), hong kong, usa, hemos llegado a la conclusion que el mejor sitio en el mundo para manicure y pedicure es en nuestar bella Colombia, asi como lo leen es en colombia, aca tenemos el mejor servicio para este clase de necesidad, aca no sienten miedo de limpiarte sacarte todo el mugre que tienes , todos los cueritos que te sobran esta gente realmente sabe lo que es un pedicure un manicure, y entre esos sitios les voy a nombrar mi favorito par el mejor que hay , les voy a decir primero mis razones y luego proseguire a describirles aquel maravillloso sitio, primero la limpieza es buena(no perfecta) pero es suficiente para no coger un hongo ni nada por estilo,atencion excelente(aguita,tinto,agua aromatica,revistas,toda clase de chismes acerca de la vida de las ninas que alli trabajan, televison), precios exactos mas que justos para el servicio que ofrecen, y son completamente profesionales en el area.
Este sitio es en el supermercado carrefour de la 170 en la peluqueria Jose Rueda segundo piso (Bogota-Colombia) Es el primer sitio que visitamos despues de llegar de nuestras calurosas vacaciones , siento que llegue al cielo y la nina que siempre me atiende esta alli como si me hubiese leido la mente , sentada en su puesto de trabajo su nombre es Margarita , bueno eso creo asi le dicen sus companeras de trabajo , sin ningun cliente esperando para reconstruir mis horribles unas. Es lo mejor ,te ponen los pies en agua caliente, te ofrecen aguita,revistas todas las amenidades posibles , despues Margarita comienza su trabajo, aproximadamente en manicure y pedicure son 2 hrs, yo se es mucho tiempo pero por el resultado vale la pena esperar, al finalizar me ha dejado los pies con piel de bebe , sin rastros de vacaciones , manos impecables , y la gran satisfaccion de sentirme limpia, por estas razones adoro este lugar, es lo primero que llego a buscar despues de que llegamos de viaje mi esposo y yo, cada vez que salgo de Colombia quisiera poder llevar a Margarita con nosotros, es lo que mas extrano estando fuera , y lo mas importante por decir obviamente es el valor , excelente manicure + pedicure por la modica suma de $23.000 pesos Colombianos ahhhh mas la propina que son $1000 pesos Colombianos espero que esta imformacion sea muy valiosa para aquellas personas que buscan manicure y pedicure, bueno bonito y BARATO
All is well as we landed in Simon Bolivar Airport in Santa Marta. We reserved our stay at Decameron Galeon Santa Marta. For people that don’t know, Decameron is an all-inclusive resort ( Food, entertainment, drinks, snacks, and all the amenities for sports and recreation, as long as it is non motorized ) is absolutely included. For those that enjoy the laid back atmosphere, lots of sun, and activities, this is the place to be. It is great for families, married people, romantic getaway, kids, and kids at heart, to enjoy the all-inclusive experience.
My wife and I did not take advantage of the over – priced tours in the hotel. That is because, we know the ins and outs of Santa Marta and Parque Tayrona. We can get the tours and transfers at 50% off the price, they were asking for at the hotel. For people, that don’t want to hassle with anything, the hotel Decameron Explorer ( in house travel and excursion agency ) is the best bet. But, be forewarned they are expensive. However, if you like to just lounge on the pool, and kick back in the cabanas, or hammocks down by their front property beach. It will certainly fit the bill. So, don’t stress, if you can’t go to Playa Blanca, Playa Cristal or any of the beaches in Parque Tayrona. If you don’t have the time, the amenities in Decameron Galeon will be worthwhile. If you want to go to Playa Blanca and the Aquarium, then head to El Rodadero and pay the 1,000 Pesos or 1,200 Pesos from the Hotel Decameron and take the small buses that go to El Rodadero. From there, I would get off, where you see Olympica supermarket. From there, you can walk to the Playa El Rodadero. From there, you will be solicited constantly by the vendors to do their tours, stay at a time-share program and such. Take the cooperative. This is a consortium of different people, and it is much cheaper to take than doing the tours from your hotel. You can take the small boats as low as $Col Pes 10,000 pesos per person, to go to Playa Blanca. I would advise, to take lunch first as food is very expensive in Playa Blanca. But, there are packages, which including the aquarium includes your meals and entrance fees. So, shop around and see, the best bargains that you can get. The prices are normally posted on the binders, but still don’t forget to bargain. It is definitely helpful to speak a little Spanish, to be able to get the best deals possible. Oh, you can also get to Taganga from Santa Marta. Just ask to be dropped off on Exito or the big white church. This is of course, you are taking the bus from the hotel Decameron. You will need to take Don Jaca from any point in El Rodadero and Santa Marta to get back to the hotel. We felt totally safe and it was quite an experience to take the small buses. If you had the option, make sure to get the air-conditioned bus, it is only Col $200 pesos more, and it is worth every pesos. The heat can get to you, so don’t forget to hydrate yourself all the time.
How is it set up: FOOD AND COCKTAILS
They normally have breakfast up to 10:30am. It is a breakfast buffet of course. It is perfectly adequate for everyone’s tastes. Lots of fruits, lots of meats, and lots of fresh juices, which my wife and I really liked. They also have 2 counters, where they can prepare your pancakes, and your eggs. So, for those looking out for their diets, there are some options available. For lunch, they have the lunch buffet set up at the same time. Lots of carbs, lots of protein, and lots of juice. I recommend taking in the fresh juices, lots of water and some sodas, as the heat can certainly get to you. Wait, until after lunch, before you start pounding your alcohol and some pretty strong cocktails. They have music pounding on the Cayman bar, which is poolside. There is another bar, right by the reception lobby, which turns into a late afternoon, early evening lounge bar, which serves up decent cocktails and cold beers at the same time. What about dinner you say ? Well, you have to make a reservation really early, to get the best times and best venues for dinner. They have 4 restaurants that you can partake. You can enjoy a dinner at Pan Asiatica, Parilla, Mama Mia Italian, and Rococo Seafood Restaurant. All in all, we tried all 3 restaurants, except for Rococo. We did not get a reservation at Rococo, believe it or not. We were starting to wonder, whether the restaurant was even open, or if it had enough tables. Anyways, we were not disappointed, with the restaurants, it certainly fit our bill, the portions were very generous, and they were willing to give you seconds, or in some cases, third servings. The staff in all the restaurants in the property was top notch, they had a smile on their face, and really seemed to enjoy working at Decameron Galeon in Santa Marta.
ENTERTAINMENT ( DAYTIME AND NIGHTTIME )
We had the pleasure of staying at Decameron for 5 days and 4 nights. We really believe, that it is long enough to be at an all-inclusive resort. Otherwise, we actually went to downtown Rodadero and Santa Marta to pass time during the day. I know, there are people out there, which can stay in the pool and beach all day. But, we definitely needed some city life, to get the day going. I have to say, that the nightly entertainment provided by the staff, mainly the Decameron Galeon dancers, were superb, and on some nights were definitely worthy of a Vegas show. They were very athletic, and definitely in sync with the program. If you have kids coming along, they will certainly enjoy all the daytime activities available. The Decameron really thrives on crowd participation, so please don’t be shy and be a kid at heart, and you will get the most out of your stay in Decameron.
They had the Mr. Decameron showcase our first night there. Needless to say, I don’t need to get into the nitty gritty of the program. But, they pick 5 guys from the crowd, mainly unattached and single guys, and they have to do all sort of things to woo the crowd and the poor girl, that they had to impress. The poor girl, also has to be unattached and single. But, all in all, it was a crowd pleaser, and it is rated G for everyone. The second night was International de Baile. They featured dances from Italy, United States, Colombia, Venezuela, and Argentina. It was really nice as once again, the dancers were able to showcase their talent both in their dance moves, and their eccentric clothing. The third night, we were thrilled with Ms Decameron. I guess, it is only fair, that we have events for both the men and the women. They had the same format, they basically pick 5 ladies from the crowd and they have to be single and available. They did have their work cut out for them, as they have harder tasks to do, to impress the crowd. All in all, it was good fun all the time. Our last night, we had the pleasure of seeing Noche de Caribe. It was basically indigenous music from the coast. Mainly from Barranquilla, Cartagena and Santa Marta. They did quite a bit of variation of both cumbia and dances that were seen in Carnaval de Barranquilla. The shows normally start at 10pm, and it lasts for about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. After the nightly entertainment spectacle, you are able to enjoy music at two different venues. There is a discothèque in the premises, which was sufficient for the occasion. You just have to be ready to enjoy it with your teen-agers. As they definitely are letting loose, as they would normally not be able to enjoy this type of venues in their local city or country. As far as I know, there were girls and guys as young as 10 years old in the premises. But, no worries, it is safe, and they are normally with their cousins, friends or mom and dad. The other option is Bar Cayman, which plays salsa, reggaeton, and your latest dance music, that you will hear all over Colombia. They serve pretty strong cocktails, and they are not shy about pouring quite a bit of alcohol in your cocktails. So, I hope this gives you guys a pretty great overview on what to expect when staying at Decameron Santa Marta. The price that we paid for both airfare and hotel accommodation, coming from Bogotá is Col $2,410,000 . I calculated it to be right around Col $241,000 Pesos per person per day. It is not bad, if you are a big eater, and a big outdoors fan i.e. ( kayaking, sailing, playing tennis, participating in their multitude of daytime programs, that start from 9am to 5pm. Eat and drink all you can, and enjoy the nightly entertainment. It will be a great value. So, if you are content on doing nothing and also have a load of cash to burn, then this is also a great option for you. My wife and I just love the fact, which we don’t have to worry about what to do, where to eat, and what to drink. It is all here for you to enjoy.
Heading to Taganga and Parque Tayrona in a couple of days, and will certainly keep everybody up abreast on what is going on. It should be a lot of fun. Prices and excursions are coming soon.
Taganga and Parque Tayrona – July 25 to July 28
Finally got in to Taganga on July 25th. It was extremely hot and humid, pretty much the same as anyplace in the coast. The abject poverty of the place, really came into play. Once, you come in to the bay of Taganga, you will see an infinite amount of dust, as the roads are pretty much non-existent. But, you will see the abundance of foreigners in the area. There were so many stray dogs and cats, not just in the main malecon that Taganga has, but as you pretty much walk up and down from streets, you will see half build houses, people out and about, no shirts, little kids, who seemed to have not eaten in quite some time. It would seem that water is a big issue here in Taganga, at least for the residents, they have to ration the water on a daily basis. But, just like anything else in Colombia, especially in this parts, people are very respectful, and pretty much got to use to all the backpackers that come in and out of their city. Taganga, is pretty much a destination or a stopping point, before they head out to Parque Tayrona and further to Ciudad Perdida.
Ok, now back to the place we are staying at. We stayed at Divanga in Taganga. It was well reviewed by a friend of ours, as he stayed at the same hostel a week earlier. It is owned by a French couple, which by coincidence, Lucie ( the wife ) did come and say hi, and making sure, her hostel is not in shatters. Otherwise, Gina the cook and the hostel coordinator seems to be in charge of the place. It would seem that they are absentee owners, but they live about a block up the street. There was a mishap however, as we were checking out. They tried to stick a 6% charge on the total bill, as we were going to pay by debit card. The fact of the matter is, I would have no problem paying it, but they never said anything, nor was any signs posted on their website, their pamphlets, or at their makeshift guest service center. So, for those out there, that are planning on paying by credit card, or if you are living in Colombia, and have a debit card, they will stick it you. I had a little outburst, as Lucie, just kept on blabbing away on the phone. Personally, I could care less, bottom line is, I wasn’t paying it. My wife, did ask the attendant the day before, about making the payment, and there was never a point, did she give us the option, which we do take credit cards, debit cards, but we will tack on an additional 6%. They were lucky enough, that we had enough cash on hand, to cover the entire bill. I just don’t like surprises ! We had an emergency, as we had to take off 4 days earlier. Anyways, some guests that we met, also made a comment, that they were never around. It really doesn’t matter, if they are in the property or not, as long as the beds are being made, rooms are being clean, and promises being made are taken care off. All in all, it is what you would expect from a hostel in this parts, cheap and it shows. As one guests put it, it is a piece of shit ! I wouldn’t go that far, but this is not the Ritz, nor is it Motel 6. But, they did have a pool, which was really nice to take a quick dip, either before or after your beach or city excursion. It comes with a free breakfast. We got the private double with the private bath. It is for Col $29k per night per person. Like I said, the bed is a simple full mattress, a ceiling fan, a very weak shower, but the toilet was excellent. It was exactly what we expected. Nothing less and nothing more. So, if you are looking for a/c, non-beer drinkers, sometimes people won’t stop talking, until the wee hours of the morning, then this is not for you.
What are the pros and cons for the place:
Pros:
1. Knowledgeable staff – they can set up your excursions in Parque Tayrona and Ciudad Perdida.
2. Decently priced for what you get - $Col Pesos 29k per person for a double private w/private bath – free breakfast, wifi ( as long as you don’t have a Mac ) they can’t seem to get it to work with Mac’s ( very strange ), the pool, Jacuzzi ( I did not see it working, but it was ok ) a safe and centrally located place, pretty decent bar ( nice cool breeze in the morning and late afternoons ) Great sunsets and great view of the bay. They have a pretty decent menu, at the same time .
3. You meet a lot of people, who for whatever reason, ended up in Taganga. ( Met people from Slovenia, Finland, Miami, London, Scotland, Australia and New Zealand ) Come to find out, that Taganga is really cheap in terms of both quality and price for diving. The prices that have been quoted are between US$280 – US$350 for 5 days of diving and certification. That is not bad at all. Others are here, to trek to Parque Tayrona and Ciudad Perdida and others are here for cheap beer and cheap drugs. I guess, the Israelis (both men and women) are passionate about having the time of their life, smoking some weed and snorting some good old-fashioned blow. Not to leave any one group behind, we’ve met some people from Finland, UK who are also partaking in this illicit drug. And there are others, who are here to do absolutely nothing. I know, when we were in the hostel, there were people, which are quite content on just hanging on the pool, and drinking until they pass out. To each his own I guess, but if I am spending quite a bit of cash to get here, just to get hammered ? I could have stayed home, and just do it from there. Hey, but that is just me.
4. A lot of available guys and girls. If you are looking or want to hook up. This is a place I would go to, if I were single. The possibilities are endless. Everyone is there, to have fun and having an open mind. The caveat being, you might not see each or you might be with the other person for a very long time. Anyways, that will be your decision. But, the potential is there guys and girls. This is for both the hostel and Taganga. Ok, I would include Parque Tayrona at the same time.
5. Gina – the breakfast cook, and on occasion the asado cook is great. She might not have all the tools and things that you would need, but she will improvise. She will make your breakfast tailor-made. So, if you are craving for some fruits w/cereal, and yogurt, then she can do it for you. If you are craving for some scramble eggs w/ everything on it, she can certainly take care of it for you.
Cons:
1. Don’t plan on using the water in the wee hours in the morning. We had a great conversation, with one of the guests. And he advised us, to make sure to use the bathroom, as they have to fill up their tanks in the morning. So, if you are planning on using the toilet, or taking a shower, do it a little pass 9am. I did have an occasion, when I had to go to the bathroom really early. And by golly, I just got it in the nick of the time, just after I flushed, kaboom, there was no more water. I thanked God, for making sure, that I had the opportunity to take care of business, before hand. I did not like that one bit. So, you have to check first and foremost, if you need to use the toilet and see if there is running water. Otherwise, you will be in for a very smelly surprises.
2. Hygiene – there were bug flies everywhere, especially in the kitchen. It was a turn off, as there were a lot of food out, and there was an occasion, when I opened the fridge, and was welcomed by flies trying to get out. The food preparation, was not up to par with our standards. We did partake and ordered an item in their menu. We thought, you can’t possible go wrong, with a quesadilla. It was delicious.
3. I guess, they have a rule of not being able to drink in the roof top bar. I know, that they are trying to protect their investment and want to make money on beers and cocktails. But, they should emphasize that on their website, or have it posted on their bar. I don’t like the fact, being told that I can’t enjoy my cerveza, with the cool afternoon breeze. Especially, since it is the perfect mix. I don’t blame the attendant guy, trying to impose the absentee owners rules. Hell, I am sure, he was looking to get a beer or two at the same time.
Tips and Recommendations:
1. Taganga can get old really fast – If you are here to do some diving to pass time, during the day, and maybe head out to El Garaje ( not a bad bar ) form Wednesday – Saturday evenings, then this little city by the bay, will get really boring, really fast. So, make sure, you head out to Santa Marta and El Rodadero to pass time. There was also an Internet café/bar in Taganga, can’t quite remember the name right now. But, I It seems to be always packed with people. It is the same road, where the white church is located in Taganga. It is a little further down. Santa Marta, should have enough places to go to, and places to eat, to get the most of your time in Taganga. There is a great discothèque in Santa Marta called La Escollera, which is not bad at all. We came in on a Friday night, but it really doesn’t get going, up until 11pm. There are buses from Taganga heading to Santa Marta for Col Pesos $1k one way. If you are planning on taking a cab, then it will cost you Col Pes$6000 during the day, and Col Pes $8000 in the evenings. Some highlights are while at Santa Marta is heading out to the Gold Museum and Quinta de San Pedro Alejandria. This is where Simon Bolivar died. The price of admission is Col Pes$10k or Col Pes$8k for students, and Col Pes$6k for children.
2. Beaches – The beaches in Taganga are not at all appetizing. Like I said, this is more of an opinion. As, we did not think, it was clean enough to be inside its waters. But, there were people out there, swimming and having a grand old time. There are bars and restaurants on the frontage road, facing the beach. A better alternative is to go and head out to one of the boats, heading to Playa Grande. You pay Col$2k one-way, and it takes about 5 minutes to get to it. You can actually walk to Playa Grande; it is about a 10-15 minute walk. Another beach, within striking distance is Playa Sisiwaka. It is a smaller beach, a little bit more secluded. So, if you are looking for some variety, and don’t want to go far. There are some options. It is not bad, to pass time and enjoy lunch in Playa Grande. They have tents set up for you, to mask the sun, and just enjoy a nice cold cerveza. It is a great alternative, for people who don’t want to take the trek and head out to Parque Tayrona. If you are expecting beaches, that are out of this world. Then, you will be disappointed. Not to say, we did not enjoy ourselves in Parque Tayrona. We really like La Piscina and Cabo San Juan. But, if you have been to beaches in the Philippines, Thailand, Bora Bora, Fiji, Hawaii, Playa del Carmen, even the Dominican Republic, then you will be disappointed. It is hard to believe that that Parque Tayrona has been in Latin America Top 5 beaches. But, if you are looking for an alternative to the beaches in the area, then why not.
3. The beaches of Parque Tayrona is not accessible, except on foot or on good days, hire a boat and hopefully, you can have enough people to come along with you, otherwise, we were quoted Col Pesos $300k. This is from the fishing boats in Taganga. They were not able to do it at this time, as the ways are too strong for their fishing boats. I guess if you get enough people, then the price goes down substantially. But, you don’t have to walk, and they will drop you off in your desired beaches in the Park. So, this is how it works, the price of admission is Col Pesos $25k for foreigners and Col Pesos $8k to enter the park. I would recommend brining your food for the day or days, if you are camping, and lots of water. It is very expensive to buy it in the park. At least, in local terms, it is expensive. You will have to trek to Arrecifes, as we went in the main entrance – It is about 45 minutes. From there, it will take you another 30 minutes to get to Cabo San Juan. I thought we were walking at a pretty decent pace. But, you have to be in pretty decent shape, as we can hear people huffing and puffing the way in and the way out. One of the main points, why we wanted to do it for the day, is that we wanted to check the toilets in the campgrounds. Needless to say, it is not up to our standards. I will just leave it at that. I like the great outdoors, but will not second guess, the bathroom facilities, and its cleanliness. But, there are 3 main points that we saw for camping. You can get them really cheap, at the same time. But, if it is high season, make sure you get there, early as everyone and their mothers will be there. They limit the amount of people that they let in. So, why do I think it is con – I don’t want to have to walk all the way, just to get to where I want to be! You can rent horses and donkeys. But, honestly – too much work for a beach.
4. We paid a tour for Parque Tayrona – for my wife and I, it costs us Col Peps$ 100k. I know some people, paid 60k-70k per persons. In all honestly, we were misled, as we taught, it would be a little bit more in depth. But, we could have done it ourselves for $Col Pes 30k. Maybe even less, if we had taken a collectivo. The guide that was assigned to us was absolutely useless. I will give our morning guide a little credit, as he did try to tell us the history of the park. Telling us, the people that were here, the tourism that is evolving, the kidnappings, etc. But, he ditched us to another old man, as a guide on the way back. We were supposed to be meeting the group at 3pm, to catch the bus at 5pm, back at the entrance. Well, we did meet at 3pm at Cabo San Juan, but the guy told us, to proceed, and he will follow us. Well, we never saw him again, up until we almost took a cab. I guess, a couple of drivers overheard us, and they knew who the guide was. They pointed us out to the bus, which was supposed to take us back. My problem with this, is that I was expecting one thing, and got another. We did not have a rendezvous point, or we get lost, to make sure, to meet at this certain point. He just told us, to keep going, as he was waiting for some people. The trail was easy enough to navigate. My wife and I, just did not feel like being the guide at that point in time. But, just like anything else, it all worked out. Bitched and complained, and got everything out of my chest. So, it feels good, and it is all-good.
5. There are 4 entrances to the park. If you are making your home base in Taganga, there is an entrance to get into the park in less than 15 minutes. I would definitely recommend doing this; we really like it, as one of the places is Playa Cristal. This is a great place to lounge and snorkel. Lots of fun, and not that much of a trek at the same time. You can enter thru Bahia Concha and thru Taquilla Palagana. From there, there are guides to take you to different beaches. I forgot to mention to wear some really comfortable hiking shoes, and in our case, we wore our crocs. I would recommend wearing crocs, as they are very comfortable, and they are easy to take off at the same time. The only thing I can say, is next time, we would probably wear some socks. But, we were quite happy, with the trail with solely our crocs for the hiking duration in Parque Tayrona. The travel agency that we used in Taganga is called (Magic Tour JD Mar) and the contact person is Fanny. They are in Calle 14-1B-50 Taganga. Their phone numbers are 421-9186 and 421-9429. Like I indicated on my previous report. We were happy with the guide that and transport that was provided from the beginning. However, it went downhill (in terms of service) on the way back to the entrance of the park. So, be forewarned. Make sure, you are in their face and tell them; you don’t like bait and switch, and that you are demanding to be with the same guide and group, until you leave the park. Otherwise, you will be taken for a ride. You might get switched into a different group. You might not like the pace they are going, you might be consolidated into 2 or 3 groups. So, who knows, if you ever end up to where you need to be. So, I have forewarned you.
6. For the first time visitor to the park. I would recommend getting a guide. I know there are travel books out there that will indicate to the fact, that it can be done solo. However, if you are planning on being there, or planning on doing multi-entry, go get a guide for the first time in. It will be worth it. Make sure, to bring lots of water, sunscreen, and mosquito repellent. We used spray off. It worked great. Bring your food to consume, if you don’t want to pay the high prices in the park. Otherwise, if you are going to be there for just the day. Then I think, you will be ok, on US$10-US$20/for the day trip on food consumption.
7. Some pricing information to take into account – If you are trying to save some money, and you don’t mind logging your stuff all over the place to get to and from the airport. You can take a mini-bus, just down the street from Divanga Hostel, and pay $Col Pes 1k to Santa Marta, and take another buseta, that has Aeropuerto upfront. It drops you off, literally steps from the terminal. This is another $Col Pes 1k. Not bad, if you are on a budget. However, it will take Col Pes 25k-30k to and from the hostel to the airport.
8. Another thing you can do, as we did, as we had an evening flight, was to go and pass time in Buena Vista mall. It is funny, as it goes by the same name in Barranquilla. They had a big exito and numerous banks at the same time (Davivienda Banco AV Villas and Bancolombia). If you want to do some business with Avianca, they have a sales office inside of Exito. It was big enough, for the population of Santa Marta. It wasn’t crowded at all. We had a chance to enjoy lunch, and watch a movie in Cinemark. Capping it off, to get a cup of joe at Juan Valdez café. So, all in all, it was a pretty mellow day. You would think it would be packed with people, as the heat can really get to you. It was a nice refreshing change, from the humidity outside. You can catch the bus, to go to El Rodadero, Santa Marta and the airport from outside the mall.
9. I would recommend 2 good restaurants in Taganga. The Israeli restaurant and Bitacora. Most nights are pretty packed, with backpackers, and tourists alike. Really didn’t see too many locals in Taganga. Except for the countless bracelet vendors outside. All in all they were really mellow, and wasn’t peddling their wares, like they do in Cartagena. They were quite content to talk to each other, and just say hi to the backpackers, strolling thru, smoking some weed and smoking some cigs. Anyways, for the size and the location, I would give Bitacora high marks, for quality. It was really good. The only thing, I would change, and to get those damn dogs out of their restaurant. One more thing, I hope the owners, hire some more help, as the poor girl, who is left to serve everybody, can be pretty busy. Just imagine, having a table of 8 really thirsty men and women. You will have to keep coming with their Pilsen, Aguila and Club Colombia all night. Multiply that with 6 other tables, and you are in for a ride.
10. Make sure you, if you are taking the busetas, like we did outside the mall or Avenida Libertador. Ask to make sure, that the bus will be heading to the airport. There was an occasion, where we had taken a bus, and we asked the driver if he was heading to the airport. He indicated yes. It is normally a 30-45 minute trip at worse. But, this bus took 1.5 hr to get to our final destination ( the airport ). It passed thru La Paz and Cristo del Rey. It is not for the faintest of heart, as this barrios are not what I would call safe havens. In fact, the roads all the way up and down, were dirt roads. We felt safe enough, as there were passengers, while we are passing thru this barrios. When my wife asked, we are heading to the airport, right ? The guy the conductor indicated, no. I was almost ready to erupt, before the driver, indicated yes, I am sorry, we will drop you off at the airport. Anyways, make sure, you ask.
Husband and wife team, traveling and sharing their point of view on culture, food, politics, and everything in between. Life is too short and too boring, to be doing nothing.
Colombia,Bogota, Medellin,Short term apartment in Bogota,Short term Apartment in Medellin, Colombia travel,South America travel,Restaurants in Bogota,Restaurants in Medellin,Nightlife in Colombia
Luxury Rooms or Apartments in Barrio Santa Barbara, Bogota
Posts
