Colombia & El Salvador

This morning we slept in and had a relaxing time before our UBER at 11:30. We arrived at the airport early, cleared TSA, had time for lunch, and still had time to kill at the gate! Our flight boarded on time and we took off on time. You would think all was well but our flight was a nightmare! The flight was filled with tiny tots whose parents paid no attention to them. They screamed and ran up and down the aisles. They lay in the aisles blocking people from going to the bathroom, yes one bathroom was all that worked. The flight crew sat in the back and the only time we saw them was when they passed out drinks snd a small bag of pretzels. They did not even pick up trash until the end of the flight! We landed in Miami and everyone clapped they were so happy to be getting off. The baggage claim took almost an hour. Never will gate check again! We arrived at the hotel, went to our room, and then to the bar to eat dinner and down a glass of wine. Goodnight!

After our airboat trip we were hungry so we had lunch and walked around Dolphin Mall area to get some steps. We then decided to head back to return our car and just relax for the evening. Back at the Embassy Suites we went to the evening reception and sat with 2 couples who were cruising from Miami tomorrow on different ships. We sat until well after the reception ended just talking and getting to know each other. We finally headed up to repack and get that relaxing bath before heading to bed.

We are in a great area and we were able to walk to a lovely area with parks and churches and even a craft market. This area is El Plobado. We enjoyed walking around the area near our restaurant, Mombasa, and promptly at 6 the restaurant opened and we were seated. The atmosphere was lovely and the service fabulous! The menu was varied and Hugh settled on octopus and I had shrimp and beef! We enjoyed every bite and the crispy potatoes were a big hit!! We slowly made our way back to the hotel and both of us decided on a bath to end the day!

Refreshed we ordered an Uber and headed to the Laureles neighborhood where we had a 3 hour food tour. We were part of a 7 person group, one from California, 3 from the Netherlands, and our guide Toto. It was a 5 stop tour and we sampled a lot of the main drinks and dishes of the Medellin area. As in most countries each area had their specialties. The empanadas, arepa’s, ice cream with mixed fruit and cheese called salpicon were just one of the dishes. We tried chicharons, chiroza, and a lot of different sauces and fermented yogurts! The group was a lot of fun and the time passed quickly! At the end we all said adios with smiles and full tummies. We made our way back to the hotel to shower and get ready for our tour reception. Hugh even had time for a quick nap!! We went downstairs to officially meet our tour guide, Andres, and the other 32 people on this part of the trip. Andres said there will be 60 people in the cruise portion! A large part of this group is a travel club called Barefoot Travelers from Nashville TN. It seems like a pleasant group and after the orientation a lot of people went to dinner in the hotel. Hugh and I played cards and later decided to split some dumplings in the Japanese restaurant! Then it was off to bed for us!!

Dani gave us some recommendations for lunch and dinner. Hugh and I decided on Italian done Colombian style at a restaurant called Parmesan. We had eggplant Parmesan with penne and it was delicious! While we were eating the heavens opened up and the rains came. It was thundering and lightning too much to visit the city on the hill that we had hoped to see. Maybe tomorrow ! We decided on a nap while it rained because neither of us had slept well. Up and dressed and only a sprinkle of rain we decided to take a walk in the opposite direction of our last adventure. This area called the Poblado district is huge and has a lot of restaurants, casinos, and even some of the largest malls we have seen. We had dinner with some new friends from Texas and Philadelphia. Hugh purchased a Colombian Futbal World Cup jersey at the adidas store and was very pleased with himself!!! After dinner we continued our walk until it was time to have a warm tubby and settle in for the evening. We have felt very safe and had excellent service wherever we were.

Hugh ordered an UBER and we headed to Puebllita Paisa. This is one of the most visited tourist sites in the city that combines three elements: the Antioquian tradition that is reflected in the crafts, gastronomy, and architecture of the place; the majestic view of Medellín and the mountains that run through the Aburrá Valley. When we arrived on the mountain top our first site was the 19th century cathedral! We waited in line at an authentic restaurant and even with our limited Spanish we were able to get served and had a great meal! Hugh finally got his Medellin platter with all the fixings! We walked around the area enjoying the views until the rain looked inevitable. We made it back to the hotel before the heavens opened. We played some cards while the maid finished our room. Once in the room we packed and then as it was still pouring we took a nap!! When we woke up it was still raining so we decided to finish packing, sit in the lobby and play cards and then have dinner in the Market! We went to bed rather early for us but we had to be at breakfast at 6 am and ready to leave for the airport shortly thereafter!
My thoughts on Medellin are all positive… good food, helpful people and we never felt unsafe. We were cautious but not excessively and we did go out at night!! World class city!

We made it back to the boat for a late lunch. In the afternoon we had talks on Colombian history, eco diversity, and culture. Before the sip and sail Andres did a mandatory talk on the cruise itinerary and overview. At sip and sail we met many new friends who were not in Medellin. Then it was off to dinner. By the time dessert was served we were getting tired and headed your cabin!!

Back on board we had lunch, journaled, napped , and prepared for our afternoon nature boat ride. This one followed the same route as the morning but we actually saw birds we had not seen earlier. My list just got longer. We finished at 6 and we headed to the cabin for showers to cool off. We arrived in the lounge just in time for the port talk and to head to dinner with our friends. There are 4 Susan’s on this trip and 3 of us with our hubby ’s have banded together! After a delicious dinner Hugh and I took a long walk to see the 3 main churches still decorated for Christmas. We enjoyed seeing Colombians at play on a Saturday night. Back on the ship we went to the lounge for the evening entertainment, a jazz duo. Saxophone and electric violin, perform. They were so good they had to do 2 encores!! Then it was off to bed!!

BIRDS WE SAW: Rufescent tiger heron, Smooth-billed Ani, Snail Kite, Snowy egret, Southern lapwing, Wattled jacana, Western cattle egret, Wood stork, Yellow headed caracara, Yellow oriole, Savannah hawk, Frigate bird, Caribbean cornets, Crested caracara, Black hawk, Amazon kingfishers, Black bellied whistling duck, Black vulture, Black collared hawk, Black crowned night heron, Brown throated parakeet, Coco I heron, Great kid Kader, Great egret, Green kingfisher, Greater Ani, Large billed tern, Limpkin, Neotropic cormorant, Northern screamer, Pied water tyrant, Ringed kingfisher, and Black ibis.

At 2:30 we boarded boats for a hike of about 2 miles to the village of Santa Barbara de Pinto. After about a mile we were met with cold water which we needed. Then it was on to the village. We saw lovely mural of an indigenous lady! Our first experience was a tobacco rolling exhibition, second was a fisherman’s net weaving. There was an adorable little boy who wanted to get in on the demonstration. It takes 3 months to complete one net and the weaver was a 73 year old man. From this demo we walked to the church and then on to a dance performance that depicted the process of planting corn. The dance was beautiful but the star of the show was a little girl of about 3 standing in the sidelines. She knew every move and had amazing rhythm. It was back to the boat and then off for a cool shower! We had to wash out all our clothes as they were wet with sweat! We went to the lounge for sip and sail and I found out that the bartender made a fab aperol spritz. We had the Bolivar Restaurant tasting menu on the aft deck at 7:30. This is called the Chefs Table on other AMA cruises. It was delicious and the 20 of us had a fun evening. It was off to the cabin and bed. For us. It was a long night as Hughs cough had not improved!

After a delicious lunch Hugh napped and I journaled while sitting on our balcony and enjoying the views!! Our afternoon tour was a 30 min bus ride to Palenque, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Our first stop was at a traditional home! Our local guide , Shula, told us it was made of a wood similar to bamboo, mud , cow dung, and palm for thatching the roof. The floors of the house we visited were concrete. There was minimal furniture and the children slept on the floor and the parents on a cot . The kitchen was divided into an inside and outside kitchen, both primitive. There are only 10 of these houses left. Our next stop was at the medicine man’s shop. We were told of the use of herbs such as sage, thyme, and oregano in the herbal medicine. During Covid they did not have a single case reported. They send the emergencies to Cartegna. We ere given bracelets as a souvenir. From there we drove to the town square and the church. We also had a Palenque language lesson. We then got the bus back to the ship! After cool showers we went to sip and sail and then to dinner. After a long fun dinner it was off to the cabin to journal or in Hughs case sleep!! One thing I will remember about this trip is that it has been 80 years since a passenger ship has sailed these waters! We are modern day pioneers and AMA has given these people opportunities that we will never be able to comprehend!

The castle was built in 1639 and is located on the Hill of San Lázaro in a strategic location, dominating approaches to the city by land or sea. It was originally known as the Castillo de San Lázaro. It was built by African slave labor under Spanish supervision during the colonial era. The fortress was involved in several battles between the late 17th to early 19th centuries between European powers. We climbed to the top for the view and Hugh only got lost one time on the way down. It was back to the ship just in time for the walking tour of Getsamane, the artsy area of the city. We saw lots of art, umbrella streets , and also those with flags. We saw a lot of the 2 main archectural styles of the city, colonial with the wood balconies and republic with the concrete balconies. Both were lovely especially with the bougainvillea growing on them. We ended our tour on top of the city walls and at the theater. Back at the ship we showered and packed. It was time to say goodbye to our new friends and prepare for the rest of our journey. We had a great dinner and then it was off to walk around the port area and see all the Christmas lights. We got some steps in before we went back to sleep in our cabin for the last time. It was a very noisy evening and such a contrast to the lovely quiet of the countryside.

Today we awoke to the sound of suitcases being moved out. It was bittersweet as we ate breakfast and said goodbyes to new friends and to the amazing staff. Our bags were waiting for us and Camilla, our river guide helped us out to wait on our UBER. Thoughts on the AMAMELODIA are that even though it is different than European river cruises it is unique, fun, educational, and very relaxed. The ship is lovely and the crew phenomenal! Wouldn’t change a thing. The UBER ride was about 6 minutes and soon we arrived at our hotel, Cason’s de Porvenir. The check in was easy and we only waited about 45 minutes before our room was ready. The clerk took us to our room and explained how everything worked. The hotel is beautiful but we decided to wait on our welcome cocktail. We hung up clothes and then took a walk to Getsemanie. We had hoped to get some photos without the hordes of people but it was not to be. We shopped in a few art galleries and decided the art looked good in Cartagena but not so much in SLC.

After wandering around for a while the heat was getting to us so we stopped for lunch. After relaxing a bit we went for a long walk on the city wall, 11 kilometer (7-mile) system of massive, well-preserved Spanish colonial fortifications, a UNESCO World Heritage site built from the 17th to 18th centuries to defend against pirates and invaders. We had a lovely view of the old homes on one side and the ocean on the other. By 3 we were hot and tired. We headed back to the hotel to journal and rest. Reinvigorated we showered and went to the hotel restaurant for a light snack and our welcome cocktail, mojito for Hugh and aperol spritz for me!! We then took another walk around the city until bedtime. We stopped for another drink before retiring to our room!!

We had some cold drinks and enjoyed the vibe of the music and people. It was time to continue and David gave me one of his shirts to protect my leg. This made the last part of the trip more enjoyable! At the end of the ride we were dripping sweat, covered in dirt, but happy. We took the boat back and said our goodbyes. As we were walking to our UBER pickup one of my hearing aids came out. We used the Oticon app tracker and found it on the side of the road right where a truck had been. God provided safe protection and with the hearing aid in ear we travelled back to the hotel. We raced to the shower and it took some scrubbing but we were clean at last. Our clothes also had to get washed. Once we were dressed we went for lunch. We did not make a good choice but it was enough. We then went back to journal and rest. Around supper time we went to a Texas Bar and had nachos and watched soccer. We headed back to the hotel at bedtime. The sun all morning and the exertion wore us out!

This morning we had a leisurely breakfast and then checked out of our hotel. I was sad to leave as the room and staff have been great. This hotel made leaving the ship easier as we had excellent service and even nighttime turn down with a sweet treat. We had an UBER pickup at 9:20 which proved to be too early as we had a lot of time to kill at the airport. Our flight was on time and as predicted the boarding chaotic. Colombians do not line up they just push straight ahead. The flight was quick and getting off was exactly the same, each person for himself.

We got an UBER quickly and in about 30 minutes were arrived at the Hilton Embassy Suites. Check-in was smooth and our room was waiting on us. We unpacked snd headed out for our meal of the day. The reception person recommended a new restaurant La Cabrera, and it was amazing! The food was fab and we were treated to a lot of on the house small dishes to try. We waddled out very happy. It had turned much cooler and we were not dressed to stay long. We walked ablock or two and headed to the room. We journaled, washed clothes, and unpacked until time for the evening reception. We each had something to drink and popcorn. We played cards until late and then went over our pictures until bedtime!! See you in the am!

Our driver was not available so we took an UBER to our next stop, La Concordia market where we tried all the indigenous fruits of the region. Our favorite was the purple passion fruit, one of 4 different passion fruits we tried. The runner up was the Sour Sop! We also had a demonstration of coffee making. Our barista was very serious and measured everything on a scale. It was timed to perfection and the resulting coffee was some of the best we have had. From the market we continued our walk in La Candelaria. The street we were on was narrow and cobble-stoned. It was the first street in Bogota. The street ended in Plaza Chorro. It was an artsy square with artisan of all types and food vendors. We continued our walk to the main plaza where we saw the cathedral, the congress building which was covered and closed due to recent protest by Venezuelans, the Mayors office and the very modern judicial building.

Our last stop was the Gold Museum which is the most visited site in Colombia! The museum has a collection of 55,000 pieces, 6,000 of which are on display in their expanded building. There are bilingual descriptions of almost all exhibits. The artifacts here are beautifully displayed and Sarai gave us great descriptions. The relics tell the story of Colombia before the Spanish came. Most are over 2000 years old! After the museum we said goodbye to Sarai and our driver took us back to the hotel. It was a wonderful day but we had tired feet and information overload. We rested and then went out to explore our neighborhood. Once it got dark we went to the nightly reception and played cards ad ate snacks. Then it was upstairs to shower snd journal!

When it was time to say goodbye Gigio gave us some ideas of walks we could do in our neighborhood. We followed his advice and did a nice walk in a quaint neighborhood with embassies and lovely homes. Back at the hotel Hugh napped and I had a long talk with Lori. After Hugh showered we went for happy hour. We had glass of wine and some snacks before deciding it was time to get an UBER to our hotel near the airport. The ride was long and we were a bit concerned about where we were going when all of a sudden the Hilton sign appeared.. Check in took a while but soon we were in our room. Hugh watched football while I showered. It was an early night for us as we have to be up before the sun!!

We checked in, took our bags to our room, and headed back down for our UBER to the park in the center of the city to meet the group for our city tour. Our guide Dave was super enthusiastic, and before long he had us fully engaged in how the city had changed and also how it was continuing to change. Since this president has come in and with the help of China, the US, and other countries they have a lot of new infrastructure including a hospital which is the first site we saw. It has not opened yet but it is ready for the equipment to be moved in which should be in the next few weeks. We continued our walk down the street and passed the university. Our next stop was The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a centennial parish built in 1913, is one of San Salvador's most cherished religious landmarks. This basilica, which took two decades to complete, showcases a blend of architectural styles, reflecting the varied influences of the time. It was built of wood and metal and has endured many earthquakes since its inception. Outside is a green circle, which is the safest place during an earthquake. We stopped for something to drink and Dave gave us more info on the future plans for the country. Our next stop was the market. It is new and the street vendors have been moved inside. The next stop was not historical but hysterical to Hugh and I. It was the fanciest STARBUCKS we have ever seen. It is the flagship store for Latin America. We then headed into the Centro Historica where we saw the palace which is now a museum and near it the new government building. We also saw The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Holy Savior which is the principal church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Salvador and the seat of the Archbishop. The cathedral holds deep significance for the Salvadoran people, having been twice visited by Pope John Paul II, who remarked on its close connection with the nation's joys and hopes. The national theater is behind it! We were amazed at the size of the new library which was built by the Chinese. It is 7 stories and has an observation deck and a restaurant. It is open 24 hours a day. We saw some lovely gardens but at night it was hard to see the layout. The tour ended around 8::15 and most of our group went for papusas at a restaurant Dave recommended. The meal was very good but by the time we finished our early morning was getting to us. We had some trouble getting an Uber and the one that finally came was a junk heap. We made it back and after showers we settled into bed to watch the last 10 minutes of the National Championship game!

From this site we drove quickly to Suchitoto to the Cotto Museum. We had to race there as they close at noon. We just barely made it before they locked it up. The former home of El Salvador's most successful film director, the late Alejandro Cotto, is now a museum. Many of Cotto's personal belongings, artwork, awards and furniture have been preserved here, and the building is a fine example of a wealthy Salvadoran home. We loved walking around and the walls were so thick that the inside was cool and quiet! The highlight were the gardens and the lake view.

It was an almost 2 hour drive because of traffic and we were a bit tired and hot when we arrived. After a good shower we went to the hotel bar for drinks and some bar food. We culled pictures, journaled, and just relaxed.

We said goodbye and then we walked to the Rosary Church. One of the most striking features inside the church, besides the windows, is the iron sculpture of Christ on the cross, located at the altar. We then made another walk around libertada square before getting an UBER back to the hotel. We walked over to Futura Plaza, a modern shopping and commercial complex connected to our hotel by a bridge. It had a variety of restaurants not open at this time of day. We stopped for coffee and then headed back. We journaled and rested and packed. We showered and repeated our routine from the night before!

It’s travel day so we were up early, had yogurt and coffee before heading to the airport. We cleared immigration easily but Hugh got stopped at security for a plastic cork screw that no one else had picked up on. With that taken care of we walked to get some steps in before our flight. Again we got preferential boarding because of our age. The flight was on time and 3+ hours later we were in Houston! We had to get on a bus to get to the rental cars but ours was waiting and off we went. It was over 2 hours drive to Galveston and we saw a multi car wreck which had traffic backed up for miles in the north bound lane. We arrived and navigated to the wrong hotel but after a short redo we checked in and unpacked. It was unanimous that we wanted spicy Mexican food for dinner. We went to The Strand and had some great food. It was then time to use my bath tub and have a long soak. Off to bed for us!!

We stayed for several hours and then made our way to the railroad museum. We went here specifically to see a real red and yellow Santa Fe engine! Lucky us we saw 2! We have never seen this paint job except on our Lionel trains. We walked around all the cars and engines and enjoyed the museum displays a lot. From the museum we drove around looking at all the Victorian homes before we ended up on The Strand. We walked up and down checking out the shops but there was not a lot to see.

This morning we were up early and the weather had taken a turn for the worse. It was a major thunderstorm with heavy rain and lightening. We had breakfast and got on the road. We had to drive very slowly as you could not see the.lines in the highway. Fortunately but the time we were off the island it slowed some and when we reach Houston it was not raining. We returned our car and got the shuttle to the airport. We checked our bags as it was a full flight. We went to the United lounge to wait and the time passed quickly. The flight was easy and soon we were landing at SLC! Welcome Home!!