Bogota

We made it to Bogota and are staying at our friend Williams apartment. He left the night we got here, but is letting us stay in his apartment while we are here! We may or may not be able to put up photos before we get home, but we will try! It is really nice to have a warm shower (only the 2nd one on our trip!) and a real bed to sleep in! Its also the Colombian Independance day on Tuesday, so there are festivals with food and music, planes flying over (similar to the Blue Angels) and plenty going on here in Bogota. Its almost the end of our trip, but we are going to make the most of our last few days : )

A view of our cabanas by the ocean on La Playa Blanca

LunchThe view from our cabana tent on the beach... looks a lot like a Corona ad
A blue 4-legged crab?

An entrance to the old part of town in Cartagena

Cartagena

So we have been in Cartagena for a few days now, and today went to La Playa Blanca on an Island near Cartagena, which can probably best be described as what looks like a Corona commercial. We have also walked around the older part of Cartagena and visited the gold museum here.

Tomorrow we are heading out to Parque Tayrona, which is a national park about 2hrs from Santa Marta in Northern Colombia. We are planning to stay for about 3 days in Arrecifes or El Cabo, two of the main places to stay in the park and sleep in hammocks (with mosquito nets!) overlooking the beach... pretty rough.

We will probably not have internet access while in the park, but we will check in either once we get back or get to Bogota next week on Saturday. Here are a few more pictures in the mean time!

Our view of Arenal Volcano from our hotel
Boa Constrictor we saw on our hike in Corcovado
Un Mono!
The beginning of our 12 mile hike...

The high tech bus to Corcovado : )

Crocodiles!

Costa Rica is rough...

So, we are now in a town called La Fortuna near Arenal with the Fejervary`s with an incredible view of the volcano AND we have pictures!! We are going on a lava tour tonight and tomorrow night are heading off to Columbia! We will send another update when we are there and have in fact not been whisked away by drug lords ; )

We just got back from our 2 day hike in Corcovado to Sirena on the Osa coast. It was about 12 miles one way through rivers, over rocks, through the jungle and along the beach. Needless to say, our bodies and feet are a little worn out. We did get to see a lot of animals! There were a lot of parrots, lizzards and monkeys and we saw a sleeping Boa and a Tapir, which looks like a cross between a baby elephant (in size) and an anteater (it´s face). While we got to see a lot of animals, it was a little more challenging that we thought it would be, and after pretty much beat after pretty much hiking a marathon over the last 2 days.

We are heading toward Arenal tomorrow, which is an active (but not dangerous!) volcano with a lot of other things to do around the area.

We will try to post pictures as soon as we find a computer that will allow us to.

Until next time!

-Susan & Deirdre