this is the first of a series of posts from colombia. there were too many places we stayed that i had to break it up. so first… we start with cartagena + la boquilla :-)

favorites:

1- watching all the locals dance champata, gettin all down and dirty ;-)

2- walking through  cartagena at night, all twinkly lights and magical

3- eating all the fried food.

4- and coconut rice.

5- spending hours on a small beach talking with two locals about all things U.S….obama….our health care system….and how different the two countries are. entire converstation….in spanish. (so proud of my wisconsin friend!)

La Boquillla = The Happiest Place On Earth.

La Boquilla is a small fishing village outside of Cartagena. it’s an extremely poor neighborhood, where the houses are the size of bedrooms and filled with many people. many don’t have doors, or a proper roof, and definitely no AC (in 100+ degree whether with 80% humidity). having said that, these were the happiest and nicest people. the entire neighborhood treats each other like one big family, and the streets are filled with children playing soccer, dancing, and having fun.

funny enough, i really didn’t shoot very much. at first i was hesitant to take out my big ole canon in front of the city of cartagena, and then it just became a pain lugging the equipment around. so my point and shoot became my best friend. everything i shot, i shot for fun. i shot at times the “photographer” in me normally wouldn’t have. i shot in terrible lighting situations, without overanalyzing composition, and even used direct flash if i had to. so forgive me if these images are not be the most breathtaking, or technically correct, or maybe they are even out of focus and fuzzy. i’m ok with that. because this post is more for me. to remember the amazingness that was my fifteen days in colombia :-)

perhaps the first of many questionable decisions :-)

i know some people were interested in our accomodations- well here is Hostal Arrecifes….and meet Clara who runs the place and was so sweet to us!

within the first 24 hours we had pretty much done everything everyone told us NOT to do. go on random tours through the jungle. trusted locals. ate food from homeless men. (oops that was just me) ….but i like to consider these decisions we made “educated risks” :-) ….hence the following storyboard. going with 2 locals on a private canoe tour through mangroves and jungle with no one around. just sun, water, a private beach and a ton of crabs. one of the best days ever.

oh you know….just walking around the beach and the neighborhood…and look who happens to stop by… they just walked right by us (no leashes or anything kim! :-) )needless to say i was a little stunned…this was the first of many times i remember thinking….”this CAN’T be real life?”

city of Cartagena

this is what happens after a night out in Cartagena. two photographers… trying to figure out how to focus a point and shoot….

love nuggets.

this little girl (Disnella) was THIS close to coming home with me. i was dreaming up ideas of how to explain to my husband that we adopted a little colombian girl.