We flew from Panama to Cartagena with no problems, no extra fees except we had to pay US$10 each entry to Colombia, must be a new thing. The flight was short but even so we got fed a lovely meal on the way which was excellent. At the Cartagena airport we hooked up with two other travellers, Lisa from England and Nana from Denmark, and caught a taxi to the old part of the city. The first hostel we tried was fully booked, but the lady there phoned around and found a hotel just down the road for us for 32000 pesos for a room.
This part of Cartagena was settled by the spanish over 400 years ago, and was raided so often by pirates that a wall was built around the city. The wall still stands, the dungeons have been converted into shops. There are very narrow streets and lots of balconies hanging out over with colourful vines climbing over them. It is a pretty part of the city, nicer than anything we have seen so far but still (Carol says) not as nice as the villages in Europe and England.
We went to see the Museo Del Oro on our second day, it was filled with the filagre gold ornaments made in the past by the Zenu people who are indigenous here. They were very intricate and delicate. Outside in the square there were local dancers and music going on. The music is very much based on the drum beat and that and the dancing is very reminiscent of the islands but the dancing is a bit more frenetic.
Yesterday on Carol's birthday, along with the two girls, we went by bus to see a mud volcano. Unfortunately we started a little late in the day and got there in time to leave again. It took ages to get out there in three buses and we also had to walk for an hour in the hot sun. We didn't bother to get in the mud in the end, we can do that any time in Rotorua, Carol went in the lake to cool down even tho the water was more warm like a bath. We managed to hitch back so no walking back to the busstop thank goodness.
We have now changed hotels and are in Hostel Yemmi, a double room with bathroom and cable tv for 30000. Today we are being lazy and doing the internet thing and tomorrow we go to see the local fort. We are still deciding where to head next...