I
arrived to Cartagena with just enough time to change clothes before we
headed out to take our seats on a "Chiva" bus. Valeria had a number of
friends and family in town to celebrate New Years and the wedding of her
cousin. The open air, colorful Chiva bus featuring an open bar as we
sang, clapped, danced and drank our way around Cartagena while listening
to non-stop local Papayera music was the perfect Saturday night outing
for the large group. Although the music was in Spanish, you certainly
didn't need to understand the language for the infectious beat and
rhythms to win you over.
I
have seen some wild party activities along my travels and bar none the
Chiva bus experience in Cartagena takes first place in the "crazy"
category. Just come prepared to drink whiskey or AguArdiente (like Ouzo)
straight up as a shot because the locals rarely use mixers, water or
ice and you'll be hard pressed to find anyone drinking anything
lighter.
The
next day was spent exploring the Old Town area of Cartagena before
heading home, putting on our best and heading out for our NYE party. The
city itself is large, relatively clean and organized; boasting a
laid-back beach vibe weaved into the shop merchandise and attire of the
locals.
We
called the heart of Old Town home for our NYE celebration, attending a
private dinner accompanied with live music in the town square. While I
know little in Spanish, at least the numbers are similar to Italian and I
was prepared for the countdown into 2013.
Before
leaving Cartagena I attended my first Reggaeton concert featuring
Arcangel as the headliner. Having never really listened to reggaeton
before, the day of the event was all-reggaeton, all-day, as Valeria
prepared me for the concert. (And here I sit a few weeks later signing
Arcangel's More song to myself...the stuff is catchy.)
We
left Cartagena and hit the road for Santa Marta. With Ronnie and
Emile's wedding just two days away, we were due back to complete the
last minute preparations to host the affair at the house.
Jose (Valeria's cousin), Jorge (Valeria's brother) and Tom (Valeria's friend) before our Chiva experience.
Valeria and me on NYE.
Valeria and me heading out for my first Reggaeton concert.
Tom and me on the Chiva bus, enjoying a glass of AguArdiente.
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