Life-a learning experience: Santa Marta, Colombia

Upon arrival to Santa Marta we all went into wedding mode, assisting the wedding planner and outside services with putting the finishing touches on the beach themed event.

The attendee list for the wedding mirrored a United Nations meeting list, with guests representing every continent except for Africa and Antarctica. As you walked around the tables you could easily overhear conversations taking place in a multitude of languages as friends and family celebrated the night of live music and performances.

December through January is peak tourist season in Santa Marta. Valeria's house is located on the beach, so the tourists and locals enjoying the afternoon and evening were treated to some awesome free entertainment once the wedding festivities got into full swing.

After the weekend-long wedding activities came to a close and the guests returned home, we were able to relax a bit and enjoy the day-in and day-out perfect sunny weather of Santa Marta. Although I have not had a hot shower since arriving here, the cold running water is a welcomed retreat to cool off from the hot sun.

It's not just fun in the sun here in Santa Marta though, the small beach community offers a lively nightlife as well as other activities.

Burukuku restaurant and bar is the hot spot to head to when wanting to enjoy a cocktail and dancing. The building features an open air terrace overlooking looking the water and the nighttime breeze is just perfect to cool you off as you dance the night away. It seems that everyone was born with rhythm in this country and I just adore experiencing a culture that cultivates and promotes dancing....especially in men. Unlike some western night clubs where you often times see a group of women hitting the dance floor solo, everybody dances here in Colombia.

The cultural experience does not end with the music though; colorful artwork and merchandise is a big part of Santa Marta.

We made our way over to the Ministry of Culture one evening to take in the opening night of the Carlos Chacin (www.carloschacin.com) exhibit. Carlos is a local artist and sculpturist. His latest exhibit featured a series of paintings depicting the struggle we all face in life...our hearts and minds were born to soar, yet often times we are weighted down by external factors that prevent us from living up to our full potential. Local media and news outfits were at the gallery to cover the event. While I typically enjoy the anonymity of being in a new city, it's hard to maintain that low of a profile when you have your photo taken with the featured artist of the evening and the picture appears in the local papers.

A universal standard for a good time is karaoke, and Antike and Pike is the local karaoke place in Santa Marta. The walls of the bar are filled with a mixture of quirky knickknacks and religious symbols. The staff is dressed to impress in steampunk attire. The bar also maintains a repository of crazy hats that can be worn when you take the stage. The crazy hat concept is great until you think more about the logistics. Renting shoes at a bowling alley is somewhat tolerable to any germaphobe because you can see the clerk disinfect the shoes. Putting on a crazy hat at Antike and Pike that has been worn on numerous heads without being disinfected is just poor hygiene. While I love to sing karaoke (drinks not required, I will do it sober), the english song selection was very limited. So apologies to the Docimo family but I was unable to sing The Humpty Dance and ended up with The Wanted-Glad you came. I am not sure how many people in the audience understood English though. From the looks I received, they all seemed Glad I left.

For those of you wondering about safety here in Colombia, rest assured...I am in safe hands. Burro, as he is nicknamed, keeps a close eye on our every movement. So close in fact, he should be nicknamed "the shadow" instead. From the moment we leave the gated compound of the house, Burro is with us. Although he will fall back and give us some space, the man is the definition of the human boomerang. No matter where we end up, he finds his way to us.

Keeping with the tradition of trying new things, my "first" in Colombia was visiting a gun range. From the picture below I am sure some of you will think the range looks more like a place you go to take someone out instead of taking target practice...and you would be right in the assessment. Appearances aside though, shooting a hand gun is really just about having a gun and a safe place to shoot it...and I had both. While I am glad to have tried something new, the sheer force and power when that gun released rippled fear through my bones. It was a one and done experience for me...not to be repeated.

Amazing to think I would not even be here in Colombia if I had not gone to Italy, where I met Valeria, to study Italian. The conspiring forces of the universe always have a plan and for that I am grateful.

Backyard beach at my home for the past month in Santa Marta, Colombia.