#thatonetimeincolombia


Off to Colombia! We jetted off together early on Monday morning off to see a new country! We even got to sit next to each other on the plane! I haven’t done that in years and years and I thoroughly enjoyed it, I was even able to sleep a deep sleep on our short hour ride. 

We got off the plane onto a steaming tarmac and passed through customs together, it was truly exhilarating completing a customs form as a “family.” My bag didn’t arrive from Panama and so unfortunately I was left to swelter the rest of the day in the Cartagena heat in my jeans. 

After one hell of a time finding our hotel, dad and I set off to explore the town and find something to eat. We spotted the popsicle shop I’ve been reading about on blogs and yes we did stop in. 

We enjoyed an amazing first meal in Colombia and had a great pizza dinner before we (read: I) crashed immediately upon return to the hotel. 

Our first day was delicious, and long, and hotter than hell, and marvelous, dad even bought himself a new hat, and I have to say I totally approve! 

We explored our hotel to find a small pool on the roof of the building and were ecstatic to enjoy a little relaxation time. So day 2 we slept in, enjoyed breakfast at our hotel and coated ourselves in what we were sure would be enough sun block, spoiler alert, it wasn’t. We dipped in the refreshing pool, read our books, magazines, and listed to music. Great view, great weather, great company. Lunch led us to old town again where we enjoyed Spanish style cuisine and a popsicle and is currently wrapping up with me getting a pedicure and poor sunburnt dad— god knows where, out in the Spanish speaking Colombian world without me. 

I miss him already! 

The best part of this trip is time with him no matter how much we drive each other crazy. He’s kind and hopefully having fun too. 

Lucky for me I get to go have dinner tonight with my best friend in the whole world! 

Updates to come! 

...

So I left my best friend this afternoon in the Cartagena airport to head to Bogotá for the last stop, solo, mind you, of my little adventure. I held back my tears because I didn’t want to make it any harder on him, passed through security, and sobbed in a bathroom stall. How un-fun it is to live so far away from my favorite people in the world. 

Our trip was full of delicious meals, popsicles, sunshine, long walks, a touch of the ocean, and most importantly each other, catching up, and long conversations. Just last night we laid in bed watching a movie in Spanish on tv in our hotel room and me trying to translate. I like that we do silly, quirky and unexpected things together. I miss him so much and hate that we wasted even just a moment bickering at all. 

While he has already boarded a plane back to the good ole’ US of A, I’m going to attempt to enjoy my final stop in Bogotá, before returning to Cusco early tomorrow morning. 

Colombia is an interesting place that’s for sure. There’s a blend of everything I would’ve expected and at the core it’s yet another variation of the Latin American culture. Shakira is playing in the taxi I’m currently in riding to my hostel; I had a lovely conversation with my taxi driver, the city of Bogotá looks built up and so modern as did Cartagena and Panama City, more than anywhere outside of Lima does in Peru. It’s strange that a place so foreign can nudge towards the comforts of home, yet remain a mystery.

I love having my world grow and expand and learn and see even more of this globe. My Latin American plunge has made for an intense last eight months, but lovely ones that promoted change and growth. Here’s to many more in the future, full of many more unexpected adventures to come along the way. 

 Instagram: @brigriesinger, photos of the trip to come!

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