{"id":87425,"date":"2019-03-01T17:15:30","date_gmt":"2019-03-01T22:15:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wend.ca\/?p=87425"},"modified":"2020-04-21T19:19:01","modified_gmt":"2020-04-21T23:19:01","slug":"the-south-american-culture-trip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wend.ca\/?p=87425","title":{"rendered":"The South American Culture Trip"},"content":{"rendered":"

I don’t know how to describe the intent of this trip. The idea started when La Ni\u00f1a<\/em> was much younger and in a Spanish immersion school. We decided that when she was ready to experience and appreciate the totality of Spanish language and culture, we’d take 4-months and backpack through South America. <\/p>\n

However, a lot changed in the last few years: La Ni\u00f1a<\/em> is no longer in a Spanish immersion school, she is studying French. I no longer have a 4-month sabbatical, so we will have to break our adventures into smaller pieces. <\/p>\n

Also (frankly), I’m getting older and no longer have the fortitude to tolerate the raw adventures of a budget-minded backpacker. I have the open, free spirit, adventurous mindset… but no longer have the physical ability to carry around a 100lb backpack during a search for an obscure hostel in the middle of the night while suffering from some physical ailment like travellers diarrhea, dysentery or typhoid.<\/p>\n

My relationship with travel changed in the last decade and La Ni\u00f1a’s<\/em> relationship with travel was shaped in the middle of this evolution. <\/p>\n

So for this trip, La Ni\u00f1a<\/em> will be getting her first taste of South American culture from within the safety net of guest houses and local connections. The objective is to experience the culture, practice the language, and find ways to open her eyes to different perspectives (not clouded by what we hear in the media). And yes, we’ll be going to museums and on tours to understand the political history and influences that created the current culture.<\/p>\n

The destination is Colombia; Cartagena was recommended by my Colombian and Venezuelan friends who say it’s their favourite Colombian city.<\/p>\n

Getting to Colombia from Montreal<\/h3>\n

The flight was veeeeery long with lots of mundane but memorable moments: three flights, being asked to pay 30USD for “free wifi” in Panama (no… we didn’t pay for it), and leaving Montreal at 5:30 am in -25C weather and arriving in Cartagena in +30C weather 16-hours later.<\/p>\n

The haze covering Panama City was intense as we landed and experienced instant humidity and hot country smell when we walked off the plane.<\/p>\n