Geltonu plytu miesto magija / Magic of yellow bricktown

Strigau Kolumbijoj. Planavau jau si savaitgali plaukti i Panama, bet Kartagena tarsi supanciojo ryskiaspalviais, nematomais siulais. Vienas is -iausiu miestu kelioneje, nors ir labai turistinis, taciau architektura, zmones ir gyvenimo ritmas nubraukia minusus. Senamiesti juosianti 11 kilometru ilgio gynybine siena kazkada saugojo nuo izuliu piratu puolimo, dabar tai tarsi zenklas, zymintis turistu zona. Ju cia daugybe - gringo ir kolumbieciu, prekeiviai issijuose vaiko abi grupes, siulydami suvenyru, apyrankiu, krepsiu, kokainu ir kitu suduku.






Kolonijiniai pastatai - kai kurie atnaujinti, kiti nutrupejusiu makiazu svyti Kolumbijos veliavos spalvomis, dominuoja geltona. Apsistojau salia senamiescio esanciame rajone, kur peciais trinasi vietiniu namai, pigus hosteliai, restoranai, turgus, valkataujantys sunys, benamiai, stalai, prie kuriu virve pritvirtinti mobilus telefonai, siulo pigius pokalbius, neturintiems aparato, sulciu ir maisto kioskai (laimi gardziausios lulo sultys), etc. Charakteringa vieta.



Hostelyje gyvena papuga, vezle su dviems mazais vezliukais, pora sunu ( baltas visiskas kibiras, nuolatos lojo bjaurybe) ir zuvu gauja akvariume, tarakono saldytuve neiskaiciuoju.


Cia susirinko smagi kompanija is angliskai kalbanciu saliu, su jais ir leidau laika. Tradiciniai vakariniai pasivaiksciojimai rajonu ieskant skaniausio gatves maisto (kulinarija labai pigi ir saldi, ivairus saldestai is dideliu stiklainiu, ant groteliu kepta mesa ar idaryti kukuruzu paploteliai (arepas), teslos lazdeles, keptos aliejuje, su suriu), uzbaigiant tradicine sulciu stikline.

So I´m kind of stuck in Colombia. Planned to go to Panama this weekend but Cartagena is just too amazing to leave soon. It´s very touristy at the same time but the architecture, people and lifestyle overwrite all bad things. Old town is a maze of colonial buildings and houses painted in bright colours of Colombia´s flag, yellow is the main one. I´m staying in the neighborhood next to it. Funky mix of local houses, cheap hostels, shops, restaurants, street food and juice places (lulo juice is the best), homeless dogs and people, junkies, etc.


In the hostel we have parrot, turtle with two tiny turtle ninja babies, couple dogs (the white one is retarted, little bollix barks all the time), gang of fish and the cockroach in the fridge.

I met nice people from english speaking countries and I hang out with them most of the time. In evening we would go for best street hunting, finishing with tradicional glass of juice.

Kartagena grozi dalina prie Karibu juros, todel dauguma gyventoju - juodaodziai vergu palikuoniai. Merginos stambokos iki negalejimo aptemptais drabuziais.

Vargingas miestas, bet toliau prie juros esantis rajonas, kur dangu bjauroja modernus daugiaauksciai viesbuciai bei gyvenamieji namai, priima turtingus kolumbiecius. Ten apsilankiau vos desimciai minuciu. Purvini papludimiai (deja, mieste nera nei vieno padoraus papludimio), kur issidrebusiu ant gultu baltapilviu storuliu pedas masazuoja moteriskes, aplink sukasi burys prekiautoju.

Daugiausia laiko praleidziau savo rajone, kartais prasivaiksciodamas senamiesciu. Vakar salia esanciame skvere rinkosi keliautojai is viso pasaulio isgerti alaus ir pasidalinti istorijoms. Nemazai kanadieciu bei amerikieciu per Centrine keliauja i Pietu Amerika auto priemonemis. Belaukdami keltu is Panamos atplaukianciu motociklu ar automobiliu dalis ju, uzburti Kartagenos, nutaria likti keliems menesiams.






Cartagena is next to Caribbean sea so most of the people here are of african slaves descent. City doesn´t look rich but the neighborhood of new modern highrise buildings down the coast is the home for colombians with money. I went there and left after ten minutes. The beach is dirty (no decent city beach in Cartagena unfortunately), full of white fatsies getting foot massages and being ´attacked´by street sellers. I spent most of the time in neighborhood I stay, sometimes going to old town for a walk.






Last night in the square next to us big group of travellers got together to drink beer and share stories. Some americans and canadians drive all the way down through Central to South America. You can´t go overland from Panama so cars and motorbikes are shipped to Cartagena. I met few people who while waiting for auto fall in love with the city and decided to stay for a while.





Salia Kartagenos gyvena nedidelis vulkanas pilna burna purvo. Keistas jausmas nusileisti laipteliais i purvo mase, negali pajudeti, kad ir kaip bandytum irtis, o ir i dugna nugrimzti neimanoma. Pagulejus purve gera pusvalandi, salia esanciame ezere nusiprausti padeda nuolat muddy muddy kartojancios moteriskes. Tad jeigu uz lango pyla lietus (Kartagenoj lietaus sezonas prasidejes ir po gero ´duso´ gatves patvinsta) ir balos prisipildo purvo - siulau pabandyti.


There is mud volcano not far away from Cartagena. It´s a very strange feeling when you can´t move a bit or sink deep. After lying there the women who kept saying muddy muddy will help you to wash the dirt off. So if it´s raining where you are now and streets getting muddy I would highly recommend to try it.

Rutai panorejus, peledai paliepus - ziupsnelis saldzios kolumbietiskos muzikos.

Ankstu sestadienio ryta, dar bunant dziungliu miestelyje, garsiais cumbia ritmais plysavo kaimynu namas. Deja, pazadinusia muzika garsino ne mergina, gimtadienio proga prarijusi pora balionu, bet diedukas, panasus i vokalista.


Porro muzikeles taipogi populiarios.


Man labiausia limpa.