Too hot to be alive outside!

Right now the temperature outside is 29 degrees C (85 F) and the humidity must be at least 90%. This afternoon, the eastern skies have darkened and thunder is grumbling, but it's not going to rain here--although that might bring some relief. Peter and I were out all morning and until about 3 this afternoon, and now we are escaping the oppressive heat and humidity in the restaurant at the marina.

Yesterday at 8 a.m., we picked up a rental car in the Bocagrande neighborhood and then picked up Paula and Andrew in the walled city. Our primary destination was the National Aviary about an hour's drive south of here along the coast, but first we stopped at Ferroaquimar, where we will be leaving Mantra on the hard for three months. We were both impressed with the facility. Returning our hard hats to the manager, Jesus, we got back in the car with our friends and left the city.

The aviary was a delight (despite the heat). There are 190 species of birds there, 170 native to Colombia, with over 2000 individuals, and the park is divided into three regions: coastal, desert, and tropical rainforest. There are enormous walk-through (or sit indefinitely and watch) enclosures, smaller enclosures for similar birds, mangroves and ponds. Some rarely seen birds include a harpy eagle, an Andean condor, unusual tanagers, emus, hornbills and macaws as well as storks, ibises, herons, kingfishers, parakeets, peacocks and woodpeckers. Here are just a few of the birds we saw.

Scarlet ibises eating our staff's hand during presentation 

Emu

Orinoco goose

Wild muscovy duck

Blue-and-yellow macaw (that's it's name, not a description)

White-eyed parakeet

Peahen with four babies

Humboldt's aracari

Great curassow, female rufus morph

Black-crowned night heron

Common gallinule

Brown pelican

Black-necked stilt

King vulture 

Great blue heron 

Maguari stork 

Roseate spoonbill

Scarlet ibis 

Maguari storks

Herons, ibises and storks

Black-crowned night heron and American white ibises

Fasciated tiger-heron and American white ibises

Double-striped thick-knee

White-throated toucan

In addition to the birds, there were also large iguanas and geckos. What made our visit really special, though, were the vibrantly colored trees with yellow flowers and no foliage. The beautiful flowers were drifting down to the ground and carpeting whole sections. The guayacan tree blooms from February to April, so we witnessed the end the season. How lucky for us!

Guayacan trees

Gold-dust day gecko

After hours at the aviary, we set out to find a beach, ending up at Playa Blanca. This long stretch of white sand is surely beautiful, but it is hard to tell because of the great number of people (and most of them had already departed for the day, so it must be nearly impossible to move during the peak part of the day) and the umbrellas, massage tables and lounge chairs which we were encouraged to rent. There are also an abundance of vendors of food, beverages and souvenirs, but we brushed them off to enjoy our own picnic, which Andrew and Paula had packed, sitting directly on the sand. The over-commercialization, Colombian-style, did not make the setting very attractive to us, so we left for the city, returning to Paula and Andrew's place to enjoy the pool and showers before dinner in the walled city.

We were lured into a small restaurant on a narrow street from which emanated lovely live music. The staff was very nice, and the music was good, but we would have preferred not to have TV screens on the wall spoiling the ambiance, and the duo did not really need amplification. Our wish for a more romantic setting was granted; the electricity went out just after Andrew's ceviche was delivered to the table. We ate by candlelight and enjoyed acoustic vocals and guitar. Our meals came from the kitchen, one by one. Peter was still waiting for his barbecued ribs when the staff came to say the meal could not be prepared without electricity, so he opted for the same ceviche Andrew had ordered. This was unfortunate, because he was later sick because of the meal. (He has some sensitivity to shellfish if it is not well-prepared.)

Peter and I were up early again this morning. He had to return the car at 8:30 a.m., and he dropped me off at the Torre del Reloj on the way to Bocagrande. The streets of El Centro were nearly empty, and I enjoyed exploring. Santa Domingo was open and mass was not taking place, so I was able to admire the interior. I walked around until 9:00, when the doors of the cathedral opened to visitors and worshippers.

Peter and I met up in the Plaza de Bolivar. He was still feeling not quite right, but I drug him to the two churches. I had to return because my phone totally died a few weeks ago, and I didn't bring my camera on this 3-month trip, so I have been having to use his phone for my camera. He sat and rested while I found good angles and lighting. Then we decided to shop for gifts. Neither of us are good at this. Shopping is not a recreational activity for us, and we are often indecisive. We merely became more exhausted and frustrated with each shop and vendor. Finally, I picked up a couple of items, and we decided we could take no more.

Basilica Santa Catalina de Alejandria

Church of the Convento de Santa Domingo

Our next stop was the small exhibit of artifacts from the coastal Zenu culture which is being presented in a large bank vault since the Museo del Oro is closed for renovation. The pieces we saw represent only a small part of the collection, but they were very interesting. In some cases, gold pieces were made with the lost wax method, and the filigree was intricate. Most pieces on display were for body ornamentation.

Next we visited the Museum of the Inquisition. The buildings in themselves are worth visiting, and the historical displays and signage were well done and informative. The second floor provides exhibits on the history of Cartagena, including the Spanish conquest and the independence movement. Most of the signs are only in Spanish, but I was able to read and understand them, only be stumped by a few words.

Courtyard in the Palace of the Inquisition

Lacking energy and stamina to do more, we stopped for lunch at a small cafe near the Plaza de Bolivar. We considered continuing on our quest for gifts, but we simply could not do it. We walked to the portal of the Torre del Reloj, stopping briefly at every open doorway from which cool air was spilling, enjoying the momentary respite from the humidity.