March 28, 2016 Monserrate y Calendaria

Super touring day. Great sites and adventures. Cog rail up to Monserrate.

Monserrate Basilica

Altar and Resurrection Sculpture

Last Supper stained glass in Basilica. 

Our Lady of Guadeloupe from afar.

Easter Monday March 28, 2016

Papa and Grama took the morning for local walking and exercise while Kara went to school with Justin and Julie. After school we went out for "Mexican" at Cantino y Punto.

Delicioso!  Kara eating huitlacoche - corn fungus!  Had to take a nap before an evening of family TV, that is Modern Family! 

Happy Easter March 27, 2016

Felice Pascuas!

Beautiful day in Bogota. We went to Iglesia de Nuestra Lourdes. Wonderful, spiritual experience. 

After Mass we wandered through the city and shopped at open air booths of art, jewelry, food, etc. Had  a fun late afternoon lunch at Prodigio. 

Met this fellow at the street markets who graciously agreed to a photo. 

His shirt says "Rusty"!

March 26, 2016

Great morning at the beach and pool. Lunch at La Frontera. Great food and views. 

Return to Bogota late. Kara staying with the JBs. Papa and Grama off to Hotel Emaus. Sweet dreams then Easter Sunday. Justin will lead us to church, hopefully not too early. Change in temperature from 95 to 45!

March 25, 2016 Celebrating Kara in Santa Marta!

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Great day of beach, pool, touring and USA vs Columbia Olympics qualification (1-1).

Dropped a rusty old can in a recycling center and found fast new friends who later searched for us so her husband could get a picture with us too and gave us a coffee cup!

March 25, 2016 Good Friday

Joined procession of Stations of the Cross through streets of Santa Marta. 

March 24, 2016 La Victoria Coffee Plantation

Traveled up to Minca and beyond to La Victoria. Long, narrow, windy uphill climb sometimes paved. Coffee plantation established in 1892. Same family, same equipment running today. Amazing place and learned how the delicious coffee was made.

That was excursion #1. Next was joining the locals to watch a Columbia vs. Bolivia "futball" game at a local pub. Columbia won in OT. 

Next Kara and I went to the Basilica where the Cardinal was presiding over Holy Thursday services. 

March 23, 2016 Bogota and Santa Marta, Columbia

Papa, Grama and Kara arrived in Bogota and immediately flew to Santa Marta on the Caribbean to meet Justin, Julie and Oliver. Travel was trouble-free just long and Kara's Spanish helped us out!

Julie made a fantastic dinner of salads, guacamole, chicken and plantain chips. An Oceania cruise ship had left port before we arrived.