Other Beach Photos.

Surf was very strong and undertow made it difficult to get out, once in the water. No lifeguards!

The Family

Bob, Nicolas, Nada, Susie, Lorelle and absent due to taking the photo, Fernando.

Tayrona Restaurant

Tayrona National Park

Tayrona is 45 minutes from Irotama/Santa Marta and is a Park that was previously on the too dangerous to visit list until recently. Nada and I visited this park about 15 years ago when Lorelle and Fernando shortly after they were first married. Of course at that time it was open to visitors, but subsequently became on the restricted list.

There are still two indigenous tribes who live in the jungle in Tayrona. Some people will say that Tayrona beaches are among the best in the world and this one is still unspoilt by tourism.

There are overnight sleeping accomodations, as well as a limited but excellent menu in the restaurant.

IroTama Beach Resort

Santa Marta, Colombia

Santa Marta on the North Coast of Colombia on the Carribean is a 40 minute airplane ride from teeming Bogota. Santa Marta is reputed to have one of the oldest Cathederals in South America dating back to the Spanish having built in 472 years ago. More on that subject later, as these pictures are of the IroTama Beach Resort that was or base for one week.


The view here is of the sea from our Condo from the 11 th floor.

The place is loaded with Iguana! They do not socialize well with humans and keep their distance which worked out just fine for both Nada and I.

Autobroker Sales Department

Picture of the Autobroker Sales Department after lunch. Marta Correa [Fernandos Sister, Lorelle and Nada.
This was Nada and my first visit to Autobroker since Fernando re-modeled the facility. For those who have followed my previous "blogs" I am sure you agree that this is quite an improvement and represents a first class showroom.

Mama Jama, or something like that?

Fernando returned from a trip to Santa Domingo, Costa Rica with a bottle of herbs called Mama Jama [?] It is a lot of sticks and leaves in a wine bottle. A friend claims it is great for anything that ails you, only after placing a 1/5 of Gin in the bottle and waiting for 2 weeks, before drinking. Here you see two "before pictures" and in another week, I will show you "after pictures", if I am still capable of working the computer?

Arrived for a week at Santa Marta.

11/21/2009. We arrived in Santa Marta, Colombia to spend a week at the IroToma Beach Resort, and to visit a Colombia National Park called Tyrona National Park. We have been to both places previously, but are deserving of return and future visits.
Just one of the out of the ordinary things you will find in South America are small benefits, like getting your blood presseure tested at the airport ! A 1000 peso tip, [$0.50], will handle the job. Because of the 9,000 feeet plus altitude of Bogota, one can suffer a couple of days, until you become climatized and accustomed to the change from near sea level of places like Atlanta.

Paco and Bob-A year older!

Welcome-Follow our travels in South America 2009-10

Nada and I will leave Suwanee, Georgia on November 17,2009 with a destination of Bogota, Colombia. I will give you a little preview of what you can expect to see on this years travel blog. I shall be posting alot of photos of some locations that I hope will be of interest for you to see.

Those of you that viewed my previous blog "Gringos in Colombia" may see some familiar sights, but, I promise some completely new "sights" this time. Some planned activity is a Colombian beach holiday in a spot called Santa Marta Iro Tama, then there will be another car rallye. This time not a 4 X4 rallye, but road rallye in Mini Coopers from Bogota to Cartegna, Colombia. Christmas in Bogota and New Years Eve in Annapoima, and the finale will be Lima, Peru. Ancient and pre-historic pyramids and a view of the Nasca Lines.

So the ACTION starts soon! Log into the blog when you think of it, or have time. Hope you enjoy, and the beauty of the blog is, you can add a comment, which I will surely see!