Chapter #2 - MEET & GREET

COLOMBIA - Chapter #2
Meet and Greet

So let's get on with it...We arrived in Barranquilla about 4:30 pm and began our intake process which consisted of showing our Passport and declaring what amount of $$ we were bringing into the country, followed by a scan of our luggage, which as I mentioned before was already at the airport there.  However, figuring out where they had stashed it was another hassle.  Claudia once again came to our rescue by illegally entering the secure luggage area and got a thorough talking to by the security police.  (She's very sweet and pretty but obviously that doesn't always work-or maybe it does. Otherwise they might have hauled her off to jail.)  We finally located it and were released into the arms of my son, daughter-in-law, and my granddaughter.  Phew!

We loaded up and then drove to Clau's parent's house, (Marjorie & Eduardo Barcha's), where a Colombian 5-pc. group of musicians were waiting for us plus many of Clau's relatives. It was quite a greeting - lots of introductions, hugs, attempts at sharing information and settling in, then dancing and a wee bit of drinking. (:>)  The following day I attempted to construct a "family tree" so that I could keep all the names straight - sort of like reading "100 Days of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, who is Marjorie's cousin.  He has so many characters in the book that your head is reeling by the time you get to the end.  He wasn't there though - he lives in Cartagena but spends a lot of time abroad.

I don't know when we went to bed but I do know that I slept very soundly.  Now a bit of social etiquette:  the Barcha's have a cook and a housekeeper, and Mike and Clau were able to find a temporary "Nanny" who turned out to be a God-send.  Since Chloe is now on her feet and there were people and children all over the place she was running here, there, and everywhere.  I was exhausted just watching her.  And the really different custom/necessity regarding bathroom etiquette: you do not flush paper down the toilet; you wrap it carefully, (kind of like a little toilet paper present), and deposit it in the small garbage can beside it.  That took some getting used to but I'm pretty sure Bob cheated (he finds it hard to follow rules... )

In chapter #3 I'll tell you about Chloe's Baptism and our trip to Cartegena.  Re my cancer symptoms, each day I felt better and better.  No annoying side-effects and no colds or exhaustion.  Mike & Bob ended up with what Mike calls the "gripe" caused by going in and out of air conditioning.  It was just a major cold with the sneezing and uncomfortableness that you might expect.  I, however, had none of that. :>)

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Bob. me. my son

 


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Is Clau going to drink that?!!

 


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Columbian musicians greeting us 

 


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Preview of our arrival in Barranquilla

 


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Marjorie attempting to teach me to dance

 


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Our bedroom at the Barcha's