I was tired and sleepy but our neighbors around the corner on the next block were having a party and there was live music...so I just stayed up and enjoyed it!
On the weekends here in Curramba, in our barrio, Los Nogales, there is always a party going on.
And on Monday.
Tuesday.
Wednesday.
Etc., Etc., Etc.
Unless it's raining.
Thank God for the rain!
The music is always at full blasteroonies...and with no AC - the windows are wide open - and living on the top of the highest hill just pulls the sound right into the room.
Sometimes the stereos have blown speakers. Well a lot of the time actually. Oh Well.
When in Rome...
As the Barranquilleros say, "life here in the city is very colorful".
And they're right on.
Right on.
Right on.
Anyway...the live music last night wasn't Banda Papayera (named after a bird of the same name)
(and last Saturday night...at our first ball in Barranquilla, I danced to it most of the night) (more later when I learn how to load videos on here via YouTube)
or Reggaeton - which are both very popular here - and the only two I think I recognize or know the name of - but it had an accordian so may have been Vallenato - which come to think of it, is the other one I know of.
There are LOTS of musicians in Atlantico.
And they reallllly come out at night.
Curramba is one of Barranquilla's nicknames and means party and dancing. And boy did they get that one right!
So...I read my novel while enjoying the band until the wee hours - knowing we were getting up early to go out for breakfast.
And you know what?
Instead of stressing about having to get up in 5 short hours (I usually need a good 8), I gave up the fight and really loved it.
I totally enjoyed our neighbors enjoyment.
Now...how to get an invite to their next party.
Jerry loves to go out for breakfast. It's his favorite meal out and since we've lived here in Barranquilla...we haven't been even once...until today.
Yesterday, I asked my yerno - Pedro - where we could go find bacon, eggs and pancakes and he told me the Hotel Barranquilla Plaza was the place to go.
So, we told the kids we'd treat...and off we went.
It's a really nice Hotel downtown - which is in the northern section of the city - close to lots of great restaurants and shopping.
They - as is most of the city - are all dressed up for Christmas...
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| did you know?!? Pedro told us this morning that the original Santa was dressed in blue! I didn't know that!! He said CocaCola's campaign changed it to red. Cool Whip...huh?!? |
We sat poolside - which Sophia was thrilled to see! As was annie! grandma. :) I love a big, clean pool.
But even more thrilling was the fact that they had bacon at the omelet bar!
Crisp, smoked, salty bacon.
Along with lots of other yummy, scrumptious and delicious...everything!!!
it was good!
No...
Better than good...
On the way inside, we put in our orders for eggs at the 'omelet bar'
which is on the far side of the picture above.
The lady in the foreground was the deep fat fryer operator and arepa & empanada maker extraordinaire.
Ohhh la, LA!
Inside we found lots of breakfast breads - which are very popular here in Colombia...
And fresh fruit...meat...and cheese...
There was even soup!
And it was all beautifully arranged...
And coveted by all...
After eating our full - and then some - loved those empanadas - but well before I was ready - Sophia decided she wasn't waiting anymore and off came the clothes.
I mean...what's more important? Food or Pool?!?
The water was Mucho Frio!!!
Ok...I know that lots of you are experiencing freezing temperatures and snow and there isn't much sympathy for pool go-ers but I'm here to tell you...that once your blood gets used to a humid 92 degrees, 80 is downright COLD!!!
And the water was at most 70 degrees.
Brrrrr.
But we all plunged in...
Except Jerry who lounged while reading the paper...in Spanish no less.
And the sun came out and warmed us - intermittently - and we all loved it.
Did I ever tell you how fast the clouds move here along the coast?!?
They're really, really fast.
After an hour or so, our wascly wabbit was ready to get dry and warm and she came to annie! grandma who was.
Then...we decided to look inside and go to the top of the building where lucky ducky Pedro gets to go to dinner at the restaurant on the 26th floor for a staff-only Christmas party held by Uni Norte...
The service inside and out was impeccable by the way...
On the way to the elevator we passed the lounge...
But...we ran into a little snaggle when we tried pushing the button for the top floor. A staff member told us it was closed at the time but went out of his way to get special permission to take us up.
I didn't get his name...but THANK you!
And then
BRRRRRRRP!
We were on top of the world!!!
And honey, that's where I'm gonna stay.
This is the first thing I saw when I stepped off the elevator...
YowZA!!!
It was so awesomely awesome, beautiful and terrific that the security guard who took us up saw our excitement and
offered to take us to the roof top. Pedro and I went with him - no children allowed but Jerry and Hillary were happy to wait with Sophia.
This is a shot of my neighborhood - well...the general direction of it...
If you click on the picture above, you'll see a tower partially wrapped in blue and green plastic. We live just about 1/4 mile beyond that.
As Sophia would say...
FANTABULO!!!
Here's the Magdalena River in the background...
With the bridge - Puente Pumarejo - way off in the background. That's the one we'll cross when we head to Santa Marta. Soon...very soon.
Which I can't wait to experience, take pictures of and tell you about!!!
But in the meantime...
Don't Look Down!
Love these great photos, Annie, and the narrative of your fancy hotel breakfast and swim - you're the best! I'm headed to Google/Maps to find out just where it is you are. I think the thing I'm enjoying most about blogging are the cultural and geographic tours as I read about non-Florida places and people.
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