May 20 2008 Santa Marta

Hola!
5/20/2008 12:30 posting
Well, I finally found an internet cafe that I can hook my computer up to. It's very slow but it works. I had some trouble getting this far as all of the instructions and headings were in Spanish. Even the instructions as to how to get an English screen were in Spanish. Anyway, I'm here and have a bit better handle on how to navigate for the next time around. I apologize for the disorganized presentation of the blog so far - a result of me working through the various issues above. I did try to upload a number of pictures but the time it took to upload seemed very long and I'm guessing that the pictures were in too large a format. I'll work on sorting that out later.
Today we're took a taxi into Santa Marta to meet up with Chris and Jenn. I knew as soon as we got into our cab that we were in trouble as when I gave instructions to my cabbie he nodded ok but had a bit of a glazed look. I knew he didn't know where the Juan Valdez Cafe in Centro Commercial was but I figured if he could get us to Santa Marta (we're still in Rodadero (spelled wrong in previous entries) that we could find our way from where he dropped us off. After all the city only has a population of 400,000.
We were dropped off in a very busy downtown area where the crowds were already heavy. Several enquiries got us headed in the right direction on foot but it seemed to me we were heading in the opposite direction to what we should have been going. As it turns out I got the Spanish word for 14 mixed up with the French word for forty! Like I said once before (I think) - it's a good thing I don't know a bit of German as well or we'd really be in trouble. After wandering about a bit longer I hailed another cabbie and asked him if he knew where the cafe was and he said yes. We piled in and about three minutes later there we were! Jim and Jen's cabbie took them directly there and they'd been waiting for at least 15 minutes.
Chris and Jenn met (notice that Chris's Jenn is spelled with two "n's" and Jen Foote is with one "n") us about 15 minutes alter and we've all wandered off in different directions to do various things. We are to meet at the Jaun Valdez Cafe again at 14:00 so we'll see how the next reconoiter goes.
Jenn showed Jody the wedding dress that she made for her and it looks quite nice. It's very plain and white and Jody was pleased. It just needs to be hemmed and it's done. Jim has bought a white shirt and I guess I'll do the same at some point. We're having a birthday party for Jenn on Thursday at Chris and Jenn's place and that's when Jenn's parents will arrive from about three hours drive from here in the direction of Panama.
Weather is typical Caribbean hot but it's quite bearable - no rain today except maybe a cooling off shower in the afternoon. I have had two showers today to rinse off and they're quite refreshing. I did ask the hotel about my shower head (there isn't one - the water just comes straight out of the pipe) and they said that was normal. It's definitely different but I do see their point; you really don't need a shower head.
Well, that's it for now so will try to forward some pictures next time around.
LB