What should I say – I am just speechless, being confronted with everything that had happened today. Never before have I seen a wedding like this before and sadly enough chances are low, I will ever again do so. Andrea, Matt and especially Elena: I draw my hat – chapeau!!!
Today`s highlights were:
- Fortress San Felipe de Barajas !
- Museo de la Inquisicion – not for the weak !!
- Shopping !!!
- Rooftop pooling !!!!
- The Wedding !!!!!
- The breathtaking Wedding Reception !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here are the details…
San Felipe de Barajas:
The day had an easy start with sleeping inn and late breakfast. After that, our group decided to visit first the Fort to see it before the heat reaches its maximum. Having arrived there by taxi, we were standing there at the foot of a massive, well, hill or fortress? In fact it is not that easy any more to differentiate between the two, so massively are they interwoven. Anyway the height is impressive: the guide reads 40 m, but that’s probably just the hill alone, not yet measured the massive structure on its slopes and the top. The ascent was step and hot and our endeavours were honoured by a wonderful view over the whole area of Cartagena de Indias – at least as far as we could see, given the haze from the Caribbean Sea. The fort itself is massive and pure stone, brick and concrete – we haven’t seen a single stroke of green on it. Water and food provision must have been somewhat difficult, but then again, it obviously wasn’t built as a retreat for the locals in case of attacks, but more a safeguard for the bay and to defend this bay against enemy ships. In fact, the whole bay is surrounded by fortresses, of which San Felipe is just the biggest and highest.
After having climbed the walls and crawled the tunnels, we headed back to the city center, taking a nice walk and passing through a park – and that park offered as a special guest a real „Leguan“ (whatever the word is in English). No friends, this time no foto of the Leguan and me – he looked hungry and as soon as I held him my camera into his face, he started wandering towards me, already licking his lips.
Our next stop took us into a crafts shop, where they really had nice things. At one of the tables, Alex T. would have found some more wooden decoration items, depicting figurines resembling a masterpiece of classical indian literature (K…….a).
Finally, noon had passed already we had some refreshments at the lovely „Plaza de la Inquisición“, where we met again our „fruit ladies“ of Isla Baru. Enjoying a cold beer under the palm trees was exactly what was needed.
Museo de Inquisición:
Interesting, what human beings can come up with. Here are some instruments on exhibit that probably proved as „very efficient“ in the „Holy Office of the Inquisition“’s eyes. The guillotine and the gallows must have been like heaven for those who were tortured here, since it meant, that torture is over now. And the rest… discusting, what humans can do to other humans 8-(
Shopping and Roof Pooling:
After the museum visit we toured back towards our place, and since everybody had to do some shopping, we split. I quickly found a pair of nice black shoes (the rest of my tuxedo was borrowed) and paid 58.000 pesos, which is around 20 EUR – I didn’t get proper shoes any cheaper before. After some windowshopping I went home and our group enjoyed some more cold beer at the rooftop pool.
The Wedding:
Hm, one thing said just upfront: whatever I can write here about Andrea´s and Matt´s wedding CAN NOT and WILL NOT do justice to how it was in reality. For one thing it is hard to top a 4-day-party for a wedding anyway, but this splendid evening was just awesome, breathtaking, delightful,… oh, whatever there is about words to describe it – it can´t do justice to the event.
6 PM meeting point at Casa Pestagua, 6:30 (scheduled) departure for the church. Needless to say, we started c.t. – by the way, now I now what c.t. really stands for: it´s not the latin „cum tempore“ (i.e 15 min. late, academic quarter), it is Colombian Time! I believe we finally left the palazzo at 6:55 to get aboard the waiting coaches. Yes, coaches as in „drawn by horses“ and not as in „Greyhound“. Let me do a quick calculation: approx. 80-100 guests, 4 persons per coach, equals about 25 coaches. And of course all in white tuxedos, except the groom and the bestmen, who had decided for tailcuts, white and black (Frack for the german community). It seemed that even Cartagena had not seen something like that before, at least not recently, as I guessed from the looks we attracted.
At the church, Matt´s family and friends to the right, Andrea´s to the left. The wonderful ceremony itself was held in Spanish and English to cater for all the families and abundant other guests.
After the ceremony, it was again coaches, this time they were to take us to Baluarte San Javier. The Baluartes are bastions in the city´s fortification, so there was a lot of space on them. By the way, did I already mention, that rumours had it than Juan Carlos (right, the Spanish king) was in town as well that weekend? Anyway, we sat in our coaches and journeyed towards San Javier, when the first drums were to hear. And they became louder and louder and right around the next corner, opposite the probably grandest hotel within the city center there they stood: black Cartagenos, dressed in white fishermen´s trousers and creating a thundering sound with their african-caribbean rhythm. And all for Juan Carlos!!!
No, that was a joke. It was for Matt and Andrea. So all the guest could participate in the defilé and had already their welcome cocktails, when finally the lovely new family arrived. Needless to say that the thundering drums increased to a rhythmic staccato beat.
And soon, the band began to play. Right, again a band with live music. So as we had dinner, we also had some music.
By the way, dinner: I think I never had such a healthy dinner before. Not only that we could relax with really good music, no, the whole dinner lasted for hours! It wasn´t for the reason that there were so many courses, but for the reason that between the courses there were permanently things going on: guests´s dancing, various shows, video presentation of the groom and the bride and of course speaches. I think we had the main course around midnight and the dessert around 2 AM, ah, yes, and a strengthening soup around 4 AM. Everything excellent food.
What shows? Well, of course, dancing shows! In one of the music breaks suddenly again drums began to play and a combo of 12 musicians went on stage. Immediately afterwards they were followed by 8 dancers who really delivered a breathtaking show. Breathtaking not only for them, but also for us as spectators! We had the incredible chance to see a firework of local dances of very delightful looking young people. What a misery when after a couple of minutes the dance ended and the group disappeared again behind the palm trees – and what a surprise when immediately after them there were 8 other dancers storming the floor. And what now began fails every description! More than once I had to remember to close my mouth again. Small videos will follow as soon as I am at home again.
Well, after the show it was back to dinner again, but soon to be followed by the speeches given by the bestmen Mel and Mario and a wonderful photo presentation of both Andrea´s and Matt`s life up to now, created by Patricia and John, Andrea´s younger sister and brother.
And then, just at the moment, when people seemed not to like to dance any more (for the moment) they came again: the dancers. This time they brought along all types of hats which they put on the guests´s heads and guests were also nicely decorated with flowerish necklaces. Then those nice fellows showed two more spectacular shows and it all ended in the dancers dragging the guests to the dance floor, so they all mixed up. Gent´s, I don`t lie when I tell you from there on the whole crowd and the dancers and the combo kept on playing and dancing for at least 30 minutes without interruption! What a programme!
After this, it was time to cut and eat the wedding cake (delicious!) and after some more dancing it was 4 AM. Though at this time already terribly tired (this time Sanna leaded as good example 😉 ) we couldn´t resist the soup that was presented as typical colombian.
All in all, it was a rememorable day, evening and night. Andrea and Matt, thank you so much for letting me participate in this!