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---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: James Donald <tiare.taporo3@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2022, 19:10
Subject: Colombian doings - moving house etc
To: Abbie Kitchen <Abbie.Kitchen@asb.co.nz>
From: James Donald <tiare.taporo3@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2022, 19:10
Subject: Colombian doings - moving house etc
To: Abbie Kitchen <Abbie.Kitchen@asb.co.nz>
Hi to all, and here's wishing everyone a better 2022.
For once we won't mention politics, or the economy, but we make an exception for the Chinese Virus, because the manner in which it is dealt with is uniquely vital to the sanity and survival of mankind. The other issues have been done to death in previous blogs and unfortunately nothing has since changed, except for the worse. And our opinions haven't changed either.
The only question we will ask, and which should be being asked by every thinking person - why, when the double jab was promised to be the "be all and end all" ultimate protection against the Chinese Virus, are boosters now being touted as necessary as frequently as every 3 months indefinitely into the future? The answer is that the whole Chinese Virus hoax has been perpetrated onto populations frightened witless the world over who have been in many cases coerced/blackmailed into taking the ineffective "vaccines" which are killing more people than anyone knows. And all this while banning well-known and effective prophylactic drugs, such as Hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin. We've been taking monthly doses of Ivermectin for months. It is freely available here in Colombia at very reasonable prices over the counter. In NZ Ivermectin has now been re-classified as a Class A drug, which puts it in the same realm as Heroin and Cocaine. Overstatement of the revulsion and disgust we feel at this astonishing revelation is not possible. We feel very proud of the fact that we have been instrumental in enabling deliveries of Ivermectin to some friends and relatives in NZ to be used in the event of contracting the dreaded lurgi. And the "vaccine" won't prevent anything - that is now well proved.
The denial of these simple and effective drugs, while at the same time using blackmail to mandate the jabs, is global and wilful genocide, in order to impose world government in the name of Socialism. And on top of that it is now evident that the jabs are only 10% effective against the Omicron variant at best. At least, the US Supreme Court has shot down Biden's attempt to mandate "vaccines" in businesses with more than 100 employees. But the mandate for health workers remains with the certainty that already stretched health providers will be stretched further to the point that patient safety will be compromised.
It is becoming more and more self-evident that all the vaccines and all the boosters under the sun do not slow the spread of Omicron. The only effective strategy, as we keep banging on about, is the widespread use of prophylactic drugs which have proved so effective in many places, including most of S America.
With the rapid spread of Omicron, albeit with less serious outcomes than previous variants, in Australia and the likelihood of a similar outbreak in NZ soon, why are those governments still adopting the lunatic head in the sand policies that they have been following so destructively for months?
JUST TRY THESE HARMLESS DRUGS. THERE IS NOTHING TO LOSE, AND EVERYTHING TO GAIN.
And don't write this off as a conspiracy theory. Just look at the backgrounds for example of key players internationally in this horrifying Socialist conspiracy to gain absolute control of the human race with no regard for the human cost. And read the now huge amount of material available to gain an informed opinion of these "vaccines".
Listen to Drs. Peter McCullough and Robert Malone (the inventor of the mRNA "vaccine") among many many others.
In the case of New Zealand with 90% of its scared population now at least double vaxxed, we are no doubt beating our heads against a wall, but there is still a chance for the children not yet vaxxed. Don't throw them over a cliff as well.
But we now hear that childrens' "vaccines" have been started and in Takapuna in Auckland 5 young children collapsed immediately after being forced to have the "vaccine" by their misguided parents. The people at the "vaccination" centre would not offer any assistance, much less call an ambulance, and the parents were then left to take their own children to hospital in their own vehicles. We are aware of the NZ Herald rag's on cue denunciation of these social media posts, but like all the Fake Media the world over, they have been bought and paid for to the tune of 55 million NZ dollars, and they parrot the official line come what may. They have no credibility whatsoever. And the parents would have been told to delete their social media posts amid threats of prosecution for violating the Covid censorship laws.
But there are encouraging things happening. In Canada a 50 mile long convoy of heavy trucks headed to Ottawa in protest against the vaccine mandates. And the Canadian PM said that the protesters hold "unacceptable views". That's a chilling phrase, if ever there was one, if you think about it. And in the US it is planned to stage a similar protest of a huge convoy of trucks to Washington DC.
As another bright piece of news in this generally gloomy assessment of the global state of the "vaccines" of the Chinese Virus, we must extol and congratulate the World Number 1 mens' tennis player, Novak Djokovic, in standing up to the disgraceful and illegal attempts of the Australian Government to ban him from defending his Australian Open title once again. This action was taken simply because he is "unvaccinated", but he has natural immunity because of a recent Covid infection from which he recovered. Djokovic successfully sued the Australian Government to overturn the first ban on that basis, as he had already been given written permission to enter Australia which has become so overbearingly totalitarian in its misguided and destructive attempts to "eliminate" the Chinese Virus, that they were prepared to embark on such a disgraceful course of revoking his visa with no justification whatsoever.
We think that Djokovic's supposed travel "irregularities", which have come to light since, are irrelevant - whether he visited Spain on his way from Serbia to Australia and some questionable appearances back in Serbia. However, all of these are excuses seized upon by a dictatorial Australian government desperate to maintain the murderous illusion that "vaccines" are effective. So the Immigration Minister has caused the "unvaccinated" Djokovic's visa to be cancelled a second time. If they allowed the World No. 1 to play and (horrors!) win the Australian Open again, they reason in their own twisted way that that would be an unacceptable morale boost for those who oppose Covid "vaccinations"! Can't have that sort of thing in the twisted Covid regimes that Australia and NZ have become. In the meantime, latest news is that Djokovic's 2nd appeal has been rejected and he has been deported from Australia. He flew to Dubai and is now back in Serbia where by all accounts he has been received in a rapturous welcome.
Australia has cemented its place in tennis in particular and sport in general as being prepared to put partisan political considerations ahead of its international reputation in world sport. Djokovic posed no health threat to the population as he had had Covid and also had tested negative. And he could not be "vaccinated" in any case, because he has a Celiac condition and in fact always travels with his own chef. Australia's reputation for fair and reasonable dealing is 100% trashed. Remember the under-arm bowling!!!
We also hear that a number of top seeds have left the Open - some with the excuse of injury, but likely an excuse to boycott what became a toxic and illegitimate competition.
It is estimated that the ill-considered action of deporting Novak Djokovic is going to cost the Australian taxpayers more than at least $A500,000. Richly deserved.
A long-time "unvaccinated" friend of Jean's who was trying to get from NZ to Australia where she has a property she wishes to sell, arrived in Auckland to fly out, only to be told that the PCR test required for Australia had not been done at an acceptable place and so she could not travel that day! So, she had a friend of 37 years standing who she arranged to stay with pending organising another test. But the "friend" subsequently decided that as she was "unvaccinated", she couldn't stay with her, and kicked her out!!!! What's the matter with these people; they are "vaccinated" and therefore protected???????? "Friends"??????? So the "friend" delivered her back to the airport. Anyway, Jean arranged for her to stay with our very good friend (who she also knew) on the North Shore (who is also "vaccinated") and they re-arranged testing and re-booked the flight. Amazing to organise all this schemozzle in NZ from Colombia!! She has subsequently arrived in Australia and is in MIQ, but Australia is soon abandoning MIQ and opening the country up at last. How does that square with the hypocritical Djokovic saga??
If there is one silver lining to this whole rotten Chinese Virus "vaccination" business, the alienation of people from each other and the attempts at draconian population control that have accompanied it, it is that the whole leftist narrative will be so discredited, that it will be a very long time before they are a political force again. There is an unstoppable conservative Republican wave building in America and elsewhere - even in NZ where the horsey grin is fast losing its appeal. So much damage world wide has been caused that there has to be accountability; confiscation of Chinese owned assets in all countries would be a good start. This, together with arrests and imprisonment of those whose unbridled lies and incompetent and deliberate controlling mismanagement of their people have led to so much human suffering and economic carnage. The lies that have been told to populations the world over are now being exposed, and there are already some very angry people. There will be lots more.
In the words of that wonderful and inimitable Senator from Louisiana, John Kennedy - "stick that up your fact checker and kiss my ass"!!
As an aside, we have heard from an impeccable source that neither the Colombian President, nor any of his family have received the jab - and yet he issued a decree that no "unvaccinated" people could visit a restaurant!!! Go figure. We were only questioned at one restaurant in Cartagena and amazingly at the swimming pool in the Cartagena condo in the open air!! But we had the means (simply from the internet!) to deal with those annoying matters - no further comment!!
ANYWAY, NOW TO THE REAL BUSINESS OF THIS BLOG!!
First things first. We finally signed the agreement to sell the Envigado apartment not long before we were due to go to Cartagena. So, apart from lawyer meetings, we were busy packing up. And also signing the agreement to buy the Retiro house at the same time, which is NOT normal in Colombia. But somehow it was all done, and on the 19th. November we flew to Cartagena to meet Perry and family. We were due to return to Medellin on the 27th., then we had to hire a car for the move because ours was still in the workshop - another long story - and finish packing. But we are getting ahead of ourselves.
We arrived in Cartagena a day earlier so checked into a lovely "old" hotel in the old city which mainly dates back 100-150 years. However, the old fort which the Spanish built in 1533, is of course much older. A very pleasant stay with breakfast on the rooftop overlooking the tiled roofs of Cartagena on the house. Then that morning we proceeded to the condo on the beach that Perry had rented for the next 9 days. They were flying in from Miami late that morning so we all met there. It was a pleasant 3 bedroom apartment on the 20 something floor and a great view of the beach. The building also had a big swimming pool on the 3rd. floor. The pool was certainly our preferred option because frankly the sea looked very uninviting, being a very brown colour. And if you sit on the beach, you get assailed by all the beach hawkers. So, we spent quite a bit of time in the pool which was freezing!!
One day we all spent a day out at the Islas Rosarios which are about 30 miles from Cartagena. We went out in a speedboat and the islands were moderately scenic but really nothing to write home about after what we have seen on the yacht in Thailand. But a very pleasant day and we all had a swim after which we had a very over priced lunch on the beach. Definitely a tourist place!! Then another hour or so back into Cartagena - rained on the way back but it's tropical there so no-one got cold. An interesting day and fun all together.
Another day we all went to the old fort. Fascinating to be standing on something so old and which the British made several determined attempts to take, but were always repulsed. Then at one stage there was a fully loaded Spanish galleon which left Cartagena with plundered emeralds and gold and the cargo was desperately needed by Philip of Spain to fund his European and Iberian wars. So, the British were just as keen to stop it and she was sunk by Royal Naval gunfire not far from Cartagena, but in waters too deep for salvage in those days. More latterly the wreck has been found and Spain is claiming it as the ship was Spanish flagged. However, the cargo was stolen/plundered from what is now Colombian territory, so Colombia is claiming it. Haven't heard any outcome lately.
Anyway, we had a good time with Perry, Tracie and the nietos. Nash had some sort of lurgi which he gave to Tracie, so she was quite sick about a day before flying back to Miami. We were ok then, but on arrival back in Medellin Jim came down with it just before the big move. Great.
We had only one full day before moving so really had to force ourselves. When we flew in from Cartagena we collected a little squitty Suzuki rental from the airport (because our car was still out of action), so that had to be loaded with all the more delicate items while we continued packing the apartment. The movers arrived the next morning with Jim feeling like death and overseeing the movers and Jean had to go to the bank to move the final payment, which we had transferred to the correct account while still in Cartagena. Jean had to do that because it is not possible to have joint bank accounts in Colombia and so all our bank accounts are in Jean's name. Clara Grisales of CWK Real Estate - one of the real estate agents for the Retiro property - helped her and was a tower of strength and went well beyond the call of duty in making sure all happened. But in the end even Clara couldn't organise the final payment which had to come out of a special account we'd opened to avoid capital gains tax. Bank bureaucracy again which meant that the payment had to happen the next day. However, the Retiro vendors who we'd met several times were very understanding and gave us the keys on the understanding that the payment would come through the following day - which it did. But all added unnecessarily to the overall stress. We could have been homeless with a truck full of furniture for a night!!
Clara and the previous owners also organised the painting of 4 feature walls in the bedrooms while we were in Cartagena. We had previously chosen the colours so that we could simply move furniture etc into the bedrooms as soon as we arrived. The previous owners, who were not living in the house, kindly agreed to let us vandalise their property!
Since the move there were 2 more visits to Bancolombia, Llanogrande to finally put all the banking business to bed. Llanogrande is at least 30 kms from Retiro.
After the move we were in a total shambles for at least a week as we needed the time to recover from the move and our various indispositions. And the weather was much colder than we had been used to in Envigado. Everyone said the weather was unseasonable - so much for global warming! But we have a gas fire in the living room and it heats the whole house, top and bottom, in about 30 minutes. But it's a long time since we needed any auxiliary heating. After SE Asia and Medellin it came as a bit of a shock to the system. Here, temperature is all a function of altitude; we are 2,000 feet higher here than in Envigado.
More lately our architect friend from Envigado, Juan Gallego, has been discussing the improvements we would like to make and is at this moment finalising the plans so that we will be able to contact builders for quotes. However, building costs are very reasonable compared with Godzone. Anywhere between COP 3 and 5 million per sq.metre (NZD 1,150 - 1920). And in these days of supply chain shortages, no concerns there as everything is manufactured or sourced locally. EVERYTHING. Bricks, cement, window glass, aluminium extrusions, paint, floor tiles, and Spanish style roof tiles (which we will use). And great furniture and window coverings and many appliances, to mention just a few items. In a later blog we will detail the changes we will be making; suffice to say we will be adding approx. 18 sq. metres (13%) to the existing area of 135 sq. metres. Upstairs - 3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms and a walk-in wardrobe. Downstairs - 1 bedroom (which will become a TV room) plus its own full bathroom, kitchen, laundry (which will be moved to a new location to give more room in the kitchen), social bathroom and living room which will be extended out to take in what is now an outdoor patio area.
On top of all that, we have been trying to finalise the "nail jelly to the wall" situation with our car - the 2007 Mercedes B class which had been so good. One workshop we had been recomnended to and where it had been previously, we believe managed to virtually destroy the CVT automatic transmission by inadvertently putting it in reverse while driving. They denied this of course, but we saw the evidence when the transmission was dismantled. It still operated, but with a loud whine. So, we took it elsewhere where we had also been recommended to have the transmission rebuilt. The people there were not up to the task and, although we think the transmission was correctly rebuilt, the car was still doing strange things. All of this saga started in August last year. Of course the lack of a car for the move in late November was a huge inconvenience and forced us to hire a car for 3 weeks to cope with all the matters necessary. But since the middle of December we have been carless which has also been the source of much inconvenience. But one advantage is that we have been doing much more walking than we otherwise would have and found fascinating little shops in the old town for future reference. However, with the enormous help from our friend, Rodrigo Restrepo, who is a car dealer in Medellin, we have finally delivered the car to the MB agents (Alemautos) where arguably it should have gone in the first place. We are yet to hear their verdict, but because the transmission often (not always!) operates perfectly, their initial advice was that the computer which controls the transmission was probably faulty. If that's the case, then the problem is not so serious and hopefully all will be well quite soon. As soon as it's fixed properly, we will be giving the car to Rodrigo for sale on our behalf. Fingers crossed - 🙃!!
After this protracted experience, we have lost all faith in this recent computerised generation of cars (all makes) and yours truly has been assiduously researching the last of the "real" non computer Mercedes - the W124 series which were manufactured in a variety of body styles and engine options between 1985 and 1995. They have the reputation of being over-engineered to hell and built to proper engineering standards; unlike later cars which were built down to price by accountants. And 1000's of 124's were exported to the US during those years, so spare parts are not an issue. Mercedes took quite a reputational hit after the late 90's and may only now be starting to recover, but in the meantime the later cars have become so complicated, albeit with very clever attributes and electronics, but so much to go wrong - and very expensively!!
The 124's are like the 6 old Mercs that Jim owned in NZ between 1978 and 2010 and hopefully the car we have identified (a 1993 300E) will be the last car we will need to own. Drivers' licences here don't expire until you're 80 and can be renewed after that! Our NZ licences expire this year, having just turned 75, but we can always drive on our Colombian licences should we ever return to Godzone, if they ever see sense over the Covid nonsense! We found this car on a car sales national website (tucarro.com) and have had it extensively checked out. At the moment there would be about 8 124's for sale in Colombia - most in Bogota - so they don't grow on trees. In 29 years it's only had 2 owners and the first was a magistrate of the Colombian Supreme Court. There's provenance for you! It's only done 158,000 kms. (99,000 miles). It is in Bogota and we are going there with Rodrigo tomorrow to do the formalities and then, if everything finally checks out, us 2 old antiques will drive the antique Mercedes back to Retiro over 2-3 days or so. It's time we had another adventure after all the nonsense of the Chinese Virus. These great cars are at the moment cheaper than (say) a 10yr old Renault - or Chevrolet - both of which are built in Colombia.
Finally we must mention all the people we have met before, during and after our move, and the enormous help they have been to us -
** Monica - she lived in Florida for a long time and then 3 or 4 years ago returned to Colombia to care for her ailing father, who recently passed away. She has a gorgeous property on a raised promontory overlooking a small lake which is actually the water supply for Medellin. We first met Monica at the Sunday Farmers' Market in Poblado and she has become a valued friend. She has helped us with all manner of things since moving here - contacting tradespeople etc - and taking us on a shopping tour of Llanogrande and outlying areas between there and Retiro just the other day.
** Mike and Martha - American friends who we met over a year ago at the MG Hotel in Llanogrande while they were looking for a property to buy. Martha was a great help in selling the Envigado apartment, and she constructed a sales video and dealt with agents and prospective buyers over about 3 months until we finally sold to a retired judge and his lawyer wife. We have been to their wonderful Finca (farmhouse) on a few acres near here and had a very enjoyable Christmas lunch with them.
Martha was born here but went to the US with her parents at a very tender young age and then later she completed a law degree in Caracas, Venezuela before that country fell into the Socialist mire that has engulfed it since. Martha also worked in real estate in the US for some 20 years so that experience plus her Spanish speaking ability puts her in a special situation.
Then, just a couple of days ago we had the unique Colombian experience of acting as 2 out of a total of 5 witnesses for them at the Retiro Notaria when they signed and presented their sealed Wills. Wills made in any other country have no effect here. Like all experiences we have had in Notarias, the experience was drawn out but very interesting in its own way. All the witnesses sat together in a small room together with the 2 testators while the Notary sternly addressed us on the gravity of the situation which was all translated by the official translator. Afterwards we all adjourned to a local restaurant for lunch and then we had to rush away as Jim had an initial check-up appointment with a doctor at the San Vincente Hospital near the Medellin airport. More about that in another blog.
** Andy Easton, who is a fellow New Zealander who is nearly our ancient age and who is a world renowned orchid grower, among many other horticultural achievements. You can Google him and you will see a potted biography of his fascinating life, mainly in the US. Andy started growing orchids in NZ at the age of 10 and is currently researching expanding the growing habitat of various orchid varieties all over the world. We have had a number of interesting conversations with Andy at Daniela's coffee house about 10 minutes walk from our casa. As well as meals together, including today at La Cocina Restaurante at La Fe. Best meal in 4 years in Colombia!! And in particular because of Jim's early involvement in his family's fruit and produce business (and then later exporting fresh fruit and veg. from NZ). Amazing coincidences - not sure when, but before Jim joined the firm in the mid 60's, A.B. Donald Ltd. had purchased the wholesale fruit and produce auctioneering business of C.H. Slater Ltd. in Hastings and Napier. Slaters continued operating under the same name under our ownership. Andy's family owned a house next to Charlie Slater and his wife in Hastings and knew them well! The sense of coincidence is heightened when you think that our world wanderings and experiences have in a totally unexpected way led to this happy meeting.
** Daniela - we have mentioned her in the previous entry. She is Venezuelan in her late 20's and also speaks good English. She has a business degree from Venezuela. She operates her little coffee cabana on a wide footpath near our casa and the coffee is excellent - plus the homemade cakes! And she has been so helpful also in advising us where to go for various things. She and her family escaped from Venezuela on foot fairly recently so she has had a difficult life experience to say the least.
** Jose Garcia - a Cuban American who is a near neighbour in our little Urbanizacion Alameda Campestre. At various times he has lived all over S America, having left Cuba with his family to the US when only 3 when the dictator, Castro, came to power. Jose has a building supply business in Rio Negro - the main urban area near here just beyond the airport. Jose has also been a source of great advice. He owns a few horses which is a very popular pastime in this equestrian town. He has said he could get Jean back on a horse if she wanted. Jean has been a great horsewoman in her time back in NZ; long before we were together!
** Astrid Melendez - we have mentioned Astrid before, and as usual she was very diligent in doing all the legal work re the sale of Envigado and the purchase up here. It was a bit more complicated because the Retiro house was subject to a lease agreement from Banco Davivienda to the people we bought from. So, in effect, our agreement was with the bank, but it all went smoothly in the end. We first met Astrid completely by chance during our first visit to Medellin in 2016, and she has been a great source of advice and professional help ever since.
** Ana Giraldo - our tax accountant. Likewise a wonderful help in all our financial dealings. Ana speaks arguably better English than we do!
** Clara Grisales, the real estate agent we have mentioned above. She found the Retiro house for us and went well beyond the call of duty in assisting us through the bank bureaucratic mire.
** The other Clara (and Memo) - our ex neighbours in Jardines de la Maria in Envigado. When Jean was sick with the Chinese Virus in early 2020 Clara was a tower of strength in organising doctors, nurses and hospital visits during a very trying and restrictive time. Clara and Memo are expert Parques players and a return revenge match is definitely on the cards!
** Chuck (Charles) - we met Chuck while living in Envigado and in particular on the occasions when Jim was buying his favourite Papas Rellenas!! Chuck is a Vietnam veteran and originally comes from Louisiana, although now has a house in Orlando, Florida, but he has lived in Envigado for the past 11 years or so, and still does. Many coffees (and Papas!) together and complete agreement about the Biden traitors, but all of us now feeling quite buoyed by the almost certain prospect of the Dims being totally routed in both Houses of Congress when the mid-terms take place this November. A successful impeachment won't then be far away (plus richly deserved prosecutions hopefully) and it won't matter who the Dims attempt to install as President, because whoever it is, there is plenty to impeach a whole raft of would-be Dim traitors to their country.
We must have Chuck and his Colombian wife up here to spend a couple of days once we are better organised.
** Rodrigo Restrepo - Rodrigo has been an absolute gem and such a help during all the issues with the transmission repairs to our B Class as mentioned above. We owe him a huge debt of gratitude - you can imagine the difficulty of dealing with workshop owners even with Google Translate and our very limited Spanish.
He is coming with us to Bogota to help through the red tape of car change of ownership and we are all staying in an apartment we found on Monday night. If anyone ever wants to buy a good used car in Medellin, Rodrigo Restrepo Car Sales (ph. 314 7812660 - Whatsapp) Is the place to go.
We first met Rodrigo at the restaurant of another American friend, whose name is Carmen. He operates a restaurant close to Parque Poblado in Medellin called "Philly Steaks". This hearty American food is a bit too much for us these days, but the chicken wings are delicious!
** Angela Sanchez - our go to person at Alianza Valores S.A. which is the merchant banking company we have dealt with ever since remitting money to Colombia to first buy and then renovate the Envigado apartment.
** Felipe Gutierrez - one of the principals of Gutierrez Group where we have two very well performing investments. Great people to deal with and English is their second fluent language!!
** And we cannot leave this blog without mentioning Marta and Dave Nystrom - originally from New Mexico. They live in Envigado and we miss our get-togethers over breakfasts and coffees.
** Inge and Neil - Neil is Australian originally, but we won't hold that against him. They both lived in the US for many years and have been very hospitable to us.
** Nathan - a young American who we also met originally at the Farmers' Market. He has been extensively doing up an older apartment that he bought a year or so ago. He is an IT whizz and has been helpful in overcoming various restrictions in our recent travels.
** Wendy and Darren - a younger American couple who again we originally met at the Farmers' Market. We miss our spirited weekly conversations!!
** Diana Munoz - Diana is again a Colombian who has spent many years in the US. She has returned to Colombia and owns one of the restaurants in the "CBD" of Retiro. She also has been very helpful to us and lives in one of the casas in our urbanizacion.
** Miguel Homsey and his wife, Alejandra - Miguel is another Colombian who lived in the US for a long time. They run a real estate office in Retiro and we met them when we were first looking at property up here. Unlike a lot of Colombians who are never fed the "correct" Fox News (!), Miguel is on the same page as we are when it comes to the parlous state of US politics. And US politics matters to ALL of us, whether we like it or know it or not.
Well, that just about brings things up to date. We are feeling a bit apprehensive about our trip to Bogota and then the drive back, but we will be following the main Bogota - Medellin road so shouldn't be any problems. It's doable in one long day, but we're taking 3 probably. Hell, we sailed "Tiare Taporo III" from NZ for 8,000 miles of sometimes very difficult waters in northern Australia and SE Asia where we had not sailed before, so what is a mere drive on a main highway? Just the Colombian drivers - that's all!
We are attaching a few photos of our new abode for your edification - not to mention some others as well!
With lotsaluv from us in El Retiro, Antioquia and many more fascinating blogs to come!!
Cheers,
Jim and Jean xoxoxoxo
Photos - most will be self-explanatory. However, # 4 is taken on the old fort Cartagena late last year, # 7 is of Josie who is an old friend of Jean's from Hong Kong days, and her family in Werneck, Bavaria. We stayed with them for a fortnight back in 2018. # 8 the marina office staff at the Royal langkawi Yacht Club Marina in northern Malaysia not long before we left to ship the old girl from Phuket, Thailand. # 9 Fethiye is in Turkey. Photo was in the more carefree days there before the "Annegret" carrying TT3 arrived!!
