San Andrés' quieter side

Being brutally honest, of the few remaining Colombian departments we've yet to visit, San Andrés rated as the least important.

OK, there are worse things you could do than chill out on a small tropical island in the Caribbean, but we've been there before in the shape of Barbados, as well as being well-acquainted with Colombia's Atlantic coast. Seen one Caribbean hotspot, seen them all, right?

The view from the highest point on San Andrés ...

What's more, from speaking to others who visited San Andrés, the common refrain has been 'sure it's nice, but it's somewhat overcrowded and dirty'. (Throw in a relatively steep tourist tax to be paid before visiting and its appeal weakens further.) It's also widely agreed that the 'neighbouring' sister island of Providencia (the same department albeit) is the better option, with San Andrés just used as a necessary stopover to get there.

Yet when opportunity knocks in these straitened times, it would be foolish to turn it away. Thus, with a subsidised flight and a few free nights board on the table (it's a tough life at times), the decision to check out San Andrés was a no-brainer.

For sure, and lamentably in a not-too-untypical Colombian fashion, it's certainly not pristine clean. You don't have to look hard at all to find plastic bottles and drinks cans scattered around, normally within metres of a rubbish bin.

Interestingly enough, those with the strongest links to the island, the Raizals who speak Creole and seem to prefer using English than Spanish when given the choice, blame this spoiling of the land on the Colombian continentals who have made the place their home in big numbers over the last number of decades.

Indeed, the Creole types ill-feeling towards their administrators seems to run much deeper than just the environmental pollution. Let's just say there appears little love lost between Raizals with deep roots to the place and some more recent arrivals; a feeling that the former are being systematically drowned out by the latter (something we'll leave for discussion in another post).

Ideal diving & snorkelling waters on the west side.

That, what some may view as colonialism aside, one of the most visually spectacular features are the clear and colourful majestic waters, home to corals bursting with marine life -- snorkelling and/or diving is highly recommended on this front. Thankfully these appear to be well-maintained and long may it continue.

As regards where to stay, the more popular side of the island is the commercial centre in the north, around the airport and its environs. Here you have the big hotel names and a host of other accommodation options, as well as picture-perfect, golden-sand beaches. It has that recognisable holiday island vibe to it, nothing terribly original in that.

Further south down the east side of the island, around the San Luis area, there are more beaches, ones that tend to be less frequented.

Things are far quieter on the south and west sides of the island, the latter being the prime spot for diving and snorkelling. Here you'll find a host of homelier accommodation options in the likes of Cove and West View.*

For those looking for a more chilled-out stay and a visit not solely focused on sun, sea and sand, this part of the island is the best place to look. In any case, there are frequent buses to the centre from early morning up until 8.30 pm if you want to check out the livelier side of things. The public transport also doubles up as a cheap way to get an island tour.

First Baptist Church: More English than Colombian ...

Most visitors rent their own transport to explore the island. Scooters are a good way to go for individuals or couples, with big quad-type vehicles, or mules as they're called, a handy option for three or more people.

The tried and trusted push bike for about 30,000 COP (10 euros) per day is another alternative, if you can stick the heat that is (if an Irishman can do it and survive, it's doable for most who are in any way active; the total area is just 26 square kilometres with the highest point standing at 84 metres).

A spin up Orange Hill to the landmark First Baptist Church allows for nice views of both the east and west sides of the island, and it also gives a flair to San Andrés' former British colonial past (note the church service board written in English).

In terms of expenses, standard accommodation and meals are costlier than what you'll find on the Colombian mainland, understandable for a rather remote, tourism-focused Caribbean island. On the flip side, beers and other alcohol products retail at prices similar to those in Bogotá's cheaper barrios.

The rubbish black spots aside -- a pan-Colombian problem that -- our four-night visit to San Andrés certainly didn't disappoint. Whether it's seen as a poor man's Providencia or not, it still has plenty to offer in its own right.

* Two recommended accommodation options on the west side are Siloé Cove Hospedaje Boutique and Royal Palm Inn (+57 3164957522). The Caleño-owned and administered Siloé offers bikes and a scooter to rent for guests, as well as snorkelling equipment (snorkelling can be done with the administrators, who do it on a daily basis.)
Royal Palm Inn is family-ran by a very friendly local couple and provides an airport pick-up and drop-off service. The owner also drops off and picks up guests wishing to go to the commercial centre.

Viva Colombia operates two daily return flights to San Andrés from Bogotá. The outbound flights depart El Dorado at 09.20 and 19.50. The return flights leave at 12.10 and 22.40. Visit vivacolombia.co for all Viva Colombia's latest routes and prices.
______________________________________
Facebook: Wrong Way Corrigan - The Blog & IQuiz "The Bogotá Pub Quiz".

Six of the best in 2012 (well, kind of)

Despite the irrational and subsequently unfounded fear in some quarters that the world would end on 21 December just gone (remember all the hullabaloo?) because of a Mayan prediction, we’re still here, same as always, more or less. 

Of course, ‘officially’ the Mayans weren’t predicting the end of the world at all; it was just the end of their twelfth calendar and the beginning of number thirteen.

In any case, a large number of us use the Gregorian calendar these days, which sees us entering a new year. So, in keeping with our exceptional originality here, we’re going to look back at some of the things that we’ve derived most pleasure from in 2012. 

Well, at least we’re being outwardly positive for a change. And as you’ll see — in no particular order and far from exhaustive, by the way — there have been plenty of things that brought a smile to our face in the past year:

The Panama Canal.

Seeing more of the world

Considering it’s travelling that has us in Colombia in the first place, we’ll start off on this one. 2012 saw us add four more countries to our imaginary visited list — but far from done list (don’t get us started on that one. A very irritating turn of phrase used by far too many backpackers). 

Firstly, there were the ‘delights’ of Venezuela – it’s true, time is a great healer (for what we thought of the country at the time, see http://bit.ly/OLR2Ev).*

Then there was the very beautiful — if a little bit pricey for our modest and declining earnings — Barbados. That necessary trip to see a very good friend get married included a brief stop in Trinidad, enough, though, to take in a bit of Port-of-Spain, with its almost unbearable heat and quite friendly locals from what we encountered. 

We finished off our brief little Caribbean adventure with a longer return to Panama – we had actually walked into that country earlier in the year from bordering Capurganá in Colombia. This time around we actually got to stay a few nights; and it was well worth it.

On top of all this, we did take in more of the wonderful country that is Colombia itself, but there is still plenty more we want to see here. Time to get moving again pretty soon we reckon.

‘La Grande’ arrives

This may shock some of you, but we like a beer every now and again – the bigger (and cheaper) the better. 

For some unknown reason, though, since we first visited Colombia in 2009, all you could purchase in the majority of bars/tiendas were the small 330ml bottles. In most of the other South American countries 750 ml or litre bottles are the norm.

Thankfully this year saw Colombia get up to standard with both Aguila and Poker introducing the 750 ml bottles. Linked to this is the ‘discovery’ of cheap and cheerful tiendas with appreciative staff (are you listening Doña Ceci et al?) to consume said bottles. 

We thought we were doing well with $3,000 COP a bottle (roughly €1.20), but that’s been trumped by a lovely little place in Bogotá’s Belén district for $2,500 COP a bottle. It’s the little-big things in life that count. 

For a related article, which also details our perhaps dangerously addictive liking for value-for-money coffee and biscuits, see “Bogotá’s simple pleasures” http://bit.ly/Uzc3lk.

Game-changer.

A star is born

OK, not quite. But we did get a glimpse inside the telenovela (that’s utterly cheesy Latino soap operas) world with our work as an extra from time to time. Heck, we’re even due to appear prominently in some made-for-TV US movie, Left to Die, which is already out apparently. 

Although, we can’t help but think that we’ve already had our, precisely speaking, ’30 seconds’ of fame from this type of work. That came during our appearance in Colombia Tiene Talento (Colombia’s Got Talent), where we had to wave a flag all dressed in white for one of the acts. 

Such was the quality of our performance it made waves across the globe, with The Irish Daily Star giving us a spread in its pages. 

Alas, we failed to get the expected flag-bearer gig at the Olympics for either Team Ireland or Team Colombia. There’s always Rio in 2016... For more on this see Giving just a little bit ‘extra’ http://bit.ly/NrbPc3 and for our flag-waving extraordinaire see, http://bit.ly/TZsutM, from 2' 30".

'Flagtastic'. indeed.

Teaching English

There are times when we wouldn’t feel like putting this down as a positive, but on the whole we’ve found it quite enjoyable. 

It’s helped us meet some very interesting, decent people, both in terms of the companies we’ve worked for (firstly Instituto Nordico, now BSR Idiomas and indeed our private classes) and the students we’ve taught. 

We’ve even managed to make a little bit of money out of the whole gig — just a little, mind you. For a more thorough look at this world, see our earlier piece, The ‘Money’ Tongue http://bit.ly/V8ELH4. 

Best Man for an old-time friend

As mentioned above, the reason we went to Barbados. It was a privilege and an honour to be at the side of one of our oldest (in length of time we've been mates that is, not age, lest we insult anyone) and best friends. 

Second time to be a best man, the chances of our own tying of the knot are a long, long way off, however. We’re happy to watch from the sidelines at this moment in time; horses for courses and all that.

Picturesque.

Street arepas

OK, we knew about these round corn-based delights before the start of 2012, but it was in this year that we really got to enjoy them; simple yet wonderful pleasures. 

The perfect hunger-buster on a chilly Bogotá evening, our preference has been the ‘carne con queso’ (that’s meat with cheese with a bit of BBQ sauce to boot) for a very agreeable $2,200 COP (roughly €1). 

For those of you who know the Colombian capital, our favourite place to consume these is from the vendor that operates outside the Colombo-Americano, Calle 19 with Carrera 3. We’ve missed them over the Christmas break — come back soon.

Quality grub.

So that's some of our highlights from 2012. All that's left for us to say for now is, Happy New Year to all; onwards and upwards in 2013.

 ________________________ 
*Please note, for an updated, more positive piece on Venezuela, see (for starters) see Venezuela: A necessary reappraisal.