Sunday, March 29, 2026

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, fell asleep quickly, got up once at 2am, fell back asleep quickly, woke up at 6:15 and got up at 6:45. Finally, eight hours sleep.

According to my Fitbit, I got in 7,476 steps yesterday and last night I slept for 4 hours and 21 minutes. So far I feel good.

It’s 10am and we’re dressed for Santafe de

We left the apt at 10:30 and walked to the Ayura metro station. I added 50mil to my Civica card then we had a 5-minute wait for a train. (Sundays there are fewer riders so they have less trains running with fewer cars.) We got off at Caribe and walked the block long ramp to Terminal Norte. Downstairs we got in a fairly long line for a bus. Teresa talked to a man standing nearby and I guess made an arrangement for a colectivo to take us to Santafe de Antioquia for 30mil per person. He led us, and another couple, to his private car packed in back. His face was messed up like he’d been in an accident and I didn’t care for his driving. He went 80kph even when the speed limit lowered to 60, 40 or for a minute 30. Once he tried passing a truck in a no passing zone but was soon encountered by two motorcycles. Luckily we arrived safely next to the main park after a ride of just over an hour.

As soon as we stepped out of the car we were reminded of how HOT Santafe is. (Note to self: wear sandals here!)

Teresa asked if I remembered where the restaurant is we like and I said, “yes”, and guided us straight there. I call it Jumanji, after the movie, but that’s not exactly correct.

All the inside tables were taken but one I could see they were finished eating. (It’s a good thing we didn’t wait for it because later they had dessert.) We went outside and took a side table but it became apparent we would soon be in the sun. we moved under a large umbrella table but soon Teresa spotted an area on the other side of the plaza with fans. We moved there and it was much more tolerable than under the umbrella. Teresa had salmon and I the chicken breast.

I also had a limonada de coco and she a cold beer. We were in no hurry to leave and she started working on a purse and had another beer and I a Coke.

We left and walked to the other side of the park and I tried to guide her using google maps to a hotel named Casa Bixa Boutique which was supposedly the nicest in Santafe. Teresa stopped and asked a woman for directions and she ended up sending us to a secondary hotel. (Ask a poor person for a hotel recommendation and they’re not going to be recommending the best hotel in town.) So we saw that hotel – nothing special. Then I led her to mine and it only has 4 rooms so I guess that’s why it’s considered “boutique”.

At each hotel Teresa inquired about availability this coming week but they were full for Samana Santa (aka holy week).

I asked her if she wanted ice cream at the place we’ve been to before and she agreed. It was a 3 ½ block walk to the café next to Hotel Mariscal Robledo. They didn’t have strictly ice cream but after Teresa was told they didn’t have diet ice cream I ordered a slice of hot apple pie with a generous amount of vanilla ice cream. Teresa liked it so much she suggested we order another which I did.

From there we walked back to the church and down the hill. Just before we crossed the street to the bus station a bus pulled up in front of us and a guy got out and yelled, “Medellin”. We got on and it was 20,000 pesos per person and it was air conditioned and even had a restroom in back. The trip back to Medellin was 2 hours due to heavy traffic near the city but I got in a 30-minute nap on the way.

New photo of Annie James:

We returned to Envigado by metro and taxi and Teresa suggested we stop at McDonald’s. (I think she was too tired to make anything.) I ordered a Big Mac for myself and the usual McNifica for Teresa. She was bitterly disappointed her burger didn’t have cheese and refused to it. I didn’t know if it was my mistake because I didn’t ask to add cheese as I assumed it would be included. Teresa talked to one of the workers and they made a fresh burger for her with cheese.

Teresa called someone and when we left we caught a taxi at the street to take us near the cultural center where Teresa paid 30,000 pesos for one of her purses that had been finished. We returned to the apt and it being 8pm I started my pre-sleep routine.

 

RELEASE ALL THE EPSTEIN FILES NOW!

 

FUNNY