Photos from Santa Marta

While in Colombia, my husband insisted we visit the coast so we could see the Caribbean. With several recommendations from family members, we took a mini-vacation from Bogota and traveled to Santa Marta.

Bogota's climate was temperate and humid, Santa Marta's hot and humid. The heat turned out to be a blessing in disguise as not many people were out and about: only us heat acclimated Arizonans.

This post differs from most of my others as there are lots of photos of my family.

It took me a while, but I finally got the pose she wanted - mid flight in an Irish dance jump.

The Man Child enjoying the waves from the edge.

My Youngest - probably wondering how far she could get away with before we pulled her back.

The view from our little spot in paradise.

We've since realized that in the ocean is not his favorite place to be.

I can only imagine the cheesy comments that elicited these grins.

My family playing in the Caribbean Sea.

Posing for me.

From the other direction, this time with me in the photo.

I much prefer being on the this side of the camera.

A tiny island of green on the beach.

A few kites flying overhead.

The view from the lounge chair during the massage.

The Man-Child in deep thought.

The Girls took a break from playing in the sand to pose.

Her grin.

She would've stayed the rest of the week if we had let her.

Flowers along the path near the beach.

Several pelicans flew by, this one rested for a bit near us.

Another vista from our spot on the beach.

More deep thoughts.

That sand was hot!

Cloud formations in the distance.

Photographing the photographer.

Sand. Sand. Sand.

More sand.

Beautiful.

I think she'd rather be back in the water.

Deep thought with perfect ringlets.

Solemn.

Returning from a photo session of their own.

More thoughts and just a ringlet.

At the bungaloo.

Mostly from Monserrate

Here's another set of photos.

These ones from our 2nd outing in Colombia to Monserrate. This location is on the edge of Bogota  on a large hill that many consider a pilgrimage and one of their popular tourist spots. To reach the top of the hill, we took a tram, AKA funincular. There is a monastery and lots of ardent street vendors at the top. The vistas are simply lovely.

Some lovely flowers at our relatives' house.

These climbing ones covered the property walls. Bonus, I caught a bit of a Colombian spider web too.

"Milka" - one of our relative's dogs - practically begged me to take this picture.

Some of the traditional architecture of Bogota - white buildings with tiled roofs.

If you look close, you can see a bit of the USA symbolism.

Part of the scenery as we waited for the tram to the top of Monserrate.

An up close of the statue. My husband made rude comments about the flower near the nose.

The plaque commemorating the tram to Monserrate.

A little of the engineering that allows the tram to run.

The view as the tram starts to climb the hill.

Downtown Bogota from the tram.

Part of the monastery at Monserrate

One of the vistas from the top of the hill.

A blossom yet to be.

A tree full of those blossoms.

Another view from the hill

Painted ironworks on one of the monastery buildings

Part of Bogota behind the monastery

A Christ statue on a hill across from Monserrate

Church bell

Behind the alter in the monastery

A monastery angel

Church tabernacle

I loved stained glass, even if it's inside a glass enclosure.

Another scene with Jesus done in stained glass 

Flourishes on the monastery ceiling too.

A panorama of Bogota made from 47 individual pictures taken from Monserrate.

Cathedral of Salt Photos

No, I didn't fall off the face of the Earth, I've just been occupied with other Life activities. Yes, it's been way too long since I've posted any photos here. I'll fix that today.

After thousands of requests from my husband, I finally agreed to visit his birthplace of Bogota, Colombia. (Yes, I took to heart the horrible stories about the place. Thanks to assurances from family and our priest, who visited Bogota a few years ago, I relented.) So we took the kids and headed to South America this past summer. I loved meeting family - they were all so kind and generous; the food was great, so great I gained weight; and for this hobby photographer, the vistas breathtaking.

I've finally gone through my photos from the trip, over 1.1k of them. I'll be sharing a few of them (don't worry - only a few) over the next few posts.

The ones included with this post are mostly from our first day in Colombia - taken in Bogota, along the way to the Cathedral of Salt, and inside the converted salt mine.

Enjoy.

The kids jumping around with a younger cousin.

The view from our lunch table at the restaurant. The thick walls reminded me of the adobe walls of the US Southwest.

Churches abound every where. This one was on the square near where we lunched.

The view of the countryside.

Yes, you read that correctly - a Juan Valdez Cafe. (This was the first of many that I saw.)

Another view of the mountains and villages that dot the countryside.

The view from the Cathedral of Sal parking lot.

Saw this beauty while waiting in line to enter the Cathedral of Salt.

One of the many cross carvings in the converted salt mine. This one is found in one of the Stations of the Cross.

The main cross in the church section of the Cathedral of Salt.

A sculpture from the depths of the old mine. Talk about treasure.

Had to capture the texture and swirls.

From the light and music show.

Photos from Tumacácori

From a recent field trip to Tumacácori, AZ with my youngest's 4th grade class...

We visited the Tumacácori National Historical Park which includes an old mission. Between chaperoning the students on a nature hike and through various stations like tortilla making, I was able to take a few photos along the way.