Our first trip to the cloud forests. We went to a canopy walk, a very lengthy (and expensive) one. Rather busier and less wild than I would like, at least the paths and so on — the forest itself was spectacular. We didn’t see any animals but we’d have to come with a guide to […]
Three cities
In the morning, we walked across to the fish market, which I had read was the place to have lunch in the city. It was a short walk over very large but quiet roads along the glittering Pacific. The market itself – the wholesale market was being washed down, but along the front was a […]
Canal with a country around it
We are in Panama. As we got off the aeroplane and walked through the bridge to the airport, a fleet of black helicopters roared overhead, a suitable welcome to a very strange country. We are staying in the historic old town, Casco Viejo, a pleasant old place with coloureful ornamented buildings, though a great many […]
Those I’ll never see again
For some reason dogs seem to like me. This is not exactly reciprocated, as I don’t particularly like keeping pets, and especially indoor dogs, but I don’t mind dogs as long as they aren’t noisy and boistrous. Anyway, the dog at my Spanish school really seems to like me, but in a rather sweet way […]
Successes and failures
After lunch we took a cab to La Catedral, formerly prison of Pablo Escobar (built to his specifications and so equipped with tunnels and various luxuries) and now an old-age home run by monks. The road climbed high in the hills behind Envigado, and it was startlying how suddenly we left the city behind: a […]
Voices not heard
I read this article a couple of days ago and it has stuck in my memory. It’s an account of growing up in a lower class family in Garhi Shahu; he must have been only a few years younger than me so there are points at which our worlds touched and others that are so […]
District 13
The internet is full of advice on Comuna 13, formerly one of the most dangerous urban spaces in the world. This advice is: go with a tour that tells you about the barrio’s sad past and inspiring present, admire the graffiti, don’t stray off the path, learn the history of the area, get over your […]
Jab
I returned to the flat from my class and we went off to Poblado with several missions in mind, but only one that we were reasonably confident of completing. In the event we managed all of them, hurrah. It took ages to get there as the traffic was terrible (we had hoped to save time […]
Five o’clock chorus
I woke up at five in the morning to the sound of men singing sad songs in harmony, with a mournful trumpet accompanying them. It was actual people singing, not a recording: though the trumpet was well played, it was definitely not slick and professional. Very peculiar, I thought, go to sleep it’s five in […]
Thoughts on two articles in the Observer
The music was very loud again last night and did not stop till 4. There is something about the way that sound echoes in our street, it is very loud indeed so it made for a very uncomfortable night, again. Anyway, I woke up at 7 so feel quite underslept, plus there is no milk […]