Train Ride to Zipaquira and Cajica

Today we enjoyed an incredible old coal-fired steam train ride from Bogota to Zipaquira. We traveled about two hours each way through amazing countryside on an incredibly sunny and pleasant day.  Performers went into each of the train cars and played traditional Colombian music.  We snacked on some arrepes and empanadas on the ride up.  Then we walked through the streets of Zipaquira.  We boarded the train (the whistle signaled us to get back) and headed on our way to the next town-Cajica.  When we got off of the train we were hoping to visit the Salt Mines, but we then realized that we missed the opportunity to buy the tickets.  Oh well, we had a great lunch at a place called Jica with grilled chicken, steak, and chorizo-with some cold beverages of course.  We returned back to Bogota around 5pm.  What a great day!

Sentencia..finally

We went to the movies today to see Cars2.

After much waiting the judge finally signed the paperwork and Ryan can go back to Cucuta to sign the documentation. It is referred to as the Sentencia. Ryan will fly to Cucuta on Monday AM and fly back in the evening. We are excited. Now the paperwork can proceed. Jose's birth certificate can be changed in his birthplace of La Playa. Then we can get his new Colombian passport with his new name. Then we can get his US visa and come back to the USA.

We enjoyed a nice evening back at Zuetana and sharing stories with the other families. Rainy and cool today (now everyone is jealous).

Tomorrow Jose has his English lessons with Señorita Carmen. He is enjoying the lessons. We will take some photos of his amigos and amigas and post tomorrow.

Thanks for your prayers. We are sure that they are working.

Settling in at Bogota

Sorry we haven't written in a few days just getting settled in, at the Zuetana in Bogota.  We were so happy to arrive and see familiar faces.  The Dressing-Goodman family are also staying here, a family we met through Kidsave last summer.  We were greeted by Beth's friendly smile, warm hug and knowledge of Bogota.  Jose and  Sebastian were also so happy to see each other and have been inseperable.  They have been talking non-stop and sharing their musica and peliculas.  This has been a welcome change for everyone.  After we got in and unpacked on Tuesday, Beth and Sebas showed us around town, we went to the mall had lunch and came back and the kids played.  The atmosphere is very family friendly, with an outside area for the kids to play.  The meals have been wonderful our cooks, who's name I do not recall, is fabulous.  It is so nice to have homecooked meals.  It is hard to believe we were getting tired of eating out. 

Wednesday along with Beth and Sebas, we went to the Oro Museo ( Gold Museum).  It is one of the largest gold collection's of it's kind.  It was very interesting and the boys were really good.  The museum is located in the city so the drive through the mountains was beautiful.  There are many parks and gardens along the way.   

Today Jose had his first english lesson, the instructor is a cutie and said Jose is a very nice boy.  Senora Carmen said he did very well and gave him some homework.  She will return on Saturday with some group activities planned.  We already see a big change from the winter with is speaking and understanding english.  Way to go Jose.

We found out yesterday that our demand has been reviewed and excepted with all the paperwork  in order, we are waiting for the judge to sign the document before we can continue the process.  We were told our lawyer is doing everything she can to speed things up and a director from the ICBF has also been involved, which apparantly is unusal.  We are praying we hear something tomorrow and Ryan can travel to Cucuta on Monday.  Please say an extra prayer for us that we get the call tomorrow and we are asking for one more prayer, that the process of changing Jose' name on his birth certificate does not take a week, as we were also told.

Thanks to everyone for reading the blog and commenting it really means alot.  You are the best.  Hope you enjoy the photos. 

Last days at Cartagena..on to Bogota

First of all an update on the adoption process.  We should be receiving a call anytime now to let us know that a hearing date is set for the adoption declaration.  This will provide declaration that we are Jose's parents with the Colombian legal system.  Ryan will go back to Cucuta for the day or overnight (depending on the hearing time) to sign this documentation at the court.  Afterwards, Jose's name will be changed.  This will take a few days to accomplish.  After all of this is done, then we can obtain Jose's visa at the US Embassy in Bogota.  Thus the last leg of our adoption journey will end in Bogota.

Cartagena is beautiful, but we are ready to go to the next place.  Packing and repacking is getting old, but we are looking forward to the cooler weather in Bogota and a change of place.

On Saturday we walked to and visited the Fort de San Fillipe.  Truly an amazing site to see.  An audio guide tour provided interesting history of the Fort and defenses of  Cartagena.  Afterwards, we walked to the old city and had some dinner.

On Sunday, we finally were able to go to Mass.  Of course, it was all in Spanish, but the Eucharist is always the same no matter what country you are in.  For our last evening in Cartagena, we went to dinner at an excellent restaurant on the water called Club de Pesca.  It is built in the remains of a Spanish fort section and is quite nice.  Excellent giant prawns, ceviche, and fish.  Ryan and I split a "sampler" dinner of a bunch of their specialties and Jose had..chicken.  Great place, incredible views, good music, and nice sea breeze.  It was a good way to end our visit to Cartagena.  We see why people love it so much.

Today (Monday), Jose received his school lesson, Ryan worked for most of the day, and we went in the pool.  We are finished packing and ready for our flight tomorrow morning.  See you in Bogota!

Fri 22July-Convento Santa Cruz de la Popa

Took a cab to the Santa Cruz de la Popa.  It is a 400 year old Augustinian convent sitting at the top of the highest spot in Cartagena.  Stunning views and interesting chapel and artifacts.

Thu 21July-Museums in the Old City

Thursday 21July enjoyed a low key day.  It is so hot that it is difficult to move around during the day.  Ryan went to visit his company's office in Cartagena during the morning and Jose and I went into the Old City to do some shopping and visit the museums and see the Cathedral.  Jose takes pictures of EVERYTHING, so we need to filter out many of the pictures.  We met Ryan around lunch time and had lunch at a French bakery that serves lunch.  We got back to the hotel and went swimming at the hotel.  Pizza for dinner tonight-thus the picture with the Italian flag.

Rosario Islands and Playa Blanca

On Wednesday, we took a boat to the Rosario Islands and Playa Blanca (aka white beach).  Boat held about 30 people (depending on the size of the passengers) and we departed around 0900.  Ride was about an hour or so long.  As you exit Cartagena, the Spanish fortess batteries (forgot the name) are on both sides.  First stop was the Rosario Islands.  It is a national park area with an aquarium and that is about it.  There are plenty of very large houses on various islands (now those looked really nice), but we really wanted to get to the beach-Playa Blanca.  Playa Blanca was very nice.  It has white sand and clear blue water.  It was extremely hot so we "rented" a tent on the beach.  Lunch was whole, fried fish with plantains, and rice--very good!  Then the swarms of vendors arrived like mosquitos looking for victims.  We made out better this time, but it is hard to relax when they constantly approach you.  Can't wait for OC and Bethany Beach!  We were concerned when they needed to work on the engines on the ride home, but we made it back safely.  All in all, a very nice day.

Cartagena...now we see why it is so great!

We took a double decker bus tour of the city of Cartagena this evening.  So glad we did it in the evening, the rain cooled it down and the sea breeze was great.  The pictures are beautiful we think.  We stopped and had a couple of beverages on the fort wall at restaurant overlooking the Carribean.  We then went out for dinner in the San Diego Plaza area.  The Old City of Cartagena is full of old plazas in the middle of the historic city-quite beautiful.

Cartagena

We made it to Cartagena.  It was raining and humid when we arrived, so not much to say about Sunday.  It was hot.  It was humid.  Amazing how weather is so different between one part of Colombia and the other at the same time of the year.  It was 90 def F and windy in Cucuta, 60 deg F in Bogota, and then 92 deg F and humid in Cartagena.  Our place is comfortable and nice.  Cable TV with Air Conditioning is always key. On Monday we started out with great Arrepes for breakfast with fresh fruit and juice and coffee.  Then we went to the beach.  We wanted to be on a beach with white sand so we went to a nearby island called Puerto Arena.  Beach was ok, but not as good as MD/DE beaches for us.  After we got ripped off by several local islanders demanding 5000 COP for this 10000 COP for that, we wanted to go back to the hotel for a swim.  Much better.  Pictures look good.  After relaxing again by the pool, we went out to eat.  Tonight we went to the Hard Rock Cafe in the old city in Cartagena.  We saw some traditional dancing in the city square and enjoyed a wonderful evening.  We will let the pictures speak for themselves...