Day 3 - Off to the Islands

The Bride’s family graciously made many of our arrangements, including a private day trip to the Rosario Islands off the coast. Aboard her father’s 40 ft. boat, escorted by Uncle Carlos we made the 1 hour trip past the skyline of Boca Grande – Cartagena’s Business/Condo District, through the stretch of Boca Chica to a family friends private home on the Islands. Our meal was caught by local fisherman and sold to us on the pier as they floated up in their boats looking for a sale. Can you beat a day spent at gorgeous islands with friends, drinking beer and fresh juices, eating just-caught fried fish and patacones (mashed & fried plantains), visiting an outdoor aquarium filled with dolphins, turtles & sharks oh my, all the while catered to by smiling colombian faces? Geez we are lucky!

A 1 hour 45 minute van ride later, including bad 80’s video sing along’s, we arrive in Barranquilla the larger of the sister cites where the bride’s family lives. The next day will be the wedding, so we attempt to have a low key evening. All the Bride & Groom’s friends gather at a local bar to meet and greet – FYI maracuya fruit margarita’s are the way to go! We ended at the Rio Casino – not quite the same as Vegas – and totally weird to gamble in foreign currency. Turns out not being as low key as intended… oh well, that’s just how I roll.