A Blustery December Day at Playa Salgar

A Blustery December Day at Playa Salgar

It was the Sunday before Christmas break. I suggested that Kären, Dave, and I go to the nearest beach, Playa Salgar. Kären and Dave were taking flights the following Saturday, so this was our last opportunity to go to the beach together in 2009.

This is what Christmas decorations look like here. For more see Karen's blog post.

From where I live, Miramar, I can see the Sea. Although it is in the distance, a white line in the blue background tells me there are waves. This line has been more pronounced lately, and if you stare at it, you can see the semblance of a wave moving. Since December the waves have grown and the wind has been so forceful it howls fiercely through my windows. It's strange to hear this sound and still have it be 86 degrees.

the road down to Playa Salgar with lots of waves - see the white lines in the distance?

It was hot, and sunny on the way to the bus, but when we got to the beach, the waves were huge and reckless. The wind blew so strongly it was difficult to here each other as we hiked down the beach.

Playa Salgar on a hot and windy day

The place we ended up having lunch was on the second floor and the wind was literally making the restaurant sway back and forth. To give you an idea, Kären's half-full bottle of beer blew over and rolled off the edge of the floor crashing on the first floor below. We thought for a while the whole undersea-themed restaurant might collapse. Although it would make a fantastic story, we agreed that if it did happen it would be better if we were on the beach and on the second floor. It didn't collapse that day as far as we know.

See that beer? It didn't stay standing for long.

None of these pictures can convey how strong the wind was, but it made for a blustery day for sure. Being in the waves was kind of like being in a washing machine.

Taking the extremely full champeta bus home made me realize how much I’ve learned since I’ve been here. I am thankful that Kären and Dave are both here. Dave and I were amused and perplexed by why the stick shift in the buses are all covered in fabric and are huge (like the size of a wastebasket). This particular bus had one that was decorated with a face and hair. It was like being on a muppet bus. Awesome! Thankfully I think we all still find humor in the odd Colombian things daily.

P.S. We saw this guy walking home from the bus, right in the city of Barranquilla