Summer in Cartagena

Best days around here are the cloudy ones. It's currently full summertime in South America, which extends from December to March more or less, and it really is incredibly hot. I hear the temperature doesn't change much be it summer or winter, but in the winter it does rain a bit more at least. We've been in Colombia now for almost two months, and it's rained once for like five minutes. 

As it's tremendously important to keep yourself hydrated in this heat (35C/95F) and very high humidity (60-90%), we try to squeeze in as many juice and ice-cream pauses as we can. There's a plethora of fresh and healthy juice bars in town, will show you a few of them later, but so far we've found no ice-cream shop that has stolen our hearts. We had the problem of finding them in the West-Indies too, remember? There are a lot more Ice-cream shops here in Cartagena/Colombia, but still, they all seem to be so and so. 

It's not always a blessing coming from the Mediterranean, because inevitably, you'll always compare with the best there is on the planet on so many different areas. There's still one place to visit though which we've heard some good things about. Would it be possible that we'll finally find the first real ice-cream bar that produces from real cream and milk (or egg!) and natural ingredients rather than yoghurt, water, vegetable oils, skim milk powder or artificial flavors? Will keep you posted on this very important subject...

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News

Just added a couple more bags to our market!

Did you know that all what you find in there is available in only one or a couple pieces of the same design and since they're all handmade, none are exactly the same as the other. I adore the ochre/mustard coloured bag, and the beige is such a practical every day color for the ones who like it more discreet. Check them out here.

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In search for the perfect Dulce de Leche

Sweets and desserts is a weakness of ours. Ice-cream, pastries, cookies, sorbets, buns - whatever that is well made and contains sugar really. Except for perhaps guava cheese or tamarind balls.. Here in Colombia as well as in the rest of South America, dulce de leche (also called Arequipe) is a popular thing to add inside or on top of desserts. You'll find it as an accompaniment to pancakes, inside of buns, cookies or cakes, you can spoon it up from a box in hard version and eat it as it is - or have your waffles floating around in it. In many parts of South America, Argentina especially, the basic dulce de leche is sold in any supermarket, served as a part of desserts in every restaurant and is loved by almost everyone. It's a part of their culture as much as coffee is.

Dulce de leche which literally means the sweet of milk, is similar to what we would call caramel elsewhere though it's even closer to the French confiture de lait. The basic traditional dulce de leche recipe calls for nothing more than milk sweetened with sugar, but the quality and way of preparing it differs naturally from place to place, kitchen to kitchen. It's the sort of thing that is absolutely divine if done right, but can also be a mere dull sugar bomb if you're unlucky. The real good ones I've tasted in my life consist also of vanilla, a bit of salt, and even cinnamon at times. 

Restaurant Crepes and Waffles gets 2 out of 5 dulce de leche stars from us today. The waffles were good but the caramel offered merely a basic sweetened-condensed-milk-in-the-micro-oven-kind-of-taste. Best in town so far must have been that cake we had the other week at Mila which could reach a 3,5 to be fair. 

If you'll ever try your hands on making your own dulce de leche, I would recommend making it with real whole milk and add your own sugar rather than using canned sweetened condensed milk which so many websites suggests. And don't forget to add a good amount of fresh vanilla seeds, at least that's what I would do. Am going to experiment with my own version and will let you know how that goes.

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Sweet Summer Classics

Handsome jukebox that stood in the corner of the bar the other night. If I could choose, these are some of the summery tracks I'd be spinning (click on image to get to playlist on Spotify. If you don't have Spotify installed you can still read the song titles. All seem to be there except this one). 

Someone asked how much Alex is involved in the playlists here on the blog. And while he isn't technically the one putting them together, we most times agree on what to listen to. If he was the one creating these playlists, he'd put in little less downtempo trip hop (which I definitely need a dose of from time to time) and throw in more stuff like this or that. But overall I'd say we're both attracted to well produced music in all categories from classic rock, motown soul, detroit techno and beatdown, classical composers, nineties pop, real hiphop, seventies funk, nineties rnb and all the way to old school acid when in that kinda mood. 

Occasionally Alex pulls up his antique vinyl case in which he has stored some of his old dark techno mixes (on cd obviously as we have no space for vinyl player on the boat) that he's done during his DJ era in Europe some 15-18 years ago and brings me on a trip like no other. If he'd have the time he'd probably be sitting here producing music rather than bulkheads but that'll have to wait for better days. 

Check here (1), here (2), here (3) and here (4) for more of our favorites.

*Like always, the bold letters brings you further. And remember that music should always be listened to with good powerful headphones or sound system, no built in laptop speakers or else you'll minimize the experience.

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A home cooked meal

Last night, we went for a walk in Getsemani with our new Italian, Basque and Swiss friends - a group of amazing guys we've learnt to know and who are soon going to sail from here towards Venezuela. 

While strolling on the cobbled streets of the little neighborhood, we felt a strong but lovely smell of garlic coming out from one of the two story buildings. Aaah the alluring flavor and scent of local food! Initially as a joke, Ricardo and I ducked our heads through the open door and asked if there was a table available for dinner. "Si! Si! Bienvenidos niños!" - a dark female voice responded from the depths of the steamy, but beautiful old colonial house. 

Well inside, we were seated in the living room and were quickly served a delicious soup as a starter, followed by a meal of pork and rice. Tamarind juice accompanied the meal and the beers we ran out and picked up from the neighboring mini market. A home cooked dinner was served, beers on the table and in an unexpected but curious little place with a table full of happy good people. What more can one ask for! The unpretentious hospitable style of Latin American people is so refreshing. And given that we were asked to pay 5.000 pesos each ($2,50 USD) - it would have been hard to find a better and friendlier deal elsewhere.

The whole family was part of the cooking and serving procedure and if I counted right there were at least three generations, four cats and two dogs living under the very same roof.

Grandma, the boss, wasn't at all that fearsome as she might look in the picture at the top.
And this is our crew minus moi. Here with a sweet lady/owner of a bar called La Cental Antillana, also in Getsemani where we popped in for a drink after dinner.

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Personal

I'm slowly getting the pages of this blog together. Organizing chapters and creating new labels to have it all in some sort of order. One new label that is made is called "Personal" which you can find over there to the left, and it consists of some of my very private personal reflections on life, myself or this journey. Most of them also falls under categories like philosophy and self development. These mentioned posts are also what seem to have been some of the most popular by you readers until today.

Many of these articles that are added in there had close to (or sometimes more than) 100 likes before we changed domain, nowadays they feel a bit naked without them - so please feel free to check them out and "like" them again if you'd want to. How silly isn't that little thing called ego? Anyways, you'll find them here if you want to have a look again. I'll probably go back in the blog and add a few more old posts there during the day. Feels so good to get things in the right place. Storing all those letters and words where they should be.

There's currently three pages of personal thoughts and reflections, here (1),  here (2) and here (3).

And these specific ones of them all has been the most liked and read articles on the blog until today:

- Jealous and bitter
- Christmas contemplations
- Dreams of the ocean
- The gain of the journey
- What we've been up to, career wise, before this trip
- Happy birthday my love
- Balance your body and soul
- Love peace and happiness 
- Thoughts on the Atlantic crossing
- Who are we, how did we meet and what did we do before we met each other?
- How and where the idea of this journey came alive.
- Memories and images from our first year together.

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In the move

Such a busy town. Not like Bangkok, New York city or any other major apple in the world, but having spent a fair amount of time in the Caribbean this is enough to tickle my senses and feed inspiration to my mind.

Boys playing football, vendors hauling out their goods, drug dealers openly promoting their offers, bike boys picking up clients - lending their back as a protection through the ride, tour buses packed with camera toting tourists, yellow cabs whistling for your attention, hipsters skating down the rail, laughing couples clinging on to each other, horse drawn carriages trotting down the cobbled streets, beer bottles being opened.

Whatever hustling is going on around you, it injects a sense of being. That this world is alive. It lends an opportunity - to be as anonymous as you'd wish, quietly disappearing in the masses for a moment - or as occupied and as busy with it as one is willing. 

I know when we're done here we'd long for days and weeks of peace and tranquility on a humble quiet beach far from voices and noises - but for now it feels good being part of the hustle. Always always good to see things in movement, a progress being made, a goal whatever goal it is, being reached. Life goes on, whether we like it or disagree. The world keeps moving. We all have the brilliant choice of being a part of it or not.

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Duende

Just added a couple drawings and some additional info to the boat section which you can find here.

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Cumbia


Cumbia is the sort of energetic traditional Colombian music you hear from every street corner. Similar to salsa but it has a longer pause between the first three and the last three beats, giving it a slower feel and isn't generally as showy a dance as salsa. Cumbia was born in Colombia's Caribbean coastal region, from the musical and cultural fusion of Native Colombians, slaves brought from Africa and ultimately mixed with the Spanish influences during colonial times. Here's another very popular cumbia tune.

P.S: I just changed domain of our market to shop.worldtourstories.com and you can now find a quick link to it on the lefthand side here on the blog.

I hear some of you have hard to find the links in the text of this blog. Are they too unclear? Just hover over the bold letters when there are any, like on the four links above, click on them and you'll get to the referred site.

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Collectors piece

arhuaco mochila bag colombia
Just wanted to show you one of my favorites from our market. This bag is ridiculously beautiful, the solid and earthy colours interweave so well together. I also love the ruggedness of the bag and the fact that it's handwoven by one of the Arhuaco Indians in the Sierra Nevada mountain close to Santa Marta here in Colombia. Arhuaco is an indigenous tribe that today consist of only 27.000 people. This is as close to unique you will ever get and none of the bags are made exactly the same as the other. » Find it here «. 

We currently offer free shipping on orders above $150 USD. Email me if you have any questions at all!

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City lights

We were invited for a lovely pasta dinner on an Italian boat here in the bay last night. We are docked just fifty meters away in the marina, but what a difference it makes being out there in the bay. No sound from your neighbors boats, no creaking from the dock lines, no uncomfortable movement when a swell rides through. And that uninterrupted sight of the city lights without hundreds of masts shading the view. How we miss being on anchor, untied and swinging free with the wind. But I've learned in life that longing and dreaming of something is just a good thing, it makes the experience all that much stronger once you reach your goal.

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Update

And how's it going with the refit you might ask? Well, it's moving forward but having a perfectionist in the house, it always ends up with him improving every detail that he finds to be faulty so another project have just begun. The bulkhead between the head and cabin is done, only paint missing. But now it's the other cabin bulkhead where two of our wardrobes are located, that has got new plywood in between and is getting strengthen and worked on as we speak. Hey, why not rebuild the whole damn boat while we're at it!

Alex has also had time to install new carbon reinforced stringers or whatever you prefer call them, you can see one of them to the left. As well as reinforced the existing frames and floors with carbon too.

Honestly, I feel like retiring from this project right here and right now (having PMS as well) but knowing how much more Alex is sweating and suffering in that mask and in 100°F, I better keep my mouth shut.

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World Tour Market

So I have finally had the time to start searching for some authentic creations to share with our readers. The thought of opening a World Tour Market came alive a year ago or more, but I never really found anything unique and qualitative enough before now. But that has obviously changed as Colombia offers an abundance of beautiful crafts, if one is willing to dig around a little.

It was important to me that the products are all handmade and genuinely crafted for each client to receive something truly unique. As a woman, I also think it is important to help each other and all what you find on the shop today are designed as well as hand produced by women. 

For every piece that is sold in our shop, you do not only bring us one step closer to the South Pacific, but you will also support the local Colombian women and their families in their every day lives. 

If you don't find anything that suits you today, maybe you want to support two good causes by giving away an Amazonian friendship bracelet to someone you like! (the same I'm wearing on my right arm in the image above).

Some of the bags that we offer are the same bags as J Crew sold for a ridiculous $295 USD a while ago, handmade by the same Indian tribes. You can now find them with a lot smaller price tag in our shop.

Due to our tricky location, we can guarantee a delivery within 3-4 weeks. If you want your order faster, please email me and we can organize a delivery with FedEx, but the shipping cost will naturally be higher. All orders will be packed here in Colombia, sent with safe courier to the US and transferred from there to your chosen country and location, all to ensure a safe delivery. We currently have free delivery on orders above $200 USD.

There aren't a lot of products in the shop today, but I will be filling up with more with time, as well as add some of my favorite products from some of my favorite brands that I think you will like. 

Make sure to email me if you have any questions at all!


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Changes

You might see that we have moved the blog to own domain. Incredible, it took only 2,5 years. But thanks a lot to Sivu for helping me very swiftly once I finally got to take care of this little detail. 

It's a little heartbreaking though that with this move, all Facebook likes under each post are now gone but let's quickly compensate that, no? 

So please make sure to change in your browser and blog lists and wherever it might be important. The new site is www.worldtourstories.com and nothing else.

Which basically means: Stories from our tour in and (hopefully one day) around the world.

I am also this close from showing you our World Tour Market - shall be up tonight or no later than tomorrow. I really hope you will like the beautiful pieces that I've collected for you. Soon!

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Monchila

Been throwing an eye at these traditional Colombian bags since we arrived to this country a month ago but been hesitant to buy as I hadn't yet found the right color/pattern combined with the right length/size. But finally I ran into the right dealer today who understood exactly what I was looking for and am now a happy owner of a beautiful handmade Monchila bag, traditionally crafted by the Wayuu indians in the Northern part of Colombia. Loving the bright rave colour scheme of this specific one..

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