Friday morning started with a walk to the internet café to check messages and then a light breakfast. When Stephanie did not show up at 9am I called her and learned she was on her way. EP had talked to his girl and they decided not to visit the mud volcano with us.
After Stephanie arrived I found a taxi to take us to the volcano, Vulcan del Totumo. He assured me he had all of the required paperwork for the military checkpoints along the way. I brought a few towels and a change of clothes but in the taxi Stephanie informed me she did not have a change of clothes for the mud volcano.
I asked the taxi driver to take us to a store where she could get something to wear in the mud. As she was shopping I sat with the driver at a small café and we each had a drink while waiting for Stephanie. He was looking at his official papers while we sat there, but I did not think anything of it.
After Stephanie had found something she liked we were finally off to the volcano, I thought. But as it turned out the taxi driver needed to visit an office to get his paperwork updated. That took another 45 minutes through a part of Cartagena I was not familiar with. It would have been OK since my primary focus was on meeting new friends, but Stephanie was not very interested in conversation. I learned she had some concerns about the volcano from a bad experience there when she was about 6 years old, but she was OK with going today.
We arrived at the volcano at about noon finding a large tour bus there. We climbed to the top and there were at least 20 people already in the mud pit. Stephanie looked hesitant, but she got in the mud and made the best of it. I could see she was nervous. So after a few minutes of relaxing in the mud, we got out. From the mud pit they lead you down to the river where someone washes you off. It is quite an experience!
We had lunch at the volcano and then headed back to the city. Stephanie is a nice girl, but we had little in common. On the ride back we talked about family and life in Colombia and in the US. But at times we sat in silence. As it turned out the taxi was not required to stop at any of the military checkpoints. We got back to my apartment at about 3pm and I think Stephanie was happy the day was over. She told me she needed to leave to get ready for work and I was not too disappointed to see her go.
After taking a shower to get the last of the mud out of my ears, I called a few of the numbers I had loaded into my cell phone. The second called was answered by Lila, a girl I had met in Cartagena my previous trip. She agreed to meet me at the Juan Valdez coffee shop in Bocagrande.
Lila is a remarkable person. She loves to have fun and is usually smiling. I have never met a person so full of life and so interested in making every moment count. We met at the coffee shop and chatted for a few minutes. We then walked together back to my apartment building.
I learned Lila was living with a special friend now, but had wanted to see me again. We went up to my apartment and just talked. Lila told me that she and her friend plan to open a business in Cartagena. I told her about the day I had with the brief visit to the Volcano.
Lila told me she LOVED the volcano and would like to go the next day if I was willing to make another trip there. I agreed. She then promised to meet me in the morning if I would promise to call her at 9am.
At about 6pm EP called me to ask if I had any plans for dinner. I did not, so I asked Lila if she was interested in joining them for dinner. Lila agreed to go along and the four of us went into the old city where we found a nice restaurant. Again I do not remember the name of the restaurant, but it has a stuffed bull standing in the entryway.
Being Friday night, the restaurant was full. We got lucky with a table in front of a band that was playing typical Latin music. The food was great and the company was better. EP took a lot of photos with his new camera and we all had lots of laughs. At one point Lila asked me to dance with her in the restaurant! Back home I would have been too self conscious to get up and dance in a crowded restaurant, but it was fun. Lila is the kind of person that can make anyone laugh. Although I think she might be a little too crazy for EP.
After dinner we all took a taxi back towards our apartments. We dropped Lila off near her building. She gave me a small kiss and reminded me to call her the next morning for the trip to the volcano. I headed back to my apartment for a good nights sleep. I reflected on the day and the people I had met this trip. Of all the girls I had met, Lila was the one who made me laugh the most, but then she has “a special friendâ€. I still enjoyed the time she gave me and looked forward to our day trip on Saturday.
I did not know it at the time, but the next day my plans would change. . .
Part 5, (final installment), still to come.
