Following a filling tea of four different empanadas to share and a fair attempt at the world’s best hotdog each, we sauntered down the street towards the walls of the fortress that enclose Cartagena’s old town. Our ears pricked up as we heard rhythms being busted out on some distant bongos and we couldn’t resist the temptation to get involved. We curiously followed the sounds around the fortress’ turrets and were soon swallowed up by a stampede of circling people, who were virtually all shaking maracas. A small band was generously given one square metre or so in which to play their instruments, including a large melodeon, a clarinet, congas and singers. To be honest, we felt a little out of place. That is until we released THE awesome guiro fish of knowledge, which are made from the pod of some kind of fruit (no idea what fruit, even after being told!), and enhanced the crowds rhythm with our flawless percussion.
Just when we needed her! A bubbly fruit seller in traditional red, blue and yellow, costume (the flag of Colombia) magically appeared with her moreish condensed milk and coconut delights, all balanced on her head! One wasn’t enough, but as we finished scoffing and turned our heads, she had mysteriously disappeared. And in about a further twenty minutes, so did the party!
In a flash, the happening atmosphere left us and it turned out that all the party-goers had crammed into some open buses to escape the police presence. Back we walked across the fort, with only the light evening breeze and the waves of the sea acknowledging us. The fiesta buses rolled past with people inside singing, rattling their maracas and scraping their fish-struments! A few responded enthusiastically when they saw Jon shaking the maracas from the heights of the fort!
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