Travel Mart Latin America - 2012

Last night was a fun intro to Travel Mart Latin America 2012. Shortly after our leisurely lunch, we were picked up for a transfer out of the Old City to a welcome reception hosted by Metropolitan Touring, a Virtuoso on-site for South America. Not only were we treated to tasty snacks and drinks but a delightful program beginning with a journalist who heads a foundation for young, aspiring journalist in honor of Nobel laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez who lived in Cartagena briefly as a young journalist who wrote some memorable works such as Love in the Time of Cholera. We were all given copies of his writings.

Just as this interesting speaker finished the room exploded with brightly dressed Colombian dancers and wild Caribbean music. The costumes were beautiful and the dancers enthralled us. We were really getting into the rhythm of the music when Rachel and I were pulled out onto the dance floor. Maybe we weren't quite as good as the Colombian dancers, but we were having just as much fun!

Fortunately, our meetings didn't begin until 10am the next morning, so we had a good night's sleep. TMLA is very different from Virtuoso Travel Week that we had just attended in Vegas last month. We chose from a list of travel suppliers attending the meeting with whom we wanted an appointment, and the time slots were 20 minutes – much better than the '4-minute speed dating' sessions in Vegas! Another nice treat were the various snack tables set up throughout the hall and the wonderful Colombian coffee! It's so good I didn't even want to add cream which is amazing for me!

The appointments were excellent, and I've learned so much already. I've even found a company that offers flights and overnight stays in Antarctica. Now I can finally visit that last continent and not have to fight sea sickness through the Drake Passage to get there!

Tonight we had no scheduled activities so we decided to explore the Old City at night and had dinner at a fabulous Colombian restaurant. A friend I'd met on my Vietnam fam several years ago was also at the meeting and she joined us. Not only is she a lot of fun but she is also fluent in Spanish. It was wonderful to sit back and let her take care of all our dialog with the waiters!

Strolling back through the Old City to our hotel was like being on a movie set. The small plazas, sidewalk cafes, quaintly-lit streets with occasional carriages passing by were almost surreal. We had been told and found it true that the streets in this area are perfectly safe, and we had no qualms about strolling down them. Anyone coming to Cartagena MUST stay in the Old City.

Tomorrow is our last day in Cartagena. Rachel will be heading back to Austin to relieve Stephen who has been babysitting while I am off to explore the coffee regions and enjoy more Colombian coffee.

Linda