It was a hot steamy day, perfect for lounging around the hostel and not much else. At one point I thought I’d venture out into the city and shoot some pictures and get more of a feel for Cartagena.

It’s become one of my favorite towns I’ve seen on this trip. In my opinion, it blends the modern cityscape with the old colonial town better than anywhere I saw in Central America. The parks and streets are well-maintained (there was hardly any trace of the absurd festivities from the night before) and the economy is healthier than what I’ve grown accustomed to (or at least they’ve gotten good at keeping up appearances).

When I got back to the hostel, sweaty and with only a few pics, a huge crowd was hanging out in the courtyard. Around sundown there was a huge downpour, which chased pretty much everyone into their rooms, and for many of us, sapped our will to go out again. A quiet night in, and a chance to catch up on rest (sailboat sleep is hardly sleep at all), was just what the doctor ordered.