Santa Marta’s claim to fame is it is the oldest Spanish city in the Americas and it shows. There is a whole historical area that we are next to and we get to see the buildings and infrastructure that has been renovated from the 1500’s and we get to see the parts they have yet to get to. All in all it is a vibrant city and the Columbians know how to enjoy themselves. It is Christmas and everything around here is geared up to the locals enjoying the festive season. This city is also a major holiday destination as it is next to one of the best National Parks so there is a lot of hustle and bustle about. There are restaurants that seat anywhere from 12 to dozens of people, street stalls, buses that go everywhere and taxis that constantly honk for your business. No matter what we want to eat and no matter what kind of ambience we want, we can find it. Very little English is spoken here so Google Translate is getting well used. The supermarkets would leave a lot of Wal-Mart’s for dead with size and variety. Can’t find any decent cheddar cheese though. We walk the streets and take in the sights. There is a marked police presence everywhere so we feel that probably helps with the sense of security here. We can go out at night and not worry about having to get back to the boat so we partake in some of the local nightlife. We have watched Latin dancers doing their stuff, local musicians playing a definite Columbian style, and break-dancers trying to break something. Christmas lights are out, stalls line the beach and the roadsides and everyone comes out at night. What is not to love. Now we have to shop for Christmas and get ready for our hike into the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the lost city of Ciudad Perdida – 650 years older than Machu Picchu. It was “found” recently so does not yet have the restrictions that Machu Picchu has had to impose.