Getting on board with public transport

There´s a first time for everything...that´s what the mototaxi driver said as I clumsily hopped on behind him explaining that I´d never done this before. I actually never intended on getting on this popular form of transportation, especially having never ridden a motorcycle. But when I asked my host family how to get to the bus terminal, Señora Elena whisked me out the door and before I knew it she had hailed the mototaxi.´But I´m scared!´ I said. ´You have to get used to it´ was the unsympathetic reply. So there I was, clinging to this man who had my life in his hands...weaving in and out of traffic and dodging buses, dogs, potholes and pedestrians. ´No eres de acá, no?´ said the driver. No, I´m not from here I replied. He proceeded to explain that he could tell by the way I looked and the way I talked. Astute oberserver! Well, as promised, the driver delivered me safely to the bus station, which turned out to be a tree at the intersection of two roads. The ride, in the end, was fun and much nicer to have a cool breeze the whole way, as opposed to sucking in the stagnant, sticky air of the public buses. Will I do it again? Vamos a ver...

On that note, the public bus system is quite an interesting experience. First of all, they look like retired school buses from the 1950s. (and quite well could be!) Every ´buseta´ has a driver as well as an assistant that collects fares and hands out change. This guy also has the job of getting as many passengers to board his buseta as possible. According to my local friends, the system is basically: the more passengers the more money for the workers. To be competitive then, the assistants hang out the door like garbagemen and harrass passerby shouting out their destinations and making aggressive gestures to board. My American mentality wants to respond: ´If I want to get on your bus I will tell you, and get on of my own volition!´ But of course, I´m not in the U.S. (or any other country where the bus drivers couldn´t care less whether you get on or not. Which is every country I´ve been to!) To top it off, my understanding is that the busetas are on the clock, so it´s possible that when approaching the ´finish line´, the assistant will leave his post and take off running to hand over the fare money to the boss. You can´t say are aren´t working hard for the money!

Here are some unrelated pictures from my last days in Cartagena:

Castillo de San Felipe. Never taken! Defended Spanish Cartagena from attacks in the days of ore.

Great views from the fort (not all are crooked!). It owes it´s height to the hill that it was incoropated into.

Limonada that gringo bellys can´t handle.

Tunnels were built throughout the fort to aid communication and movement of soldiers.

There are lots of nooks and crannies to hang out in the walls surrounding the city.

El auto fantástico! Enough said.