Santa Marta Columbia is "Perfecto"

Yahoo for Santa Marta, I am finally settled into the perfect place for me to focus on learning Spanish. The people of Columbia are openly very friendly compared to the much more reserved Venezuelans. I seem to be making an unintended pilgrimage to Bolivar as Isla Margarita was; quote from Wikipedia, "In 1814, the islanders fought successfully for independence from the Spanish, and Isla Margarita became the first free territory in Venezuela. It was on Margarita Island that Simon Bolivar, later called the Libertador, was confirmed as Commander in Chief of the new republic, la gran Colombia. From there he started to free Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia from the Spanish Crown." Next I went to Caracas and visited the city center where the colonial heritage of Caracas is preserved with many building including Bolivars home and the church where he is entombed. Santa Marta is where Bolivar died after giving up his dream of a united South America, simialr to what had come to pass in the United States. There are a great many quotes from Bolivar, one in which he puts himself into a group with Jesus and Don Quioxte, check em out.

I start classes on Monday from 10-1 daily, Mondays through Friday. My single room at the Hotel Miramar is only a short block from the beach and costs only $5 per night. Santa Marta has everything for me: Spanish school, excellent swimming, broadband Internet and all for very little money. I will be staying here for some weeks and look forward to updating my blog with entries to get me up to present. All for now, BIG LOVE-don