San Andres Caribbean island

San Andres is not somewhere I guess I would typically travel. It's not quite off-the-beaten-track and does attract quite a few package tourists. However it's not really that hard to see a different side, and that was my goal. So after I arrived and relaxed in the hotel, I went out to find the local's watering hole. It turned out to be a shop! So joined a couple of the natives and we chatted away fr the evening. Gabriel, a local guy was very excited when I told him that I wanted to get to know the real San Andres, the people from here, the food. He agreed to take me around the island the following day on bikes.

So we set off about 10 the following morning and took it quite slowly, cycling along the coast road line with palm trees and skirtig a sea of many hues of blue. The main language of the natives is English, albeit with a Caribbean accent an it was nice being able to chat to Gabriel in English. We stopped for lunch with some locals, a local fish dish with lime served up with coconut rice, fried plantain and salad. It had been a while since I'd eaten fish and it did not disappoint. In the afternoon I relaxed on the beach and went for a swim in the crystal clear sea. The pace of life certainly made for a change from the mad dash around of the last couple of weeks.

- David