A friend I got to know here had a job interview in her hometown Corozal and she invited me to get to know the place. First I was a little reluctant to drive by bus through Colombia, but after several people told me that this route was safe, I went. And really the only danger that was there didn’t come from the rebels, but from the crazy driving. We passed two accidents. The first one seemed like a dead motor bike driver and the second one was a truck in flames laying on its side just beside the street. The street itself was covered with gasoline and burning. First all the cars stopped and they seemed to discuss whether it was possible (safe) to drive through the burning part of the street. Then after about 5 minutes one driver on the other side decided to risk it. He made it and then all the cars and busses started to pass the burning truck. Although some passenger protested the buss driver also decided to drive by. It was really like in a movie, driving through the burning gasoline on the street and the flaming truck that seemed to explode any moment. When we drove back after two days, unbelievably the place was still burning although there was almost nothing left of the truck; nobody seemed to care to put out the fire. Every few kilometers a police patrol was protecting the street. One has to know that when you speak of “police” in Colombia, you mean well armed personnel in camouflage just like soldiers in other countries.Cartagena being a place living of the tourism, Corozal was really different, a small quiet town, with a small market. Something that really catches your eyes are the countless “motos” that populate the streets. They are just like taxi cabs but in form of a motor bike. People use them to do about everything in their daily lives, for example go shopping in the market. Seeing a whole family of 4 riding one bike is nothing uncommon. Speaking of things you don’t see in Europe. Here on every corner you can find someone that is selling calls with their cellular. Most people here own a cellular phone but only to receive calls. When they want to make a call they go to one of the persons mentioned above. So you see one person with a cellular phone showing a number to another and then using that phone to make the call. Like in Europe the plans get cheaper the more you use your phone. Here they have found a way to make use of that to earn some money. Another thing that caught my attention was a toy that all the children here are using. It’s an old tire from a bike; they walk with it in the streets driving it forward with their hand or with a stick. I found that funny because I remember it from an old black and white photograph, but I have never actually seen it “live”.
