Now that carnival is over and I have a second to breathe let me try to recap the four days. I’ll start with day 1:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKUI6abqn_M]

After a wild Friday I wake up on Saturday at 11:30, jump out of bed, and run down to the battle of the flowers (the largest parade of the carnival). I went to meet with my friend Jean, but once I arrived there was no Jean to be found. So I’m walking around alone in a crowd of thousands of people, drinking Aguilia, looking for my friends, and trying to find a place where I can see the parade. While walking through the crowd I got cornered by 4 guys who wouldn’t let me move and kept reaching into my pockets. I covered my pockets with my hands and ran. Crisis averted.

So I come to terms with the fact that I’m not going to find my friends and finally found a place where I could see the action. After about 10 minutes the group of people next to me ask if I want a shot of their Whiskey.  I become the token gringo, repeating words and phrases, and taking shots whenever handed the bottle. Things got a little wild. We tear down the tent in front of us where the rich people are sitting to get a better view and start throwing water on everyone. After a few hours of mayhem they invite me to the beach. Good and bad things happen on the beach… this was no time to go.

I left and went down to the south of the city to a baseball field where a huge concert was being held. I went to meet with some friends I had made the night before at La Troja, but once again could not find them in the crowd. So I walked around until I found one of my students and went in with him and his friends.

They don’t sell beer… only liquor. Bottle of rum it is.

The concert is amazing. I’m dancing all over the place. Salsa, vallenato, reggaeton, whatever comes out of the speakers we are moving to. I take my sandals off to dance with someone, a few songs pass, I turn around and notice they are gone. So hours later I am leaving a sold out concert in a sketchy part of the city with no shoes. I call a friend who is at a street party and says he can get me an extra pair. Off to the street party I go, once again flying solo.

I get there and walk around until I find him only to be told he forgot the shoes. About 30 minutes later I step on a broken bottle of something and my foot starts bleeding all over the place. I poor some beer on it, grab a napkin and scotch tape, and make a band-aide. I went home around 4 am, cleaned the cuts up a little bit, and went to bed.

Keep in mind, while I did drink a good amount of alcohol throughout the day, I did it at a pace that kept me relatively sober. I have never, and will never, black out in this country… there’s too much to remember!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1lU-pvgr00]

Last weekend was one of the last pre-carnival events called La Guacherna. It was my second parade, the first being in the beach town of Puerto Colombia, but my first time actually dancing in one. It was one of the best nights of my life.

I went down to the parade with my friend Keren. We had to force our way through the gates and a few security guards to get inside the parade. Once we got in the dancing and drinking began, and there was plenty of both. The tricky part is you have to dance while you move forward, which is why most people just put their arms around each other and run all over the place. After about two hours and one too many sips I hear a bunch of people screaming my name. I look over and all of my students are standing on the side of the road, screaming, jumping up and down and taking pictures. This was already a once in a lifetime experience (I never thought I’d be dancing in a Colombian parade) but this topped it off. Apparently my students have pictures on facebook… blackmail.

I ended the night at an 80’s bar with some friends. I got to dance, had a few more drinks, and went home to rest for the next day.  Big thanks to one of the coolest girls I’ve ever met, Carolina, for the costume for the parade. Caroli na na na na na (you will hear about her in a song soon)

Every day before my class starts I play a few songs for my students. I have realized by picking these songs how rap music is rarely universal. I almost never find myself playing rap music, which has made me want more out of my own music. I’m looking forward to making fans that can’t understand me. Check out some of the tracks I’m enjoying in that same regard right now.

French: Stromae – Alors On Danse

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHoT4N43jK8]

Spanish: Juan Luis Guerra – Bachata En Fukuoka

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PESglbdGUUQ]

Dutch: Brainpower – Boks Ouwe

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oiuaka_rA-k&feature=related]

If you have never danced bachata you really should learn how. It is a wonderful type of music and a great way to get close to someone. I will share a lot more music on twitter so look me up: twitter.com/addictivenature

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8Z-WfbImJo]

This was my first time performing in Colombia, back in November. You have already “met” Julian (guitar), Keren (singer), and Diego (bass). So I would like to introduce you to Camilo, the drummer. Camilo is one of my best friends here. He specializes in making music that people jump to, and is helping me with a few songs for the new album, so expect to jump. I’d also like you to meet Juan, a rediculously good singer and rapper who plays in a reggae band here. He will also be on the album.

I have no idea who took this video, but whoever it was really likes zooming in and out.

If you don’t have a car in Barranquilla you have three options for getting around: taxi, moto (motorcycle taxi), and bus.

BUS:

Trying to get on a bus is a lot like jumping into a double-dutch game. Sure it might slow down for you, but don’t expect it to stop. The second your foot touches the first step that bus is back to full speed. Your first obstacle is to climb up and push your way through the rotating gate. Once you get through you have to pay the bus driver, who turns around while driving to take your money (1.3 mil/.75 cents) and give you change.

Then comes the hardest part, trying to make it to a seat. This bus will come to sudden stops, jerking around to avoid cracks in the road and people as they play frogger. Colombians call these buses “erasers” because as Tavo says, “they erase people from this earth.”  If you can make it to a seat without falling into someone you are a better man than I. In my opinion these busses are better than the DC ones though. I think I was attacked by a crack head 80% of the time I rode a DC bus.

Now comes the part that’s especially difficult for me. Not all buses have a button to ask the driver to stop. So many times you have to yell at the driver from the back, which is really hard when you don’t know what to yell. Expect to be left at least one block away from where you intended to get off.

Taxi:

At first taxis will seem like heaven, especially after being on a bus.  A 10 minute cab ride is 6 mil/3 USD. I can see all my DC people’s faces as I’m writing this… I know, that is what you pay just to get in. There are three things you need to know before taking a taxi. 1) You will not stop at red lights after 9pm 2) you won’t go anywhere near the speed limit. You’ll want to learn how to say slow down (mas despacio) 3) If a taxi ever stops to pick you up at night and is full of people run, run very fast.

Moto:

You don’t want to ride one of these. It is cheaper than a cab and it will get you there faster… but think about it. This guy has been driving people around all day. It’s hot here, and you HAVE to put on the extra helmet he has been carrying around. People go to the hospital with funguses on their head because they put these things on. On top of that, what guy wants to ride on the back of a motorcycle?

While these things aren’t ideal, they are in their own way fun. It’s different, and an adventure if you make it one. I’ve jumped on a number of buses when I didn’t have anything to do just to go somewhere, and let it take me wherever it was going. I ended up downtown once, out in the country once, and even where I was trying to go a few times.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sfov4w73nYQ&feature=youtube_gdata]

Another great night revolved around music. The setting this time was a birthday party at Puerta Del Sol, a hotel in town. Free drinks, a pool that dared me to jump in, and of course amazing music from Jean, Albert, and Diego. We did one set and went to La Troja, a famous salsa spot thats right down the road, returning later for another set. I get caught up at La Troja so I didn’t make it back for the second set, but we met up afterwards and played in the courtyard until 7 am. You know when you see someone selling the next days paper that it’s time to go home. The fellas made it out to Puerto Colombia for another show on the beach, but I had a date with my bed.

I like when you don’t question things that are questionable, such as staying up all night, because it feels right. I will forever stick to my motto: follow the music. It’s worked out pretty well so far and I can’t wait to see where it takes me in the future.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEDgVZE2l1E&feature=feedu]

I’ve never been so in love with music. My friends are all such talented musicians and nice enough to bring me along when they perform, whether it be at a bar or a house party. This Sunday they performed at a birthday party in the city and called me in the morning to invite me. I showed up before them and was greeted by an entire house of people that didn’t know me but insisted that “this is your house.” We played from 4 until 1 am, four sets of great music. This video shows a song from each set… watch how the night progresses.

shake it on baby now… TWIST AND SHOUT!