Navidad en Colombia Christmas in Cololmbia Part 1

 Its been a whirlwind of adventures this past couple of months, I have not been blogging because I am writing a book of my crazy adventures here, the happenings the angels that entered my life the good the bad and the wonderful. For my readers, if you are interested please send me a note of encouragement or a thumbs up or comments. I am working daily on the details, the cast of characters, and have talked to someone about producing it in episodes to view, so not only the book but hopefully a series of Where is Marianna? This particular story today is about the time spent during the holidays here in Colombia, its so different than any where else in the world.

     

I experience serveral things during the holiday, first in Rionegro San Antonio in the small pueblo 

where Rosieta, and Dona Marta and don Josue live. You will know all about them when you read the     book or hopefully watch the stories I ve been busy writing. Then later in Jerico Colombia a small  pueblo that is a cow farm town in the Andes. In San Antonio the feeling of Christmas is not the same  as I felt in USA or Europe or other parts of Latin America. The planning and decorating of townships and homes begin after the 24th of November, Its commercial,but still has the flavor  of the old world 

Christmas, the base of Navidad is story of Baby Jesus, and of course papa Santa Claus is also a big part of the holiday season.  

The people  in all the street corners selling ribbons and candles because they a tradition of lighting the candles on that certain night. I had gone with Dona Marta one afternoon on her day off after she  went to her exercise class of swimming in an Olympic pool.  We went  shopping in Rionegro.           

 It was so congested and filled with people shopping, farm people,the people of the "Campo"they say.  

 Many Venezuelan's that has fled the country and are accepted into Colombia. They are clearly different, poor in there looks and hustling in the streets to make any sort of money they can. The . country of Colombia has welcome them with open arms, so there are so many of them all over.

 Marta could tell the differences in Piasa's ( the name they called Colombians) from Venzulanos.She pointed many out to me and soon I could tell the differences as well. We shopped,I bought strings of pearls to sew on a blouse I created, she bought ribbons for me to make her a garland our of fresh 

materials and candles for the saints night of Navidad. We walked all over and shopped then I treated  her to ice cream in the plaza, we sat and watched all the people shopping for Christmas.   

           

The following day I asked Don Josue the major domo of the Casa Grande of Rosieta where I was   staying,  if he could pick me branches of pine, Euculyptis, and Cypress, I saw it growing on the property so he did and I created for them by hand a garland for there tiny apartment, and a wreath for the door. They never in there 26 years of living on that finca had anyone make or create anything for them for Christmas, I constructed it in less than an hour an mounted it on there window of there apartment which is in the back of the grand house.  

    

      

     

        

 

                 

I then decorated there tiny tree with the left over eucalyptus and pine and ribbon and stuck some in the wreath so it all matched, this gift of my talent to them was such a blessing, they were  overwhelmed with the look, even though to me it was not that great. I have done some incredible things, but it was perfect for them, simple yet pretty, and they never have had anything such as this ever. The next day I made a banana cream pie for them and myself!    

Understand Pie is not known much in Colombia in fact when I have show others the photos of a pie they have no idea what it is. I had shopped for the pudding but there was none, so I created it by hand with eggs and corn starch,vanilla milk and panela,  like an English pudding of sorts, adding  the banana at the end to give it that flavor my crust was perfect and the whipping cream that was a joke to find!! They call it batta Creama its in a bag, you have to add the milk. So it was good but different, they were delighted that I would go to this level of giving, but for me if any of you know me this was not much.   Considering I make really good food and create for many years beautiful  decorations! I was humbled to do this for them. Marta actually hugged and kissed me and Josue was overwhelmed that I could even do this! Later I made a large arrangement with the leftover over Eucaplytus, and cut some Helconias that were growing in the garden to put on a table when Rosieta returned.   

         

       

         

 I remained in San Antonio until Rosieta returned she was off in Cali doing something with friends and checking on one of her farms. After she sent me to Jerico to her Quinta, Now I am being brief on  this because I am seriously writing a book of everything that has happened here ,incredible places and literally miracles. I am blessed to have come here even though the beginning was horrible, you have  to read the book or watch the series to know what has happened to me. Back to CHRISTMAS!! Ha ha. So I left from Medelllin on a three and half hour bus ride over the Andes to beautiful Jerico. I am  literally in Love with Jerico. The climate is hot in the day and cold at night, perfect for sleeping. I spent several weeks in Jerico, meeting locals and talking to people in the small lovely inviting town.  The lights of christmas everywhere, decorating like mad men, mostly the same style with old cinemea, ribbon and fake greens that I used years and years ago. I was invited but some of the girls of a tiny hole in the wall restuarant called Candelijas, they are darling lady's they invited me to go on ad  adventure in an old land cruiser across the mountains on a one lane road to see the lights of other smaller pueblos, That in itself was a crazy experience. 11 of us in an old lands cruiser, them singing drinking and laughing. I myself did not drink,I get car sick very easily so I remained sober and sat next to the driver that was flirting with me the whole time. WHAT A TRIP THIS WAS! You will have   to read the book to hear it all but it was fun, crazy and some wild things happened. 

     

 

 

 

 

We traveled for more than hour across roads that were not paved, and found another little pueblo called Pueblo Rico, meaning rich town, but it was far from rich, beautiful interesting and fun! Days have past as Christmas Arrived, I got booted from the beautiful Quinta Dona Rosietas Quinta in Jerico because he had other guests so I searched for two days to find a room, only three hotels, and private homes I seached and walked everywhere you an imagine hours in the roads hills an mountains knocking on doors to find a place to sleep for several if not weeks! Non one had rooms. I felt like Mary and Josheph searching for a room and no room at the Inns! Finally I went to Hotel Porton, and talk to Yolima the owner, she happened to be there told her my story how I was alone and had no where to stay because of the problem of the Quinta being full with other guests, her and I worked it out, THAT STORY IS A GOOD ONE THIS ONE SHOULD MAKE MY BOOK OR SERIES A HIT!! LOL anyway she took me in and then invited me to her personal Finca some 45 minutes away, here is the photo of Rosietas QUINTA in JERICO 

I have so much to tell you about Christmas in Colombia, that honestly this blog wont hold it all its all in the book already but soon! I have been a literal pied piper to children, I guess that one night i taught Zumba in the Plazoletta exposed me to people, Now the children come to me like Magnets and I have a few I have fallen in love with as well, there all so cute and so charming. I needed up buying about 8 gifts for children I do not know but see on a daily basis in the central, although one is my favorite, shes the daughter of the owner of Candelijas restuarant, EMILY, actually the two. Families tha run this place have taken my heart and I bought gifts for them all, On the 24th I brought all of them the gifts to the restuarant.