Indiana Jones was unrealistic

  Ancient Civilizations, Strange natives with strange customs, Jungle, Solders with guns, military check points, shady criminals.  The world of Indiana Jones has all of these things, what it seemed to lack though was a heap of walking, oppressive humidity, mosquitos, early bedtime followed by an uncomfortable night sleep.  At least there weren't any Nazi's following us trying to take over the world with an instrument of religion.

The trip to the lost city of the ancient Tayronan civilization of a few names, apparently the indigenous peoples referred to  the place as Teyuna (Mother nature), the anthropologists call it "Buritaca 200" ( the 200th site on the Buritaca river) and now most people just call it by its nice marketing friendly name of "La Ciudad perdida" (The lost City) as it was lost to western civilization until 1975.

The city itself was founded in about the year 800 or so, although it grew to its current size by 1100.  Considering that Machu Pichu was built in the 1400s, it rates as an important step in the history of the Ancient peoples of this area as they moved their way down the American Continent.  At its peak the Cit supported 1500 - 3000 occupants, about 200 families and was a center for ceremonial proceedings, politics and education.  Within the indigenous society there is a community leader, a person respected for their wisdom,and medical, spiritual, and cultural knowledge.  The modern name for these people is "mama" although they are men, and in ancient times they were referred to as "Chamani".  Mama don't have to work as the other people in the tribe have to, they don't harvest crops, or run messages.  They just trot about the forest gathering herbs and things, organize everyone's lives and chat with people.  Considered good work if you can get it.  Mama are taught from a young age, generally by their father.

In the time of the Tayrona the Chamani after a certain age would move to Teyuna to live.  There they would instruct the young who were to become Chamani and administer the larger ceremonies for the area.  The local little towns would come to Teyuna to conduct the more important ceremonies.  The remains of some of these places are still there, you pass one of them on the way to the lost city, it's over grown as they apparently don't have the money to maintain the smaller sites as well as the larger ones.   I think considering the amount of money they pulled out of the ground in the area its the least they could do. 

I have more information if you are interested, let me know.  There doesn't seem to be a whole lot floating about the Internet ( and as the case always is with these things, it's all guess work anyway).

The trip there and back was good. Santa Marta is a neat place, made all the better for the Local touch, thanks to Luis, Freddy and their Mum.  Not too often that a night out can involve, eating empanadas, Shrimp cocktails, dancing with Gran to live drums, doing laps of down town, whiskey in the streets, a Closed Club in the middle of nowhere, an Open Club on a cliff over looking the sea, complete with lightning show,and an after prom party in the rain, with live vallenato band.

Pictures of Santa Marta

The lost city trip was nice as well, more photos of that will follow; thanks to Walter and Omar, and the companionship of:

Laura C &	The traveling Literacy Warrior
Tom C	World Vet
Carla H &	The tougher than nails Bonaire Dentist
Silvan H	Bonaire all round good guy, who knows a good tough nail when he sees one.
Raymond J	Scotch without thistles
Rory M	The pastie arge pommie
Thom L	Hosptial Thom ;)