We Are Their Livelihood

Burro en la Calle - 8x11 watercolor on 300lb paper

I spotted this burro attached to a cart near a busy intersection in Cartagena. I did not paint this on site, but employed a deviced called a “camera”…to capture said image and work on painting it in the luxury of an air conditioned apartment . It’s not so much the heat, as the humidity that floors these Seattle natives. In a few days time we wil be in Guayacha, near Tayrona park, further east on the Caribbean coast, and there will be no air conditioning, just an idyllic palapa in the jungle. We will be spending a lot of time in the river.

Carts of all sorts, shapes and sizes are employed here, mostly driven by human power. (Tons of cars and motorbikes as well)

As we move about the city we are perpetually engaged by a plethora of hawkers selling everything from coral bracelets to trips to the Rosario islands, to massages, to Hats, Domino holders, lottery tickets, etc. One quickly realizes that we tourists are their livlihood, and that we are expected to fulfill that roll. But you can’t say yes to everyone, so you get really good at saying No a hundred different ways. You start feeling like “No’s” are powering you through the city. It’s not a rejection, but a means of propulsion.

We went to a beach on BocaGrande, which is the peninsula south of El Centro (The old Walled City) with lots of new high rise hotels , and most of the beach was closed off, with only a small section left open for use. WOW, was that crowded, and I have never said NO so fast and so frequently in my life. The expectation was intense. They pretty much leave Giacomo alone. BUt we did spent money, and body surfed in the waves, and got sunburned, so everyone was happy.

Cartagena is a visual feast, and I highly recommend coming here. Pretty much not to be missed, but it is also the center of tourism in Colombia. It will be good to see more of the country without the hard sell.

Above is some of my process with the “Burro en la Calle” watercolor. I actually started with a drawing done with a blue watercolor pencil (which bleeds when wetted). Notice how I am rigging my easel inorder for it to be more stable. Improvisation! Plein air painting! Life! …. Lo Mismo.