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Back From Providencia

Just returned from my third trip to Isla Providencia. The last was four years ago. Here are some updates. "Frenchie" died two years ago. His wife Maria is selling their crafts shop. She wants to move to their finca up the mountain and renovate it with the money from the sale (asking $350.000.000). The Cayo Cangrejo tour: this is the tour in lancha that circles the island stopping at the floating bridge and El Centro then continuing on to Cayo Cangrejo, a small rock island with a wharf where you stop and snorkle for a couple of hours. Following that you continue to a couple of other rocky islands that are rookeries (nesting grounds) for Magnificent Frigatebirds and a Boobies species (maybe Blue-footed, I didn´t see), both strictly seabirds. In my first two visits the lanchero would pull the boat close then clap his hands and whistle and scream encouraging the tourists to do the same. The effect of course was that any birds that could fly lifted off and swirled around in the air producing a great "show". Since this tour runs daily seven days a week this daily scaring the birds into the air was obviously extreemely stressfull for both nestlings and adults and probobly greatly reduced successfull hatchings to the point where there wasn´t much of a "show". I was happy to see that this practise has been eliminated. We took the tour twice and both times the lancha just pulled up quietly to the islets and the launchero gave a little speech. There were still plenty of birds in the air and they flew closer so it was easy to see the huge red sacks hanging from the necks of the adult male frigatebirds.

Providencia is popular with Colombian actors and actrices. On my first trip we met Ana María Arango a novela actrice who invited us to see a beautifull house that she had "Frenchie" build for her. This time as we dined at Donde Martín the actor Diego Trujillo sat down at the next table. He is the "calvo" who plays the government man in the popular novela "El Capo".

Lastly: Decameron. I talked to several business owners asking them what has been the effect of the Decameron "affiliation" with many of them. None had a criticism. Decameron has done a better job of promoting their cabañas and restaurants at the travel agencies so business has improved. The only reservation was expressed by Martín of the restaurant who was concerned that the Decameron involvement might lead to having the wrong type of tourist show up in Providencia ie: the heavy drinking partyers who demand all the toys (sea scooters etc.). For now at least it seems Decameron has stepped lightly .

By Atrevido on Oct 5, 2009, 17:02 in Friendly Talkzone.

Cheers Terry says on Oct 5, 2009, 17:46:

Nice travel report. This forum could use way more of them.

Here's some additional info on Providencia from my pal, Paul. Loads of great advice and suggestions:

http://boards.bootsnall.com/a-little-paradise-in-the-middle-of-the-car...

Cheers,
Terry

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RRAC says on Oct 6, 2009, 05:35:

very insighting , any pics?
I love to go there any time soon, my wife speaks wonders about that place!

Amar la disciplina es amar el saber, odiar la reprensión es ser ignorante

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