The Most Effective Birth Control...Nudity

Barbara and I recently spent a couple of weeks on vacation in South America. My daughter and her family live on one of the upper floors of a high rise in Cartagena Columbia. The front of the building faces Cartagena Bay. Between the building and the bay is a busy street and walking path that goes all the way from the end of the spit to the naval base near town. Lots of people use the path, from early in the morning to late at night. No matter what time of day you will find walkers, joggers, skateboarders and any number of maids out walking the family snack (dog). The climate is tropical, which means it is warm all year. Most people dress casually; some are more casual than others. One of the regulars on the path was an older man who wore no shoes, no hat, and no shirt.

Yes, it was EL SPEEDO. This man has proven my theory that the best form of birth control over the age of 40 is nudity. El Speedo obviously thought he was the most alluring specimen on the path. Distracting yes, alluring no. The man should have been cited for failing to maintain his property. Perhaps you have seen the website about the people at Wal-Mart. This guy would have made the hall of fame. He came in way ahead of the two old guys I saw at Playa Blanca who were wearing thongs. Most people think thongs are modern swimwear attire. We had them when I was a kid. You could get one anytime an older and larger kid or brother pulled your whitey tighteys up over your shoulders. We called them wedgees. Let’s hope El Speedo doesn’t buy a thong. Thanks for listening. I feel much better.

The Best Way To Get Around

Cartagena Colombia is a city of about a million people. Paved roads appear to be an after thought which are crowded with all kinds of public transportion; being driven by hundreds of people who have never had a driving lesson. Traffic laws appear to be actually traffic suggestions. Stop signs exist to help the guy selling coffee and gum have some place to lean against. Honking is a way of life. The taxis honk to let you know they are available. The following photos are an overview of the way people get around.

Taxis are everywhere. I think that perhaps at one time there were lanes actually painted onto the pavement but since no one pays any attention to them they were never repainted when they wore out. There is a beggar on one of the streets who has dug a hole and patches it with sand from a small bucket and then asks the cars stopped at the light to pay him for patching he hole he dug.

Motor cycles are a major form of transportation. If a cyclist has a vest with a number on the back he is actually operating a motor cycle taxi.
The burro is a common version on the American pickup truck. I have seen the pathetic burros pulling a cart load of rebar, paint and cement along with four or five Colombians
Water taxis take people from the city to a nearby island. They park just offshore (no dock) and a crew member give the rider a piggy back ride to the boat.

This is a taxi motor cycle and a city bus. The guy standing in the doorway yells at people on the sidewalk telling them where the bus is going. There are no real bus stops. You wave at a bus and it will stop, even if its on an inside lane. The bus driver honks continually letting people know he will stop and pick them up.