The islands used to be a part of England, that's why 40% of San Andres and almost all the people in Providence and Santa Catalina (where you can still find more the original culture who is not yet as Colombianised as San Andres) speak Creole (a mix of native english, spanish and some also say french). Although San Andres is part of Colombia, the culture is more similar to the culture of Jamaica where they also speak Creole.
I had the opportunity to visit Providence and Santa Catalina during the carnaval. Before the carnaval even began, people in Providence already started partying a week before. 1st day of carnaval: guys dressing up like girls, lots of flower, beer, music, this is the way how they get on their motorbike to go around the island.
2nd day of Carnaval: party all day! 3rd and last day, 23 of june, a boatrace around the island and at night miss Providence gets elected followed by concerts of many artists from all over the Caribean until the sun comes up.
The week of carnaval is the only time when you have a lot of noise and action, normally the islands are really quiet and peaceful. San Andres is a popular tourist destination, you can say that old Providence and Santa Catalina are still unknown compared with San Andres.
Providence and Santa Catalina are attached by a bridge that is called the bridge of the lovers.
In Santa Catalina, on the other side of the bridge, there is a cave called Morgan's cave. The people believe captain Morgan had his treasure there. In one of my blogs you could already read about the Morgan cave in San Andres, well this is the one of Old Providence and Santa Catalina. We had to dive to be able to enter the cave, what was really exciting because it wasn't too easy to find.
There is also a rock on the island that is called Morgan's head, because.., yes indeed.. it looks like a head.
Where pirates are, you find canons...
Apart from Morgan's cave, I discovered some other caves myself, I named it the Astrid cave :).
On a saturday morning we woke up at 6 o'clock to go fishing: one of the best, most beautiful and unique things I've done in my life. We catched 12 fishes and a lobster. In the middle of the ocean we found a sandbank where we prepared our meal. You can't get it fresher than this. I can honestly say that I am one of the first people who has ever been there (accept than maybe the local fishermen :p).
Just as San Andres has Johnny key, Rocky key, the Aquarium and Haynes key, you can find Crab key in Providence (the keys are the small islands around the bigger island I was talking about in one of my first blogs).
We had the most beautiful view over Providence and Santa catalina out of here.
After a wonderful time in this unique little place in the middle of the Caribbean Sea, time to go back to that other little piece of paradise, back to my San Andres.
Goodbye Providence and Santa Catalina.
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