On August the 7th, we don't only celebrate the Battle of Boyacá, but also my Mom's, aunt's and cousin's birthday, who coincidentally turned 15 this year. The 7th is a holiday in my country, as we commemorate and remember a historic event with great significance to us Colombians. Being it holiday, the vast majority of government institutions don't work. So, that day many of our guests traveled to Cartagena.

As it is common in many bicultural relationships, our parents had never met. I've met my in law's and my SO had also met my parents before, but nothing else. Months earlier, we had chosen August the 7th as the day our parents would meet, and incidentally celebrate my mom's birthday with a special dinner. We made a reservation at a restaurant called Monte Sacro, located in the historic center of Cartagena. Fairly central and close to all of us.


That 7th, very early in the morning, the husband and I, practiced our first dance once again. This was something we repeated every morning upon getting up. We were afraid of making a mistake on our wedding day, even if it got better with the days. After a shower, we went downstairs for breakfast at our hotel, where every morning we heard and saw new unpleasant things: unhappy and pissed off guests, stressed employees, the power about to be suspended due to "excessive" payment, etc. Anyways, there was always something going on in this house-hotel. Therefore, the husband and I agree that it is a beautiful place with lots of potential, but unfortunately with a bad administration.


Around 9am we went to the hotel where my in-laws and friends were, and a new day of exploring began. Still within the walled city, but this time in the opposite direction than the previous day. The historic center is not very big, but is so full of interesting things and beautiful places, that one day is not enough to cover everything. As it was a holiday, there were many persons on the streets, children flying kites, playing soccer or just enjoying the day off. That day, the husband wore the Colombia's soccer jersey and I wore Germany's. We were very surprised when we saw that many children and adults who were near by, were also wearing the national team's jersey. This caught the attention of my in-laws, so I explained what we celebrate in Colombia the 7th of August. Some of the kids came to us and asked for a picture with us. They said they wanted to post it on their FB.


They were many the hours we walked and many the places we visited. Once we reached the clock tower, an iconic place in Cartagena de Indias, we walked towards to the "sweets palace" and there we bought some delicacies from the coast. We tried to find a place where to sit, but it was only until we reached the Bolívar 'spark that we could find benches with some shade. We sat down to rest a little, eat sweets and hydrate. As my family at that time should have arrived in Cartagena already, I called my mom and told her to please come to Bolívar's park. We would be waiting for her there. My dad meanwhile, stayed with the rest of the relatives he came with, at their hotel in Bocagrande. I told him I would call him to pick up my wedding dress and the rest of the boxes he brought.

Honestly, I did not know how the first meeting between my mom and my in-laws would be like. My mom only speaks spanish and the spanish of my in-laws is understandable but not communicational. I picked my mother up and together we walked to where the others were. I introduced my mom to my in-laws, whom cordially greeted and hugged my mom. When I went to introduce our friends, they told her in Spanish: Feliz cumpleaños! My mom thought it was very nice gesture from them, because they don't speak Spanish at all, but apparently they have asked my So how to say "Alles gute zum Geburtstag" in our language. Minutes later, we said goodbye and I walked my mother to her hotel. We would all meet again in 2 hours, at the famous Santo Domingo plaza.Ugh!

We were at the place close to the fixed time. My mother and I thought we were going to have lunch all together, but the Germans only wanted coffee or fresh juice. We sat down to spend some more time with them a while, but since both of us were hungry, I spoke to my SO and asked if didn't they want to eat and he said no. My mother and I went to find a restaurant together and we told them we would see each other for our special dinner in the evening. I gave my phone to my SO and told him to please call my mom's phone in case they needed anything. My bride maid joined my mother and I for lunch. Taking a break from touristic things felt so good. I had not stopped since the 4th of August.



Short before the sunset, I walked to my hotel. Some minutes later arrived my SO. Two hours before our special dinner, my father called to tell me that in a few minutes he would be bringing the wedding dress and boxes. The minutes passed and suddenly I got a new call from my father: after 5pm the streets in the historic center of Cartagena are closed to vehicles. they can only be used by pedestrians or horse carriages. This meant that my SO and I had to walk at least 4 blocks with my wedding dress in hand, besides the boxes full of stuff for our wedding. How terrible! My father gave my SO a sombrero vueltiao as present. It is one of our national symbols. He was very happy with the present and said he would wear it in the evening.

Minutes before dinner, the husband and I picked my father up, then his parents and then my mother. We all looked radiant that evening. Our Concerns about communication problems vanished because somehow it wasn't an issue. When we arrived at the restaurant, we were placed on the balcony with beautiful views and live music. We ordered a drink and then dinner. While waiting for the food, the husband and I gave my mother a birthday present: an album of pictures of her Europe trip 2013. She had always told me she wanted an album and so I selected the pictures and my SO worked on the photo album. The photos are beautiful. My in-laws also had gifts for my parents: a book with the best of Germany in photographs and a handmade angel for my mother. And of course my mother also had gifts for my in-laws: a hat for my FIL and a nice typical colombian purse for my MIL. All these moments helped to make our dinner and our parents first meeting much more enjoyable and less awkward. The food was delicious and the company just great. After dinner, we went to drink mojitos/beer/ piña colada, in a bar located at Santo Domingo's bulwark. And so ended our August 7th.


The next day in the morning, the husband and I continued hearing complaints in the house - hotel and all guests had been notified that they must leave on the 9th because there was going to be an event. We had booked the 9th in full house mode. So, for that day/night the place was going to be completely ours.

The 8th in the morning, we visited several museums and the Heredia Theater. An exquisite piece of architecture also located in the historic center of Cartagena. That day in the afternoon, my mother and I had appointments at the beauty salon I had been on wednesday. During that time, the husband, our friends and my in-laws went on a 4 hours tour to the mangroves near Cartagena. This time my SO did not take my phone with him. At 6:00 pm we should all be in the house-hotel as we were scheduled to practice our wedding ceremony. It was 5:30 pm and my SO had not arrived. And regarding to the event preparations, at first the hotel manager said no problem, the assembly could be started from the previous day, just that day he changed his mind and said it was not possible. Here began the stress: my SO and my in-laws weren't there yet, the caterer and her assistants were not allowed to enter or start disassembling the chairs and tables, the wedding planner never showed up and he sent a second wedding planner instead. I was very upset and alone. I did not know what had happened to my SO or in-laws. They are never late. I was also waiting for the manager of the hotel to arrive. I wanted to clarify some things with him.


My father was the first to arrive for the practice, then my mother, bride maid and all of a sudden my SO and my in-laws showed up. I could finally relax a bit, but I was honestly still super-stressed and it made me so angry that the wedding planner was not there, leaving everything in the hands of a second wedding planner that little did to help with the situation. When the manager arrived I ran to talk to him and left everything clear. It turned out he was a man born in Germany, raised in Spain and living now in Colombia. Apparently everything was left clear regarding the disassembly and other stuff. However, that day the caterer and the rest of the crew couldn't do so much.

The practice of the ceremony was a disaster, absolutely ridiculous. The woman our wedding planner had sent did everything in a hurry and with an unorganized setting. Everything on the terrace was still messy. In the last minute we decided we would have a best man, so we called Matt and he was there within 5 minutes. We practiced 3 times and that was it. It think we were all left with a bittersweet sensation. Not only because of how improvised, unorganized and terrible the practice of the ceremony was, but also because all the other things that had happened hours before. The husband and I were afraid that things would get worse the next day: our wedding day. And so, with a lot of doubts and worries in our heads, we went out to dinner: my SO, in-laws and our friends. That night we finally found an available table for 6 persons at the terrace of Crepes & Waffles, which serves a fairly limited menu. However, we had wonderful views of the city from there and a warm atmosphere. What followed our dinner was my 2nd bachelorette party with a few friends and after that, a so much needed rest, because the big day would be there in the blink of an eye.