Cartagena de Indias

We really like Cartagena, even though we must admit that we are mainly located in the historical old town. It is beautiful here; compared to Bogotá, Medellín, and San Andrés, it is very clean, and there is always something happening throughout the day. There are many shopping options, local eateries, and stalls where you can try a variety of delicious treats.

Shopping is a good keyword: So far, we have held back on shopping, but experience tells us that every vacation eventually sees some excess... Today was that day. Getsemani offers a great selection of boutiques and malls, as well as jewelry and souvenir shops. We give a clear recommendation here. If our credit card had four legs, it would have exhausted itself by today. :-) But it was fun.

During our strolls through the area, we keep stopping in front of amazing colonial buildings, marveling at them while observing life here in the neighborhood. It was interesting that at the market, alongside flowers, street food, fruits, cigars, and many other goods, services from long ago are still offered. The classic shoe shining service is probably well known. However, Cartagena also has the last remaining street writers (Tinterillos). The men and women sit with their old typewriters in an open-air office and help people sort their lives for a small fee. Whether it is for a wedding, adoption, or separation, the required documents are typed quickly and accurately.

By the way, from Cartagena, you can also visit some nearby islands. However, as our time window in Colombia is slowly closing, we decided against it. Isla Grande, Múcura Island, and Tintipán Island are only mentioned here as information.

Our evening ended today with tacos and quesadillas at Los Tacos Del Gordo, a small Mexican restaurant, before heading to a rooftop bar with live music for a nightcap.

'When one takes a journey, they can experience something.' This saying drives us on every trip. The joy of the beautiful places we get to know, the experiences we can have, and the many impressions we gather from foreign countries are a privilege. It is important that we also sharpen our gaze to see how fortunate we truly are. The challenges that many people face in Colombia have not gone unnoticed by us. And whenever we in Germany are once again about to get upset over trivial matters, we try to remember that we have seen what real problems look like.

In this spirit: Muchas Gracias Colombia & Hasta luego!