Caribbean Joy! - Cartagena

24/01 - 27/01

I almost don't want to write this, after all we had a really nice time, but: Finally back in the warmth! Hola, Colombia!

From Cusco we took a flight over Lima to the Caribbean coast of Colombia - to Cartagena. As soon as we got off the plane, we realized the temperatures we would be dealing with from now on. After the cool and rainy Peru, the tropical heat felt even more intense. From the airport, we took a taxi to our hostel.

It was located in the district of "Getsemani", which is not as touristy as the nearby old town. The whole city is more or less crossed by water veins and the core can be explored wonderfully on foot. After the usual arrival procedure, we walked through our neighborhood in the evening and ended the day in a small Italian restaurant accompanied by Caribbean live street music.

It has almost become a ritual for us to take a walking tour in every big city - just like here. The next day we had breakfast in a small square near our hostel in Caribbean style - fried eggs with beans and pita bread - and then made our way to the starting point of the tour. We were a bit early and had to wait a bit. Meanwhile, a hat salesman - of which there are countless in Cartagena - came and tried to sell me a straw hat that was way too big. I actually wanted to buy one anyway, but it should have fit me. I bought the hat for way too much money and had to constantly watch out during the day that a light breeze wouldn't blow it off my head. Quite a hassle, but it's my own fault...

The walking tour took us through plazas, small alleys and past various historical buildings. The tour guide was a strange character who talked more about himself than about the things he was leading us to. It became harder and harder for me to follow his sometimes totally uninteresting explanations, in which he mostly talked about himself in the third person. Luckily, the tour only lasted just over two hours - I was really relieved when it was finally over.

There was also a lot going on in the old town that day, as a cruise ship had docked in Cartagena and thousands of tourists were walking around trying to see as much as possible in a few hours. According to the tour guide, about 4 to 5 ships come to Cartagena every week, which makes these days particularly busy in the historic district. So we went back to our much quieter neighborhood and took a coffee and fresh juice break. Since Cartagena is located on the Caribbean Sea and the climate is tropical, there is also a variety of exotic fruits that you can't buy in Austria. So whenever possible, I try to taste them - so I ordered a juice with Corozo. This fruit has a historical significance in Colombia and tastes like slightly unripe blueberries. There are also many fruit vendors on the streets who move around with their mobile carts and offer the numerous fruits. In the historic old town there are also the traditional 'Palenqueras' - Afro-American women in colorful dresses with a basket full of fruit on their heads. However, they now only pose as photo opportunities for tourists, which is why I decided not to pay one of the ladies for a photo.

After a short siesta at the hostel, we went out for dinner. However, since we were too early and the restaurant of our choice was not open yet, we walked to the harbor and had a small aperitif there in the form of a mojito or beer. After dinner, we spent part of the rest of the evening on Plaza de la Trinidad, where surprisingly there was quite a buzz. a few children were biking around and many street vendors were supplying both locals and tourists who had taken a seat on the ground or on benches around the square with all kinds of delicacies. We were drawn back to the cocktail stand, where I ordered Mojito No. 2 - the low price could be my downfall.

Since the evening was still young, we decided to take a walk and look for a nice bar. The search didn't take long and we found one - the 'Black Parrot Bar' it would be. It was not crowded, but they were playing 70s rock and alternative tunes, which was a welcome change from the reggaeton that could be heard everywhere. Eventually, a young guy - Peruvian, as we later found out - started playing all kinds of cover songs on the guitar and singing along. He also asked the audience for special song requests. Unfortunately, he ignored ours, but I suspect he didn't want to admit that he simply couldn't play it. Instead, he played a short passage from Mozart's 'Turkish March' in reference to our home country. The atmosphere and ambiance were really nice, which is why we stayed longer than planned.

We didn't really have a lot planned for the next day, so we just walked around the city, did some shopping for the coming days and enjoyed the hot climate and culinary delights.

Conclusion:

Cartagena is a beautiful, colorful city. The historic old town is still surrounded by the old city wall and characterized by many colorful colonial buildings. However, tourism is very noticeable here, especially when a cruise ship has just docked. You are constantly approached by vendors who want to sell all sorts of stuff, and the shops and boutiques in the old town already resemble Vienna's first district to some extent. It is definitely not in our price range.

We felt much more comfortable in our neighborhood of Getsemani. Here, too, tourism is dominant, but backpackers are more likely to be found here and it is much quieter. We really enjoyed walking through the streets in the evening and observing the life of the locals. Due to the pleasant temperatures at night, much happens on the streets in front of the doorstep. People sit on the curbs or on plastic chairs and talk to each other. Most front doors are wide open and you get a glimpse of what Colombian apartments look like. Every now and then you also see men sitting around a table playing dominoes - almost always it's about money and only in second place about the fun of the game.

Culinary delights can also be found in Getsemani. If you want to save money, you can grab something at the numerous street stalls. But there are also plenty of nice restaurants that cater to the Western taste buds of tourists. Pizza is very popular here and really good as well.

Cartagena was the perfect starting point for further exploration of Colombia for us. The feeling of life, the friendliness of the locals and the Caribbean flair have definitely captivated us after just two days - we can already understand the enthusiasm of people who have already traveled to Colombia!

Hasta pronto!

E&L

>> Next stop: Islas de San Bernardo <<