Cartagena

After taking a day to recover from the exhausting jungle trek at the hostel pool and also taking my clothes to the laundry (it was more than uncomfortable to hand over the dirty and smelly clothes), the next day I went on another tour: to Tayrona National Park, one of the most popular parks in Colombia. The park is located directly on the sea, the beaches are partially covered with huge boulders and surrounded by dense jungle, and remnants of the Tayrona culture have been found, hence the name. Many travelers spend one or more nights in the park, in hammocks or tents at campsites. After the trekking tour, my need for adventurous sleeping places and mosquito attacks was fulfilled, so I decided to only do a day trip to the park. The bus journey to the park was quite easy and cheap. In the park itself, you can hike through the jungle and then along the water to the various bays. Swimming is prohibited at most of the beaches due to dangerous currents. However, bathing was relatively safe at 3 beaches and very refreshing in the heat.

The next day I continued to Cartagena, one of the most beautiful cities in Colombia on the Caribbean coast. To protect against pirates and other plunderers, the Spaniards built a wall with a series of fortifications around the city. Today, the historic city center, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, is located there and is also the most important attraction. It is simply delightful to stroll through the alleys, admire the old, mostly restored houses, try street food, and slurp coconut lemonade. But only in the evening, during the day it was simply unbearably hot. Large cruise ships also dock in Cartagena, so it was not surprising that, unlike other parts of Colombia, there were elegant boutiques, horse-drawn carriages, and expensive restaurants. In the cheaper district of Getsemani, life was bustling in the small streets and squares in the evenings, everywhere people were dancing, everywhere loud Caribbean music, and locals with their plastic chairs in the middle of the street. And sometimes the Colombian travel world is very small, in the middle of the city I met 5 people from the trekking group. Of course, this called for a hearty toast with mojitos.

To escape the heat, I spent a day at the beach, Playa Tranquilla. The beach was nice, but not incredibly beautiful, but perfect for a lazy day of relaxation. After all, there was delicious fish, fruit, and beer.