Cartagena and the Climate Jetlag

When I left the plane in Cartagena on Tuesday evening, I felt overwhelmed. The heat of the late afternoon was oppressive and my hands were sticky because of the humidity. While the temperate Medellin in the mountains promised eternal springtime, I experienced eternal dog days in Cartagena. My body needed time to adjust and my mind struggled with the change between highland and Caribbean.

Feeling unmotivated and uninspired, I hung around the hostel (or as they say in new German: I chilled my base). I was in line with the general mood of the other guests, including (too many) Germans. The coast was not what I had imagined.

Even the atmosphere was different between the unpretentious Medellin and the Caribbean beauty. Cartagena stood out with its perfectly preserved (or restored) old town, a complete tourist package, and pricing aimed at couples in love, cruise and package tourists. Independent travelers didn't really fit into the target group of Colombia's top destination.

But the city had a lot to offer away from skyscrapers and hotel complexes. During a city tour that made everyone melt (because of the heat), participants heard stories of conquistadors, slave trade and uprisings, Caribbean pirates acting on behalf of the English queen, colonial wars with Great Britain, and the Spanish Inquisition.

The second highlight of Wednesday was my lunch. In a new neighborhood outside the old town, I found a snack bar serving Paisa dishes from the Medellin region. Oh, Medellin. My favorite was the so-called Paisa platter (bandeja paisa), a hearty meal with pork rinds, chorizo, egg, beans and rice, plantain, and avocado. A dish that met my food and calorie needs for the whole day.

I spent the evening in the hostel bar. The cheapest beer here was 6,000 pesos, while in Medellin I paid 4,000 pesos for the same beer.