Cartagena de Indias

After just under 2 ½ hours flying from Fort Lauderdale, we landed in a completely different world that is new to both of us, but still feels so familiar. Everything feels wonderfully European, although more southern European, but we never feel uncomfortable there. After the neat and empty streets of Cape Coral and the almost sterile Fort Lauderdale, here we are greeted by pure life.

The backdrop that Cartagena de Indias offers is simply breathtaking. The city is beautiful, the pearl of the Caribbean, and has one of the most beautiful colonial old towns in the world. Many of the buildings have been renovated, and the boom is particularly noticeable here, as Cartagena has probably benefited the most from the greatly improved overall situation in the country and has generated a new source of income with the regular cruise stops. This is also noticeable in the effective old town. In addition to luxury hotels, there are also many very stylish boutiques that have displaced the long-established shops. The prices are moderate for us, but they are probably at the high end of the spectrum for Colombia. A coffee in the old town can easily cost 6,000 Pesos (CHF 2), while it can still be bought for 3,000 Pesos just outside the city center.

In general, we have already had two strokes of luck with our travel planning. Firstly, the decision to travel to Cartagena at all, and secondly, the hotel we found. More on that later. The hotel is located just outside the actual old town in the Getsemani district, where, according to some travel forums, you have to be somewhat cautious - especially after dark. In truth, however, Getsemani has apparently developed into the "place to be". There are small hostels, restaurants, and bars in the old colonial houses everywhere, and the streets are bustling until late at night. Next to our hotel is Plaza de Trinidad, which is the real hotspot. Here, people dance, there are performances, food and drink stands, lazy dogs, and a great zest for life until late at night. And everything is extremely peaceful.

But what have we actually done so far? On the day of arrival, we gained an hour's time difference compared to the USA and immediately set off to explore the old town. It's fantastic, but the countless street vendors who approach you with varying degrees of persistence can be annoying after a while. The highlight is the duos of young people who energetically approach you and while one starts a nonsense hip-hop rhythm on their soundblaster, the other starts rapping. We must have been "rapped at" three times, which I found extremely borderline for two reasons: 1. I want to enjoy my mojito in peace. 2. I hate hip-hop! During dinner, where the starter was great but the main course was a flop, I was offered cocaine while going to the toilet (presumably as a small attention from the restaurant). So, on the first day, we had already paid tribute to the stereotypes.