Our trip has gone without a hitch. Until now. With Bogota behind us we go to the airport to check in for our flight to Cartagena. What? Our flight was cancelled? “But we tried to call you and email you” No they didn’t. And guess what? Every flight to Cartagena is booked solid until 6P. It’s now 10A. There goes our day in Cartagena. Well, not quite. An agent for Copa Airlines is able to find us two seats on an Avianca flight just two hours later than originally scheduled. And, not just two seats but two first class seats, on them! Very nice. Two happy customers!
Cartagena – one thing that everyone agrees on is that it’s hot and humid. And it is. There goes my hair.
Every time I go somewhere it becomes my new favorite place. St. Tropez, Kalkan, Turkey, Palma de Mallorca where I was ready to move, and now Cartagena. There aren’t enough adjectives for Cartagena. It’s intoxicating, magical, colorful, musical. Three cities, really. The walled city which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. That means that nothing can be done without approval so everything remains as it was, to some extent. Outside the walled city are more neighborhoods and then there’s Bocagrande which looks like Miami Beach. High rise condos and hotels on the beach. We opted to stay in the old city. It was a good decision.
The old walled city is not just for tourists, it is a working city so you have the locals mixing with the tourists. On the street outside our inn every morning the arepa man was set up making fresh arepas, which is Colombia’s breakfast mainstay, juice vendors, ladies selling fruit. Great shops, excellent restaurants, Cartagena has it all.
This is outside the walled city, vendors selling fruits and vegetables
We got lost every time we went out. Every street leads into a plaza and in every plaza there’s something going on.
Behind the doors is where people live. Many of the homes are now inns.
There is a group of people that were brought over on slave ships and to this day live outside Cartagena. They travel by bus every morning to set up and sell fruit on the streets.
The streets are alive with color:
There is no lack of handicrafts. You see these handmade bags everywhere. They are not from China. They’re made by girls who are sequestered away for nine months at puberty and while alone they make these bags.
There’s more to come. See you at the bar….
As always, your photos are amazing and really capture the essence of the place you are visiting! The colorful lady with fruit makes me want to pick up a papaya this week at the market…I’m sure hers tastes so much better! I can see why each place becomes the new fave. Waiting for more!