Since I watched the 1984 film 'Romancing the Stone' many years ago I wanted to go to Colombia and Cartagena! The fact that it wasn't even filmed in Colombia made little difference to my stubbornness in wanting to visit, so when the opportunity came up to go on a cruise which had not one but two stops in Colombia I jumped at the chance. Admittedly after booking the trip I was slightly apprehensive that my romanticised expectation would be completely dashed, but no matter...I was too excited.
I was not disappointed!! Colombia turned out to be one of the best destinations of the whole trip and, similarly to Costa Rica, I can't wait to plan my next trip there.
Where do I begin...
Our ship arrived in the Bay of Cartagena just after lunch and I admit I was not expecting such a skyline. It could have been any large metropolis in the world. It almost reminded me of Dubai on first glance; it was also very flat.
I have to mention the port area of Cartagena, as it has to be one of the prettiest and well-kept ports that I have been to. This well-kept area is a little oasis of green and a cute little wildlife sanctuary. While I won't go as far as calling it a zoo as others have, it has it's fair share of parrots, peacocks and flamingos. Peaceful and beautiful at the same time. We were lucky to see some monkeys swinging high up in the trees as well.
We opted for a tour of the old town of Cartagena despite all of the taxi drivers trying to also get us to go up to La Popa monastery. Our lovely tour guide took us to the Castillo de San Felipe fort first which unfortunately we did not have time to visit, however the entrance area almost reminded me of the grandeur of the Amber Fort in Jaipur (India). I will definitely opt to go inside next time!
Our tour guide walked with us around old Cartagena, explaining more about the history of Colombia and the investment from the government into preserving the walled city. He explained to us who is allowed to purchase and renovate in the old district and it seems as stringent as the Grade II listed buildings here in the UK.
In the same way that my association for Costa Rica is the colour green, for Cartagena it is the wonderful flowers draping and cascading over the balconies and enhancing the architecture. This architecture and structure, while it has been renovated and preserved just gives the air of opulence and wealth of the city and also a glimpse of the history. While I saw a share of the beggars and street vendors that you would expect in a country such as Colombia, it did not feel that they pester the tourists; though in fairness it may have had more to do with our guide who knew everyone rather than a standard for Colombia.
The streets just seemed alive with people and each street was well maintained, almost as if the whole district has been redone. I have to say that I felt very safe walking around. Sure, you always need to watch out for pick-pockets and the like, but it is no different to strolling down Las Ramblas in Barcelona or in the underground in London. Vigilance and awareness it the key to safe travel. Always.
Walking around the city walls to get out of the city highlights the defence system that the city must have prided itself on back in the day. The walls have been beautifully maintained and it is worth walking both through and on the wall to enjoy the building work, as well as the views of the sea. On that note, one thing that I really recommend with Cartagena is definitely to walk around. There are a number of tours that are on offer which include on buses or horse carriages. To truly appreciate the town, you need to walk around; down the main avenue, across the side streets and through the walled gates. Something that is more difficult to experience aboard a crowded bus.
Once again, and to re-iterate... I loved Cartagena. A beautiful city with friendly people that is so well maintained that it would not seem out of place in Spain or Italy, while maintaining it's truly Colombian spirit. It is just such a pity that I could only enjoy it for 5 hours; definitely too short a stop for the cruise companies. Oh well, it simply means that I am destined to return there in future.
Until next time Cartagena.