Visiting Cartagena: Core Colonial

“For the most part, those World Heritage Sites truly earn their names and reputations. Color me colorfully impressed.” – Old Sean

Landing and Swelter

After a couple of months cooling my heels in the United States, I find myself abroad once more in the southern hemisphere, this time enjoying time in Cartagena, Colombia.

Cartagena was a landing zone of convenience, primarily created by cheap flight tickets leaving the United States. I found myself in a bustling airport, ignoring the usual wall of taxi drivers offering to scam me right out of the gate.

I summoned my Uber and went through a maze of buildings in various states of repair. Like much of South America, there are urban areas which are filled with narrow streets and rather scummy sidewalks. And then there are preserved colonial districts which are absolutely gorgeous and lovingly maintained.

I arrived at my Airbnb and settled in for the next month. My time is primarily spent working, so I don’t have a full range of fun activities to list. But since I’ve already been here for a solid week, I feel bound to express the experiences I’ve accumulated.

Cute Colonial

First and foremost, there are only two or three neighborhoods worth residing within in Cartagena. The first is the beautifully colorful Colonial Old Town, and the other is Bocagrande.

The reason these two areas are so appealing are due to navigability and a clear safety design. I’m currently based in the neighborhood of Torices, which is perfectly nice and affordable. But there comes a point where it’s too late in the evening and I grow uncomfortable walking home past the barred windows and heavy metal gates.

Old Town and Bocagrande are far safer and considerably easier to navigate. So if visitors (like myself) plan on having late nights meandering, those are the only two neighborhoods worth staying within.

My favorite area, of course, is Old Town. The massive colonial district is built on a clean grid with numerous museums and lovely attractions. Within the first few days, I made a point to visit dozens, enjoying each one with a local girl named Narys who works as a tour guide in the area. All attractions are bordered by walls of ivy, brightly colored buildings and steep sidewalks which sluice away rain.

Neighborhood Tour

Within Old Town, Amasa Café Brunch and Erase un Cafe Boutique became my favorite sites for morning coffees. They’re quiet, tucked into nice portions of the city and provide hearty amounts of caffeine. Each morning, I started my time here before doing short loops ever-outwards to see what the world had to offer.

One of the most distinct landmarks is the statue Monumento India Catalina, a 1974 statue honoring the legendary figure India Catalina, an indigenous woman who was a respected Spanish translator. Later loops around the city took me past Parque Fernández Madrid, a leafy square surrounding a monument that glows white in direct sunsets. An afternoon snack was spent in the lovely Ábaco Libros y Café, a bookshop fused with the round tables of a tiny café.  Across a bay, San Felipe de Barajas Fort, a massive fort construct towers over short patches of green and dipping jungle foliage. Further to the south, I enjoyed the endless artworks, murals, shops and colorful buildings of Barrio Getsemaní Cartagena Bolívar, a famed local neighborhood filled with a parade of interested tourists.  Centenario Park is home to a variety of sales folk and narrow walking trails dense with trees and native birds. The highly distinct La Fantastica Cartagena – Pirate Ship Tours float in the nearby bay where fish congregate around a rather polluted dock area. The distinctly yellow Monumento Torre del Reloj stands tall over tourism sites, accented by dancers and other performances. Iconic city walls loop the outer portion of town, a defense against old French influences and ever-dangerous Caribbean pirates. Plaza de Santa Teresa is surrounded by museums and studded with rusty artworks of workmen plying their various trades. The Museum of Cartagena de Indias, the Museo Naval del Caribe, the Museo de Arte Moderno Cartagena and dozens of other museums showcase the rich history of the region.

While there are numerous other interesting restaurants and sights in the old town region of Cartagena, it comes with a few reservations. Firstly, the streets are narrow, making it tricky to dodge the roving squads of taxis and horse-drawn carriages. Secondly, the sales people of the area are slightly annoying. They offer cigars or try to usher people into restaurants, but eventually they upgrade their sales tactics to offer marijuana, cocaine, women and other illicit offers. It’s easier to have headphones in and politely nod than engage with any of them. Finally, during the weekends, Cartagena positively bustles with tourism activity.

Overall, I’d still call it a very nice city.

Night Breathe

The remainder of my time thus far has been spent in Bocagrande, watching sunsets, walking the beaches and chatting with locals. I’ve only just begun my visit of the region, so I’m withholding judgement for now. But thus far, I’m very pleased with my choice of landing zones.

I’ll post again in the future regarding my time in Colombia. But for now, work is poking me with an insistent finger. It’s time to continue my tasks.

So until my next series of events,

Best regards and excellent trails,

Old Sean

Written June 16th, 2024

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