Charming Cartagena

During Semana Santa (Easter week) I had some time off.  A friend (who I’d worked with in Tunisia years ago) came to visit (from the US) and we flew to the Colombian Caribbean coast for a few days.  Specifically we went to Cartagena.  This is probably the most touristy place in Colombia.  It is a walled city and a UN Heritage site: https://www.worldheritagesite.org/list/Cartagena

We stayed in an Air BnB on Parque Bolivar, within the city walls.  

Parque Bolivar

We were very central with the Inquisition, Gold and Emerald museums on our door step!

Palacio de Inquisition

Inquisition museum displays

We were also within an easy walk of the Plaza de los Coches, a vibrant plaza at night, 

Plaza de los Coches by night

Plaza de los Coches by night

and host of the Festival de los Dulces by day.

Festival de los Dulces on Plaza de los Coches

sweet seller in the Portal de los Dulces

This square also had the Clock Tower gate, whose exit led us to Getsemaní.  

Clock Tower gate

Clock Tower gate from Getsemaní side

This was probably my favourite area of Cartagena.  A regenerated part of the city, popular with artists and full of bars, cafes and restaurants etc.

Getsemaní streets

Getsemaní streets - showcasing art

Getsemaní streets

Getsemaní streets- impromptu bar terrace

Getsemaní street buskers - from Belgium

A popular thing for people to do when they get to Cartagena is to take a boat out to one of the islands to spend the day on the beach.  My friend and I preferred to skip that, we’d lived in places with beautiful beaches and preferred to explore the history of the walled city.

Cartagena scenes

Cartagena scenes

Cartagena scenes

Cartagena scenes

Cartagena scenes

Cartagena scenes

Cartagena scenes

There were people selling hats everywhere.  The striped ones are typically Colombian.  The 'Panama' style is actually originally from Ecuador (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama_hat).

Cartagena scenes - hat vendor.  

me on wall overlooking Cartagena - it was very windy, the hat wouldn't stay on!

'local' ladies posing for the tourists

me at the outer wall

We also enjoyed people watching on various popular squares.

Plaza de San Diego with a Botero statue

Allison & Amanda at the Botero statue on Plaza de San Diego 

watching the street performances on Plaza de Trinidad in Getsemaní.
I'm in the crowd somewhere.

tourist vendors, including the horse and carts that were ubiquitous in Cartagena

At one of these plazas my friend decided to try the Hormigas (big-bottomed ants) that were for sale.  https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/big-bottomed-ants-hormigas-culonas

selling big-bottomed ants

I preferred to stick to the cheese filled Arepas that were for sale near our apartment.

Arepa vendor

We did the typical 'hop on-hop off' bus tour to get a feel of greater Cartagena.

cannons in the Cartagena walls

Castillo San Felipe de Barajas

Castillo San Felipe de Barajas

Getsemaní streets

'mini Miami' in the distance

We did see the Chiva bus on our travels, though decided not to use it.  Though historically this was used for public transport in Colombia and Ecuador this is now a 'party bus' by night (popular also in Bogotá).

Chiva bus

The Cartagena cathedral was impressive as it had a wooden altar (unlike the gold ones most hispanic churches in the region had).

Cartagena cathedral

Cartagena cathedral by night

Cartagena cathedral wooden altar

inside Cartagena cathedral

Our apartment building had a pool (imperative for the heat of Cartagena) and a roof top terrace with some amazing views.

view from rooftop terrace

Apart from our trip to Cartagena we also had a few days to tour Bogotá.  We went to the Candelaria (which is the original part of Bogotá) early one morning, before the tour groups arrived!

Plazoleta de Chorro de Quevedo

entrance to Calle de Embudo ('funnel' street) from Plazoleta de Chorro de Quevedo

Apparently there used to be a circus in La Candelaria but I can't find any reference to it.  The best known street in La Candelaria is Calle de Embudo (Funnel street) which is hippy-esque and full of graffiti.

me in La Candelaria

Calle de Embudo in La Candelaria

Calle de Embudo in La Candelaria

On our way to la Candelaria we passed the church in Barrio el Egypto.  There was a lot of activity there during Semana Santa.

Church at Barrio del Egypto

We walked around my part of town (into Chapinero) and found more graffiti (or street art).

Allison & Amanda

During the holidays there were plenty of activities in town, for example the Usaquen flea market, or the International Theatre festival of Latin America (https://www.festivaldeteatro.com.co/).

We found a local fruit/veg/flower market.

Mercado de Paloquemao

Mercado de Paloquemao

At the market we came across an impromptu mass.

outdoor mass at Mercado de Paloquemao

We visited the Gold Museum in Bogotá too.

Gold Museum

displays at the Gold Museum

raft of 'El Dorado' fame at Guatavita

The exhibits included the golden raft of El Dorado fame (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Dorado)

We also visited the salt cathedral of Zipaquirá (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_Cathedral_of_Zipaquir%C3%A1)

Zipaquira map

salt walls en route to cathedral

one of the 14 crosses marking Jesus' route to his crucificion

Catedral de Sal

Allison: Colombia, USA, Ireland, Tunisia (did I miss any?) where to next?