Colombia, Off Limits No More!
Cartagena has become one of South Americas most vibrant cities and the undoubted queen of Colombias northern coast. Cartagena's old city is its principal attraction, particularly the inner walled town, consisting of the historical districts of El Centro and San Diego.
December 31, 2013
Cartagena, Colombia
For a while I've heard that, Colombia, was off -limits for travel because of violent militia and drug trafficker wars. After the US State Department acknowledged a significant improvement in security , it is now back on the tourist map.
Of all the port stops on this cruise, Cartagena was the most surprising one. First of all, we had free shuttle buses that took us from the gangway to the port exit which was less than half a mile. Following the exit sign, I was surprised by a cluster of pink flamingos appeared on my right side.
The Vaults (Las Bovedas) was once a dungeon and prison but is now a lively marketplace seamlessly integrated into Cartagena's UNESCO World Heritage Site City Walls.
“Am I in the right place? Am I in Singapore?” I said to myself. Walking along the boardwalk, I saw more birds with brilliant plumage. Towering ginger plants grew in profusion with bright red and pink flowers. Then a red squirrel came out of nowhere and ran in front of us. On my left were more parrots, some bright green, and some blue and red with a dash of yellow. Small bushes grow side by side, and abundant tall trees provide ample shade contributing to the relaxing atmosphere. The gardens surrounding the port office and duty free shop made it a tropically beautiful scene.
Outside were taxi drivers in uniforms and with Identification cards around their necks. We jumped into one with our friends Joyce and David. Our driver's name was Jose. He was supposed to take us to the Old City but offered to take us for the whole day for US$80.00.
“You can go anywhere you want, I'll take you! Today is New Year's Eve and a national holiday-so it will be difficult to get a cab back to the ship,” he said convincingly.
We all agreed to go to the La Popa Convent first. Jose had to drive a narrow twisting road to go up the steep mountain. There were several switchbacks marked with the stations of the cross.
“During Holy Week, more than four hundred thousand people climb the mountain for the procession and they stop at these stations,” he said referring to the crosses on the roadside.
Once we got there, we had to pay a US$5.00 per person entrance fee at the convent. It offered amazing views of the city. From our vantage, we could see our ship directly below us. To our right was the Castilo de San Felipe and behind it was the Walled City.
“Did you know that Michael Douglas' movie, Romancing the Stone was shot there?” Jose pointed out the Castillo. “And now Antonio Banderas is shooting a movie there too,” he added.
The Castillo de San Felipe was built in 1657 for the express purpose of protecting the gold from the Pirates before leaving for Spain. Standing on the hillside overlooking the harbor, the fortress looked imposing. It was the biggest and strongest fortification built by the Spaniards. It underwent several repairs after the constant attacks by pirates and foreign powers, but it certainly protected Cartagena many times in the past.
It was very hot and humid while we were taking pictures of the fort (our second stop), and so we decided to go to the Old City for some cold drinks. This was another surprise for me. As Jose pulled over a side street, he pointed to a colonial hotel. ”This is the most expensive hotel in Cartagena, only rich people can stay,” he stated.
Everywhere you looked, there was 16th and 17th century Spanish colonial architecture. There were delightful restaurants and so many colorful shops to capture ones interest but without making one feel like you were in a mega mall. This to me, was the prettiest part of the City.
“Lady Gaga bought a house here three months ago, which cost her twelve million dollars!” Jose volunteered.
Fernando Botero's sculpture Figura Reclinada, graced the main plaza and we all hurried to pose with the famous sculpture. Walking through the Walled City, otherwise known as “Ciudad Amurallada,” one can see vibrant colors of yellow, orange, and blue. The mostly wooden balconies were decorated with bright bougainvillea sometimes pink and sometimes white and orange. There were so many vendors selling souvenirs and necklaces made from shells. There were a few vendors wearing their traditional colorful Caribbean dress with matching colorful aprons and head wraps. They carry a basin full of tropical fruit on their heads. One can buy a small cut portion of watermelon or a combination of melon, pineapple and papaya for a mere dollar. This place is a photographer's paradise. It is so easy to get carried away by the scene.
“The are eighteen (18) kilometers long and it surrounds the old City,” Jose explains.
“This is one of the oldest houses here,” Jose said, pointing to Sir Francis Drake's house built in 1586. A group of tourists stood gawking at the house and just across the street, is Cartagena's 16th century Sto. Domingo cathedral.
From the Plaza de Sto Domingo, we went to the second gate, where we came into Plaza Bolivar. In front of the plaza were tinkling water fountains and a bronze statue of South America's liberator Simon de Bolivar snuggled amongst the tree tops. Here on one corner of the square is the Museo del oro y Arquelogia (Gold Museum) and a jewelry store.
As one of Cartagena's major historic landmarks, churches are a feature of many Cartagena sightseeing tours.
Our simple stroll through the narrow streets of the Old Town districts El Centro and San Diego was very pleasurable. Even ordinary houses with wrought iron balconies were a delight to look at. Most of these balconies were crammed with cascading pink and purple bougainvillea and sometimes red geraniums.
Apart from the colonial houses were a plethora of shops selling souvenirs, wood carvings, and paintings. Restaurants opened onto the streets so diners could watch the world go by. A few busker's wearing masks, and costumes stood by, and could easily be mistaken for statues on the plaza. There was an assortment of fruit carts selling fresh-squeezed juice and fresh coconuts. Music emanated from somewhere, making the atmosphere a very lively vibe.
From the Old City, Jose took us to the Palacio de Inquisicion (Palace of the Inquisition) built in 1610. It was used by the Spaniards for torturing and punishing men for religious crimes. The building contained jails and torture chambers that operated until 1821; when the inquisitors were expelled by the independence movement. Today, these dungeons are painted bright yellow and are converted into souvenir shops. Men wearing bright Caribbean shirts were hanging around the front of the shops selling souvenir shirts. A few men stood selling necklaces made from bright colored beads, and shells. The shops were a jumble of beautiful colors and items, and were teeming with tourists looking for that must buy souvenir item.
From the dungeons, Jose took us to the Emerald factory. Colombia produces the best emeralds in the world, so we were curious to look around and learn something about this precious stone. The cold blast from the air conditioned factory was a welcome respite from the heat. There was a short lecture about the emeralds, and a short tour of a mock up mine. We checked a few pieces of jewelry but there's no way we would be interested in buying any of the jewelry, because of the price.
Jose drove us around from the Boca Grande revealing a striking sea view and the beach area; where the residents were up and about and by this time, traffic was already building up. Our last stop was a small shopping center.
Charming colonial architecture Cartagena's old city is its principal attraction, particularly the inner walled town.
“Cartagena is safe, you don't have to worry here. This is a place for vacation. Marijuana is legal here - but not drugs!” Jose declared. “Tonight, people will celebrate and will get drunk for the New Year`s Eve but that's all. After that, people will go back to work. More cruise ships, and more work for us,” he added.
We were all exhausted from the heat and wanted to get back to the port. Jose didn't seem affected by the heat while we all lagged behind him to get back into his taxi. Within minutes we were back at the port. The shade and the tranquil garden was a delight. Flamingos were still walking by, and peacocks were strutting their wings. I caught a few white-faced chattering monkeys as big as teddy bears, casting glances at us while I was trying desperately to upload my blog on the Internet.
If it wasn't so hot, Cartegena would have been the perfect port stop. The combination of colors, friendliness of the people and the quaintness of the old City were truly unforgettable. This is one place we would like to come back to and we're so glad that it is not off limits any more!