I did not want our Colombian tour with National Geographic/GAdventures to end but, all too soon, we found ourselves in the enticing city of Cartagena, our final stop. It was easy to see why it is one of the most visited cities in Colombia behind Bogota and Medellin. Here's my fast-paced two days of discovery. (As usual, I try to be accurate with information but always do your own research.)
Cartagena sits in the northwest of Colombia on the Caribbean coast. It's population is approximately one million. Artifacts have been found suggesting that this area was inhabited way back to 4000 years BC before being discovered by the Spanish in the early 1500's. You just know that a city that old and one that is overseen by a mighty fortress on a hill has a lengthy and turbulent history if you want to do a quick internet search. Cartagena has a lot of nicknames, each telling you what you might find here: for instance The Walled City, The Heroic City, The Jewel of the Caribbean, The City of the Sea, The Door of the Americas, The Colourful City . . . and being a Caribbean city, Cartagena has an average daily temperature in the 80 degrees fahrenheit range.
Cartagena has anything you want: colonial architecture amidst modern shops and restaurants in a colourful walled old town, a 17th century fortress complete with hidden tunnels, vibrant neighbourhoods, historic churches, a bullfighting ring turned into a shopping mall, an ancient plaza with the 'best' coffee shop (and more plazas equally as intriquing), a convent at the city's highest point, museums such as the Gold Museum or the Emerald Museum or the History Museum, an adorable clock tower, a city garden where you just might see a sloth or a monkey, legends and folklore (some might even be true), statues galore, miles of beaches, traditional street life, fascinating door knockers, the Rosario Islands for day tripping (or longer), a waterside walk akin to Miami Beach, nightlife, world class restaurants . . . Our two days in Cartagena were just enough to whet my appetite for more Cartagena.
Every city has it's downsides, of course, and you can do another internet search about the historic problems (slavery, for example) and current issues hidden behind the glory of this city. One ongoing issue is poverty and our tour leader informed us that the Cartagena area has one of the largest income disparity gaps in the country. Our first adventure was to experience first hand how one group with a history of inequality changed their lives, and the lives of their next generations, through ingenuity and hard work.
The DAMARTES (Ladies and Mothers of Art) project originated in 2008 when seven disadvantaged women in La Boquilla - an Afro-Caribbean fishing village about 15 km north of Cartagena - participated in a craft class learning how to make jewellery out of coconuts. After much trial and loss and hardship and lack of support, they formed a group that now produces jewellery, accessories, and vases for sale. They were the first group of women in the area to produce their own income (which leads to greater equality for women and financial opportunities for their families). The group was initially known as "Mothers Head of Family and Their Coconuts". We had the joy and honour of attending their workshop set in a restaurant overlooking the Caribbean. The ladies shared their stories and then we got to try our hand at making our own jewellery with their expert help after first savouring a refreshing coconut drink. The ladies shared that although their husbands were resistant in 2008 (because independent women would really shake up the social structure?), they are now fully supportive. I loved these ladies and their project.
Cartagena might be a 'foodie' destination and, just like the city itself, there's something for everyone. The food here can best be described as a fusion of Spanish, African, and Indigenous Colombian. Popular dishes are ceviche, arepas (nice stuffed little pockets), coconut rice, fruit, and fried fish and plantains. You could easily do a street food tour or hunt down a high-end restaurant or do as we did and attend a cooking class.
I read somewhere that the Oh La La Bistro in the hip Getsemani neighbourhood is situated in an historic home of an 1800's businessman, and I am assuming that the pictures on the walls reflect the orginal owners of the building. The outside of the restaurant is humble and could go unnoticed while the inside felt like a big roomy farm kitchen.
Our chef sliced and diced and spiced . . .
We tried our hand but mostly watched . . . I would have liked it to be more interactive (but I Iove cooking while maybe some others don't).
The food was delicious. Empanada appetizer, coconut rice, plantains, ceviche, and a traditional fish dish:
As I said, any ancient city with a huge fortress on one of it's highest points has a lot of history - or should that be any ancient city with a lot of history has a huge fortress? Any way you look at it, the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas sits high above Cartagena and is worth a few hours of exploring. The fortress dates to 1639 and sits on the San Lazaro hill, a perfect location to monitor possible attacks from any direction. It underwent several attacks in it's lifetime. The fortress was known for it's advanced and sturdy design which includes a series of underground tunnels. There is much information on line about the intricacies of this fortress if you are interested. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In recent years, the fortress has been used for social and cultural events and can be rented as a wedding venue. Now, that setting would create quite the photo album. Our private guide had a wealth of knowledge to share.
The fortress might be elevated, but the award for being the highest point in Cartagena goes to La Popa Convent or Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria de la Popa dating to 1607. A narrow, winding road takes you to the top. If there was more time, it would make a great, but hot, hike; and our tour guide told us that you could join a donkey procession to the top. Several of us looked at each other, 'next time'. As with most artifacts in Cartagena, La Popa Convent has an interesting history and also some good legend relating to a goat, worth researching. We just missed out on the annual February 2nd feast of the Virgen de la Candelaria de la Popa when crowds of people make a pilgrimage on foot to the top of the hill. Preparations were in full force, however, with food booths set up lining the way. The convent and the views are stunning.
From the convent, you can see Cartagena's Miami Beach in the distance, Bocagrande:
Next up was a personal walking tour of what might be considered the 'piece de resistance' - the walled old town of Cartagena, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. The walls are 11 kilometres in length and are considered the most well-preserved in South America and some of the best in the world. After our formal walking tour, our group disbanded, and I was left for a glorious afternoon of solo adventuring in the 85 degrees fahrenheit heat. I must say that I have been to several 'old towns' in the world, and I enjoyed Cartagena's the most. It is a wonderful mixture of the old and new - old world elegance, artifacts, modern shops, traditional street life, kiosks, fancy boutiques, simple cafes, high end restaurants . . .
First, here are just a few historical sites:
The Cathedral of Cartagena is a stand-out in old town. The church was built between 1577 and 1612 and is almost unchanged. I loved the marble flooring. It might be the iconic picture of old town Cartagena.
Plaza Santo Domingo is a popular spot to sit, people watch, eat, and grab a coffee from a very good coffee shop. The plaza is watched over by "Gorda" Gertrude, a bronze statue of a voluptuous naked woman, another of Fernando Botero's works. Legend says that if couples rub her breasts, they will enjoy a long love affair or, at least, good fortune. The plaza was not always fun and games, however, as the sqare was also used for executions. As well, legend has it that the devil jumped from the roof of the Church of Santo Domingo on the corner (there are lots of stories in Cartagena).
Garda and the Church of Santo Domingo
La Torre de Reloj, or clock tower, is one of the most famous sites in Cartagena. It was built in 1601 to connect neighbourhoods and is considered the main entrance to the old town. It has been renovated several times and now has a Swiss clock.
The statue of the founder of Cartagena, Pedro de Heredia, stands in the Plaza de los Coches directly behind the clock tower. The plaza has been used as a slave market, a marketplace, and for a few executions.
The Pegasus statues stand in front of the clock tower on the Pegasus Pier along the esplanade which links funky Getsemani and Old Town:
The Plaza de San Pedro Claver is named after a Jesuit priest known for his work with enslaved Africans in the 17th century. The church is Iglesia de San Pedro Claver and is also a museum. It has an elegant door. The statues in front are of common people playing chess or selling fruit. The plaza was quiet when we walked through but is apparently a gathering place for locals.
Saint Pedro Claver assisting a slave:
We saw 'palenqueras' in the Plaza de San Pedro Claver. The Palenqueras of Cartagena are much more than a tourist attraction. They reflect Afro-Colombian history, oppression, strength, and ingenuity. In the 1600's, groups of enslaved Africans escaped their captors and fled into nearby jungles. They formed communities known as "palenques". The community of San Basilio de Palenque was established in 1713 and today is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The community maintained it's African heritage. The women were instrumental in the economy, selling fruit and sweets in Cartagena's markets. They became known for their bright flowing dresses and the fruit baskets balanced on their heads. This information is taken from an informative article "The Untold History of the Palenquera Fruit Sellers in Cartagena" (cartagenacolombiarentals.com) Our tour leader told us that these women are important sources of income to their families so be sure to give them some pesos in exchange for their picture. It's just one more story of Colombian resilience.
The Parque de Bolivar is just blocks away from the Plaza de San Pedro Claver (actually, everything in Cartagena is only blocks away) and is lined with treed paths and benches, a cool place in the Cartagena heat. There are refreshing water fountains, and a statue of Simon Bolivar, an important leader who is known for liberating much of South America, is in the middle. The park is surrounded by important buildings such as the Gold Museum and the Palace of the Inquisition/History Museum.
Those are just some of the traditional highlights of old town Cartagena.
I loved old town Cartagena but I equally loved the adjacent Getsemani neighbourhood (just walk through the clock tower onto the esplanade and past those Pegasus statues and you are there - it's easy to walk back and forth), described as Cartagena's bohemian quarter. In addition to the sweet little cafe where we had our cooking class, the area is packed with colorful traditional streets, coffee shops, bars, murals, and life itself.
Enjoy this photo collage of street life in old town and adjacent Getsemani:
During my afternoon of wandering, I ventured into the Centenario Park on the edge of old town and Getsemani, just outside the clock tower gate. It dates to the early 1900's and is built on the site of a former indigenous settlement. It is square in shape, has eight main entrances, and is clearly a meeting place for locals. The park is known for having several varieties of animals. Here are a very slow sloth reaching for a lantern and a very cute monkey peeking out from a tree:
Well, that was a whirlwind tour of Cartagena. I hope it was informative and enough to whet your appetite for a visit, as it was for me. I barely touched the surface and everywhere I went demands a more intense visit and attention. You can fill days here exploring, and it would be a great city for a 'theme' visit - maybe focus on the history or hunt down all the plazas or tour as many museums or churches as possible or go on a foodie trip or find as many door knockers as you can or discover as many 'legends'or folklore stories as possible or learn more about social programs for the disadvantaged or tour the islands or . . . . the possibilities seem limitless here.
That completes a wonderful educational and pleasurable tour with National Geographic/GAdventures and that is my final of five blogposts about my Colombian travels. We've learned about coffee country, we've seen one of the most beautiful landscapes on earth, we've learned of the trauma of Colombia's past and the resilience and optimism that brought about the present and will bring about the future, we've climbed one big rock and visited the most colorful town in Colombia, and we've enjoyed the diversity of Cartagena. I have one regret, though, and here's a little tip: If you sign up for this or a similar tour (and I recommend), after the formal tour ends, stay in Cartagena for a few days and then return to Medellin for a few days for your own extra exploration before flying back to Bogota and home.
Thanks for following my adventure. I appreciate your support.
Awesome, so very much interesting history ! Thanks !