The Walled City

Sunday, March 24, 2019
The Volunteer Hostel, Bolívar, Colombia
At the weekend I decided to take a trip away from Minca and went to Cartagena,. It took 5 hours of Friday night to arrive, which in Latin American terms is close by.  Cartagena is a port city on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. The part which is most famous is the walled Old Town, founded in the 16th century, with squares, cobblestone streets and colourful colonial buildings. 
On Saturday I got up for the walking tour which took us round the main sites of the old town in Cartagena. The small streets with colourful houses are beautiful. After the tour I spent more time exploring the streets and then escaped the midday heat for a while in a quirky ice cream café. 
Later on, I made my way to the fortress, Castillo San Felipe de Baraja. It was built by the Spanish during the colonial era and offers a great view of the city, proving it's strategic location. 
The first part of the famous Cartagena sunset I spent on the beach and then for the final goodbye to the sun I joined the other tourists along the walls which encapsulate the old town.  
Cartagena really comes alive at night, as the temperature begins to become bearable again and people venture out to eat, dance and shop. 
On Sunday I got up early hoping to avoid the heat and walk to the beach without getting too hot. By 8.30am the sun was already blaring and I didn't manage to stay cool but it was worth it when I finally got on the boat to Tierra Bomba Island. The beaches on the island are nicer and quieter than the one's in the city. 
The water was so great and is was great to finally swim in the Caribbean. I then relaxed on the beach before making my way back to the city and getting a bus to Santa Marta and finally arrived back in Minca at 10pm. 
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Comments

Carynm
2019-03-27

Nice to see you had a good weekend at Cartegena - looks like an interesting colourful place. What a lot of skyscrapers along the beach! Glad you finally managed to get a swim in the Carribbean (another sea to tick off!). Is Tito the cat at the house you live at? The sculpture reminded me of Miró's art in Barcelona. Watching the sunset looks like a popular pastime! xxx

2025-02-10

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