From the moment we stepped out of the airport in Cartagena, I knew I was in love. Not only was it the waft of hot, humid air that hit me as I walked outdoors (for those who know me, I love heat and especially humidity), but I just had a feeling...and my instincts are rarely wrong!
There is a magical feeling you get as you step off the main
road, through the doorway of the ancient city walls, and into a whole new
world. The cobblestone streets winding through ancient colonial buildings, with
the turn of each corner taking you through a narrow street full of bright,
multicoloured homes decorated with an array of colourful flowers. There’s the
hustle of people walking through the streets and relaxing outside at the many
cafes and restaurants. There’s the clicking of the horse drawn carriages mixed
in with the beat of the drums as the traditional Colombian dancers attract crowds with their inspiring performances. There are the rows of food vendors lining
the streets, filling the air with aromatic scents that tempt your taste buds. 
Our time in Cartagena was so wonderful that I continuously forget
that the entire city had no running water for almost three full days! That
meant some uncomfortable bathroom moments and learning to shower with a bucket
of water – thanks to our amazing hotel, Hotel Patio de San Diego,
who purchased water for us so we could bathe the sweat, sunscreen and mosquito
spray off our bodies. We so easily forget what privileges we have back home and
take advantage of so many little things, like running water. I’ll never forget
the moment of joy I felt as we walked by a family’s kitchen and saw the stream
of water coming out of the kitchen tap, indicating that the water was back on. I
felt an overwhelming surge of happiness, a feeling I never thought I’d encounter
at the sight of tap water! The sound of the first toilet flush that followed was like music
to my ears!
You can’t go to Cartagena and not visit El
Totumo, the mud volcano. As you lower yourself into the pool of
thick, bubbling mud, a strange man starts rubbing mud all over your body before
you become completely immersed. He then pushes you across to the other side
where another man gives you a massage. The mud is so thick and full of minerals
that you can’t sink, in fact you can barely stand up! Once your massage is
over, the masseuse slides you across to the ‘socializing’ area, where you sit
VERY closely with other mud covered zombies and begin to make friends as you
are half-naked and squished together in this intimate pot of mud. There might be some unintentional
leg caressing and body rubbing! Once
your time is up in the mud, you pull yourself out of the pool into the cool air
as another man aggressively rubs the mud off your body and then you proceed
down the hill into the lake where a strange woman forcefully bathes you with a
bucket of water. Beware, these women take their jobs very seriously and that
often means your bathing suit being removed and the invasion of some personal body parts – but they are just trying to get all the mud off, don’t take this the wrong
way! If you find this uncomfortable, just tell them you don’t want to remove
your bathing suit, sometimes they listen ;)
Another must-do activity is the Party Bus! A large, open-air
bus, called a “chiva” picks you up at night and takes you around the city…and
you guessed it, you party on the bus! The experience includes a live
performance of the traditional Colombian music, Vallenato, which consists of an
accordion, a drum and a charrasca (a metal tube instrument that kind of looks like a
cheese grater). All party-goers are given unlimited drinks of rum and coke (gotta love South America!) as
well as some late night empanadas as the bus drives through the streets of
Cartagena. There is an MC that keeps everybody entertained as you play games and
after a few self-poured rum and cokes, there’s definitely some dancing
involved! There are a couple of stops, including a stop outside the old city
walls where crowds gather and dance in the street, and ends at a night club
inside the old city. A unique experience for those who like to party!
If you’re a beach bum like myself, you can also visit the
island called Playa Blanca for a nice escape from the city. The boat ride
allows you to do a snorkeling stop as well – warning, they don’t tell you that
you have to pay to snorkel until you are already stuck snorkeling (and there really wasn't much to see), as well as
an option to stop at the aquarium. The waters can be VERY choppy
and can make for some intense boat rides that can be considered fun once you've made back to land safely! The beach itself is nice, but make
sure you head to either ends of the beach as the middle is very touristy and
you will find yourself swarmed with vendors. Find a quiet spot and enjoy the
calm, turquoise waters with some fresh coconut water in-hand!
I can’t forget to mention the food in Cartagena as I had
some of my best meals in Colombia here. There are the amazingly delicious
cheese arepas, which are pretty much just patties of cheese that are fried and
then served hot and gooey – I couldn’t get enough of these! Then of course
there is the seafood. Most of our meals included fresh fish straight from the
ocean, lightly seasoned, grilled to perfection, and served with a side of coconut
rice and fried plantain. Yum!
It was easy to fall in love with Cartagena, with the magical
vibe of the city hidden behind the old walls and the amazing people who made my
time even more special. The food, the
music, the energy…Cartagena has definitely become a highlight of my many
travels and an experience I will always cherish!
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