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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
Colombia was our first country we visited in South America. (Peru will be next!).
Cartagena de Indias, one of its major cities, was the first port stop on our the Norwegian Southern Caribbean Cruise. Weather in Cartegegna was humid, steamy and the air in a distance looked hazy. It was at least 85F, so you can imagine how surprised we were to find out later that this hot day was considered rather cold for the locals.
We decided not to go on any off-shore guided tours due to some negative reviews by people who signed up for them. We didn't want to be rushed and follow with herdlike mentality from one site to another without time to enjoy the surroundings...
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| All photos © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
We pulled into a cruise port around 8am on Easter Sunday with a beautiful skyline of high condo buildings and a busy commercial port next to it. Easy disembarkment was followed by a quick shuttle to the port's gate with a stunning greenery and a display of exotic birds like flamingos, parrots, peacocks and more.
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
It was shady, serene and relaxing place to hide away from sun, but as soon as we stepped out of this green sanctuary, we got swarmed by tons of tour guides peddling their services and we had to muscle through them into the scorching heat of cement pavement.
We were determined not to get swayed by any of them, but a young woman in her late twenties, Katty, got our attention by being polite, not obnoxious or sweat-smelling like some of the fellow tour guides... We made a deal for a personal 3-hour guided tour in taxi driven by Don Alfonso for $50!
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
Most of the time Katty spoke Spanish, but I didn't mind, I was able understand most of what she was saying and then if something wasn't clear, I looked curiously in a direction of my hubby, the official translator of this tour. We agreed on seeing the Old Fort and the Old City, but when she started to direct us to a local tourist market, jewelry stores and even the new part of Cartagena with beaches, I had to tell her in my broken Spanish that we didn't want to shop - "We just want to walk the streets of Cartegena".
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
San Felipe Barajas Castle (
Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas)- the fort - was a great climb and an interesting sight. For $10 you can get an entry to the top beyond the upper level gate. The view from there is spectacular.
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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© 2014 Dorota Quiroz
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
The typical defense features of Spanish forts with the characteristic "outlook booths" similar to those in San Juan, Puerto Rico earned this site a name of the number 1 place to visit in Cartagena. Built in 1537 by Spain, it stands gracefully on the east side of the city only toppled by La Popa Convent in the near distance.
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
After about 30 minutes of wandering around we met our guide on the bottom to be taken to the old city. We stopped first on the outside wall of the city for a view of the ocean and we left don Alfonso behind us to wander the old cobblestone streets of Cartagena.
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
The narrow alleys with colorful walls of buildings, thick embellished doors with fancy hardware, wooden or metal balconies filled with greenery and flowers drooping over in a romantic fashion make you wish you had a rented room like that in a quiet corner of the town.
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
The city was quiet because of Easter, most people visible on the streets were people from the cruise ship led by the tour guides. We saw a beautiful hotel in a austere gothic style, with heavy duty wooden beams, stocky Spanish furniture and stunning courtyard with a fountain and a place to eat. It was so beautiful, serene and relaxing, that if I had to stay in a hotel in Cartegena, this would have been my number one choice.
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
Walking the streets of any city is just a must if you want to get a better understanding of the place you are visiting, and the same was with Cartagena.
Plaza Bolivar
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
Mind you we did have a limited time, but got to see a few interesting spots like:
- the large square called Customs Plaza with Christopher Columbus' statue...,
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
- the cathedral with the remains of the Saint Pedro Claver (Iglesia de San Pedro Claver)
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
- Whimsical sculptures outside of the cathedral
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
the famous sculptures by Botero in Plaza Santo Domingo,
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
Emerald Jewelry store, and the Museum of Gold.
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
To truly see it, it would require a solid day or two, without the nagging time over your head. We were dropped of at the gas station in the front of the cruise port after settling our fee with Katty and Don Alfonso for $70 including a tip.
Have you ever hang out at the gas station? We did... we were in a tiny, an air conditioned shopette with tables, friendly girl attendant serving us rounds of cold Colombian beer... and much cheaper than the brew-ski on board, might I add.
We restocked our supplies and head out back to the bird sanctuary to enjoy the views and sounds of screaming parrots, majestic peacocks and skinny flamingos. While there, we mailed a postcard to ourselves from Colombia and we hope we will get it by the time we get back home.
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| © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
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| ALL PHOTOS © 2014 Dorota Quiroz |
THE ONLY THING I REGRET IS NOT GETTING A CHANCE TO EAT SOME AUTHENTIC COLOMBIAN FOOD !
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