The Walled City of Cartagena

I can’t say how many times we have returned to the Old City in our time here in Cartagena so far. And I am certain we will visit again in the next few days. It’s big enough to present a new street or area to see each time we pass through.  There are plazas where visitors can rest under shade for a moment. Vendors approach offering them their wares of hats, t-shirts, handmade jewelry, sunglasses, ice cream, fruit cups, and candy, yes, homemade candies .  There are several ancient churches and cathedrals, where vendors approach visitors offering their wares of hats, t-shirts, etc.. The same plus more. And there are restaurants galore.  The more upscale ones just sit there in their sultry enclaves enticing visitors to come in with their sophisticated vibe.  Others like the smaller more traditional restaurants have hawkers out on the street showing visitors photo-menus.  Those guys almost take pedestrians by the arm urging a visit and a meal.  I don’t care!  The Old Walled City is one of the most exciting, colorful places we have ever visited.  There are gold shops, emerald shops,— both are mined very near to here.  There are high-end clothing shops for for beachwear, for exclusive menswear and eyeglasses; anything a lady might ever want is here: dresses, undies, swimwear, and purses.  Of course, salons for hair, nails, and spa treatments are at easy access too. Some calles are decorated with pennants or colorful umbrellas. On days a cruise ship is docked for excursions, the plazas, walks ad streets are crowded. Participants in group walking- tours clog the corners. Glass-walled heated ovens on wheels offer delicious looking and smelling empanadas, patacones and breads.

It is fairly commercial but history is deep here.  We visited the Monastery, the Cathedral, and witnessed two wedding parties going on.  In Centenario Park, we ran into a young mamma sloth that had come down from her tree.  We found her baby still hanging just a little bit away.

We bought candy in one of the vaults at Las Bovedas.  It is also called Portal de Los Dulces (candy).  Originally constructed as a storehouse for munitions and jail now cooks use the out-front stalls to sell their homemade candy. A half-kilo box of crazy-good freshly shredded coconut candy can be purchased for about $4.

Malls are not usually exciting but a visit to La Serrezuela is an outing all in itself.  This former bullfighting ring and horse show arena was built in 1893. In the 1970’s the city built a new arena in another part of town, and the circular-shaped building became a circus-theatre. By the 1990s the building was deserted and in shambles.  It stood vacant and in total disrepair for years.  Then investors had a vision, oh a mighty vision.  It now is an architectural masterpiece.  The new space which opened in 2019 maintained the shape, style and much of the wooden structure of the original ring but his remarkable place is world class..  Even the squid art hanging from the tall ceiling is made from recovered wood from the original structure. Instead of hosting what I call the ballet between el matador y el toro, the center ring is now the venue for classic musical and cultural events.  Restaurants and upscale shops surround the ring.  It is a sight to see and a venue any city would lust for.

We stumbled upon the Church of San Pedro Claver with its airy, restful interior gardens. The old but beautiful sanctuary across the street from Plaza de San Pedro Claver. The plaza is named for the priest , San Pedro who dedicated himself to the evangelization and protection of black slaves.  He was called the slave of the blacks.

We rested a moment in Parque Bolivar and then moved on for a traditional lunch.  We had hoped to stop in at Restaurante Carmen, a very nice restaurant Stan’s friend Merrily Orsini recommended to us.  At 2 pm on a Monday, it was packed and they could not serve us.  We needed reservations.  We shall return!

Exclusive restaurants are a delight, but small restaurants offering typical Colombian food are not to be missed.  Usually, we see an offering of fish, chicken, pork, for beef accompanied by arros o papas frites y ensalada.  If you want to live it up you can add a dish like camarones salteados en ajo, or other entradas as well.  Cervezas are always muy fria y barata.  And in this heat, an ice-cold cerveza light hits the spot! 

Our daughter Cody is here with us now for a short visit to set foot in Columbia and we are so happy! We will have four days together. But how fabulous it is to have her here!! We returned to the Walled City for a special birthday dinner at Restaurante Carmen — finally — to celebrate her 40th birthday. And we returned to the Walled City again today to show her all the wonderful sites. We found the mama sloth and her baby in the trees once again, actually, Cody sighted one first then a park person showed us the other. We learned that some of the creatures in the trees that looked like sloths were actually big, fat iguanas that climb trees. Uggh.