Return from Cartagena

Just returned from my trip to Cartagena, Colombia.  Such a historic and fun place, with so many wonderful people.  I truly enjoyed my 9 days in Cartagena.

In Cartagena, the history just jumps out at you.  From the "walled city" area, to the historic San Felipe Fort and the La Popa church which sits atop the apex of the city, you can feel the rich history of this city of over a million people.  There are inexpensive tours to take so that you can learn of the history of how Cartagena came to be and the many conflicts which she has endured.

There are also many modern areas of Cartagena, with hotels, condos and jogging paths along the Cartagena Bay and the Caribbean Sea.

There are so many dining options in Cartagena that we could not enjoy all that we had hoped.  The few that we did enjoy included some excellent options.  Some of the most memorable included The Santa Clara hotel restaurant for its great service and wonderful courtyard setting full of exotic plans; Narco Bollo in Manga for excellent food at great prices with fish, vegetable, and non-alcoholic drink all for less than $10 U.S.!; Crepes and More, a Cartagena chain serving all types of tasty lunch, dinner and dessert crapes at reasonable prices.  Just writing about these places is making me hungry!  They were all so wonderful.

For entertainment, the Santa Clara had the best latin band performing in their bar area.  The band was excellent and made you feel the vibe of the local culture.  Havana Cafe also is a buzzing place for live music on the weekends.  However, don't let the "Cafe" part of the name fool you.  This place is all about the drinks and the music, and they do offer an amazing mojito.  On the food side, there is no menu at the Havana Cafe, but you can order out for pizza, which we did.  The pizza was decent and came pretty quickly.  I believe it is made at the pizza place across the street.

For the best night time ambiance, you have to see Cafe del Mar, which sits on top of the historic wall of the city, with an most memorable view of the Caribbean Ocean.  The music here is played by a live DJ who mixes smooth european beats with latin flavor overlays.  It is a sound to remember in the most wonderful outdoor setting.  We did not eat at Cafe del Mar but still enjoyed just being there and having a drink.

The beaches of Cartagena are fair.  The sand is pretty disappointing if you have been to Caribbean beaches before.  However, the energy of the beach areas is fun and the people are a joy to be around.  They will harass you to buy things but there is no security risk and vendors will leave you alone if you are firm in declining.

All in all, this is a great place to visit, especially if you are a water lover.  Between the bay, which circles around the city and intwines with it on several sides, and the Caribbean Ocean, there is so much water to see and enjoy.  Cartagena, I miss you already!