Much as I was looking forward to exploring this city I had never visited before, I was apprehensive. I am sure Colombia is universally associated with drug trafficking and the kidnapping, murder and violence that goes with that trade. Besides, there has been a dirty war between guerrillas and the government for years.
I also dreaded having to state "Colombia" among the "Countries Visited" on my Immigration form for the US Customs since I imagined me and my baggage would be instantly subjected to a swarm of drug sniffing dogs on the dock at Fort Lauderdale, and an embarrassing cavity search.
Cartagena turned out to be a gem of a city, the Old City so charming
the people so friendly and busy going about their everyday lives
the soldiers and police so helpful, that any concern about personal safety seemed out of place.
From the ship one sees only the great stretch of modern highrises along the shore and a busy container port. A short drive in one of the tiny shiny new yellow Korean made taxis takes you from the modern section to the Old City, a completely different world.
The Old City is a 400 year old, very well preserved walled city, about 20 kilometers in circumference.
Inside the walls is a warren of very narrow streets, where the facades of the houses rise straight from the sidewalks.
Every facade seems to be freshly painted in bold colors.
From the second storey of each facade protrudes a lovely wooden balcony supported by thick beams, with potted flowering plants cascading over the balustrades.
Even the cathedral fronts right on the sidewalk
Any passerby could easily hear and see the priest celebrating Mass through the open doors while the bustle of the main square swirled just feet away.
The streets seem immaculately swept.
This Old City may be 400 years old, but it is by no means just a relic. It is lived in, as alive, possibly, as it was 400 years ago.
Not to be missed is the Museo del Oro, the Gold Museum, which exhibits pre-Columbian gold items, mostly from Peru. The entry doors to the exhibition halls are enormous steel bank vault doors, perfectly appropriate for the magnificent treasures within.
8 comments:
Louis, thanks for the posting. At least now I know that such wonderful place do exist. In the Malay culture we have the saying 'tak kenal tak cinta' translate 'if you do not know, how can one fall in love'. So now that you know, how can you not fall in love!!. There are so many hidden jewels if we only look for it.
Have a nice day.
hi louis,
Your photos manage to show me the other side of Colombia which is surprisingly very colourful. More photos please.
rizal
Pak Idrus,
You are a font of wonderful sayings! Like the others you have passed along previously, this one, 'tak kenal tak cinta', rings so true.
I am always eager to get to know hidden jewels, like Cartagena. Turkey (the country, not the Thanksgiving dinner I am scheduled to eat on Thursday), was another such discovery for me, my Eurocentric education having all but ignored it.
Rizal,
I was surprised as you about Colombia, at least Cartagena.
Those are about all the photos I have of Cartagena: it was just too hot to walk about. I felt guilty asking my taxi driver to stop so I could bolt out of the car to snap pictures.
Louis, the street scenes you took look like set designs for a Hollywood movie sans the actors. Where were they? Siesta time perhaps!
Doubt if I ever will have the chance to go that area of the world. So thanks, Louise, for opening a window.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks for your Thanksgiving wish, Nazli.
Around the main plaza it was anything but quiet. No siesta there :).
Just a few blocks away though in what seemed to be residential neighborhoods,there was little street activity.
I don't know which, if any, of the South American countries still observe the siesta.
Louis,
An eye opener. Now you have made me love to visit Columbia.
Hello Zawi,
I would definitely recommend a visit to Cartagena. My wife reminds me that it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, like your own Malacca and Georgetown, and the Mulu Caves.
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