“Colombia is beautiful”, “Cartagena is so romantic”, “Have an aquardiente for me” were the comments of many friends upon hearing of my trip to Colombia. But I still really couldn’t paint a picture for myself of what this land named for Christopher Columbus might be like.
As I emerged from the airport that first Friday evening, the Caribbean heat quickly enfolded me in its warm embrace and I was soon whisked away towards the city of Cartagena des Indies. As we sped alongside the old colonial walls a multitude of colourful kites swooped and dived through the gloaming. Those diving, swirling, bright colours were to become the constant motif of my time in Colombia.
That first evening, I watched for a while from the open-air Café del Mar on the old battlement walls, as 7 fishermen stood at the edge of the inky Caribbean gossiping over their rods to each other: fishing by the light of the moon. Later I strolled the wending streets of the old town, where wonderful colonial buildings appeared to pose coquettishly and bask in the admiring glances of the lovers, families and friends that ambled past their colourful facades. My first evening ended like a scene from a Fellini movie as I glided back to my hotel through the warm evening night on the back of a moped taxi.
The following day Cartagena proudly paraded her fanciful colors for me; bright vibrant yellows, reds, oranges and blues. This rainbow of colour together with the warmth and kindness of the local people provided the backdrop for my guided tour of Cartagena. I was taken on a journey through time and the winding streets to discover the history, myth and legends of Cartagena; the old colonial town, Getsemani, Manga and the city’s islands. From the stunning colonial architecture, the quaint plazas and statues waiting to be found around the next corner, to the vendors, colours, sights and sounds of the old town, Cartagena is an extraordinary place to immerse yourself in.
Though I was loathe to leave the city, I had been advised that the Rosario Islands were not to be missed. So on Sunday I was island bound. Speeding across the azure waters, Cartagena receded into the morning sun as we approached the beautiful tropical Rosario islands. After a refreshing dip in the warm Caribbean waters that lapped at the idyllic white sand beach, I headed for the island’s dive centre. After checking my dive-card and my experience, my newly acquainted dive-master informed me that it was “time to go to the office” as he gestured towards the crystal blue waters. Beneath the surface the brightly coloured fish were upstaged only by the spectacular coral landscape. There were colours and textures in abundance and a perfect peace disturbed only by the air bubbles drifting to the surface from our equipment.
A blissful day in the islands marked the end of a beautiful long weekend in Cartagena. My first visit to this jewel on Colombia’s Caribbean coast will not be my last, but for now, like Columbus before me, it is time to explore further this wonderful country. Next stop Bogota.
by: Louise Finnegan
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Located in the northwester Colombian Andes Mountains, Santander is one of the departments in Colombia with mre passion for historical wealth. Bucaramanga, the capial, is the center of a metroplitan area surrounded by eight cores of regional development. San Gil, knwn as the Lion of America and located on the banks of the Fonce River, is a national monument where the Gallineral Park offers an opportunity for adventurous entertainment in canoeing, kayaking, white water rafting and other sports. A spectacular landscape can be admired from the Chicamocha CAnyon, which comprises the muntainous zone where the Fonce and Suárez Rivers meet. Additionally, it possesses the largest water sports and adventure facility in the counry. Last, there is Barichara, a village of cobblestone streets and wooden balconies, a National Monument since 1975.
