Before Christi and I leave Medellin for Cartagena, our last destination in Colombia and South America, there may just be time to get the dreaded laundry done. It's almost an embarrassment now to give our faded, grungy unmentionables to the lavendaria, Clean and Clean - let alone expect them to have our freshly laundered clothes returned to us by noon today. Indeed, the owner of Clean and Clean … [Read more...]
San Diego Plaza, Cartagena, Day 171
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Ironically, Colombia is one of the easiest countries in South America in which to use US-issued credit cards and the only way Christi and I could guarantee a room for 6 nights in Cartagena during the high season was to pay everything in advance. Only...we don't really like the hotel we chose, Casa Veranera, although its location near San Diego Plaza is perfect. The voyeuristic aspect of the … [Read more...]
Old Town Cartagena, Day 172
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Christi leads us on a self-guided tour of Old Town Cartagena today. We begin by walking to the Puerta del Reloj and Plaza de los Coches, which is to say the main gate where 11 million slaves arrived over a 300-year period. The slaves were sold in the plaza. There is a statue of Pedro de Heredia in the plaza (the founder of Cartagena in 1533) and beside this benevolent figure there is one of a … [Read more...]
Palace of the Inquisition, Cartagena, Day 173
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I’m not sure if it is the heat or the six months of gritty traveling that Christi and I have already accomplished, but it's hard to motivate ourselves today. On the other hand perhaps it's because we're planning to visit the grisly Palace of the Inquisition (otherwise known as a fantasy camp for would-be torturers around the world). Consequently we are still eating breakfast while the rest of … [Read more...]
La Popa, Cartagena, Day 174
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For the first time since Christi and I arrived in Cartagena the Old Town is suddenly awash with tourists. The reason? A massive cruise liner is in the harbor. And the mothership has disgorged its bizarrely desirable plague of locusts on the town. A feeding frenzy ensues as the wealthy passengers have only an hour or two to soak up the atmosphere, eat, and purchase souvenirs, while the locals … [Read more...]
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