Cartagena, Colombia

 

Cartagena

With a stop in the city of Barranquilla, because changing the vehicle, we arrived in Cartagena after a journey of about six hours. The bus station was very far from the city and we had to spend more money for taxis to get to its destination. Following the suggestions of the taxi driver to try to understand that part of the city to place were two alternatives: Bocagrande district tour next generation of high-rises made by the sea and the City murallada Cartagena ie the old colonial city declared a world heritage. Under the strong insistence of our driver (which defined the most suitable for tourists), we initially directed towards Bocagrande but went out completely by the colonial spirit that we wanted. The old town, however it has been a true architectural gem recently recovered and restored it to become what we think may be called the colonial city par excellence. Always on the advice of taxinaro we have chosen to put their bags on a colorful colonial house now used to hostel. It was beautiful with a charming inner garden which leaned on the wooden pergola in the upper floors, the lively colors made it even more pleasant atmosphere. The only defect of the house and the problem was the city water supply and discontinuous un'afa suffocating, making it almost impossible to stay in the room despite the fast blades of a fan on the wall constantly lit. Overcome the problems plumbers, now on at sunset, we were directed to explore the city. Fortunately are only about two hundred meters from the famous clock tower, a monument that can be considered a sort of downtown. Although darkness was falling we have not resisted to immerse ourselves in the historic colonial houses: a unique and incredible, leaping into the story that at least for the built environment appears to remain firm for hundreds of years ago. After this first taste we returned hoping to make a shower, not a little due to the low pressure which allowed only a modest outflow of water. Left our room, cooled by a pleasant evening breeze, we came back in the center of hunting for food by choosing one Classicissima baracchetta offering pizza and sandwiches of good workmanship.

The next morning our goal was to learn more about the city and for this reason that we left the hostel a good time to return to the square and the clock from there go back to the alleys citizens. We crossed the old town to reach the famous city wall in front of us the sea beat gently on the rocks, behind us the city in all its glory. A short walk to horse of the walls and then again toward the center to the cathedral, we were ahead at the opening of the church and we have granted a stop in the nearby gardens, sipping a sweet juice of tangerine. At three o'clock we opened the doors of the cathedral and us from the good tourists we got in queue to gain entry, and after nearly an hour waiting in the gardens we had expected of the sumptuous interiors, but in fact the cathedral was under restructuring and so a bit disappointed we left there with pive in the bag with the sole consolation of being in the same church where he celebrated the marriage of Juan Pablo Montoya: lean like a little consolation. From there we then proceed directly to the Piazza Santo Domingo one of the focal points of the city crowded with tourists and restaurants were preparing for '; impending evening. This first day in the city has done nothing but confirm those positive impressions we had gathered the day before, it was time to go home and rest our feet as tourists subjected to a ceaseless work. Fortunately, the water problem had been resolved, with great relief we were able to make us a shower and sbollire sitting in rocking chairs along the corridor: it seemed truly to live in another era. We then thought of doing two more steps in the range area, tourist destination par excellence, full of bars and discos, even the tourist culture after a day looking for a bit of healthy fun and the city does not hold back certain of satisfying these needs.

For the day after the program had a return to the city center to visit the monastery of San Pedro Claver, santo done for his exhausting fight against black slavery. The monastery included a church very well preserved and an adjoining three-storey cloister where the monks lived. At the entrance we have opted for a guide service in forty minutes that we did do the whole tour of the convent really interesting, especially for the green garden and the fine carved wooden decorations that were of the inside of the cloister. After visiting the time had come to focus in one of the main attractions of the city: the castle of San Felipe. Piglio taxi in ten minutes we were in front of the box office of the castle and in men who do not say within the fortress built to defend the land of the city. A real bastion characterized by an endless series of corridors inside and sink toward the center of the earth, we could certainly leave out and we have gone down where moisture and darkness made by the master. Resurfaced once we did the whole tour of the castle to get another view of the ancient city and Bocagrande. In the late afternoon we were again directed to the arsenal area where we were the night before, we wanted to see this area even with the help of sunlight, but to be honest apart from the palace of congresses and the municipal theater there was nothing ' other material. After the intense day we returned home for a shower and a good earned rest.

The next day was Sunday and the city was virtually deserted. We, too, taken from this empty desolate we did almost nothing and we were to enjoy the tranquility of the garden in our house chatting amiably with two curious old.

The next morning it was time to raise the curtains because we waited twelve o'clock interminable hours on board the bus that passes through the winding mountains of Colombia led us to Medellin.