Cartagena

Getting off the plane it finally felt like holiday!! Hot humid and sunny. Cartagena is beautiful. The old town is so charming with its narrow streets, cute colonial buildings and gorgeous flowing balconies filled with flowers.

The clock tower and main entrance into the Old Town, through its walls

Colonial streets

Pretty balconies

I spent a few very happy days wandering around, watching football and then enjoying wine in the evenings whilst sitting in various plazas which were busting with life.

I stayed with a lovely girl, Miranda and we got on well. Randomly I'd met one of her colleagues unknowingly in Buenos Aires on a walking tour. It was great to have more of a local's perspective on life here and the city. She'd direct me to the local corner shop and insist I could get anything I wanted if I asked....everything was behind a counter and sure enough, all supplies I needed magically appeared when I shyly asked! It was very old school! Her house in Getsemani was so pretty and very traditional. It didn't have a full roof so when it rained, the internal centre got wet and the water drained underneath onto the street. So random! If it rained, I would have to duck out of my bedroom and run through the kitchen to the roofed living room. The openness was lovely though as it was so so hot!

Miranda and her friends are also all moving back to the UK in the next couple of months and it was lovely to meet others who are going through the same feelings and emotions of packing up and leaving.

Cartagena made me realise why Colombia is so popular. It's so sweet, hot, got lots of culture and is on the Caribbean. What more could you want?!

Tin sculptures depicting Colombian life...men playing dominoes, sugar cane sellers etc. 

Church of Saint Peter Claver

Theatre Heredia, which opened in 1911