Hill Rag

TRAVEL: Magic Mix of History, Sea and Sand Puts Colombian City on Vacation Map

by: Maggie Hall

On a recent travel jaunt I had heads and eyes swivelling in my direction.

“This is the best coke I’ve had in ages,” I enthused. I was at an outdoor café - on a vacation high. For a second I was bewildered about the shocked stares. Then it dawned. What a stupid thing to say out loud in Colombia.

My next thought was that I couldn’t wait to get home and put right all those people who had reacted negatively when I mentioned my trip to Colombia.

Well, let me qualify that. Not so much Colombia, as Cartagena. I can report that although it is in the South American country most associated with drug-production and allied violence, it is not riddled with drug-dealers, wrecked by gang gun-fights, or ruined by kidnappings.

A stunning walled city, Cartegena has carved itself a nice “drug-free zone” piece of tourist action. It’s peaceful calmness has made it Colombia’s number one place to visit. In fact Cartagena was recently designated by Lonely Planet as one of the world’s top ten destinations.

As a taxi-driver (you know, the oracles of all countries) told it: “I tell the foreigners, relax. We’ve no guerillas or kidnappers here in Cartagena. There are no swamps or mountains for them to hide in.”

Set on the Caribbean Sea, on the eastern approach to the Panama Canal, Cartagena is several cities in one. The famed part is enclosed within seven miles of ramparts and walls, and was founded in 1533. It was the heart and jewel of Spanish Main power. After the great sea-warrior, Sir Francis Drake, sacked and plundered Cartagena on behalf of the English in 1586, its fortifications were increased so no would-be invaders ever succeeded again. Then there is the somewhat newer, but still historic neighborhood of Getsemani, that butts up to the old city. And complimenting these two ancient areas is Bocagrande, that occupies a long peninsula - ocean one side, lagoon the other -- with beaches, hotels, and blocks of apartments.

The Old City of Cartagena

But it is the old city that is the lure, the reason to put Cartagena on the list of places to spend time. It has a heart-stopping charm and intrigue, with a compelling overlay of tradition and culture. Little wonder it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I first went 15 years ago on a business trip and I had no time to explore properly. But now, with plenty of time on my side, I discovered a living museum of a city. But while the walled-city, with its richness of architecture, is beautifully preserved and cared for, it is far more than a well-staged tourist attraction.

All manner of people live within the walls. There are the rich and famous, like Cartagena born, award-winning author Gabriel Garcia Márquez. And artisans and artists, laborers and lawyers share the magic of this city side-by-side. A feature of virtually every street is the huge iron-studded doors in 400-year-old walls. When closed they give nothing away about what is behind them. But take a peek when the small door each one has opens. The whole social spectrum of the 10,000 people lucky enough to call the old city home is laid-out. Some open up on grand homes, with courtyards overflowing with flamboyant foliage, grand statuary and elegant garden furniture. Others reveal a glimpse of more humble abodes. Narrow, twisting streets, with overhanging balconies almost touching, spill into small parks, piazzas and plazas. Sensational architecture dominates. Churches, official buildings, homes, crowd in on each other, making a stroll through the city an “ooh” and “awe” experience.

During the day the jumble of interlocking through-ways are thronged with people going about their business on foot, in taxis, on carts, and pushing carts. At night, a calmness descends as both residents and visitors enjoy the peaceful promenades the old city lends itself to. The soft glow of the uniform street-lights - Medieval styled lanterns - gently bathe the city in a warm ochre tone.

In the Market for an Emerald?

Designer shops, with the sharpest and most expensive fashion, leather and boutique wares, vie for space and trade with tiendas and bodegas selling groceries, hardware, affordable clothing and shoes. And of course, there are gift shops. Seek out salad-servers made from coconut shells, dishes made from a black wood so hard it’s mistaken for metal and thong sandals decorated with traditional weaving.

As for places to eat, the range runs from gourmet dining in exquisitely renovated ancient warehouses and colonial-rule buildings, to hole-in-the wall cafes where, in relative terms, the surroundings are just as historic and the food and service as good.

Then there are the emerald merchants. It’s not possible to go more than a few minutes anywhere, in any part of Cartagena, without feeling the pull of the green stone. If you’re in the market, the best advice is, investigate the price of emeralds before going -- then make sure you pay up to 50 % less.

A easy and fun way of touring all parts of Cartegena is to take the Chiva - a wooden, open-sided bus. The daily, four-hour afternoon tour, picks up at major hotels. It will take you to all the places you should visit, accompanied by English speaking guides. Among the stops is the massive Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas. Standing high above the city, and with its warren of underground tunnels, it’s the greatest and strongest fort the Spanish ever built.

Visit the Palace of the Inquisition, one of the most significant examples of Spanish architecture in whole of South America. Built in 1770 it is where those deemed heretics were dealt with. Many of the original instruments of torture are on display. The Cathedral, which dates back to 1577, is as fine a piece of church architecture as anywhere in the world.

For a relaxing time-out, stroll into either of the six star hotels the walled city boasts. The building that is now the Santa Teresa Hotel dates back to the early 17th Century. It’s had diverse uses. Built as a Carmelite convent, it’s also been military barracks, a jail, a girls’ school and a noodle-factory. Now lovingly and immaculately restored, non-residents are welcome to enjoy the restful first-floor areas skillfully woven into and around the cloisters. The other hotel of historical and architectural note is the Hotel Santa Clara. Also a former convent, it too offers a cool oasis of peace, to stop for a while over a drink, while being surrounded by the sort of history and charm that is the essence of the walled-city.

As for the beach-life, it has a definite Caribbean feel. Women stroll the sands with baskets of mangos and pineapples on their heads, ready to slice and dice the fruit of your choice; others are ready to treat feet or full-body with exotic massage oils, braid your hair or sell you a sarong. Like a good percentage of Cartagena’s million-plus population, they look as though they’re from the islands. The explanation lies in a pivotal part of Cartagena’s history. The city was the center of the slave trade for Spanish America. The legacy of those dark days is that Cartagena now revels in a scintillating mix of Latino and Caribe life-styles.

It makes for an exciting atmosphere, that compounds the historic reasons to visit Cartagena. Now the World Tourism Organization - the travel industry’s premier force - has recognized that the city, with its compelling merger of playground meets the past, has risen above the image-problem of being in Colombia. It’s chosen Cartagena to host its 2007 convention. And that should be a good enough reason for anyone to chose it as a vacation spot.

IF YOU GO: You’ll have to fly via Miami or Atlanta. Check with Delta and US Airways who have code-share flights with Avianca, Colombia’s national airline. Most of the flights to Cartagena are routed through Bogota. Unless you fly on a Wednesday, Sunday, and after June 15 on a Friday, when Avianca has non-stop service Miami to Cartagena.

MUST BUY:

Santander chocolate! An all-Colombian product the flavor is intense. The bar infused with Colombian espresso coffee is particularly special.

ACCOMMODATION:

Whichever location you chose, the walled city or the beach area, the other is very readily accessible, making for perfect combo-days of sight-seeing and sunbathing.

Within-the-walls: apart from the Santa Teresa and Santa Clara hotels (both from $220 a night ) there are a lot of smaller and less expensive hostelries, with just as much historic charm, such as Centro Hotel and Casa La Fe. All details - and lots of good general information - can be found at: www.cartagenainfo.net and www.destinationcartagena.com

On-the-Beach: Aim for the El Laguito neighborhood, which is at the end of the peninsula and full of small, local, very good beach bars and restaurants. Key hotels here are the historic Caribe, along with the Hilton, the Dann, and the Oceania. Again use the above websites.

Apartments: always make a good alternative. Go to: www.cartagenaapartments.net or for personalized service contact Fanny Arcila at Inmobiliaria J & G; tel: (57) 315-6657172; e-mail: ventas@inmobiliariajyg.com; or: www.inmobiliaria.com.


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TRAVEL: Magic Mix of History, Sea and Sand Puts Colombian City on Vacation Map

by: Maggie Hall
On a recent travel jaunt I had heads and eyes swivelling in my direction. “This is the best coke I’ve had in ages,” I enthused. I was at an outdoor café - on a vacation high. For a second I was bewildered about the shocked stares. Then it dawned. What a stupid thing to say out loud in Colombia. My next thought was that I couldn’t wait to get home and put right all those people who had reacted negatively when I mentioned my trip to Colombia. Well, let me qualify that. Not so much Colombia, as Cartagena. I can report that although it is in the South American country most associated with drug-production and allied violence, it is not riddled with drug-dealers, wrecked by gang gun-fights, or ruined by kidnappings. A stunning walled city, Cartegena has carved itself a nice “drug-free zone” piece of tourist action. It’s peaceful calmness has made it Colombia’s number one place to visit. In fact Cartagena was recently designated by Lonely Planet as one of the world’s top ten destinations. As a taxi-driver (you know, the oracles of all countries) told it: “I tell the foreigners, relax. We’ve no guerillas or kidnappers here in Cartagena. There are no swamps or mountains for them to hide in.” Set on the Caribbean Sea, on the eastern approach to the Panama Canal, Cartagena is several cities in one. The famed part is enclosed within seven miles of ramparts and walls, and was founded in 1533. It was the heart and jewel of Spanish Main power. After the great sea-warrior, Sir Francis Drake, sacked and plundered Cartagena on behalf of the English in 1586, its fortifications were increased so no would-be invaders ever succeeded again. Then there is the somewhat newer, but still historic neighborhood of Getsemani, that butts up to the old city. And complimenting these two ancient areas is Bocagrande, that occupies a long peninsula - ocean one side, lagoon the other -- with beaches, hotels, and blocks of apartments. The Old City of Cartagena But it is the old city that is the lure, the reason to put Cartagena on the list of places to spend time. It has a heart-stopping charm and intrigue, with a compelling overlay of tradition and culture. Little wonder it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I first went 15 years ago on a business trip and I had no time to explore properly. But now, with plenty of time on my side, I discovered a living museum of a city. But while the walled-city, with its richness of architecture, is beautifully preserved and cared for, it is far more than a well-staged tourist attraction. All manner of people live within the walls. There are the rich and famous, like Cartagena born, award-winning author Gabriel Garcia Márquez. And artisans and artists, laborers and lawyers share the magic of this city side-by-side. A feature of virtually every street is the huge iron-studded doors in 400-year-old walls. When closed they give nothing away about what is behind them. But take a peek when the small door each one has opens. The whole social spectrum of the 10,000 people lucky enough to call the old city home is laid-out. Some open up on grand homes, with courtyards overflowing with flamboyant foliage, grand statuary and elegant garden furniture. Others reveal a glimpse of more humble abodes. Narrow, twisting streets, with overhanging balconies almost touching, spill into small parks, piazzas and plazas. Sensational architecture dominates. Churches, official buildings, homes, crowd in on each other, making a stroll through the city an “ooh” and “awe” experience. During the day the jumble of interlocking through-ways are thronged with people going about their business on foot, in taxis, on carts, and pushing carts. At night, a calmness descends as both residents and visitors enjoy the peaceful promenades the old city lends itself to. The soft glow of the uniform street-lights - Medieval styled lanterns - gently bathe the city in a warm ochre tone. In the Market for an Emerald? Designer shops, with the sharpest and most expensive fashion, leather and boutique wares, vie for space and trade with tiendas and bodegas selling groceries, hardware, affordable clothing and shoes. And of course, there are gift shops. Seek out salad-servers made from coconut shells, dishes made from a black wood so hard it’s mistaken for metal and thong sandals decorated with traditional weaving. As for places to eat, the range runs from gourmet dining in exquisitely renovated ancient warehouses and colonial-rule buildings, to hole-in-the wall cafes where, in relative terms, the surroundings are just as historic and the food and service as good. Then there are the emerald merchants. It’s not possible to go more than a few minutes anywhere, in any part of Cartagena, without feeling the pull of the green stone. If you’re in the market, the best advice is, investigate the price of emeralds before going -- then make sure you pay up to 50 % less. A easy and fun way of touring all parts of Cartegena is to take the Chiva - a wooden, open-sided bus. The daily, four-hour afternoon tour, picks up at major hotels. It will take you to all the places you should visit, accompanied by English speaking guides. Among the stops is the massive Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas. Standing high above the city, and with its warren of underground tunnels, it’s the greatest and strongest fort the Spanish ever built. Visit the Palace of the Inquisition, one of the most significant examples of Spanish architecture in whole of South America. Built in 1770 it is where those deemed heretics were dealt with. Many of the original instruments of torture are on display. The Cathedral, which dates back to 1577, is as fine a piece of church architecture as anywhere in the world. For a relaxing time-out, stroll into either of the six star hotels the walled city boasts. The building that is now the Santa Teresa Hotel dates back to the early 17th Century. It’s had diverse uses. Built as a Carmelite convent, it’s also been military barracks, a jail, a girls’ school and a noodle-factory. Now lovingly and immaculately restored, non-residents are welcome to enjoy the restful first-floor areas skillfully woven into and around the cloisters. The other hotel of historical and architectural note is the Hotel Santa Clara. Also a former convent, it too offers a cool oasis of peace, to stop for a while over a drink, while being surrounded by the sort of history and charm that is the essence of the walled-city. As for the beach-life, it has a definite Caribbean feel. Women stroll the sands with baskets of mangos and pineapples on their heads, ready to slice and dice the fruit of your choice; others are ready to treat feet or full-body with exotic massage oils, braid your hair or sell you a sarong. Like a good percentage of Cartagena’s million-plus population, they look as though they’re from the islands. The explanation lies in a pivotal part of Cartagena’s history. The city was the center of the slave trade for Spanish America. The legacy of those dark days is that Cartagena now revels in a scintillating mix of Latino and Caribe life-styles. It makes for an exciting atmosphere, that compounds the historic reasons to visit Cartagena. Now the World Tourism Organization - the travel industry’s premier force - has recognized that the city, with its compelling merger of playground meets the past, has risen above the image-problem of being in Colombia. It’s chosen Cartagena to host its 2007 convention. And that should be a good enough reason for anyone to chose it as a vacation spot. IF YOU GO: You’ll have to fly via Miami or Atlanta. Check with Delta and US Airways who have code-share flights with Avianca, Colombia’s national airline. Most of the flights to Cartagena are routed through Bogota. Unless you fly on a Wednesday, Sunday, and after June 15 on a Friday, when Avianca has non-stop service Miami to Cartagena. MUST BUY: Santander chocolate! An all-Colombian product the flavor is intense. The bar infused with Colombian espresso coffee is particularly special. ACCOMMODATION: Whichever location you chose, the walled city or the beach area, the other is very readily accessible, making for perfect combo-days of sight-seeing and sunbathing. Within-the-walls: apart from the Santa Teresa and Santa Clara hotels (both from $220 a night ) there are a lot of smaller and less expensive hostelries, with just as much historic charm, such as Centro Hotel and Casa La Fe. All details - and lots of good general information - can be found at: www.cartagenainfo.net and www.destinationcartagena.com On-the-Beach: Aim for the El Laguito neighborhood, which is at the end of the peninsula and full of small, local, very good beach bars and restaurants. Key hotels here are the historic Caribe, along with the Hilton, the Dann, and the Oceania. Again use the above websites. Apartments: always make a good alternative. Go to: www.cartagenaapartments.net or for personalized service contact Fanny Arcila at Inmobiliaria J & G; tel: (57) 315-6657172; e-mail: ventas@inmobiliariajyg.com; or: www.inmobiliaria.com.