"Cartagena de Indias" a Cartagena Travel Page by sjvessey

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THESE PAGES ARE ALMOST DONE (AS OF 29 JUNE 2004) - PLEASE COME BACK IN A FEW DAYS

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Cartagena, on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, is perhaps one of the most famous cities in the country. In the days of the Conquistadores, Cartagena saw fleets of Spanish ships loaded up with South American gold to transport back to the Old World. Because of its importance, the city was protected by heavily fortified walls, the harbour guarded by a number of forts on hills and nearby islands.

Today, the city of Cartagena has expanded well outside the old city walls, and the forts are now tourist attractions. But through luck or judgement, most of the old city remains as it must have been for the last hundred years or more, with narrow streets, colourfully painted low-rise houses, bustling squares and cool, dimly-lit churches.

Compared to Bogota, Cartagena could almost be in a different country. The heat is intense, but the humidity is even worse. The streets some dusty, and the people are, unsurprisingly, much darker than in the capital, which has a much more temperate climate. This is a city that is one of the main tourist destinations for Colombians themselves, and much of the local industry seems geared up to tourism. A Honolulu-style hotel strip has sprung up along a spit of beach that extends south-west from the old city, but the best place to stay to immerse yourself in the atmosphere is away from all the new development, inside the old town itself.

The dependence on tourism is a mixed blessing, because jobs are seasonal, and out-of-season unemployment is high. But despite this, Cartagena is one of the safest places in this troubled country, and for a few days you can simply relax and enjoy yourself as you explore this fascinating town.

One of the most interesting things about being in Cartagena is the sensation of being a total outsider. I went in March, which is most definitely the off-season for tourists. The combination of being considerably taller than most Colombians, and being pretty much the only pale white face in the entire city, makes you stick out like a sore thumb. There are some curious stares from people in the street as you walk past, as few Colombians expect to see European tourists. Even though most people will leave you alone, you feel a little exposed. And there is no escaping the few people who are desperate to sell you something - anything. For these "vendadores", a white face makes you a target - not for robbery, far from it - but for almost continuous harassment. Most can be dissuaded by simply ignoring them. Others don't give up so easily, and will pursue you down the street. You just have to put up with it and try not to let it detract from your experience.

Cartagena is a place of contrasts. At one extreme is the Hotel Santa Clara, a convent converted into what has been described as the best hotel in the country. At the other extreme are the people living in run-down shacks what seems like no more than a hundred meters from the airport runway - just look out the window when you touch down. You can eat excellent food in an upmarket restaurant, or be offered hookers eight times in the space of an hour. This happened so often to me that I began to wonder whether there are just a few girls that everyone knows, because surely there can't be so many in a place so small? It's just another thing you have to take in your stride - part of the whole cultural experience.