Cartagena Local Custom Tips by call_me_rhia

The virgin del Carmen

The virgin del Carmen is the patron saint of Cartagena and her day falls on 16 July... that day a statue of the Virgin is paradecaround the sreets of the old town and plenty of people come out to follow the procession or simply to see it.

It's quite a sight to see, women holding candles and small children wearing cardboard gold-coloured crowns coloured on their heard. Friendly cartagena locals are even firendlier on that day, and were ravished to know that in the village in souther italy where we spend part of the summer, the virgin del carmen is celebrated, too.

Mapale dancers

Go and see the Mapale dancers in Cartagena. Mapale is an Afro-Colombian dance from the Caribbean coast of Colombia, danced at the sounds of drums and clapping of hands. Every day a group of young people, some as young as kids, dance for locals and foreigners in Plaza Bolivar.

It's not an organized traditional dance show... it takes place spontaneously, though those dancers obviously don't do it for free. A hat will be passed around from time to time, and you can give as much or as little as you like.

The Mapale dance, which takes its name from a fish, is a very sensual dance, with a lot of swift motions and swaying hips... flirtatious, too... and acrobatic. The dancers are excellent, and their costumes, which they change for every dance, very colourful.