Columbian Caribbean. Hola Cartagena

It was an early start today, to catch the bus, to go to the airport at Medellin, to catch the plane to Cartagena. Fortunately it was another another uneventful journey, just the way I like them. 

The ride to the suburb of Getsemani, my home for the next few days was rather lovely; palm tree lined with the old walled city on one side and the clean tall skyscrapers on the other. 

Our bus negotiates the narrow streets and then realises that the bus would not fit much further down dropped us off for a short walk to the gorgeous Casa Mara. Just beautiful, it almost feels Moroccan with the courtyard/pool in the centre and rooms on three sides above with beautiful displays of bouganvillea climbing up one of the walls. 

Only just time to drop our bags and get organised before we set off on our orientation walk. OMG, talk about quaint, colourful, character filled, cute, special, the whole lot. The colours, the shapes, the buildings, the art and the loud music let us know that we were in the Caribbean, Colombia style. It is just beautiful, words cannot do it justice:

We stopped for a bit to catch our breath and check out the sloth and the monkeys in the trees; much better behaved than monkeys I have seen elsewhere so obviously rather tame.

Our walk over it was time for lunch, at La Mulata for a bowl of delicious fish soup and a perfectly grilled, seasoned fish fillet with coconut rice and a plantain mash. Each part was just as scrummy as the next and it made it difficult for me as I usually save my favourite flavour till last. They were all favourites, each and every flavour was divine. 

It was hot, hotter than anywhere I had been till now, so hot that I was even wearing shorts and that’s not something I wear in cities. So by the time we got back from our walk I was ready for a swim, but...... my bed beckoned and for two hours I was away in noddy land. I went to heaven and back, then woke and checked out the pool. As I was sitting relaxing and taking it in I was confronted by the sight of an oversized, cellulite covered bum in a thong climbing out of the pool. Not nice and it drove me back to the safety of my room, for a bit..the time out after a busy few days was so welcomed and I have another couple of days here alone to explore so there is no rush.