Pirates, Caribbean & Rum - Colonial Cartagena, Columbia

Colourful Cartagena on the Caribbean - definitely one of our favourite cities in South America. Steeped in a history involving pirates, multiple invasions (even the English launched an unsuccessful attempt in the 1700's), gold, and tropical disease epidemics. This city has gone through it all over the past 500 or so years.

You can tell by wandering through the colonial part of town, with its multi-coloured buildings, beautiful architecture and overhanging flower filled balconies, that the Spanish really liked it here. It was once the main port from which the Spanish traded and the place where much gold and other valuable items, taken from indigenous groups was then exported out to Spain.












Enjoying an ice cold beer in a fabulous Cuban Salsa bar






We stayed in a stunning colonial house complete with a pool and fish pond, definitely one of the most luxurious places we have satyed in. On the (not so comfortable side) we slept in a 9 bed dorm, as Cartagena is an expensive city.
We chose to spend Christmas here, though we were surprised to find that in comparison to Medellin, there were not many decorations or much of a Christmas spirit here. We did however manage to embrace a little festive cheer on Xmas eve at a hostel party complete with DJ's and a big pool, this was then followed up with a yummy dinner on Christmas day and a sunset cocktail looking out onto the Caribbean. Though, it did make us feel a little homesick, thinking about friends and family far away. So we raised a toast looking forward to spending it in England in 2012 after 8 years.