Day 193 - 195 : Cartagena

It is hard for anyone not to like Cartagena... ok.. maybe just the weather (read : hot and sunny), but just walking and exploring the streets of Cartagena city is a pure pleasure.

Modern Cartagena in
fortress background

Cartagena city is enclosed within the fortress walls located next to the sea. Sights of historical buildings, colourfully dressed black women parading their bowl of fruits on their heads, the warmth of the locals, the gush of cool breeze flowing through the streets, walking along the fortress walls admiring the view of the sea on one side and the historic city, horse drawn carriages trotting along the narrow streets, are just some of the things which makes up the Cartagena charm.  

Horse drawn carriages at main square

Typical fruit bearer taking a break

Pegasus statues

One of many hat sellers

The narrow streets are also lined with low buildings in various colours, built with Spanish style balconies and grilled street windows on its facade, and just getting lost within the twists and turns of the streets while admiring its architecture, either by foot or on a bicycle, was a joy.

Narrow streets

One of the many shophouses

Check out the number of balconies on this building!

This was how I had spent my last few days in Colombia here in Cartagena, and makes for a good wrap up to my slightly overstayed trip in Colombia (I am officially illegally based in Colombia by a couple of days, as I have overstayed the original 30 days allowance that was granted at entry).

Sunset in Cartagena

It also has one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen - with the big yolk descending in the horizon, and colouring the sky with reddish hues, until it is slowly swallowed by the ocean.

Other than enjoying what the city of Cartagena had to offer, I also had to find a way to get to Panama, and meet up with a friend who is going to be sailing to San Blas islands. 


This took me a whole day looking for options available, with the easiest ways to get to Panama from Cartagena was to either fly, or to sail with one of the commonly found 5 day tours that frequent this route.

I was initially hoping to sail, however after checking on the price and the earliest date of departures of the sail boats, it was both expensive and departing later than I hope for (I had to try to minimise the time I am overstaying in Colombia), and since I will be joining my friend to sail around San Blas for about 2 weeks, I could afford to skip the sailing passage from Cartagena and bought an indirect flight to Panama via Bogota instead.

Can’t wait to go sailing again!