Cartagena: Jewel of the Caribbean

CARTAGENA de INDIAS, Colombia

The first thing you notice about Cartagena de Indias is the heat. It feels like walking into a wall of fire as you step off the plane. The second thing you notice is how cool the old town is. You feel it as you walk through the centuries-old city walls. Once inside, you are flash-frozen with awe. The 500-year-old Spanish colonial buildings drip with rich yellows and reds. Green tropical plants cascade off charming wooden balconies which hover over the mirthful narrow streets. Characters all, the residents who fill them are most colorful. They entice you with blithe chatter then offer you the world. The clip-clop of horse and carriage echoes round ample public squares. Candle light flickers in the eyes of alfresco diners. The drum rhythms of a street act rise behind a foot-tapping crowd. Your heart beats in time to the seductive song of Cartagena. The postcard into which you have stepped is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You wander it aimlessly, each corner a curious portal to yesteryear or a serendipitous discovery in the modern Latin world. For sure, a short-stay leaves longlasting impressions.

Founded in 1533 by Pedro de Heredia, Cartagena became Spain's principle Caribbean port. Precious stones and minerals plundered from the Indians were stored here until the galleons shipped them home. In response to pirate attacks, encircling walls were erected. The 16th century saw five invasions, including one led by Britain's Sir Frances Drake in 1586. Independence came in 1811 and a decade later it was incorporated into Colombia. Cartagena's greatness was sealed when Simón Bolívar, the great liberator of Latin America who made a base here, proclaimed, "If Caracas gave me life, Cartagena gave me glory."

That sentiment continues today. The city is coveted by the Colombians as their crown jewel. It's an outpost of historical and architectural marvel. It beguiles from dawn to dawn. Little wonder Cartagena is invaded by visitors from the worldover. Some fall in love, buy a property, and never leave. Others fall in love but stay only a few days.

The diminutive old town is comprised of four quarters (Centro, San Diego, La Matuna, and Getsemani). Exploring the safe and well-policed streets is best done on foot. Every street holds the promise of intrigue. Puerta del Reloj (Clock Gate) is a fine place to start. It leads to Centro where most sights and high-end hotels are located. Once the city's only gate, it also housed munitions. Today, book vendors and artists welcome you to the city.

The gate leads to Plaza de los Coches (Coach Square), formerly an African slave market. Named for the gatherings of horse drawn carriages, it is still a designated boarding stop. Colonial-style windows watch over the bustling square which is punctuated by a monument to Pedro de Heredia. Vendors sell curious snacks from apothecary-like jars beneath the arch-covered pedestrian sidewalks.

On your way to Museo de Arte Moderno (Modern Art Museum, C$2,000), pass through Plaza de la Aduana (Customs Square). The oldest and largest square in the old town was used originally as a parade ground. Red roof tiles and handsome balconies give it the appearance of a movie set.

The art museum is a finely restored brick and wooden building that once housed salt. Today it's home to works by avant-garde Colombian artists, though none by the nation's most famous art son, Fernando Botero. No city in Colombia is complete without one of his comically obese sculptures on public display. His donation to Cartagena - Gertrudis - can be found in Plaza de Santo Domingo. It's a reclining female nude immediately facing the entrance to Santo Domingo Church. Its location seems as funny as the sculpture itself.

Step back outside to Plaza San Pedro Claver, a small, active square featuring cast-iron figurines. They portray the nature of Cartagenians and blend unobtrusively with alfresco diners, churchgoers, and passersby.

Dominating the square is Iglesia de San Pedro (Church of Saint Peter) and Convento (convent, C$5,000) de San Pedro Claver. Originally called San Ignacio de Loyola when they were built by Jesuits in 1580, the name was changed to honor the Spanish-born monk, Pedro Claver. He dedicated his life to ministering slaves who passed through Cartagena. He was canoni- zed in 1888. Visitors can enjoy the same quiet of the inner courtyard he did. Also on display are period paintings, pre-Colom- bian ceramics, and the Baroque church.

Nearby, stop in at the sumptuously restored convent-turned-five-star Charleston Hotel. Cartagena's first convent is a great place to splurge for a drink. If you can, sneak up to the rooftop pool for a glimpse of the city.

Next, wander north along Calle Santo Domingo, the loveliest street in Cartagena. All the details of Spanish colonialism are preserved here. From the flower garnished balconies to the stone doorways to the homey ambiance, it's a street of dreams. Check out some of the clothing and crafts shops.

Up ahead is the magnificent Plaza Santo Domingo. Construction on the city's oldest church, Santo Domingo, started in 1570. Its heavy appearance contrasts to the buoyant mood of the cafes before it. When evening falls, the plaza is abuzz with troubadors, cigar sellers, eager waiters, and the click-clack of girls in heels. People watching is what most everyone is doing.

Two blocks away, Plaza de Bolívar honors the man who liberated the nation in 1811. By day, the shady park's four fountains offer cool respite from the sultry sun. Enjoy an ice cream, have your shoes shined, or chat with locals. By night, the park is a stage for musical dance groups. They perform hard, shaking every bodily fiber.

The park is flanked to the west by Palacio de la Inquisicion (Inquisition Palace, C$ 7,000) and Museo de Oro (Gold Museum, free) to the east. The former served as a tribunal court. Sentences were announced from the windows. The finely decorated stone Baroque gateway today leads to exhibitions about the Inquisition, including instruments of torture. The latter houses a priceless national collection of jewelry and coins.

From there, walk north along Calle de los Santos de Piedra all the way to Plaza de la Merced. Here you will find the exclusive La Merced boutique hotel. Directly in front of it is Teatro Heredia, Cartagena's prized theater and one of the loveliest on the continent. Built in 1625 as a church, its fantastic opulence was restored in 1998. A larger-than-life bouquet on the fire curtain dwarfs the interior to doll house proportions. Visitors are welcome.

Walking east leads to Las Bovedas (The Dungeons), 23 large barracks built in the late 18th century. They were the last major structure added within the city walls during the colonial era. The rooms were recently converted into tourist shops.

Perhaps Cartagena's greatest treat is its simplest: a walk on Las Murallas (The Walls, free). Begun in the 16th century, the defenses took two centuries to complete. The Centro and San Diego quarters can be completely circumnavigated, Getsemani less so. From the 5 to 12-meter heights, Cartagena resembles an actual size model. Lovers, strollers, kite flyers, sunbathers, and ambling tourists all have their favorite spots. Cafe del Mar, on the ramparts at Baluarte de Santo Domingo, is one of them. A late afternoon walk is best so to avoid the midday heat and to watch the sunset spill its liquid glow on the town.

Just when Cartagena couldn't seem more illusional, hop on a Chiva bus (from 8pm, C$18,000) and party the night away. These fun houses on open-air buses cruise the old town before dropping you at a disco. En route, an emcee makes commentary about the city and a live band beats out Vallenato, a popular Colombian rhythm. Everything is a bit wilder if you make use of the open bar!

At dawn, having shaken every fiber of your body all night long, your head hits the pillow and you go to sleep from the dream that is Cartagena.

Text & photos: Jono David