There are 3 things that you really need to know when going to Colombia.
- Be prepared to have the Monica Geller afro when she went to Barbados
- Use the phrase “Gracias, pero, no” religiously
- Contain your anger when you do not find empanadas on every street corner
My 2 girl friends and I decided to book Colombia on a whim. It has recently been the most popping destination for people in their 20’s and we just had to go… Not knowing that October is the rainy season. But not to worry – the rain did not affect our trip whatsoever… the only thing the weather ruined was my hair. The humidity was REAL guys. (Note to self: get Keratin Treatment before entering a South American country). I loved everything about this country. I wish I had time to travel to the more cultured cities like Bogota and Medellin, but that will be on my bucket list for future vacations. One of the highlights of my trip was when I went island hopping. For those of you who do not know me, I am beyond TERRIFIED of water. So this experience itself was something I’ll never forget because I’m slowly starting to conquer my fear of water ? My friends and I rented a boat and we set sail to Cholon, which ended up being my favorite island. When you get there, you park your boat next to your personal hut in the water. We were there for about two hours and it was such a beautiful day! The music was great, the drinks were all served in coconuts, and the water was crystal clear. Our next stop was Playa Blanca, which was a more reserved island. We made a pit stop there for some food and to relax a little bit… I enjoyed Playa Blanca as well – it is somewhere you would want to go to wind down after a fiesta at Cholon! Side note: Listen to the song Chillax by Farruko… we heard it in Cartagena and it’s so catchy!!
On to the most important topic of the trip: food. I am not picky when it comes to food so I tried everything that I could. Although, I must say, the Italian food in Cartagena was amazing. There is something about the spices that they use which complement the dishes so well. Regardless, carbs are good in any shape and form. I went to some of the best restaurants in the Walled City that had delicious food and an overall remarkable ambiance. Something that really disappointed me was that I did not get to eat any empanadas! I was expecting to find them everywhere but I guess I’ll have to stick to the authentic flavors of Empanada Mama in New York City. Food Recommendations:
Demente – Tapas Restaurant
La Vitrola – Cuban
DF Comida Mexicana – Mexican
Ciocolatto – Pop bar
Amaretto Café – Café and bar
The Clock Pub – Bar – drinks and small bites
El Baluarte – Bar – drinks and small bites
Café Del Mar – Outdoor bar
On our last day we were torn between a relaxing day at the Sofitel Spa or visiting Volcan de lodo “El Totumo”. It was kind of a no brainer considering we were in COLOMBIA and could not miss out on the opportunity to bathe in a huge mud volcano. Plus, the mud was enriched with 77 minerals and who doesn’t like minerals??? The experience itself was unforgettable. We took a guided bus to Santa Catalina, which was about 45 minutes away from Bocagrande (Cartagena). The volcano is very small in relation to what you would expect. We walked up the steep steps (barefoot, in the scorching heat), and one by one we entered the mud bath. It was such a unique concept because unlike water, you cannot drown. The mud is so thick that it keeps you consistently floating. Just a little tip: if you try to swim, you will end up looking like a rolley polley… so resist the urge ? After 20 minutes of being massaged by the local men (it’s not as creepy as it sounds), we were escorted down the steps and to the river where women were waiting with buckets to bathe us. Is it ok to admit that I did not find that weird at all? Shout out to Maria, the woman who generously scrubbed me in places where one should not be scrubbed… (in public hehe). Overall, we had such a great time and our skin looked flawless!
We roamed around the Walled City a lot, also referred to as Old City. During the day it is filled with people walking around and enjoying life. At night, they have horse carriage rides and the typical vendors who set up their inventory on blankets and try to rip you off because they know you are not from Colombia. Little do they know that I am from India and bargaining is in my blood. Funny story… we were told that cabs should not be any more than 8,000 Colombian Pesos (equivalent to about 3 USD). When we were trying to take a cab to dinner, we argued with the driver and insisted that we only pay diez pesos… And he was arguing back with us saying no… siete! When we realized that siete was less than diez, we felt incredibly dumb but got a great laugh out of it because you don’t find many people that will take the opportunity to correct a foreigner when he/she was offering more money. Aside from that, the Walled City has very cute local boutiques. The clothes are to die for but they are relatively expensive. The colors of the walls are so vibrant and since it was Colombia’s wet season, the small streets were flourished with fragrant flowers.
For those of you who think that Colombia is unsafe, think again… We only got kidnapped once. JK! There are obviously areas that you should avoid but we did not encounter any of that. You just have to be smart about it ? I highly recommend it if you are considering Cartagena as your next vacation spot… I would totally go again!