Travel Diaries: Cartagena Day 6

Our second to last day in Cartagena was spent, naturally, by the pool. The weather wasn't so hot, so we could tolerate the heat for longer than usual. We also decided to have lunch at the hotel, because the restaurant used to be good. Not that it isn't anymore––the food was actually tasty––but I was really disappointed when I ordered seafood pasta and only received two shrimps...

We had a colourful visitor during lunch––Mateo, the toucan––who had no second thoughts on stealing a bite of my sister's avocado.

After lunch, we went back to the pool for a while. We then went for a short walk around town, and paused several times for food. We first had some typical fried dishes from the region––no photos, but they probably wouldn't look yummy anyway––and then stopped further away for ice cream.

Love,

Photography: Laura Beltran-Rubio

Travel Diaries: Cartagena Day 5

Although I've been pretty much doing nothing this week, day 5 was definitely the laziest day so far. I didn't even leave the hotel to find a restaurant for lunch. Instead, I ordered a hamburger and ate it by the poolside. And to be honest, after all the rush applying to grad school and getting everything solved so I can move to New York, after working very hard on a research project with one of my college professors, and after spending a super hectic week in Miami, I think I really needed a pause. And this is what Cartagena has been to me.

It has also be a time to re-connect with my roots, right before leaving the country. I haven't stopped thinking of those wonderful summers spent here during my childhood, of how I dreamed of getting married here, of eating fried goodies until my stomach couldn't bare it any more... Of loving every single thing about the town where I was born, and sometimes even fighting with my parents for having left before I was old enough to actually seem to be a native from Cartagena. And even if I probably will never live here, at least now I know that it's a place where I will always come back and experience the magic of all the history that this place holds.

Love,

Photography: Laura Beltran-Rubio

Travel Diaries: Cartagena Day 4

Day 4 in Cartagena was all about the food. I had a meeting in the early afternoon––nope, apparently I can't stop working even for a full week––so we decided to try any restaurant we could find close to the hotel. And it happened to be La Cocina de Cartagena, which is only a couple of blocks away.

Although I've grown up and now eat fish––I would starve before eating fish when I was a child (except for Mojarra frita, of course)––I sort of wanted something different. I started with patacones––my favourite––and then wanted to get a posta negra cartagenera, which is a typical beef dish from the region. Unfortunately they didn't have it available, so I ended up having another dish with meat, prepared with sauteed vegetables, and accompanied by mashed plantain, yuca and ñame––all three typical from the region.

My sister and dad both chose to have fish, which looked absolutely delicious––although I didn't really try them.

I then had my meeting, and we went out walking around the centre after the sun set.

We then went to Mila, which is probably my favourite patisserie in Cartagena, where we overdosed in sugar. I also had a traditional, handmade coffee, which is just amazingly aromatic because it's prepared right before you drink it.

Love,

Photography: Laura Beltran-Rubio

Travel Diaries: Cartagena Day 3

My third day in Cartagena was probably my favourite so far. I spent the morning getting tanned with my sister by the pool, and then went for lunch to one of my dad's favourite restaurants: La Casa de Socorro. It is apparently famous now, but my dad remembers visiting even before I was born, and loving the seafood there. And it's still delicious, so if you ever visit Cartagena, I sincerely recommend it!

I had some crab claws with patacones (fried plantain, basically) for a starter, and then a prawn, shrimp, and lobster stew with yet more patacones and coconut rice as the main dish. To be honest, I couldn't tell which was better. But what I can tell you is that I walked out very full and happy from that place. Cartagena never lets my inner foodie down, and that's probably the main reason why I always want to come back.

We then walked around town to digest all that food. One of the things I really love about the city centre is how colourful all the little houses are. And the balconies. I remember dreaming with having a beautiful balcony covered with bougainvillea flowers in my home when I was a child.

We arrived back in our hotel just in time to see the sunset. And although it was a little cloudy, the colours of the sun were absolutely stunning. I think I'm starting to doubt going to New York now... Couldn't I just stay eating the best seafood and watching the sunset every day in Cartagena forever?

Love,

Photography: Laura Beltran-Rubio