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Showing posts from March, 2023

Colombia - Mass tourism at Caribbean coast and lost city

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While I thought San Andrés was a shock in terms of city noise and buzz, arriving in Cartagena was another level. Especially within (and on) the walls of the historic center and the colorful neighbourhood of  Getsemani there was neither a quiet corner nor moment; street parties, rooftop clubs and bars, and a lively restaurant scene (broad range and high standard) make Colombia‘s 5th largest city an attractive place for international tourists as well as local visitors. To my surprise  I actually appreciated this colonial city and its vibes, with a blend of Caribbean, African and Spanish culture and colors, as touristy as it might be: sitting on the city wall sipping a beer and w atching the sun set over the Caribbean sea with the distinguished skyline looming in from the left, busy street sellers offering beers, soft drinks and souvenirs, enjoying a good coffee in Getsemani among tons of street art...  Further to the East along the coast is Taganga, a small fishing village  nestled in a

Colombia - Caribbean island life and explosion of colors

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My Caribbean island escape is coming to an end and I gotta admit that time truly flies when having fun and/or being on holidays.. at the same time, as much as I needed this break from traveling - I was more than happy to not pack my bag after 1-2 days and leave to some place new - I‘m now refreshed and ready to go explore again, 2.5 weeks by the sea served me exactly what they were supposed to :) In order to get to these islands, I needed 1.5 days of travel, as turned out that La Paz is not a great hub for flying across South America. (It would have been perfect to enter the South of Peru by bus, as per the original intention and route; but my need for a break and the political situation in Peru still being somewhat unstable, hence the change of plans). After everyone had been checked for narcotics three times at the airport in La Paz, a short flight to Lima with two hours to change, then Bogota with actual five hours overlay, eventually I made it to San Andrés island (total of 18h of