TL;DR

Cartagena, Colombia

• Stay
  • Hyatt Regency Cartagena, Carrera 1 #12-118, Cartagena, Colombia, 130000
    • Most definitely a western style hotel, complete with a gorgeous lounge featuring beautiful views, and a very hospitable staff. Location is not ideal but Ubers can take you anywhere for cheap.
• Eat/Drink
  • Café San Alberto (San Alberto Coffee), Plaza Santo Domingo, Cra. 3 #35-18, Centro Historico, Cartagena de Indias, Centro Histórico, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia
    • Stop in for a cup or a bag of beans, but stop in here.
  • El Barón, Carrera 4, Cl. San Pedro Claver #31-7, Cartagena de Indias, Bolívar, Colombia
    • If you’re feeling fancy and you want a drink to match, this is where you come.
  • Mar y Zielo, Cra. 5 #34-63, El Centro, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar
    • COME TO THIS RESTAURANT.
    • I cannot summarize this better than by saying just go. You will be so satisfied on so many levels that you need to read the section below on Day 2 for the full insight.
  • Dragon de la Marina, Carrera 6 #35-46 cll el porvenir, Cartagena de Indias, Bolívar
    • You might be asking me, “Did you really go to a Chinese restaurant in Cartagena?” And the answer would be yes. Would I recommend this place? Not necessarily, but I still had to try it.
  • Las Palleteria, Cl. 35 #03-86 local 2, El Centro, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar
    • When it’s warm outside, a popsicle does wonders. And La Palleteria should be where you stop. There are a LOT of flavors here. I decided on the fresa (strawberry) over the Milo and the Maracuya (passionfruit) but I doubt you can go wrong here.
  • Libertario Coffee, Cra. 10 #30-14, Getsemaní, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia
    • A respite from the sunshine and heat in a classy venue. The cold brew and a dessert will go a long way in recharging you during a warm Cartagena afternoon.
  • Uma Cantina Peruana, San Diego Calle del Curato. 38-99, Cartagena de Indias, Bolívar, Colombia
    • A recommendation from my friend Lipika, and I was blown away by the incredible quality of the food and drink. Peruvian food at its finest.
• See/Do
  • Museo del Cartagena de Indias, 46, Plaza de Bolivar Carrera 3 33, Bolívar, Colombia
    • To understand a place is to understand its history – and for Cartagena, that is the slave trade, the connection to the Spanish Crown, and its eventual independence. Come here and learn all about it.
  • Museo Naval del Caribe, l. 31 #3-26, El Centro, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia
    • You may not want to visit this unless you’re a bit of a Naval nerd. Learning about the history of Colombia’s navy was cool and it was interesting to find the connections between them and the US Navy!
  • Aja Company, Calle de Baloco #2-22, Centro Historico, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia
    • Charming little shop with handmade Colombian gifts. The storeowner handed me a small keychain which I thought was a gift, but then it turned out to be USD$10. I still liked it but oops!
  • Ábaco Libros y Café, Cl. 36 #3-86, El Centro, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar
    • Beautiful little bookstore, carrying a variety of historical and modern titles in both Spanish and English.
  • Aqoral Spa at the Hyatt Regency Cartagena, Cra. 1 #12-118, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia
    • If you’re a foreign tourist staying at the Hyatt Regency Cartagena, treating yourself to a service at the Aqoral Spa will put you in a very relaxed and happy place. I paid COP386,000 (about $92) for a 90 minute massage, which was after a 20% discount for Hyatt globalists (and inclusive of the tip). They threw in a facial for free too – super fancy!
  • Cerró de la Popa, Cartagena, Cartagena Province, Bolivar, Colombia
    • The highest point in Cartagena, it takes a little bit of effort to get here. If you come by Uber or taxi, ask the driver to stay for a bit as you won’t get great cell phone signal to find a return ride. Once there, the monastery is nice to tour and the views from the exterior are stunning.
  • Castillo de San Felipe (The Castle of San Felipe)
    • An historical site with sweeping views of the city. Requires walking on foot to ascend to the top so be ready for a modest uphill climb.
  • Las Bóvedas (the Vaults)
    • A fortified structure originally built as dungeons now hosting a variety of small shops (with mostly touristy wares and souvenirs). Worth a visit for the views from the top but the shops don’t have much beyond the typical touristy junk).
  • Licores y Vinos, Cl. 39 #9-136, El Centro, Cartagena de Indias, Cartagena Province, Bolivar, Colombia
    • Nice place near La Serrezuela where you can find local bottles of liquor alongside the usual cast of characters. Friendly staff here helped me pick out a cool bottle of rum (Dictador) to bring home!
  • La Serrezuela Mall, Cra. 11 # 39-21, San Diego, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia
    • A *beautiful* shopping center, in an era in which the viability of malls is declining. Built around an old bullfighting ring which also reminds me of the Globe Theatre in England, there are many stores here worth checking out.
  • MiniSo Gifts, La Serrezuela Mall, Cra. 11 #39-21, San Diego, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia
    • A Chinese retailer with cute and often cheaply priced (but surprisingly good quality) items.
  • The Frenchie Company, Carrera 11, Cl. de la Serrezuela #39-21 Local 309, San Diego, Cartagena de Indias, Bolívar, Colombia
    • Charming little shop in La Serrezuela with beautiful leather wallets (I bought two), backpacks, and other clothing items.

Trip Background

So let’s establish some context to this trip.

I discovered this deal on September 23, 2023 and booked it September 25, 2023 (after, of course, ensuring my wife Caitlin was supportive). It’s not that she didn’t want me traveling, but rather that Cooper and Clementine were 4 and 2 years old, respectively. Which means it’s a lot of effort for either of us to watch the kids after a full day of work and other stressors.

I lost my job on October 19, 2023.

I went to Cartagena from October 27-31, 2023.

That was a wild week – one in which I wasn’t sure if I should go on this trip. I had a flurry of thoughts, but ultimately I decided to go on this trip because I really needed a break, and I’d been wanting to visit Colombia for a long time.

I freely admit not knowing as much about Colombia as I should have before buying those tickets. At one point, Caitlin and I started discussing Pablo Escobar’s wealth, and when I looked up his wikipedia page, the estimates were as high as $100 billion. She nodded while I picked my jaw up off the floor.

In setting up this trip, I started playing with a bunch of hotel options. I had become a big fan of the AAdvantageHotels.com portal as a means of earning American Airlines loyalty points on hotel stays (which is a great way for me to shortcut the flying that would be required to earn similar #’s of loyalty points). I actually had booked one such stay at a Radisson property then quickly realized I could and should leverage my status at Hyatt and Marriott to see if I could get a better room.

I settled on the Hyatt Regency Cartagena and the Ermita (a Tribute Portfolio hotel in the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio) and my initial preference was for the Ermita given I had suite nights I was hoping to use. But by a week before my trip, the upgrade still hadn’t gone through so I started leaning toward the Hyatt. I looked into my Chase points balance and was prepared to use 53,000 Chase points for a room when I realized the same redemption would be 45,000 World of Hyatt points. Given that Chase points convert 1:1 to Hyatt points, why would I throw away 8,000 points?

A couple days before my arrival, I noticed that the app had updated my reservation with an upgraded room to the Regency Suite and I knew I’d made the right choice.  

I also had a fun experience thinking about how I would be healthier on this trip. I had been working out with a trainer for about six weeks before this trip started, and as a result I’d started taking protein shakes. This led me to a fun article (https://manvsclock.com/can-you-bring-protein-powder-on-a-plane/) but also the realization that taking powdered substances INTO or OUT OF Colombia was not the best idea. Therefore I left the shaker bottle behind for this trip.

Day 1 (October 27, 2023)

I got up early to go to O’Hare and as I arrived, I realized I didn’t have the paperwork done online for my entry visa. Luckily finding this link online was easy and you can do it up to 72 hours in advance and up until an hour before the flight.

My connection in Miami was relatively uneventful and we landed in Cartagena with no issues – that is, until I got to customs. The line was long and curved in multiple places with the number of passengers who landed together. The culprit was a small number of customs agents there to process the hundreds of passengers. I wound up striking up a conversation with the woman in front of me – Jana, a lawyer from Madison, WI. She and held the other’s spot in line as one of us dashed off to the restroom, as we endured over an hour long wait to get through customs. I split my airline cookies that the flight attendants gave me and in exchange, she gave me tacos and pho recommendations in New York City. Once we both reached the front of the line, we bid one another farewell and good luck.

Something to call out explicitly is that you read a lot online or in travel guides about how naïve tourists get scammed, especially in transit from place to place. I know that happens in the world but sometimes the warnings are worse than reality.

I found Uber operated in Colombia, jumped on my app, and within five minutes, Jacob was there to pick me up in a comfortable Chevy SUV. The ride from the Cartagena airport to the Hyatt Regency took 20 minutes and cost me COP45,940 (USD$11.13). It was safe, cheap, and very convenient.

There was one jarring thing on the drive, which was the presence of heavily armed soldiers on the side of the road. Jacob informed me that the president was there, hence the added security. I also noticed a lot of standing water and some flooding, and Jacob also told me that there had been a big storm in the week prior (a hurricane, if I am not mistaken) and as a result there were a lot of beach closures. The more he described the weather challenges, the less appealing the motorcycle option on Uber seemed to me!

I arrived at the Hyatt Regency Cartagena and the process of checking in was REALLY lovely. I got brought up to a higher floor where check in for Globalists was done and the attendant Isabel was welcoming and made the entire process easy. She showed me the lounge next door, which was full of snacks and drinks and would be where I would spend many hours over the following days, overlooking the ocean, reading, and writing.

From there, I went to my room and was blown away by the spaciousness of the Regency Suite and the accompanying views.

After getting settled, I wandered to the shopping mall next door to get to an ATM. I’ve said in previous posts but it’s worth drawing more attention to it:

When withdrawing money from an ATM outside the US, always decline to convert to USD and use the local currency instead. This bypasses the terrible exchange rate.

I went down to the gym to get in a strength training workout while I listened to Make It So, Patrick Stewart’s autobiography narrated by Captain Jean-Luc Picard himself. His voice provided a rich calm in the days after my layoff, one for which I am still grateful (as I write this 15 months after my trip).

But when I returned to my room, I found this letter from the hotel staff, telling me they would be shutting down alcohol sales due to the national election. I was both annoyed and amused by this – it actually makes some sense, but it also pissed me off in that I am not voting, so why does it matter if I want a cocktail?!? Hurumph.

In spite of all this drama, the pouring rain brought on a lovely pitter patter against the window as I drifted off to sleep that night, wondering how I would ever survive without a drink the next couple days (sarcasm intended).

Day 2 (October 28, 2023)

I had a delicious night of sleep. Waking up without being kicked in the head by a kid or having to change a diaper in the middle of the night really is a lovely thing.

As I ambled up to the 30th floor for breakfast, I brought with me a few books and read leisurely while I sipped my Americano and ate my eggs and sausages. At one point in the middle of the meal, I started thinking, “Do I need to get going and seeing/doing things?” and it hit me.

I didn’t *need* to do shit.

I GOT to do whatever I want that day (p.s. thanks to my ex-wife Caitlin again for giving me the time and space to do so).

But seriously – even when I have been on vacation in the past, I have treated it like a work trip. “We need to be at the Anne Frank Museum by 10 AM for our timed tickets!” “I need to be at 11 Madison Park for dinner reservations at 6 PM on the dot.” We need to get in line for this or that.

As I sat there admiring the beautiful view of Bocagrande and the gray skies which unfortunately occupied my days there, I was finally overcome by the relaxing realization that “I am not inclined to be anywhere I don’t want to be.”

Are there things I want to see? Absolutely. And I will. But there will be a lot more time in this hotel on this trip. Workouts. Reading on the club level with a soda or coffee. Writing at a table like I am at this very moment.

Once I finally satiated my desire to read and write, I descended to the ground level and took an Uber to the Plaza de Santo Domingo. But before I left, that flooding I mentioned earlier became quite obvious as the surrounding streets were virtually impassable (without getting soaked).

I really enjoyed one thing though – this enterprising man who had a small trolley that he used to help people cross the street for a nominal fee:

I say nominal, but in reality I have no idea what he was charging. But I have to imagine he couldn’t charge too much or people wouldn’t pay it. Or would they? What’s the value of keeping your shoes and pants dry? What is the price elasticity of such a service?

After arriving at the plaza, I bought coffee at Café San Alberto to bring home to the states. This is a higher end place with the premium beans and prices to match, but it’s also a nice place to retreat into when it’s wet and rainy outside.

The first two destinations on my list were the Museo del Cartagena de Indias (which tells of the history of the region) and the Museo Naval del Caribe (a rather nerdy museum focused on the history of Colombia’s navy and the connections between them and the US Navy).

As I continued exploring, I bought more coffee at Aja Company, a charming little shop with handmade Colombian gifts. This is where I should have used some common sense. At one point, the storeowner handed me a small keychain which I thought was a gift, but then it turned out to be USD$10. I still liked it but oops!

The wandering then led me to a place called El Barón. If you’re feeling fancy and you want a drink to match, this is where you come. I had the “Medicina Latina,” with tequila altas plata, Mezcal de maguey “vida,” jengibre, limón, and angostura bitters. The slice of jellied gingered lemon had that soft feel of jelly, the spiciness of the ginger, and the sweetness of the sugar. Damned good.

I had a dinner reservation at Mar y Zielo but I had some time to kill, so I stepped into Ábaco Libros y Café. Had I not already brought several books with me, I could easily have spent a half hour or an hour browsing the shelves of books in both Spanish and English of this quite charming little shop. Instead I perused a few titles, then realizing I was coming up on my dinner, I skedaddled and headed to the restaurant.

I arrive at Mar y Zielo, tell the hostess I have a reservation, and I am brought down a very dark corridor and upstairs into a simply gorgeous space.

I have taken the following text directly from my second instagram post above, since it really does effectively describe the meal’s elements and my reactions:

So I arrive and after seeing the dry laws in effect at a grocery store, I ask my server who confirms they aren’t allowed to sell any of their cocktails.

NOOOOOOOO.

I dejectedly order a Coke Zero and then shit gets real.

First item is an amuse bouche, courtesy of the restaurant. A homemade bread with a special butter – I didn’t catch what was in the butter but it was damned good.

Second item: Pesca viajera. Imagine ice cream. Now imagine a ceviche. Mix the two up. Add onions. And I know you’re gonna say it sounds awful but it was definitely not. Unusual in having it ice cold but so tart and delicious.

Main course: Titote mar y Tierra – almost like a Korean clay pot, but filled with crusty coconut rice, vegetables, and just piled high with langostinos,  shrimp, this gorgeous grilled octopus. All of which came with both a salty and a slightly sweet flavor – think soy sauce but with sugar. And that’s just the surf part of this surf and turf. The pork belly reminded me for an instant of char siu – moments of crunch, lots of fatty goodness and what I can only describe as silky satisfaction.

Last up, the postre (dessert): Chevacorina – a cornbread muffin top, next to a crunchy cheese crumble, and salty caramel. So bloody good. Topped off with a coffee served in a cup from @puntocrudo that I need to buy at some point.

I waddle my way downstairs past that cool tube elevator before the hostess who welcomed me asked how the meal was. In Spanish, I respond “the worst meal of my life” and she gasps before realizing I am kidding, and we all have a laugh.

I took an Uber back to my hotel where I realized that despite the ban on alcohol sales, I still had two airplane bottles of gin from my flight. Coupled with a tasty sparkling citrus soda, I was just fine. 🙂

Day 3 (October 29, 2023)

I woke up at 9 AM and slowly ambled up to breakfast, and then proceeded to spend a couple hours writing and reading. I was neck deep into a book on hotel management (yes yes I know it’s nerdy) but I was curious how these places operate since I only experience it as a guest and not as a member of the staff.

I stayed in the 30th floor lounge til 2:30 PM, finished three blog posts and doing lots of reading, and then I decided to set up an appointment in Aqoral, the hotel spa. I decided on a 90 minute massage and for some reason, I decided to leave my cell phone behind. This never happens and it reminded me that being tech-free is an incredible experience that we all don’t do often enough.

I took the elevator down to the spa on the 15th floor and before my massage, then walked me into a waiting room with beautiful floor to ceiling windows that looked out on the pool on the 14th floor and the Caribbean down below that. Part of me wishes I had my phone to take that photo but while I sat there, sans technology, I laid back and soaked up the moment of being totally present.

And it felt amazing.

There’s a little spa music to put the guests at ease. The warmth of the sunshine covered my feet but didn’t reach my face so as to blind me. I took a sip of water and closed my eyes and for the few minutes I was in the room before my massage, I was perfectly content. The woman who welcomed me came in with my masseuse (Shana) and told me they were giving me a free facial for being a World of Hyatt member. That was super nice! The massage itself and the facial that followed (my first ever) put me in an amazingly relaxed state and I walked out of the room 90+ minutes later with a very soft face and a very relaxed body.

As I settled up, they revealed that I was also entitled to a 20% discount because of my Globalist member status. Could this day get any better?

The short answer is…yes. That evening, the sun finally broke through and I got my first glimpse of a Cartagena sunset, while I enjoyed snacks and sodas in the 30th floor club.

I decided to head back into Central for dinner at Dragon de la Marina. As I waited for an Uber, I noticed a couple trying to cross the flooded street and was deeply impressed by the young man who carried the young woman across on his back so she could avoid getting her shoes wet.

I headed off to get my Chinese dinner and as expected, it wasn’t so good. But I always like to see if I can find good Chinese food in every country I visit.

To end my night, I stopped at Las Palleteria for a paleta (a popsicle). When it’s warm outside, a popsicle does wonders. And La Palleteria should be where you stop. There are a LOT of flavors here. I decided on the fresa (strawberry) over the Milo and the Maracuya (passionfruit) but I doubt you can go wrong here.

Day 4 (October 30, 2023)

I woke up around 7:45 AM and decided to get a workout in before I proceeded out for the day. To my surprise, the weather had finally broken and it was sunny with some clouds out. After my hourlong workout, I went to the 30th floor lounge where the lounge attendant smiled and said, “Looks like you have sun for the first time on your trip!” I smiled back, relieved to have a little decent weather with which to explore. I also realized that this hotel must be incredible to experience when it’s hot and sunny out, as evidenced by the beautiful outdoor pool which sat beside the gym.

My first desintation of the day was the Cerró de la Popa, the highest point in Cartagena. By the way, it takes a little bit of effort to get here. If you come by Uber or taxi, ask the driver to stay for a bit as you won’t get great cell phone signal to find a return ride. I errantly assumed my driver was trying to fleece me when he proposed this, but he was just being thoughtful (oops). When I selected my Uber ride later on, I realized he had stayed 🙂

Once you’re there, the monastery is nice to tour and the views from the exterior are stunning.

That same driver brought me to the Castillo de San Felipe (The Castle of San Felipe), an historical site with more sweeping views of the city. The ascend requires walking on foot to the top so be ready for a modest uphill climb as the price you pay for a beautiful sight.

From here, I started walking. And walking. And eventually I came upon Libertario Coffee, which served as a respite from the sunshine and heat in a classy venue. The cold brew and a dessert will go a long way in recharging you during a warm Cartagena afternoon.

I say this as a the nephew of a San Francisco Chinatown tour guide (whom I highly recommend!), the son of a travel agent, and the grandson of a travel agent – there really is no better way to experience a city than by walking its streets. You may not always know where you’re going to stop or what you’ll see, but you get to really experience the culture of a place from its streets (not from a tour bus). The colors, the artwork, the smells of the food, the flowers, the architecture, the language – it all comes from the streets!

My long day was now approaching 2 PM and I finally reached Uma Cantina Peruana, a recommendation from my friend Lipika. You already heard me rave about Mar y Cielo above… and I was also blown away by the incredible quality of the Peruvian food and drink here.

• Plantain chips with a delightfully tangy aioli
• Sour 43
• Conchas a la Parmesana (5 unds)
  • Dude. The grana padano cheese is lightly burned so that it wraps the sea scallion in place. You need to use your fork to break the sea scallion loose from the cheese’s kung fu grip and bring it home…to your belly. There’s hints of pisco and lemon in this completely incredible dish.
• Carretillero ceviche
  • The glazed sweet potato is thick and chewy. Softer than you’d imagine. The green sauce is so lightly spicy but not in the burning way. The pieces of fried corn give a nice crunch (and yes they make me think of eating corn nuts as a child). The fish is thick and each bite is satisfying for its chewiness and its girth. And there are a lot of pieces of fish here.
• A LO MACHO

Let’s see if this next video captures the way it tasted:

I love food that make you swoon – and this definitely falls into that category.

After that incredible meal, I started walking again – and this time I was headed to Las Bóvedas, an old set of vaults now showcasing a much of touristy shops. You can walk on top (recommended) or down below where the shops are (less recommended). The shops below did not have many unique items except for one shop charging higher prices for items made by students, so just be ready to see a lot of touristy junk.

If I had a superpower while traveling, it would be honking back at every taxi or person who is selling at me. So many people hawked their wares at me (sometimes in Asian languages, sometimes in English) and it began to grind on me. I wandered around the area near La Serrezuela Mall (a high end shopping center), when I came upon Licores y Vinos – a small liquor store. I entered and found two gentlemen who were happy to answer my questions about what the national liquor of Colombia is – and to no one’s surprise, it is rum. After comparing a few options (Dictador 10, 12, and 20 year) plus a couple brands from Bogota and Barranquilla, I settled on the Dictador 10 year and joked to the shopkeeper that if I don’t like it, I am coming back to tell him personally. He laughed and said he would welcome me back. 🙂

La Serrezuela is a *beautiful* shopping center in an era in which the viability of malls is declining. Built around an old bullfighting ring which reminds me of the Globe Theatre in England, the whole mall is really a site to behold – from the beautiful sea-life inspired art to the many stores that are worth checking out. I decided to buy some gifts for the kids from MiniSo Gifts, a Chinese retailer with cute and often cheaply priced (but surprisingly good quality) items, and I spent a lot of time at The Frenchie Company, a charming little shop with beautiful leather wallets (I bought two), backpacks, and other clothing and accessory items for sale.

I took an Uber home, had a light snack dinner, and turned in for the night.

Day 5 (October 31, 2023)

I slept in until almost 9 AM – that’s wild. That never happens at home. I go up to the 30th floor for what will be my last morning enjoying these lovely views of Bocagrande and connecting with the lovely staff here at the Hyatt Regency Cartagena. The staff brings me an americano con leche, I have a light breakfast with some pastries, and then I sit for an hour doing some light reading and writing.

While sitting here peacefully reflecting on this trip, it dawns on me that this is one of the best trips I have ever taken – but for such different reasons than I would have expected. Normally when I travel, I like to see a lot and keep myself busy.

15,000 steps

criss crossing the city

lots of photos

And I did do that on two of the days. But a majority of the time, I slept, I read, I watched movies, and I took care of myself. To my surprise, the time passed quickly from time to time. I’d look up and wonder how I’d spent two hours in the lounge, and though the feeling was a bit disorienting, I was incredibly grateful to have had that time.

I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to Victor, the hotel agent who’s been kindly speaking to me each morning I come up to the club for breakfast. He gave me recommendations ther previous day on where to go and what to see.

I took my last Uber ride in Colombia back to the airport, where I learned some valuable lessons I hadn’t read in online posts or any travel guides.

Something critical to remember is that the Cartagena airport is tiny. The section for international departures had six gates – SIX. Upon arriving, my first stop inside the doors was the Global Blue kiosk. Here’s something good to remember: when you spend over a certain amount on a purchase, it’s eligible for a VAT (value added tax) refund. Remember when I stopped at the Frenchie Company last night to buy some gifts? Well the salesperson took an extra 5-10 minutes to help me by taking down some key information, which she then fed into the Global Blue system. I’ve used Global Blue in Europe before and it really does make it easy to get money back. I go to the kiosk, scan my passport, and the screen prepopulates with the expense I just made yesterday. I scan the barcode on the receipt I got, and bing bang boom, I was done.

I then spent 20 minutes in the main line then to get through immigration – also an easy process. Just remember when you see signage for Colombianos and Extranjeros, make sure you’re in the right one. If you’re a foreigner, you’re with me in the Extranjeros line 🙂

The lounge was nothing like its American counterparts, but all I needed was a place to put my feet up, have a soda and a snack, and rest for a bit before the flights home.

Taking off from Cartagena

Landing in Chicago alongside a big bird from Lufthansa

Final Thoughts

I got upgraded for the flight home, so even my return journey was pampered. And given the leg room, I spent the time writing a few final thoughts to sum up this trip.

Cartagena is a touristy destination but that doesn’t make it bad. It’s a beachy place so while it might be better when the weather is hot and you can swim or go in the ocean, visiting in the rainy season was still very manageable and pleasant. It was also nice to not have to fight through hordes of tourists. I returned to American with a few lessons.

• Going on a vacation is not synonymous with getting rest.
  • Any parent knows this, but this trip really drove this point home. We all need rest – where and how we get it is up to us.
• If you don’t use WhatsApp, you need to.
  • Outside of the US, WhatsApp makes a traveler’s life SO much easier. Set up your data plan in advance so you can use things like Uber and if you’re at a hotel like mine, use the WhatsApp number to stay in touch with the staff for any needs or questions.
• Coming to Colombia with US dollars
  • The exchange rate means the relative cost is incredibly cheap – but tip your service staff well for a job well done. They deserve it.
• Don’t forget your bags
  • A gallon sized ziploc bag and a bottle protector bag are always smart things to bring on your travels – the former because you can use it for so many things, the latter because if you plan to bring any wine or liquor home, it gives you piece of mind

While not lessons, I also realized after my return that I was so glad I brought my backpack rain shell (which helped give me piece of mind when I was walking across a rainy city). I was also glad I left my DSLR camera behind. I love photography but I can get great photos on my iPhone that do 90% of the job.

My next time to Colombia will hopefully take me to Bogota or Medellin. Hopefully one of many more trips back to this lovely country!

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