Colombian Heat

The weight of the humidity hit hard as I stepped off the plane in Cartagena, Colombia, however, as the taxi wove in and out of the old city streets en route to my hostel I could already sense it was more than just the oppressive climate radiating heat. I've said before in other places I've visited that you find a certain energy in the culture, the people, the lifestyle. But nowhere yet have I found this heated passion, this electrifying energy that seems consistent throughout the entire country. Perhaps it's the energizing music that is influencing sounds around the world, maybe it is the fact that Salsa and dance is a part of normal life, it could be that the population is extraordinarily good looking, or it is just that damn hot, literally. 

Clock tower, Old City Cartagena

My trip started solo in the beautiful caribbean coastal city of Cartagena. I spent my first few days exploring local neighborhoods, walking the streets of the historic old city, relaxing at the beach and adjusting to the heat. One afternoon I ventured by boat to Playa Blanca, as the name suggests a pristine white beach with crystal clear blue water reached via a 1 hour boat trip. I spent the night in a hammock listening to the waves crash a mere 6 feet away….blissful. 

Cartagena city streets at night

Relaxing at Playa Blanca

From Cartagena, I made my way about 4 hours along the coast to the city of Santa Marta, not known for much, but a gateway stop to the National Park Tayrona where I was eager to visit. Luckily, I found a fantastic hostel, The Dreamer, just outside the hustle and bustle of the city with a great pool, bar and loads of friendly travelers who became fast friends right away. After a night here, I spent the next 2 days in Tayrona, camping overnight. It really doesn't get much better than hiking in sunshine with breathtaking, untouched beaches on one side and lush green mountains on the other. 

Beaches in Tayrona

After Tayrona, I headed back to The Dreamer Hostel to plan the next part of my route. After a lively night out with new friends, we headed 1.5 hours further along the coast to the sleepy beach town, Palomino. 2 days and nights here proved to be the perfect amount of time to relax and enjoy. 

new friends and a party bus!

From Palomino, I headed back towards Santa Marta, to the hippie beach town of Taganga, a requisite stop on the gringo backpacker trail. In Taganga, I was fortunate enough to be joined by my friend Rena who was looking for a fun escape from NYC. Here for 2 days we enjoyed the beach, great seafood and a day of learning to scuba dive! 

Scuba Diving

After Taganga, we packed our bags and made the journey back to Cartagena where we would spend our last 3 days together touring the city, eating fabulous meals , enjoying the beach and making a few new traveler friends. As the weekend came to an end so did my trip in Caribbean Colombia and I said farewell to Rena and hopped a plane to Bogota, the capital city. 

One more stop at Playa Blanca

Rena and I enjoying a drink at Cafe del Mar

Bogota is huge. Like really, really overwhelmingly large. Thank god, I had a local friend, Felipe, who was kind enough to show me the best spots and introduce me to his city. After settling in at a fantastic hostel in the Candelaria district, Felipe and his girlfriend took me on a mini tour of city center and out to dinner at the most indescribable, oddly entertaining, Colombian institutions for a sampling of delicious bites and drinks among utter chaos. It was a blast and a great welcome to the city!

views of Bogota from Cerro Monserrate

Me and my Colombian friends at Andres DC

The following day, I played tourist and hit a number of museums and city highlights including the cerro monerrate, which offered a breathtaking view of the entire city. My last day in Bogota, I hit a few more tourist stops before meeting my Colombian friends for a late lunch and afternoon beer, after which I departed for the airport to head back to the U.S. 

Botero Museum, Bogota

Street art in La Candelaria

Colombia has been known for many defining characteristics during it's history, and unfortunately from the average US citizen point of view, in recent times it's mostly negative. But more than any summary of my 3-weeks traveling in a new country, I really hope to convey to my friends at home how safe, friendly and breathtakingly beautiful this place is. It was a pleasure to experience the passion and heat of this country and culture and there is still so much more I hope to see one day.