Cartagena Pegasus, Colourful Streets, The Wall and More

This was my second expedition to the Old Town in Cartagena.  I was keen to see more. The Old Town seemed like a maze, and I was excited to know what I would stumble on next.

I got an Uber again (it’s only about AUD$2.50) and jumped out at Camellon de los Martires.

Camellón de los Mártires

This park square is the gateway to San Diego – Old Town.

Nice view to the Spanish ship.

And view to the Convention Centre too.

Los Pegasos

Happy, smiling, flying horses.  It doesn’t get any better than this.

Time to head through the Clock Tower Gate.

Clock Tower Gate

This gate leads straight into the Plaza de Los Coches.

Plaza de Los Coches

Then you have another view of the Plaza de La Aduana.

Plaza de La Aduana

Then it’s time to wander and marvel at the stunning buildings.  I’m glad so much effort has gone into regenerating this UNESCO protected city.  It is truly a gem of Colombia.

It’s interesting though, how many of the building look abandoned once you look closely.  They are completely empty inside.  I guess internal renovation costs more than external.

I saw this lovely small tile on the side of a building.  A constant reminder that Cartagena owes its history to the sea.

The Old Stone Wall

Cartagena credits its preservation throughout history to the massive stone wall that circles and protects the Old Town.  It’s very easy to step up onto the wall.

I heard that the wall is a common place to buy illegal drugs while in town.  I wasn’t offered any drugs at this spot, but I was offered at another spot on the other side.  A sad reminder of the underground drug trade looking for business here.

That aside, the views are pretty cool.

Nearby was the Theatre Heredia, and a big festival was launching.

Teatro Heredia

I love all the culture here.  I decided to head to Getsemani for lunch.  It is the most affordable area to grab food.

I walked past quite a few touristy memorabilia.  I don’t buy anything as I have to keep traveling light, but some of the items were really nice.

I adore the paintings.

To get to Getsemani, it’s fastest to cross through Parque del Centenario.

Parque Del Centenario

It has a great statue to the local scary looking bird in the middle.

The gates on each side are majestic.

I headed past more street art.

I found Beiyu on Calle 10.

Beiju

Their tables were so creative.

My veggie sandwich was very tasty.  The juice was blackberries and pineapple – a strange but delicious icy combination.

There was a nice view to the street too.

Then it was time to walk home.

With a great view to the castle again.

I really enjoyed seeing more on this second day.

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