Following the return journey to the mainland from Capurgana and the ensuing hectic bus scene in Turbo, exhausted and fed up, we decided to stop over in Monteria. At 35,000 pesos per night for a sleek, modern, air conditioned room, Hotel Centro Monteria was the best bargain encountered in Colombia. When the sun went down we understood why as hookers and drug dealers took over the central part of the city. The lack of security here is a real shame since by day it's very pleasant and boasts one of the nicest central parks we've seen. The park is a tropical oasis set along a river with howler monkeys and sloths which can spotted in the tree-line. The entire area comes alive in the evening when the heat drops and people fill the park to savour ice cream sundaes or cold beers.
The following day we finally arrived in South America's second most visited destination, Cartagena where we got "stuck" for nearly 2 weeks. Having regained access to modern amenities like good restaurants, cafes, bars, grocery stores, 24 hour electricity all within a historic walled city with beautiful colonial architecture in a tropical lively setting who could have blamed us.
We stayed in the Getsemani neighbourhood where most budget accommodation choices are concentrated. Less glitzy and polished than other parts of the old town, Getsemani has many local restaurants and bars, like our favorite Carretera 25, and the popular Plaza Trinidad where every night locals gather to enjoy cold drinks and street food. On Saturdays the square features DJs playing electronic music.
Cartagena ended up being one of our favorite cities on the continent, it's the perfect place to settle in and experience the culture of a truly unique Latin American city. Urban and lively with constant energy, finding ourselves strolling its historic old streets during steaming hot evenings was one of the highlights of this trip.
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