Exploring Cartagena: Old Town and City Walls

After yesterday’s escape, on this day I was determined to walk all over the city of Cartagena (or at least the old town) and check out all the sights. Getting up early, of course, didn’t work out, so I went out around noon. And that was a big mistake. Although over time, when I had already been in this city for more than a week, it became obvious that no matter what time you go outside, there will still be terrifying and unbearable heat %)

I headed to the waterfront and the old town — basically the main tourist spot, so to speak. The old frigate parked there was under reconstruction. The numerous merchandise stalls were countless. The winking and shouting Colombian men were endless — I caught compliments about my eyes and figure :) But the old town was undoubtedly beautiful. Huge buildings, narrow streets, lovely squares, green parks, numerous monuments and statues, and of course, ancient little churches. The old town in Cartagena is much larger than in Panama City. They even give carriage rides pulled by horses here.

The Wall Around the Old City of Cartagena

All this marvel is surrounded by a massive wall that stretches for many kilometers far beyond the limits of the old town, but within its boundaries you can climb up to the upper platform of this fort and touch real cannons from that era. And if you walk straight along the wall (it is several meters wide), you can reach the ocean. Cartagena was the first and main defensive point of the New World.

Since this is the main tourist attraction, many Colombians work here on the side, offering tourists their services, goods, or simply entertaining them. For example, in one of the squares a young man was demonstrating a levitation ability %)

All in all, I didn’t manage to walk all over Cartagena, but I did manage to conquer the old town and its wall — and along it I even reached the residential neighborhoods. I really liked it!

P.S. Many years later I recognized this wall in a movie with Will Smith, Gemini Man, 2019, where he runs along it and even rides a motorcycle on it. What an incredible feeling it is when you recognize a distant place because you’ve already been there!

Tags: conclusions of the day, Cartagena, heat
MOOD: exploratory, satisfied, hot
Date: 2013-07-02 23:32:00