Cartagena & the Trail Blazing Afro-Colombian Palenque

Cartagena, Colombia: What is Your Drug of Choice?

Drugs. If you mentioned Colombia that’s exactly where my thoughts went!

Yours may not be much different concerning “the gateway to South America”.

This included illegal and widely accepted coffee.

It’s amazing how Hollywood and the media can feed a narrative and it’s hungrily scooped up without a second thought.

Google defines drugs as a medicine or other substance which has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body.

In a way, the media is a type of drug.

We listen to their words and view their stories almost daily.

Are we aware of their significant impact on our brains/thinking?

Many places with a bad rap have positive attributes that go unheard.

I say give me the good with the bad!

Let me decide which one will take precedence in my mind.

Did you know Colombia is famous for emeralds? 

Broaden Your Horizons

We’ve all been guilty of judgments and prejudice to some degree.

As a traveler, sometimes you have to go on your own explorations and in turn expand your mindset.

In the case of Colombia, I didn’t know the wealth it offered until I heard about Cartagena through a travel group I was in.

Most of the members who visited introduced a very proud Afro-Colombia people from San Bastillo de Palenque.

Palenque was the first free African town in the Americas.

The colorful murals showing their pride begin to show up all over social media.

Palenqueras were women from the tribe who traveled to the tourist area of Cartegena to sell fruit.

They are now the face of Cartagena.

Palenque speaks a Spanish based Creole called palanquero.

Palenqueras wear long flowing dresses in Colombia flag’s colors and carry the fruit baskets atop their heads.

I know Black people are everywhere but I never saw them in Colombian drug lord movies or even in any references to coffee.

Palenque is a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Similarly to the African descendants in Jamaica, slaves fleed to higher ground to form the villages they now live in.

Visiting Cartagena

When a Facebook friend traveled to several cities in Colombia via an unbelievable Groupon, I knew I would soon follow.

Booking on my own still turned out reasonable.

Colombia has an exchange rate that fluctuates daily.

TIP: Exchange money before arrival.

On February 2, 2020, Mataf.net showed every $100 ( USD) reflected 34,000 COP or Colombian pesos.

My closest experience with pesos was with a Lil’ Kim song.

If you’re looking for a great bang for your buck…Cartagena is it.

Like the country itself, Cartagena has risen from the “drug-induced fog” and is one of the top cities to visit in the Caribbean.

Hurricanes are rare so you can visit year-round without threat!

The colorful buildings and the surrounding fort give me Puerto Rico and Cuba vibes.

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Fish is the most popular meat in the entire area. I’ve never eaten so much!

Lodging and Flights

I booked with the Hampton by Hilton Cartagena. The room was $63 per night with breakfast.

The hotel was nicer than I expected especially since the 1st-floor entry area is pretty bare. Once you go up to the lobby, the view is much nicer.

The rooftop pool is pictured below.

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The walled city (AKA Cartagena) and the Getsemani area had many hotels without hot water. This was key in my decision to stay in Boca Grande.

It’s known as the “mini South Beach” and I felt right at home.

I walked the streets at night and browsed to my heart’s content. Vendors lined the sidewalks selling everything you could think of.

Mc Donald’s and KFC were within walking distance of the hotel. There is a small corner store across the street.

This was a quick 3-day trip. I flew Spirit and paid $308 roundtrip including bags.

TIP: Cartagena has many properties on Airbnb.

I met some travelers staying at hostels so that’s another option.

San Marino in Boca Grande

The hotel’s front desk recommended the restaurant next door.

Restaurante San Marino was on point. The food was delicious.

It’s a higher-end restaurant, but I didn’t mind since most of my food was free everywhere else.

The restaurant was al-fresco and you could see the ocean from almost any seat in the house.

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Taxis had a waiting area outside the hotel and there was usually an employee to hail them for you.

TIP: Confirm fare before boarding.

Tours

*Photo Walk

Getsemani is the hip artsy area across from the walled city (Cartagena). It’s filled with varied murals and I already saw myself posing in front of them.

I booked a 2-hour graffiti photo walk (The Coolest Barrio-Getsemani Photo Walk) via Airbnb Experiences. The host stood me up.

TIP: Always communicate via Airbnb in case of disputes to ensure a refund.

I could have attempted to do it alone. But I was tired of waiting and it had begun to rain.

Google translate was a life-saver! I thought my minimal Cuban influenced Spanish would help me but the taxi drivers wore confused expressions.

*Boca Grande Beach Sunset Pics

Boca Grande is not the best beach in Cartagena. It’s local and still gets a decent amount of traffic.

The tall skyscrapers and hotels almost make you think you’re on South Beach. I get the nickname.

Enjoy Sunset Photo Walk at the Beach was booked through Airbnb Experiences. An hour and a half for $48.

It was on there last I checked.

Though the sun wasn’t cooperating (according to Marlis), I loved how the pictures came out. I was surprised her husband came along but he ended up being a great help!

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*Palenque

There were several tour options for Palenque. I went with the most affordable.

Tour to Palenque: The Other History Of Cartagena was booked through Juan Ballena for $49. The 5-hours included pick-up, drop off and lunch.

*All of the following tours were booked with them.

Your tour will vary depending on who you book it through.

Mine consisted of a music demonstration by a famous Palenque artist (Rafael Cassiani) and a guided walk through the village.

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We made a stop at the newly built cultural arts center.

The town had statues dedicated to their founder (Benkos Bioho) and boxing champ, Antonio Cervantes Reyes.

I saw the faces that looked just like mine and marveled.

The women complimented my braids and would probably succeed at recreating the style.

We spoke a different language, had a distinct way of life but our struggles were very similar. Even today.

There was livestock roaming the dirt roads. A horse escaped from an owner and we had to run for cover at one point.

We learned about the traditional Palenque huts that were designed to withstand the brutal summers. Some residents lived in more modern structures.

Black is Universal

Our guide Victor was very knowledgable and passionate about his people. I happened to be the only Black person on the tour.

While walking through the village, Victor’s uncle passed by and asked to take a picture with me.

I was honored.

Lunch was held at Palenque’s hotel.

A young Black woman, cleaned and gutted the fish in an open kitchen near our table.

The tour consisted of about 10 people including the driver and bus guide.

We were of different races, genders, and backgrounds. Culture united us as we broke bread together.

Palenque is on the road to becoming more organized and modernized. As a Black American, we’re not too far ahead.

I implore you (especially Black people) to visit and support the Afro-Colombians of Palenque.

*Isla De Baru/Playa Blanca

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Playa Blanca Baru tour was $25.

There are other water transports to Playa Blanca. I chose land.

Pick-up, drop-off, and lunch included.

Playa Blanca is the most famous and beautiful beach in Colombia.

I read reviews and was warned of the crowds and pushy merchants. Nothing compares to reality.

I wanted the experience and the price was too good to pass up.

If you’re looking for a quiet relaxing day at the beach, this isn’t it!

This is the most people I’ve ever seen on a beach and I live in Miami.

The vendors come back to back. Each one selling you one thing or another.

It may help to sit further away from the ocean.

The masseuse ladies will almost force themselves on you if you’re not firm.

I realized this was their livelihood/hustle. I gave in to a “well worth it” foot massage.

TIP: Be prepared to pay a dollar or so for outdated restrooms.

*Chivas

The Chivas Bus was $18. I received a dollar off with a rebooking discount.

I wanted a way to see Cartagena at night and this fit the bill.

TIP: Be careful getting in out of the bus. I’m tall and it always seemed too high.

From the time you’re seated the alcohol and soda begin to flow. The tour was in Spanish but I understood the guide.

The host makes everyone feel comfortable. Don’t worry about a language barrier!

This was my first time on a party bus and it was a lot of fun.

We stopped at The Walled City for a dance performance.

The Zapatos Viejos is a bronzed sculpture of old shoes and I got a chance to take a picture there.

The night ended at a club with an option to leave early on the chivas.

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Now that I’ve written this blog, this trip sounds much longer than it was.

Your girl knows how to stretch out an itinerary.

One of these days, I’m gonna take a “do nothing, plan nothing trip”!

Have you been to Colombia?

~Poof…Bee Gone

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