Globe Corner Blogs

We arrived in Cartageña to welcome sun and humidity. The 5-10 minute stroll along the harbor, from our hotel in the Getsemaní district to the entrance to the walled city, was glorious even during the mid-day heat. The walled city’s many plazas, varied retail districts, cobblestone streets, and beautifully maintained or restored buildings were breathtaking. It was reassuring to be in a historic port–a cultural travel destination that still somehow retains a sense of everyday life. We wandered down narrow streets, gazing at colorful buildings, pausing in plazas (many with fountains) to take in cafes, check our map, and plan our next route to a museum or church.

We were surprised to discover that the Hay Festival, an international literary event, was about to take place during our too-short stay in Cartagena. Attending two sessions, at the extraordinary Teatro Heredia (with lots of gold ornamentation, a heavenly mural on the ceiling, and great views from the balconies’ boxes), was an amazing experience. We listened via instantaneous translation as Daniel Mordzinski and William Luis Sepulveda talked in an opening day session and as Eduardo Lago interviewed Cambridge’s own Junot Diaz the following day. We were excited to hear the two writers speaking to mostly Colombian and mainly Latin American readers about books, writing, and cultural issues. The authors, the press, and the many folks with VIP badges created quite a buzz. We missed hearing Salman Rushdie, Cristina Fernández Cubas, Alberto Ruy Sánchez, Isabel Fonseca, Martin Amis, Alma Guillermoprieto, Nathan Englander, and many other panelists. Following friends’ advice, we relaxed at the Hotel Santa Clara’s El Coro bar for its famed atmosphere – and acknowledged our inner literary groupie as we spotted Carlos Monsiváis.

Among Cartageña’s numerous sights, we recommend a visit to the Museum of Inquisition. The guidebooks laud its remarkable architectural restoration, which cannot be overstated. The Inquisition exhibits were horrifying and bizarre. Redeeming all the strange exhibits below, the upper floors held the museum’s cartographic collection. It includes historic maps and a large topographic map of the Americas, under glass, over which visitors are urged to walk! The top floor’s contemporary exhibit was jarringly mesmerizing: screened images of clothing commemorated the lives of Colombians who were killed in recent civil conflicts.

We stayed at the small, wonderfully low-key and welcoming Hotel Casa Sweety in Getsemaní. Cartageña’s many cafe’s and restaurants offered a full range of Colombian and international food. We recommend Juan del Mar Restaurante (for its great fish dinners, live music, and location in the walled city) and Getsemaní’s Ooh La La, a French bistro whose very charming co-owners Carolina Vélez and husband Gilles Dupart’s menu included a fantastic carrot and orange soup and octopus ceviche. It was the hands down best of many ceviches we enjoyed in Colombia. Dupart is the chef, but when we learned that the soup was Vélez’s recipe our conversation turned to a discussion about kitchens, women as chefs, Ana Sortun‘s restaurant Oleana, and our older son’s job cooking in New Orleans. When the choice to attend a festival event ruled out a trip to more idyllic islands or beaches, we walked to the “town beach” – on Boca Grande – to bask in the sun and swim in Colombian waters. It was perfect.

Read more: Art & Architecture, Author Crush, Cartagena, Colombia, Festivals, Food & Wine, Junot Diaz, Museums, News, Travel, Travel Tips and Resources, Writers


Harriet

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