Cartagena's Historic District




Cartagena's Cathedral in the background.

 

Don’t despair my friends!  We are back!  And yes, still daydreaming of beautiful, romantic Cartagena.

As soon as you arrive, that same afternoon, walking the streets of the historic wall district is a must.  You will see colonial houses, balconies full of flowers, and your mind will be drunk with yellows, deep blues, and vivid oranges.  At night, a carriage ride is a good idea.  When the sun is going down, walk on the top of the wall that surrounds the historic district.  You will see the Caribbean Sea on one side, and the beautiful streets on the other.  The ocean, the breeze, the sun going down…. Experience the magic! Words are not enough to describe the it.  Here are some pictures from Dukes Fotografía.  Hopefully, they will help you visualize your trip to Cartagena. (These were taken a few days before our wedding).

Some of our favorite places in the Historic District:

-Café del Mar:  This is a bar on top of the wall that surrounds the city.  It is the perfect spot for a cocktail during sunset time.  Notice we didn't say "perfect spot for dinner".... There are better places for food, but it is still worth to go.

-Plaza de Santo Domingo.  A feast for the senses!

Enjoy some food and sip wine surrounded by beautiful architecture, including the Iglesia de Santo Domingo, the oldest church in Cartagena.  You may see some guitarists, or young dancers moving to the fast pace of Caribbean music.  If you are lucky, you may spot newlyweds leaving the church.  Read the legend about this plaza here.  Some pics of the City, including one of the Plaza de Santo Domingo in Lonely Planet.



Cartagena's Historic District



Recommendations:

-          We highly recommend walking shoes.  Confortable, flat sandals are ideal.  Leave your fancy shoes for another occasion.

-          Ladies, the weather in Cartagena is very humid.  Go with the natural texture of your hair, and wear waterproof mascara. Don't forget sunblock for daytime!

-          Before leaving for your walk, ask in your hotel for taxi prices, and carriage ride prices.

-          Take a good number of memory cards for your camera.  Believe us, you will be taking tons of pictures!  A good photo shop in Cartagena, just in case, is FotoJapon.  There are several locations.  Again, ask the receptionist in your hotel.  Finally, street vendors may be very persistent…..  Just be direct and clear if you don’t want to buy at the moment.

Daydreaming

Another snow day in Texas, and our minds are far away.  We are daydreaming of sunny days.  Aaaahhhh….. The sun light setting its warm kiss on our skin.  What comes to mind next is one of our favorite destinations: Cartagena de Indias.

Cartagena is located in the Northern Coast of Colombia.  It was founded in 1533 by Pedro de Heredia, a Spanish explorer.  Since then, Cartagena has been an important port in the country.  Today, the city combines our Spanish, African and Indigenous heritage, which translates to unique folklore, cuisine and architecture.
I will be posting more about this amazing, almost magical destination.  To get you excited, as I am now, check out these pictures José Luis took during our last trip there.

Have a good rest of the week!

Out Sunday Blues!!

It is almost 6 pm. Sky is gray, snow still on the ground. There is school and work tomorrow. You are not even half through that to-do list... You have Sunday Blues. Yes, yes. We all get it from time to time. That is why we are posting something to make you laugh. We got this video via flaviovargasg in twitter. Follow him here or visit his fun blog at moscoenleche. Y ahora, bailen muchachos! Sabor!!!!

Video Directed by Diego Alione

Que pan tan bello!!*



Bandeja Paisa

 The ice on the streets is melting (yes!) …..and it is going to refreeze later (dang!). This means that anything to be done outside, needs to be done during the day. That is exactly what we did. Lunch out - one of our very necessary errands - was at El Portal today.

I discovered El Portal some time ago (maybe a year?) through a Venezuelan coworker. Ironic it wasn’t through a Colombian person, wasn’t it? After knowing there was a Colombian “panadería” here in the Metroplex, I immediately made time to go and buy some bread. We were beyond happy with what I got: an assortment of roscón, pan aliñado, and almojabanas. There has been no turning back since then.



Sopa de Costilla.  Served with rice, avocado and patacon.



This place offers more than bread, however. If you are hungry, try some of the dishes they offer. What you see in the pictures are a “Bandeja Paisa”, a combination of steak, chorizo, rice, beans and an arepa. It is a very traditional Colombian dish. The other is a “Sopa de Costilla” (Rib Soup). The latter was the lunch special for just $6.99, and an excellent choice to keep warm. What are you waiting for? Come with a friend or your family and taste Colombia. We dare you not to love it!

Visit El Portal on Facebook or their website.

Their physical address is 2810 E. trinity mills #191

Carrollton, TX 75006

* This is listed as El Portal's Favorite Quote on their FB page.

Juan Valdéz

This is the actual package we got in the mail. Cup not included.


Today is the second day of icy roads.  When the ice lays its sheet on the streets, Texas becomes crazy.  You cannot drive, but slide down the road…. literally!  So I am not going out driving in this weather.  Tomorrow  it seems, will also be an icy day.  I am staying home, warm and cozy drinking my coffee.  It is a small, well-deserved luxury. What better way to start every day than with one of your favorite things?  The aroma, the warmth, the flavor…… Just thinking about it brings a smile to my face!

Anyway, not all coffee smells and tastes the same.  Colombian coffee has no competition in our home.  One of our favorite brands is Juan Valdéz (JV). There are no JV’s stores here in Texas, so we buy our supply online.  Volcán is the variety of our choice, but there are some others with a softer roast.  I invite you to give it a try.  Click here to browse their store and help coffee growers from the mountains of Colombia!