“A little sea-bathing would set me up forever.” ~Mrs. Bennet, Pride and Prejudice

Wednesday 17 July 2019

Hartford, Connecticut

Dear Jane,

And so our Cartagena adventure continues...

A breakfast fit
for hobbits.

Our second day (Monday, the twentieth of May) was one that both Rachael and I had been looking forward to for quite some time as we were to spend the majority of it on a boat! Before boating, however, breakfast was a necessity. I do so loath to sound "bougie," Jane, but our first full day in Cartagena began by indulging in an exceedingly delicious breakfast whilst seated at a charming table by the pool. Hotel Caribe provides a wonderful buffet breakfast consisting of fresh fruit and jugos (juices), strong & flavorful coffee, eggs, meats, cheeses, pandebono (a roll, of sorts, with cheese baked in- YUM), an assortment of delectable, local pastries (that I cannot remember the names of), and much more! And as I am a hobbit, I often went back for second breakfast. I daresay I could have lingered by the breakfast buffet for hours, but we had to depart for the docks before long.

Forgive me for digressing, but I must say that getting taxi cars from our hotel into downtown Cartagena could not have been easier! The staff was so very helpful in obtaining transportation and communicating with the drivers to tell them where we wished to go. COLOMBIA TRAVEL TIP: Always negotiate the price of your journey with your driver before you leave as the amount can change if you haven't agreed upon it prior to arriving at your destination!

Now then, because I can sometimes be a "Nervous Nellie," we arrived quite early to the docks. In my defense, one cannot anticipate morning traffic in foreign countries and I just wanted to be sure we made it on time! I do not attempt to deny that Rachael and I differ in our opinions about appropriate travel time whilst on holiday. Whereas she shows up RIGHT on time to things like flights or excursions, I am not comfortable unless I arrive VERY early. That being said, we got to the assigned destination at least an hour before boarding and not even the boat had arrived yet...but I regret nothing, Jane! Since there was time to spare, Rachael aptly suggested we explore the city a little while we waited. It was so lovely to see it before all the shops opened and tourists flocked to the popular sights. In truth, our time was well spent for there is nothing better than exploring a city before the morning hustle and bustle begins, Jane. In my humble opinion, mornings are truly magical. After walking through the streets, we found ourselves atop a section of the ancient city walls and saw that the highly-anticipated boat (a large catamaran, to be more specific) had arrived so we made our way back to the dock, checked in with the crew and ventured on board. Huzzah!

The boat arrived
(on the left)!

Before I continue, it is worth mentioning that this particular morning was excruciatingly hot- I finally understood what all the travel bloggers meant when they said that the Cartagena heat can be oppressive. COLOMBIA TRAVEL TIP: Drink as much water as possible because you must hydrated! Thank goodness we were heading out to sea! By time the boat arrived, I was glistening with sweat and just wanted to sit in the shade. Happily for me, a known shade-dweller, La Bona Vida was spacious and had relief from the sun due to a good portion of the catamaran being covered.

Shade!

I must confess that boat days are really not as glamorous as one assumes they will be, what with all the sweat and thigh chafing, Jane. Just to reiterate, IT WAS VERY HOT. Once aboard, however, we claimed seats, took a breath, applied not-enough sunscreen and drank a glass of fresh watermelon juice (that was the beginning of our love affair with jugos naturales). Once all the passengers checked in and boarded, we were finally on our way to the Rosario Islands and our adventure truly began! (How have I written this much and not even gotten to the part where the boat leaves!? This is why writers are made better by editors, gentle readers. But, alas, I do not have one so please ready yourselves for far too much detail.)

Jugos Naturales all day...
that really is La Bona Vida

The beautiful vessel we were on was called "La Bona Vida" (which translates to "The Good Life"). Since it is a large catamaran and there were only about twenty guests in total, everyone had ample room to stretch out and be comfortable. Even though there was shade, there was also a beautiful, "Large Solarium with wide nets in the bow area for sunbathing." (Their website described the boat layout far better than I could have.) I was in awe of how beautiful and interesting this vessel was as I had never been on one before. Not only was it equipped with space to soak up the sun, but there was a grill, bar, shaded seating and restrooms. Included with our ticket price were: complimentary non-alcoholic drinks all day (pineapple & watermelon juice, limonadas de coco, etc.), a morning appetizer, a delicious lunch cooked on board, fresh fruit in the afternoon and snorkeling equipment if one so chose to use it. The whole excursion lasted roughly eight hours; it was a great deal, Jane. 

"Large Solarium with wide
nets in the bow
area for sunbathing." 

Our fellow passengers seemed to be from all over: Scandinavia, New York, Texas, Spain, Colombia and more. Naturally, this was the perfect environment to "people watch." There were couples, groups of friends, a friendly lady who tried to get everyone to dance...and one older man who gave far too much attention to the young ladies from Scandinavia even though his wife was also on board the ship. It was rather awkward to witness his flagrant interactions with them, to be honest. To put it in perspective, it was like watching Mr. Collins (if he were forty years older) make unbecoming advances towards Elizabeth Bennet and two of her sisters...at the same time. Luckily, Rachael and I were not objects of his attention and the ladies stuck together and paid him no mind! I feel that it is important to record these things for posterity's sake, Jane.

Rachael's hair...the
 true star of any boat trip.

The trip from Cartagena out to the Rosario Islands took about one hour and twenty minutes and the further away we got from the city, the bluer the water became; it was quite a sight to behold. We encountered a passing rain shower (which actually cooled us down), a small pod of dolphins (!!!), local fishermen, interesting architecture on distant shores and more. The following passage from Bona Vida's website perfectly describes the route of our journey: "We start in front of the walled city of Cartagena. We navigate between Tierra Bomba Island and the industrial zone. We go out to the open sea through the fort of San Fernando de bocachica. We sail to Isla Grande, in the Rosario Islands and stop next to a beautiful coral reef, where you can practice snorkeling. We sail to Isla Caribarú, and stop in front of a beautiful white beach. We navigate through Caño Ratón and we pass between Isla Rosario and Isla Pájaro."

The first time we docked, it was mid-morning and we were given our first opportunity to swim in the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean. I soon concurred with Mrs. Bennet when she said, “A little sea-bathing [in the Caribbean] would set me up forever.” Pray, forgive me, Jane for I added the part about "in the Caribbean," but the sentiment still applies!" *Sigh* Take me back! Whilst anchored, a local fisherman came up alongside the boat and sold fresh lobsters which the crew then cooked and offered to the passengers for a small fee. (Rachael and I did not indulge in the lobster, but it was fascinating to witness the delightful exchange.)

Anyway, after swimming and lounging for a while, La Bona Vida continued to journey through the Rosario Islands and before long we stopped for lunch and another swim at a new location near Isla Caribarú. On the menu for lunch was seafood paella but happily for those of us who don't enjoy seafood, they had chicken and vegetarian paellas as well! (Fish is just not my cup of tea, but I did have some later on in the day. More on that shortly!) After we finished our meal, we lounged, napped, failed to reapply sunscreen and then swam again. This time, however, we jumped off the boat! I must confess that it took some coaxing from my dear sister to jump (it was high up!) but I am so very glad I did. 

On our way back
to Cartagena. Also, Rachael
almost never took
off that hat.

Once all passengers were back on board, it was time to make our way back to the city: "We navigate through Caño Ratón and we pass between Isla Rosario and Isla Pájaro. We return sailing by the other side of Tierra Bomba, until we reach the skyscrapers of El Laguito neighborhood. We enter the Bay of Cartagena." It was truly a magnificent day- the sights were beautiful, the water was perfect, the crew was friendly, attentive and helpful, the food and beverages were delicious, and our fellow passengers were delightful (for the most part). The only sour note was the awful sunburn I got and for that I can blame no one but myself!

COLOMBIA TRAVEL TIP: I highly recommend doing thorough research on boat excursions before you arrive in Cartagena. Prior to our trip, I learned that tourism and specifically boating tourism is relatively new to parts of Colombia, so one must be wary and read reviews before booking excursions. Also, many tourists end up going to Playa Blanca, which comes with its own set of issues that you may want to avoid. There are many, many boat companies and not all of them are reputable, so again do your research and make sure that you feel safe and comfortable with the company you select. Personally, I cannot recommend Bona Vida Catamaranes enough!

 After arriving back in the Bay of Cartagena, outside the Walled city, we decided that it was definitely time for a light afternoon meal. High on our list of eating establishments to visit whilst in Cartagena was La Cevicheria so we promptly made our way there. La Cevicheria (known for their world famous Ceviche) was made famous by the late Anthony Bourdain when he visited with his television show, "No Reservations," in 2008. According to the Google, "Ceviche" is a South American dish "typically made from fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices, such as lemon or lime, and spiced with [various seasonings]." Rachael knew all about ceviche and was excited to have it, but as I don't often enjoy partaking in seafood (much less raw seafood), I was quite wary. 

Upon arriving, we learned that La Cevicheria had experienced a power outage earlier that afternoon so their menu options were limited. As a result, crowds were scarce and we got seated right away...which apparently almost never happens due to its popularity with tourists and locals alike. Without power they were only able to serve foods that did not need to be cooked using appliances...in other words, the menu was limited to ceviche and salads. You see, I had no choice but to try it, so I mustered up every last bit of courage I had and ate raw (cured) seafood, Jane...and it was absolutely delicious! I know, I was shocked, too. (Although I will say that I could've done without the plentiful cilantro...yes, I am one of THOSE people.)  Rachael, of course, was not surprised and thoroughly enjoyed her meal as well. In conclusion, it is most important to try new things, especially when visiting a new country with its own unique culture, customs and food. 

Cartagena Cathedral

After our enchanting meal, we wandered around the city a bit more and bought refreshing paletas (popsicles) from La Palettería. It was lovely to see the city in the evening, but we were exhausted from our time at sea so we decided to make our way back to the hotel for a nap before journeying back into the city later in the evening. Naturally, once we arrived back to the hotel, we fell asleep quite early and didn't leave the room again! Dreams of grandeur, Jane...I knew in my heart there would be no "going back out" that night. 

This must be my longest letter ever, Jane, and though it may seem exceedingly self-indulgent to give every detail, it is really so that Rachael and I can look back and remember all of the fun details of our holiday. As always, thank you for reading!

Yours Faithfully,

Amanda