Colombian Welcome Mat

Instead of the usual stories-high stacks of shipping containers, swarthy longshoremen, cheap souvenir stands, and duty free shops, the port of Cartagena adds a very special welcome for its arriving visitors. The path to enter or exit the port will lead you through a natural paradise…a port oasis. Officially known as Aviaro Nacional Baru de…

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Queen of the Caribbean Coast

I wrote about Cartagena in 2015 (see my post “Colombia’s Hidden Secret”) and now, on my third visit to this beautiful city, I am still captivated. Forget what you might think still exists about gangs and drug lords of the past. Cartagena de Indias, as the city was known in the colonial era, has been…

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Colombia’s Hidden Secret

Cartagena has gotten a bad rap from years of misinformed media, suffering from a past reputation for drug trafficking, kidnapping and violence. While, as in every destination, one must be alert and take precautions, it seems the bad guys here have pretty much killed each other off, and left behind a charming and breathtakingly beautiful…

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