Communing with Cartagena’s essence on La Muralla

July 31, 2011

CARTAGENA DE INDIAS, COLOMBIA – Colombia’s crown jewel on the Caribbean coast, Cartagena is a city that sings a siren song, luring travelers to its shores and then seducing them into staying…or at least returning.  I spent a month here in January/February and (if this is any indication of my seduction) began plotting my return the same day I left.

There’s a magical quality here that’s more than the sum total of its salt-weathered buildings in bright Caribbean colors, flowers spilling from balconies, shady plazas for passing languid afternoons, and sugary beaches. Rather, it’s something intangible that caught me in its clutches…a sense of living life more vividly, whether that’s biting into the freshest bright mango on the street corner or letting the raw beat of a live tambor (drummer) reverberate through your cells.

When I returned this month, I found myself eschewing the tourist sites and the robust commerce on Cartagena’s narrow lanes that so enchanted me on my first visit. Instead, I took a step back, seeking out spots of tranquility and pockets where locals predominate over foreigners to get closer to its essence. Over and over, I found myself drawn to the wall.

La Muralla, as it’s known in Spanish, is the nearly six-mile fortification that rings Cartagena’s historic old city. It was built to fend off 16th century pirates who attacked Cartagena over and over in pursuit of the city’s storehouses of colonial gold. Today, it’s the perfect perch from which to enjoy Cartagena at its perimeter. In fact, locals have made it a kind of public park, a gathering point, and space of leisure.

Close to sunset, when the heavenly sea breezes sweep away the sticky heat of the day, the wall is the place to be. Lovers gather in its nooks to watch the sun make its swift descent into the watery horizon. Runners turn it into a de facto course for making a loop around the city (just be careful if you run up here–the stones can be uneven). Groups of local university students gather to smoke and flirt.

There are even opportunities for impromptu entertainment. You’re likely to spy a juggler plying his trade. One night I heard live drumming up on the wall, and when I climbed the rampart, I discovered the local folkloric dance group Ekobios in the middle of rehearsal. It was stunning to watch their nimble, African-inflected moves and hear the drumbeats with the sea at my back.

Aside from all of this organic activity, there are also “official” spots for enjoying the wall and its stunning views of the city and ocean. Most popular is Café del Mar, a lounge with open-air tables, late-night eats, nightly DJs, and a vantage point that faces the oceanfront skyscrapers of Bocagrande. This is perhaps the only outdoor place in Cartagena you’ll ever feel like you need a sweater–those gales off the Caribbean can be mighty strong in this particular spot.  Another option is La Casa de la Cerveza along the Getsemaní section of the wall. Beer, grilled meats, and views of the Castillo de San Felipe fort make for a festive spirit and evocative setting.

It may be hard to imagine that I went all that way just to relish sitting on a wall. But somehow, as I explored Cartagena at its colonial perimeter, I felt closer and closer to its vibrant, of-the-moment center. I guess you could say the city that once tried to keep outsiders at bay with a wall now seduces them with the same.

La Muralla
Cartagena de Indias, Colombia

Café del Mar
Baluarte de Santo Domingo
El Centro
Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
(57) 5-664-2945
Website
Map

La Casa de la Cerveza
Baluarte San Lorenzo del Reducto
Getsemaní
Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
Map
(57) 5-664-9261