During our annual corporate well-being week shutdown in August, I had the opportunity to embark on a short solo trip to Colombia and Ecuador, with the Caribbean city of Cartagena as my first stop. Below is a pictorial essay of the time I spent exploring the extremely photogenic Old Town and Getsemani neighborhoods of Cartagena in Colombia.

Get lost in the colorful streets of Centro Historico Old Town

Walking through Cartagena’s Centro Historic is like stepping back in time into a fairytale of old world colonial charm, except for the drenching humidity. Bright colonial buildings painted in shades of the rainbow, balconies laden and overflowing with blooming bougainvillea flowers, and uniquely intricate door knockers all combine to make this a photographer’s dream destination. These are just a sampling of the numerous pictures I took during my aimless ramblings through Cartagena’s Old town.

 

Gawk at the amazing wall murals in Getsemani neighborhood

Getsemani is Cartagena’s Bohemian quarter, where street artists have transformed faded walls into a vast outdoor museum of eye catching colorful murals. The subjects depicted in the murals span the range from social justice related ones, to those depicting Colombia’s African heritage, and female empowerment. Here are some of my favorite ones that I chanced upon.