When many think of Colombia; gangs, violence, and Pablo Escobar may come to mind. The food, vibrant colors, history, and beautiful people tend to be an afterthought. My experience in Colombia was “magical” (I could not speak about Colombia, without the reference to Encanto). Just like the movie, the music, the food, the people, the culture, and the vibrant colors throughout the city were breathtaking. We spent about 5 days in the country opting to visit the city of Bogota first, before heading to Cartagena. Bogota is the capital of Colombia, located on a high plateau in the center of the country. From our location at the Sheraton, the sites reminded me of the hustle and bustle of New York. We chose to do some much-needed resting in Bogota foregoing the sightseeing until we made it to Cartagena. The fun began when we touched down in Cartagena.

After checking into our Airbnb at the Radisson in Boca Grande, we went to dinner at El Arsenal-The Rum Box. Before visiting Colombia, we traveled to only two other Spanish-speaking countries. I honestly did not have high expectations when it pertained to the food scene, based on prior cuisine experiences in those other Spanish countries. The only knowledge I had about Colombian cuisine was through watching a plethora of YouTube videos. When I tell you the food did not disappoint, the saying “make you wanna slap your mama” was extremely accurate for how enjoyable the food was at this restaurant. Not only was the food enjoyable the service we received was exceptional. Some so-called 5-star restaurants in the States could learn a thing or two from the restaurant business in Colombia. El Arsenal was only the inception of the deliciousness we encountered throughout our stay in Colombia. The only caution I would advise about the food in Cartagena is to avoid street food and the water! I repeat, DO NOT drink the water, or the ice for that matter unless you want to become best friends with the toilet. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

The following day, we booked an adventure tour to the Bazurto Market. If you are like me and are a little obsessed with the Travel Channel, then you have probably heard of this market from the late Anthony Bourdain’s show “No Reservation.” Hubby and I are the type of travelers who enjoy mingling with the locals and eating what the locals eat while visiting different countries. This tour was the best of both worlds. We met up with our tour guide at a local grocery store and then took the city bus to the Bazurto Market. I grew up in the Bronx, so public transportation doesn’t bother me much, not to mention, it was a great way to explore the city outside of the typical tourist attractions. The market was reminiscent of a typical market you would find in the Caribbean. The hustle and bustle of people selling and buying products, the tantalizing smell of local food cooking, and the not-so-appealing smells of raw fish and meat, were on display for sale. If you are not familiar with or are a bit sensitive to the unpleasant smells of an open market, this may be an adventure that you may want to reconsider, however, if you are adventurous and don’t mind experiencing new things, the Bazurto Market is a must when visiting Cartagena. Our tour guide introduced us to home-grown fruits, we drank Colombian beer while witnessing a local artist create a commemorative piece for us, we listened to and danced to the sounds of Cumbia and Champeta (music native to Colombia, which reminded me a lot of Soca and Calypso music), and we ate at the famous Cecelia’s for lunch. Cecelia’s did not disappoint! I had the seafood rice, while Hubby enjoyed the local fried fish. You can not and should not go to Bazurto Market without taking a moment to dine at Cecelia’s. Your taste buds will thank me! Overall, the entire experience forged a memory that would be hard to forget! Later that evening (which happened to be our 10th wedding anniversary), we dined at the restaurant Cande. As mentioned earlier El Arsenal was the starting point for our experience with Colombian cuisine. Cande then became the pinnacle of our experience. When I tell you EVERYTHING, from the food to the drinks, to the service and ambiance was top-notch, I could not have imagined a better restaurant to celebrate our union. We ordered so much food because there were so many delightful choices. Despite our glutenous behavior, our bill only came up to a little over USD 100. If you disregard any of my suggestions in this blog, I urge you to reconsider disregarding visiting Cande. The bang for your buck and astonishing cuisine will have you literally slapping your momma (just don’t say I told you to slap her)! We ended the night taking an unforgettable horse and carriage ride through the Walled City and the Old City, Getsemani. It was a beautiful experience. Getsemani is a picturesque city within the Walled City filled with vibrant colors, beautiful people, an excess of restaurants, astonishing architecture, and the enchanting sounds of local music. The carriage driver was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the Walled City and Cartagena. I would recommend a horse and carriage tour if time allows on your next visit to Cartagena. A word of advice, however, make sure to negotiate the price before the ride begins, because we definitely got taken advantage of. Hustlers will be hustlers no matter where you are in the world!

Our second full day in Cartagena led us to another unforgettable experience. We booked a full-day excursion (you can find all these tours on Viator.com) to San Basilio de Palenque or as the locals simply call it, Palenque. The village of Palenque was the first free African town in all the Americas. It has a population of about 3,500 and is inhabited by Afro-Colombians who are direct descendants of enslaved Africans. According to our tour guide, you cannot live in the village if you are not a direct descendant or are married to one of the direct descendants. The people of the village still preserve customs and language from their African ancestors. While in the village, we learned about Benkos Bioho, a Mandinka and South American leader who escaped from the slave port of Cartagena and led ten others to find the village of Palenque. We were entertained by some of their customary song and dances and were fortunate enough to tour the village, which unexpectedly, does not have a police station. The villagers solve their disputes by going to the village mediator. We visited the village medicine man, who uses only herbs and tinctures to cure any and every ailment the villagers may acquire. Unsurprisingly, we were informed that the mysterious illness that had the world on lockdown a few years back did not exist within the village (things that make you say hmmmmmm). We also were taught some of the Palenquero language. Palenquero is influenced by the Kikongo language of Congo and Angola, sprinkled with a little Portuguese (Portuguese slave traders brought enslaved Africans to South America in the 17th Century). Since Palenquero is a Creole language, it differs significantly from the Spanish language making it incomprehensible to Spanish speakers. One phrase that will forever be etched in my memory and permanently inked on my husband's forearm is the phrase “Ata Uto Bega.” The Palenquero phrase translates to “until we meet again, or see you later.” The villagers do not believe in “good-bye.” They believe whether, in the physical or spiritual life, we will always meet again. The day concluded with…. you guessed it, food! One of the village women served us a traditional dish of coconut curry black river snapper and coconut rice. Listen, when I say that thing slapped…….OMG. Being from the Caribbean I have tasted some well-seasoned fish, but boy, oh boy, this meal exceeded ALL the exceptional fried or escovitch fish I have ever tasted in my lifetime! It was a day to remember for sure! If you don’t do anything else while in Colombia, Palenque is a definite must on your list of things to do while in Cartagena.

Of course, we could not complete our trip to Colombia without taking a dip in the ocean! On our final day in Colombia, we secured a day pass to Bora Bora Beach Club. It was a perfect way to end our adventures in the magical South American country. The boat ride to Bora Bora was about 45 minutes from Cartagena. The day pass included a covered beach bed and your choice of chicken or fried fish for lunch. They also had options to purchase other items from the menu, such as appetizers, alcoholic beverages, and even hookah options. The music was a tad bit Europeanized for my liking, but overall, we had a great time on the island.

Colombia was one for the books! We had so many options to choose from when deciding where to go to celebrate our anniversary, but we were not disappointed with our choice to visit Colombia. It was an adventure we will forever cherish. Until next time Colombia, Ata Uto Bega!!

San Basilio de Palenque is the first free African town in all the Americas. UNESCO declared the village a "Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" in 2005.

The people of Colombia were extremely welcoming and kind, as well as very eager to introduce me to their exceptional cuisine.