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campfiresandsandcastles · 4 years

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Top 10 Things to Know Before You Visit Machu Picchu and Cusco, Peru

We just returned from a fantastically fun trip to Lima, Paracas, Huacachina, Cusco, and Machu Picchu [INSERT LINK TO AGENDA]and we learned a few hints that will be helpful for anyone else traveling there soon. I’ve identified the top ten things that should make any trip to these areas a bit easier:

1. Download the app from the airlines that allows you to watch movies on the plane.

LATAM is a common carrier in and around Peru and they have a special app, LATAM Play, that needs to be downloaded before you board the plane so that you can partake in their entertainment during the flight. On their small planes, such as from Lima to Cusco, there are no televisions on the plane, so you will need the app to watch movies, TV shows, the map, etc. This is becoming more and more common on the airlines, so it’s a good idea for every carrier you use to check to see if they have an entertainment app.

2. You will need soles.

Soles is the currency of Peru (written “S/”). Many blogs will say that people in Peru will accept US dollars, which some will, but for most cash transactions they prefer soles. This includes taxi drivers, street vendors, some restaurants, etc. We simply got soles from the ATM at the airport when we landed and a few places thereafter. Currently the exchange rate for soles to dollars is about 3:1, so for every price in soles, simply divide it by 3 and that is about the price in US dollars.

3. Consider taking altitude medicine preemptively.

Cusco is very high, like high enough to cause altitude sickness in most people. We took the standard altitude sickness medication that is recommended by the CDC, Acetazolamide (or acetazolamida in South American countries). We started taking the medicine 2 days before we arrived in Cusco and every day we were there. The CDC provides recommendations for doses and other information here. I tend to metabolize medicine pretty quickly, and found a recent medical article suggesting that a lower dosage than that typically recommended also was effective. So, I actually took approximately 62 mg/twice per day and did not experience any side effects or altitude sickness. In fact, no one in our two traveling families did. The only side effect was that carbonated beverages have a funny aftertaste, that is kind of metallic. However, figure out what medicine and dosage does or does not work for you, as my comments are not medical advice.

If you do decide to take the altitude medicine, be sure the pharmacy gives you the correct medicine. If you buy it in Peru or South America they may try to convince you to buy a Dramamine-type, or other altitude or seasickness-like medicine, so you must be firm that they provide the exact medicine you want.

4. Drink lots of water.

This goes along with warding off altitude sickness. The more water you drink, the less likely you are to experience the effects of the altitude.

5. Do not drink the tap water.

Drink lots of water, but not from the tap. Some of the hotels had signs in the bathroom stating that the water was not safe to drink. We even used bottled water to brush our teeth, and I still ended up with a stomach bug for a day. However, I did drink plenty of fruit juices and lemonades at the restaurants which may have caused my bug, as the waiters finally told me that they were made with “filtered” water (whatever that means), but not bottled water.

6. Take toilet paper.

This is pretty much a given for anytime you travel in South America. It’s just a good idea to always travel with TP, because for some reason TP and toilet seats are often considered optional in South American bathrooms. I keep a plastic lunchbag in my purse or backpack with TP and kleenex. Do it, and you’ll thank me.

7. Take snacks.

We were traveling with teens who are always hungry, so we bring lots of snacks. That was a good thing because quick snacks or food is not always available. And some of our tours were long days where food was scarce and it was good to have a backpack full of snacks to tide us all over. Oh, and restaurants in Peru serve food like restaurants in Colombia…slowly…so, you will first sit down and be served beverages, then the waiter will return to place your order for your meal, then probably many, many minutes will pass before you are served your meal, then they will wait until everyone is finished and clear the table, and you have to ask for the check. It’s a whole process that often takes close to 1.5 or 2 hours.

8. Almost everyone speaks English.

Unlike Colombia where we currently live, nearly everyone we encountered in Peru spoke some English, and they spoke it well. Even the street vendors. Not the taxi drivers typically though.

9. You will need to show your passport often.

Nearly every ticket you purchase or entry you attempt to make requires your passport as identification. If your kids are younger, you can sometimes get a reduced or free pass if you can prove their age with their passport. So, carry it with you, but keep it safe.

10. Not everything is really made from baby alpaca.

We found the vendors in Peru to be lying quite often. They will claim that everything you purchase is “baby alpaca,” even when it clearly is not. So, if you like something, then buy it because you like it, not because of whatever the vendor is claiming. No, it’s not baby alpaca, no, his mother didn’t make it back in her village, no, it’s not a design that only she makes…we heard it all while we were there. And we fell for a lot of it too, even though we should know better living in Colombia.

There was one store located on the main plaza in Cusco that I cannot remember the name of, but I was really impressed by the honesty of the shop owner. They sold bags that are only made in Colombia and when I asked him where the bags in his store were made I was expecting him to say “Peru” and that they were made of “baby alpaca.” However, instead he quickly replied “Colombia,” to which I responded “good answer.” We promptly bought a few items from his shop.

Also, offer what you think the product is worth, no matter what the vendor states the price is, because everything is negotiable. I purchased a backpack for nearly 50% less than the vendor’s original asking price simply because that is all I thought the backpack was worth. You’ll be most happy with your purchase, and have no regrets when you’ve bought a product you liked and paid a price you were willing to pay for it.

11. Every person who offers advice or a photo opportunity is expecting a tip

So, I thought I’d throw one more in for good measure…the women sitting in the plazas wearing typical Peruvian clothes and leading llamas or alpacas or holding baby goats expect a tip if you hold their animal or take a photo with them. And they are clever because they will suddenly just thrust the animal on your child if your kid shows any interest at all in the cute little baby animal. We also had a street art vendor get mad at us because he led us up to an overlook of the city, which at the time just seemed like a friendly thing he was offering to do, and then was mad when we weren’t interested in buying any of his art when we made it to the overlook (even though we had made that clear before he led us). So, do not be surprised if the vendors you encounter on the street are a bit relentless (even more so than in Colombia, and that is really saying something), and everything they are offering comes with a price, even if it seems innocent at the time.

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campfiresandsandcastles · 4 years

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The Best Places to Eat with Teens in Cusco and Machu Picchu

One of the best things about Peru is the food. We even live in Colombia and our favorite restaurants in Cartagena, where we live, are Peruvian. So, we were very excited to try some restaurants in Peru itself. Here’s some of our favorites from Cusco and Machu Picchu Pueblo (the town right outside of Machu Picchu).

Morena - Cusco

Our first night in Cusco, we ate an early dinner at Morena. Morena serves somewhat typical Peruvian dishes, but with plenty of elegance and style. The restaurant is beautiful and feels cozy with their underground location with exposed stone walls. Each of the dishes we tried were excellent.

They even made their signature pisco drink right at our table. And every dish and drink was decorated with a live flower such as a pansy, even the milkshakes that the kids ordered. They claim that no reservations were needed at any time.

Incanto - Cusco

We also recommend a beautiful Italian restaurant right off of the Plaza de Armas in Cusco called Incanto. They have a wood fired oven in the center which they use to make the oven-fired pizzas that each of the kids ate. Plus they served the most yummy mint and basil lemonade that I’ve ever had. I had their delicious Vittoria ravioli and our friend had their lasagna, which he raved about. All of us loved our dinners and we cannot recommend this restaurant enough. No reservations needed in December when we visited.

Limo Nikkei Kitchen - Cusco

We ate dinner at another delicious restaurant, Limo Nikkei Kitchen. It’s a Japanese-Peruvian fusion. So, they have both sushi, ramen, and udon along with more Peruvian influenced dishes such as ceviche and lomo saltado too. I loved my ramen dish, and others loved their udon, plus the lomo saltado, and of course, their sushi was a hit too. They are located right on the Plaza de Armas with a great view onto the plaza if you score a table next to the windows. No reservations needed in December when we visited.

Incontri del Pueblo Viejo - Machu Picchu Pueblo

We ate dessert at a popular Italian restaurant that we loved called Incontri del Pueblo Viejo. It apparently is #1 on TripAdvisor and it definitely deserves to be. The food is very good, we had the lava cake and gelato. We wish we would have known about it before we had eaten dinner elsewhere, because their dishes looked delicious. They serve plenty of pizzas and even were making their pasta from scratch.

But more importantly, the staff was fabulous. They kept the teens entertained with close-up magic tricks that they performed for us. Some of the tricks were simply amazing. We have no idea how they were done. The final trick involved taking our one single bill that was delivered to the table, and then somehow separating it into two separate paper bills right in front of us, one for each family! It was incredible, and almost equally amazing was that the two checks were actually divided correctly, each family was accurately charged for their correct items (which is difficult for people to get right even without a magic trick). We also captured a quick video of one of their many tricks that they performed (see below).

Overall, go to Peru ready to eat some very good food. There are plenty of typical Peruvian dishes including alpaca, cuy (guinea pig), and lomo saltado (beef steak), and there are many fusion dishes available to try too.

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campfiresandsandcastles · 4 years

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Explore Machu Picchu with Teenagers

We ended our 9 day adventure to Peru [INSERT LINK TO ENTIRE AGENDA] at one of the Seven Wonders of the New World, Machu Picchu. We decided to do the epic trip to Machu Picchu at the end of our vacation which worked out really well for us. I don’t have any great reason for doing it in that order, except that our kids like to stay in one hotel for most of the trip and not move around a lot. So, it seemed to make the most sense to just stay put in Cusco once we arrived and head up to Machu Picchu Pueblo at the end. However, flipping the itinerary around and doing Machu Picchu Pueblo the first day after arriving in Cusco would’ve probably worked fine as well. Doing it that way may also have the added advantage of ensuring everyone is healthy and energized to visit the main attraction of Machu Picchu and then doing all the adventure activities at the end of the trip.

Day 7 - Relax on the train to Machu Picchu Pueblo

Day Seven we woke fairly early to catch the PeruRail train from the San Pedro station in downtown Cusco to Machu Picchu Pueblo (formerly known as Agua Caliente). Two different train companies make the trip, Peru Rail and Inca Rail. We chose Peru Rail for no particular reason. And we chose their Vistadome option that includes windows that wrap to the ceiling and a light Peruvian-themed snack (which none of our kids ate, but we liked).

We also chose to leave from the San Pedro station rather than the stations located closer to Machu Picchu Pueblo. For example, the Ollantaytambo station a few hours from Cusco is a popular station for people to leave from. I honestly don’t really understand why, as there are very limited accommodations in Ollantaytambo. For example, we’ve traveled enough in South America at this point that our teens know to ask what type of hotels we are staying in and prefer the name-brand hotels, since we’ve stayed in some less than fabulous locations. There are certainly no name-brand hotels in Ollantaytambo.

The train ride from Cusco to Machu Picchu Pueblo was fabulous. It was comfortable and relaxing. Much better than a bus or taxi ride. The total trip was close to 5 hours. We just chatted, enjoyed the view, napped, and the kids played cards and snacked. I cannot recommend the train enough.

You can only take a backpack or small luggage weighing less than 11 pounds on the train. This is well known by the hotels, so we were able to leave our large suitcases at the Hilton Garden Inn in their designated storage room. There is limited space to hold baggage on the train, only under your seat or on a small luggage rack as you enter each train carriage.

You need to pre-purchase the train tickets from PeruRail. In fact, most people recommend that you purchase your train tickets and tickets to enter Machu Picchu before scheduling any other portion of your trip because both sell out. We visited the week before Christmas, in December, which is rainy season and tends to have less crowds. We did not have a problem purchasing either the train or entry tickets.

Arrive in Machu Picchu Pueblo (formerly known as Agua Calientes)

We were met at the train station by a representative of our hotel for the night, Gringo Bill’s. I’m not kidding, that is really the name of the hotel. The town of Machu Picchu Pueblo is very, very small, with pretty much just the train station, a central square, two branches of river running through the town and train tracks crossing the town too. So, you simply walk from the train station to the hotel. The room at Gringo Bill’s was nice in that it was two bedrooms and had separate beds for the kids and a wrap around porch. Plus, it included breakfast. We would recommend the hotel for families with teens.

Just outside of the train station is a large multi-stall market full of vendors selling various Peruvian wares. Again, everyone claims all textiles are “baby alpaca,” but by now we knew better. As an example, I bought a red suede backpack for a friend that had Peruvian-type embroidery on it, but was likely mass produced. The vendor tried to tell me that the leather was baby alpaca, which was clearly not the case, but I share this as an example of what many of the vendors will likely say to make a sale. The vendor also originally asked S/130 soles for the backpack (approximately $45 USD), I told her that I didn’t want to spend more than S/75 soles for the gift and began to walk away and find another backpack at a nearby stall. She chased me down and accepted the S/75 soles. I didn’t do it to try to negotiate with her really, I simply didn’t want to pay that much, but it shows how much the vendors are willing to drop their prices when negotiating, nearly 50%.

We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the town and ate at a local restaurant along the tracks. I cannot remember the name of the restaurant. It served a wide variety of food and had two floors with a balcony overlooking the raging river. There are actually many restaurants in this town. It’s pretty much just restaurants, hotels, and shops, perfectly catered to everyone heading to Machu Picchu.

We also bought our bus tickets to Machu Picchu. There are signs around town to follow to the bus ticket office, or just ask anyone for directions. Again, the town is not that large. You do need your passport to purchase the tickets. You buy tickets for the bus leaving just prior to your entry time to Machu Picchu. If you tell the bus attendant what time your entry is, they will tell you which bus to purchase tickets for. You can purchase the bus tickets using a credit card too.

It is required that you have a guide to enter Machu Picchu. There are many standing outside of the bus ticket office, or even at the entrance of Machu Picchu itself. The hotel our friends stayed at had a relationship with a guide, so we hired him. The cost to each family was S/160 soles (about $50 US dollars). He met us the night before we headed up to Machu Picchu to show us the map of the site and provide us with some explanations of what to expect. He recommended sunscreen (which we used) and bug repellant (which we did not use). Also, good walking shoes or boots, a rain jacket, and layers so you could strip off clothes as it got hotter throughout the day.

Day 8 - Hike Machu Picchu

Finally the day had come to visit Machu Picchu, one of the newly named 7 wonders of the new world! Everyone was very excited to see this historic site with their own eyes.

We started with breakfast that was provided by the hotel. The hotels in Machu Picchu Pueblo are well versed in the needs of visitors to Machu Picchu, so we were able to leave some of our backpacks at Gringo Bill’s to hold until we returned. Also, be aware that there is a list of items you may not take into Machu Picchu including selfie sticks, tripods, and drones. Be sure to note the restrictions of what you can bring before you go as the list is a bit long and sometimes surprising.

You can start to line up in town for the bus 30 minutes before your entrance time. Just ask and follow the crowd on where you need to line up, it is near the bus ticket office. Suddenly a person holding a large sign with your designated entrance time will appear and escort the long line of people onto the waiting buses. The buses are really nice and the ride is about 30 minutes from the town to the entrance of Machu Picchu. You need to show your passports to enter the bus.

You need to pre-purchase the tickets to enter Machu Picchu. As I noted above, these are some of the first tickets you should purchase when planning your trip because the Peruvian government restricts how many people may enter the site every day. In fact, you purchase tickets for a designated entrance time and you have an hour to enter within that time slot. You will need to show your passport to enter the site. And then you are limited to the number of hours you can actually spend in the site. The limit was 4 hours when we were there, but we did not see anyone being kicked out. Tickets are purchased directly from the Peruvian government here. Many, many, many tour agencies will be willing to help you purchase packages for train tickets, entrance tickets, and bus tickets, and tour you around the site, plus other amenities, but we found all of this relatively easy to navigate all on our own and did not need a tour agency to plan the visit.

At the entrance to Machu Picchu there are bathrooms, vending machines, and small lockers. There is a minimal cost to use the bathrooms and there are no bathrooms inside the site itself.

We chose the entrance time of 10am. Many people recommend to be the first ones in the site to be able to catch the sunrise over the mountain peaks, but we were traveling with teenagers and knew better than to expect them to want to enter at 6am. We were hoping that a 10am entry would ensure we’d be in there early enough, but maybe late enough in the afternoon too in case we needed some of the fog to burn off. In the end it was a perfect time for us. The weather was great, we had some fog that clung to the surrounding mountain tops, but the valley was clear.

Our tour guide was clearly very experienced and loved to share all that he knew about Machu Picchu, plus he answered all of our many questions. Originally he told us that he would give us a tour for about 2.5 hours and then let us explore on our own, but he ended up spending nearly 4 hours with us. And he knew all of the good spots to take the popular photos of Machu Picchu, even the famous postcard spot. There are plenty of llamas to hang out with too, which the kids loved. As you are leaving the site, be sure to get your passport stamped for fun (we forgot).

Enjoy a Meal and a Magic Show Too

After the bus ride back to town, we had a bit of time before our train back to Cusco. We grabbed a late lunch/early dinner at one of the many restaurants in town. It was ok, but really expensive and they did not take credit card, so that was a bummer. Our train was delayed a few hours due to a landslide on the tracks, so we ate dessert at a popular Italian restaurant that we loved called Incontri del Pueblo Viejo. It apparently is #1 on TripAdvisor and it definitely deserves to be, we all wished we would have eaten dinner there. The desserts were very good, we had the lava cake and gelato, but more importantly, the staff was fabulous. They performed close-up magic tricks for us, which were amazing! I don’t want to share any more details of their tricks, because you need to experience it for yourself.

At days’s end we enjoyed the train ride back down to Cusco. There is a point in the ride where the train needs to wait for another train to pass, so the staff performs a bit of local dancing for you and a fashion show of Peruvian clothes that are also available for purchase.

Overall, each aspect of visiting Machu Picchu is a well-oiled machine. From the train ride, to the hotels, to the bus ride, to the tour of Machu Picchu, every person or organization involved makes the trip easy to navigate. And, nearly everyone speaks English. We returned late to the Hilton Garden Inn in Cusco for our final night and slept hard.

Helpful Hints

Shed your luggage: You are only allowed 11 lbs of luggage per person on the train, which equates to a small backpack or carry-on size luggage. Your hotel in Cusco will likely be happy to hold your larger luggage until you return. Also, your hotel in Machu Picchu Pueblo will also likely be happy to hold any of your backpacks or other bags you do not want to travel with into Machu Picchu. All hotels have a lot of experience with this and are prepared to help.

Carry your passport: Your passport will be needed to board the train, purchase bus tickets, board the bus, enter Machu Picchu…essentially every step of the way into Machu Picchu. So, be sure to have it and carry it with you.

Purchase train tickets from Cusco to Machu Picchu Pueblo: There are two train companies available, we chose PeruRail. We chose their Vistadome option which included a light snack and windows that wrapped to the ceiling. When planning your trip to Machu Picchu, purchase the train tickets and entrance tickets to Manchu Picchu first as both can sell out.

Purchase bus tickets from Machu Picchu Pueblo to Machu Picchu: These are purchased in the town of Machu Picchu Pueblo at the bus ticket office. Just follow the signs in Machu Picchu Pueblo to the office. You will need your passport and you may pay with credit card.

Purchase entrance tickets to Machu Picchu: Tickets are purchased directly from the Peruvian government here. The Peruvian government has started and will likely continue to restrict the number of persons allowed to enter Machu Picchu each day, so stay aware of the most recent restrictions that the government is enacting at the time of your visit. Moreover, when planning your trip to Machu Picchu, purchase the train tickets and entrance tickets to Manchu Picchu first as both can sell out.

Find a guide to enter Machu Picchu: The Peruvian government requires that you enter the site with a guide. You will find plenty recommended by your hotel, waiting outside the bus ticket office, or even at the entrance to Machu Picchu.

Get your passport stamped when leaving Machu Picchu: We forgot and we’re kicking ourselves for it. So, do what I say, not what we did.

Accommodations in Machu Picchu Pueblo: Machu Picchu Pueblo is a very small town filled with a couple of high-end resorts/lodges and numerous private hotels and hostels. We stayed at Gringo Bill’s which offered us a 2 bedroom room suite with walk-around balcony.

Best place to eat in Machu Picchu Pueblo: Incontri del Pueblo Viejo. They serve Italian food. Come for the food, stay because of the staff. They are amazing.

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campfiresandsandcastles · 4 years

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How to Entertain Teens in the Town of Cusco, Peru

The next destination in our 9-day Peruvian adventure [insert link to main page] with our teens was the lovely city of Cusco where we spent 4 nights. This city was awesome. It was charming, walkable, and full of good restaurants. We loved it and were glad we stayed so many nights.

Day 3 - Arrive in Cusco

The flight from Lima to Cusco is a little over an hour and LATAM flies that route about once a hour, so there are many flights to choose from. With our crowd of two families with teens, we chose a mid-day flight that got us into town with enough time to just relax and acclimate a bit to the altitude.

So, as you’ll hear from many, many people who have visited Cusco, dealing with the altitude can be an issue. We simply took the altitude medicine two days before we arrived in Cusco and then every day we were in Cusco, and none of us had any effects. We also stayed hydrated and did not do any strenuous exercise or uphill walking while we were there. You can hear more about our recommendations for dealing with the altitude in my “Top 10 Things to Know Before you Visit Machu Picchu” post. [INSERT LINK TO TOP 10 POST]

Relax at the Hilton Garden Inn

We checked into and spent four nights at the Hilton Garden Inn located on the north side of town at the top of the Cuesta de Santa Ana (a very tall set of stairs). It was lovely and the staff was so attentive. The hotel claims to be one of the newest hotels in Cusco and the place is modern, with an old world charm. We highly recommend it. Breakfast is not included, but they serve buffet breakfast every morning in their restaurant. And, similar to many of the nice hotels in Cusco, they are able to blow oxygen into your room for 5 to 10 minutes if you need it to alleviate any altitude sickness symptoms. Plus, this hotel was surprisingly and dramatically less expensive than some of the other well-known chain hotels in Cusco.

Enjoy an Early Dinner in a Underground Restaurant

My husband did a fantastic job of finding us fabulous dinner locations each night, and this night did not disappoint. We ate an early dinner at Morena. The restaurant is beautiful and feels cozy with their underground location. They made their signature pisco drink right at our table. And every dish and drink was decorated with a flower.

Day 4 - Take an ATV Tour and Zip Line

One of our most fun days spent in Cusco was probably our day trip to the salt mines of Maras and Moray via ATVs and zip lining with Cusco Zipline Adventures.

ATV to the Beautiful Maras Salt Mines

Cusco Zipline Adventures picked us up very early from our hotel and first drove us via van to the town of Racchi, about 40 minutes from Cusco. There we were introduced to our ATV driver extrodinaires who got us all geared up and taught us how to drive the ATVs (in both English and Spanish). Our tour group wasn’t too large either, with only a total of 15 people in the whole tour. The ATVs are semi-automatic, so there is some shifting involved, but all with the push of a button. Our 9-year old and 12-year old kids rode with a parent, but our 14-year olds were able to drive their own ATVs. The most difficult part of driving the ATV is keeping your right thumb on the throttle the entire time. By the end of the day, my thumb was cramping and proving difficult to convince to keep pushing the lever. Our 14 year olds were resorting to using their elbows, palms, and any other body part to push the throttle lever by day’s end.

Luckily, the ATV team provided us each with rain jackets and gloves, which were essential because we visited during the rainy season and the trails were muddy and full of puddles. And I use the term “puddles” loosely, because some areas were nearly ponds…like one that I got my ATV stuck in. But we loved it, the water probably made it more fun. A word of advice though, wear shoes or boots, and pants that you don’t mind getting soaked and muddy.

Our tour started with a drive around a nearby plot of land to be sure we were comfortable driving the ATVs and then we set off for about a 40 minute ATV drive to the salt mines of Maras. Just outside the mines we got in a van to drive the final stretch into the area of the mines. And, to be clear, these are not underground mines, these are open-air terraced evaporating pools. We arrived during rainy season, so the pools were more brown, but in the high (dry) season they are gleaming white. The guide was able to share many fun facts about the mines including that there are over 4,500 individual pools. Plus, the pools are divided among over 600 families from the area and you must be a local to own and harvest from one of the pools. At the entrance to the terraces there are plenty of vendors selling the salt from the mines, along with various other Peruvian knickknacks that are plentiful throughout the area. Entrance to the salt mines was S/10 soles/person (approximately $3 USD).

Splash Through Puddles to Visit the Incan Ruins of Moray

From the salt mines, our tour group split up and some went to Moray while others went to Laguna Huaypo. Our guides warned us that the ATV ride to the Laguna was much more tranquil and easier than that to Moray, but we wanted to see the Inca archeological site, so off we went. The ride to Moray was just fine. It was a long ride and took us through a town, and more memorably through many, many, many muddy puddles. But, Moray is very cool to see and worth it.

Moray is an ancient Inca settlement of terraced circular depressions. Entry into the area requires the purchase of a pass that includes either 3 or 13 other ruin sites. The first pass cost S/70 soles (approximately $20 USD) and can be used for one or two days, the second pass that included 14 sites cost S/140 soles for adults (approximately $45 USD) and S/70 soles for children under 12 years old and can be used for a longer period of time (I believe it was 8 or 10 days). From Moray, we drove the ATVs back to an area closer to where we started and we were introduced to the ziplining team.

Zip Line Over the Breathtaking Canyon

After a provided lunch of chicken sandwiches and fresh fruit, the zip line team suited us up in the harnesses and gave us instructions. I honestly cannot say enough about this team. They were experienced, professional, and speedy. Zip lining was a highlight of our trip. And that is seriously saying something because we have never ziplined before and both my son and I are afraid of heights, like seriously afraid of heights. But the team was so confident and the equipment and lines were well maintained (not always a given in South American countries). We had a blast. Cusco Zipline Adventure owns their own property and lines that stretch across a canyon. They have 4 lines, the longest is 700 meters and 300 meters high. The view was beautiful with striking green mountains. Even my son and I loved it. We would have done even more lines if they had them.

Visit a Homestead But Be Well Informed

After ziplining we were driven back in the van to our hotel. During the route home, the driver offered to stop at one of the many little homesteads where the women show you how they naturally dye fabric and weave it into the textiles that Peru is often known for. Their little presentation is quaint, but make no mistake, they are expecting you to purchase something and they are relentless. Be cautious in purchasing from these women because they will claim that everything is made from “baby alpaca” but we found a tag on one shawl that it was made in China from polyester. Plus, we found the prices at the homestead to be multiple times more expensive compared to even the stores in downtown Cusco, where you would think would have the most inflated prices. My advice to anyone visiting Peru is that do not believe any vendor when they try to insist that their product is unique or baby alpaca. If you like something you see, then buy it because you like it, not because of whatever the vendor is claiming, and offer what you believe it is worth as everything is negotiable and they will usually accept amounts that are multiple times less than what they initially state.

Enjoy a Delicious Italian-Peruvian Dinner

My husband came through for us again by taking us to a beautiful Italian restaurant right off of the main plaza in Cusco called Incanto. They have a wood fired oven in the center and the most yummy mint and basil lemonade that I’ve ever had. All of us loved our dinners and we cannot recommend this restaurant enough.

Day 5 - Walk the City of Cusco

We did what everyone who has gone before us told us to do, we took an extra day and just spent it in Cusco. We slept in, ate breakfast in the San Blas neighborhood at The Meeting Place, and just walked around the city exploring. We didn’t have an agenda, and honestly, we had done very little research into what there was to see in Cusco itself.

Visit San Pedro Market

We spent time in the San Pedro market, which is located next to the San Pedro train station. It is a market probably visited equally by locals and tourists alike. There are plenty of stalls of Peruvian knickknacks, but also designated areas for fresh meat, fruit and vegetables, flowers, hot lunches, chocolate, dried fruits, seafood…a little bit of everything.

I cannot even give you an idea of where we went, we just walked. We saw some of the more touristy sections near the main plaza (Plaza de Armas) and we saw some of the areas that are more frequented by the locals, such as a few blocks outside of San Pedro Market. We walked up one street and down another. This day could have been filled with an official tour of the city, but just spending the day without an agenda was perfect.

It probably would have been a good idea to have done some research on the city before venturing out, as we later learned that we walked near various ruins and important museums that would have been nice to take a look inside (e.g., Museo Casa Concha which houses Incan ruins returned by Yale from Hiram Bingham’s expeditions). But we did manage to walk into one of the churches and we found Coricancha (or Qorikancha), one of the most important temples in the Incan Empire. Note that entry into many of the churches and cathedral and the museums are not free.

Enjoy a Delicious Japanese-Peruvian Dinner

We ate dinner at another delicious restaurant, Limo Nikkei Kitchen. It’s a Japanese-Peruvian fusion. So, they have both sushi, ramen, and udon along with more Peruvian influenced dishes such as ceviche and lomo saltado too. They are located right on the Plaza de Armas with a great view onto the plaza if you score a table next to the windows.

Day 6 - Whitewater Raft or Visit the Ruins

The nearby Urubamba River is a very popular river to whitewater raft. During the rainy season, areas of the river can become Class IV or higher rapids. Given we were traveling with teens or near teens, we decided to find a whitewater rafting company that would cater more to families. We found one in Eric Adventures. We scheduled a full-day rafting trip that would have taken us on six Class II and III rapids for the day. Or, at least that is what Eric Adventures was planning on doing. I would love to tell you all about our whitewater rafting adventure, but I can’t because we had to cancel that morning. Myself and my husband ended up with a stomach bug that forced us to spend the day in the hotel room. However, I feel that I need to still recommend you consider doing a rafting adventure because it is such a popular activity in the area. But, be forewarned that the water is murky brown with a lot of stirred up silt, so don’t be expecting clear blue waters, as many of the photos from the vendors portray.

Day Trip to the Surrounding Ruins

The family we traveled with decided to take the day and visit the ruins that surround Cusco. They hired a taxi for the day who took them from Sacsayhuaman (which is pronounced similar to “sexy woman,” no kidding) and Cristo Blanco, Qenqo, Puka-Pukara, and finally Tambomachay. Be sure to find the “slides” at Sacsayhuaman, but watch out as they apparently are not as smooth as your typical playground slide. Entry into the ruins does require purchase of a pass similar to the one purchased at Moray [insert link to previous post]. So, if you decide to tour the ruins, check which ruins are included on the various passes and for how many days the passes are good.

Our friends also purchased tickets to enter the Cathedral located on the main plaza, Plaza de Armas. The Religious Circuit ticket also allows entry to the San Blas Temple (whose altar is apparently carved out of a single tree), Archbishops’s Museum, and San Cristobal Temple.

Either way, a whitewater rafting adventure or a ruins/cathedral tour were both great ways to spend a day in Cusco. In fact, if I had to recommend an itinerary, I may even suggest adding another day to the trip to be able to do both!

From Cusco, we continued our adventure onto the final attraction…Machu Picchu [INSERT LINK FOR NEXT POST].

Helpful Hints

Recommended Cusco hotel: Hilton Garden Inn

Cost of the ATV and Zip line tour to Maras and Moray: Cusco Zipline Adventures charged $65 US dollars per person for single ATV riders and $95 US dollars per 2 persons on one ATV. Their preferred method of payment is US dollars in cash. They also offer a boxed lunch for an additional $10 US dollars per person. Plus, you must purchase entry to the Maras salt mines and Moray in Soles (see costs above).

Minimum age to zipline: 6 years old. Our 9 year old and 12 year old kids rode the zip line with a guide.

Laundry: After our day of ATVing we found a laundria near our hotel that charged only S/2 soles per kilogram and we handed over our piles of wet and muddy clothes to be cleaned. It is an amazing service, and they are available all over Cusco. Simply hand over your clothes to be washed in the morning, and by evening they are clean and dry for pickup.

Cost of whitewater rafting: We found these costs to vary widely from $45 US dollars to $130 US dollars per person. Eric Adventures charged $45 per person for a shared service, versus a private service cost $85 US dollars. We had to pre-pay via credit card for the reservation and there was no reimbursement for cancellation.

Minimum age to whitewater raft on a one day trip: 5 years old.

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campfiresandsandcastles · 4 years

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The Best Way to Visit Paracas and Huacachina with Teens

Keeping teens interested and occupied can be a challenge, however, our trip to Paracas and Huacachina was definitely one of the most memorable tours we’ve done. PeruHop is a highly reputable bus tour company that offers many tours throughout Peru and even other South American countries too. One of their most recommended tours is from Lima to Paracas to Hucachina and back to Lima, in one day. It’s a very long day, but well worth the trip.

Board the Bus

The bus picks you up at your hotel between 5:30 and 6:30am, depending on the location of your hotel. The bus is very nice, like a typical plush tour bus. There are USB plugs to charge your devices, but there is no WiFi.

Speed Boat to the “Poor Man’s Galapagos” in Paracas

The first leg is to Paracas and the Ballestas Islands, also known as the “poor man’s Galapagos.” The town of Paracas is small, but we managed to snag a fruit smoothie from Fruzion before our 2-hour boat ride around the island. The boat is a large open-air speed boat. A guide shares fun facts in both English and Spanish on the boat and he’s experienced in taking photos of you too. We visited in December, so it was brisk on the water and required pants and a jacket. Oh, and if you sit in the back of the boat, you’ll likely get a bit wet from the boat crashing through the waves.

The islands themselves are only allowed to be viewed from the boat, you do not get to disembark. And they are covered in hundreds of thousands of birds and sea lions too. The stars of the tour are the penguins, but there are also cormorants, boobies, and many others. The boat captain takes you right up to the rocky cliffs so you can see and photograph all of the animals…sometimes a little too close, you may just get a little bird poop dropped on you.

The tour is devised so that you get to eat a pre-ordered lunch at Restaurant Paracas in Paracas before you get back on the bus for the next stop. We were so impressed with the professionalism and experience of the driver and tour guide on the PeruHop bus. They have got this trip down, so you can just sit back, relax, and follow their lead.

Question Your Sanity While You Dune Buggy and Sandboard in Huacachina

The second stop was to the oasis in the middle of the Peruvian dessert, Huacachina. The town itself isn’t much, but their big attraction are the surrounding sand dunes. Once the sun starts to set, you hop in a dune buggy and take a ride all over the dunes. You ride up them and down them, and when I say down them, I mean straight down them. Like at times you think the buggy is going to topple end over end as it goes down steep inclines. It was a blast, and the drivers have a lot of experience, but we did have to ask our driver to take it down a notch because one of our nearly teenagers was a bit apprehensive about the blind drops (and after living in South America long enough we know that if anything happens, getting emergency help isn’t really possible in these remote locations). To make the ride more enjoyable certainly bring a face scarf/mask and sunglasses to block the sand spray. Although, if you don’t have one, there are vendors and stores throughout the town selling the scarfs/masks.

Once most of the ride is over, the driver stops and teaches you how to sandboard down the dunes. This involves laying on your stomach on a snowboard without the bindings, and sliding down the dune face first. The first time it looks death defying, but the drivers teach you how to tuck your arms, hold the board, and use your feet to slow down. It ended up being super fun, and my son and I both hate heights and we both did it and enjoyed it.

[Full disclosure, you sign a waiver before the ride that lists the dangers involved in sandboarding and state that 1 in 2,000 people experience an accident. We experienced one of the “1 in 2,000” when an older woman in our group received a nasty gash when her face smacked her board on the way down one of the dunes, which required emergency care. Since emergency care doesn’t really exist on the dunes, it resulted in my husband and our friend using the first aid kit our friend was smart enough to bring to wrap the wound, stabilize the woman onto a sandboard, and put her in the back of buggy to be treated at the larger nearby town of Ica.]

Relax on the Way Home

The day ends with grabbing dinner to go from a restaurant in Hucachina and boarding the bus for the long 4 to 5 hour ride back to Lima. PeruHop has a relationship with the restaurant in Hucachina (however, I cannot remember its name) and that is where we ordered burgers and fries to go. But, I cannot recommend the restaurant because the burgers were really terrible and, I believe, they upset my stomach and made the ride home pretty miserable for me. But, again, PeruHop has this trip down and put on a good movie for us (Mrs. Doubtfire) and our guide even handed out bags of popcorn to munch on during the movie and ride home. We were dropped off at our hotel at approximately midnight, so it was a long day, but well worth it.

From Lima we traveled on to Cusco and Machu Picchu. To continue to learn details of our adventure read my post titled “How to Entertain Teens in the Town of Cusco.” [INSERT LINK]

Helpful Hints

Bring face scarf/mask and sunglasses: Both are needed to block the sand that will be sprayed into your face while on the dune buggies, and maybe even while sandboarding too.

Bring snacks: This is probably a given when you are traveling with any aged children, but with limited food and restaurant accommodations and long periods of riding a bus, it’s good to have snacks.

PeruHop has an app: Before you go, download the PeruHop app to keep track of all of your reservation details. They provide a handy guide via PDF too.

Get cash before you arrive in Huacachina: There are no cash machines in Huacachina, so be sure to get all the cash you may need before traveling to that town.

Cost: $125 US dollars per person (including a $5 fee to use a credit card when purchasing) as of December 2019 for the Full Day Tour from Lima to Paracas and Huacachina. Food is not included in this price.

Tip your tour guide: Because it’s a nice thing to do after they have spent the entire day with you.

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campfiresandsandcastles · 4 years

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Travel Guide to Huacachina, Cusco and Machu Picchu With Teens

Our recent adventure to Lima, Paracas, Huacachina, Cusco, and Machu Picchu in Peru was easily one of the most fun trips that we’ve taken. One reason is because we didn’t go it alone, we went with another great traveling family, who also has teens. Both were key. First, the fact that both families liked to travel and had a lot of experience doing so, made our trip easy and laid back (plus, our friends are just great people, so that makes traveling with them a pleasure too). And, second, since both families were traveling with teenage (or nearly teen-age) kids, we were interested in doing much of the same things…which meant more adventure, and less time spent at ruins and museums. So, if this sounds like your kind of trip, here’s more details and our itinerary:

Table of Contents

Day 1 - Arrive in Lima

Day 2 - Day Trip to Paracas and Huacachina

Day 3 - Arrive in Cusco

Day 4 - ATV to Moray and the Salt Mines of Maras and Zip Line Across a Canyon

Day 5 - Discover Cusco

Day 6 - Whitewater Raft or Visit the Nearby Ruins

Day 7 - Relax on the Train to Machu Picchu Pueblo

Day 8 - Hike Machu Picchu

Day 9 - Say Goodbye and Fly Home

Helpful Hints

Day 1 - Arrive in Lima

We currently live in Cartagena, Colombia, and there is a direct flight from Cartagena to Lima on LATAM. We arrived late to Lima and checked into our hotel Holiday Inn Express. The hotel does not have transportation from the airport, so we hailed a taxi at the airport. Lima airport has strict rules that you cannot hail just any taxi outside the airport, you are supposed to use one of their designated taxis. The cost was $45 US dollars (or about 150 Peruvian soles, written “S/”). The hotel is one of the newer hotels in Lima and was clean and modern. The staff was very friendly and breakfast is included too, which is always a great perk when feeding teenagers.

Day 2 - Day Trip to Paracas and Huacachina

Definitely one of the most memorable tours we’ve done was the day trip with PeruHop to Paracas and Hucachina. PeruHop is a reputable bus tour company that offers many tours throughout Peru and even other countries too. One of their most recommended tours is from Lima to Paracas to Hucachina and back to Lima, in one day. It’s a very long day, but well worth the trip.

The first leg is to the town of Paracas with the islands nearby that are known as the “poor man’s Galapagos.” The islands themselves are only allowed to be viewed from the boat and they are covered with hundreds of thousands of birds and sea lions too. The stars of the tour are the penguins, but there are also cormorants, boobies, and many others.

The second stop was to the oasis in the middle of the Peruvian dessert, Hucachina. Once the sun starts to set, you hop in a dune buggy and take a ride all over the sand dunes. It was a blast! The drivers have a lot of experience, but we did have to ask our driver to take it down a notch toward the end because one of our nearly teenagers was getting a bit too nervous going over the blind hills with sharp drops.

About midway through the trip, the driver stops and teaches you how to sandboard down the dunes. This involves laying on your stomach on snowboards, without the bindings, and sliding down the dune face first. The first time it looks death defying, but the drivers teach you how to tuck your arms, hold the board, and use your feet to slow down. It ended up being super fun, and my son and I both hate heights and we both did it and enjoyed it.

The day ends with grabbing dinner to-go from a restaurant in Hucachina and boarding the bus for the long 4 to 5 hour ride back to Lima. PeruHop has this trip nailed down and put on a good movie for us (Mrs. Doubtfire) and our guide even handed out bags of popcorn to munch on during the movie.

For more details about this day of our trip, read my post “The Best Way to Visit Paracas and Huacachina with Teens.” [INSERT LINK]

Day 3 - Arrive in Cusco

The flight from Lima to Cusco is a little over an hour and LATAM flies that route about once an hour, so there are many flights to choose from. With our crowd, we chose a mid-day flight that got us into town with enough time to just relax and acclimate a bit to the altitude. (Read my post on “Top 10 Things to Know Before you Visit Machu Picchu” for some tips on how to combat the altitude.) [INSERT LINK TO POST]

We checked into and spent four nights at the Hilton Garden Inn located on the north side of town. It was lovely and the staff was so attentive. The hotel claims to be one of the newest hotels in Cusco and the place is modern, with an old world charm. We highly recommend it. Breakfast is not included, but they do serve buffet breakfast every morning in their restaurant. And, similar to many of the nicer hotels in Cusco, they are able to blow oxygen into your room for 5 to 10 minutes if you need it to alleviate any altitude sickness symptoms.

For further details about our first day in Cusco, ready my post “How to Entertain Teens in the Town of Cusco, Peru.” [INSERT LINK TO POST]

Day 4 - ATV to Moray and the Salt Mines of Maras and Zip Line Across a Canyon

One of our most fun days spent in Cusco was probably our day trip to Moray and the salt mines of Maras, via ATVs, and zip lining with Cusco Zipline Adventures. Cusco Zipline picked us up very early from our hotel and first drove us via a van to the town of Racchi, about 40 minutes from Cusco. There we were introduced to our ATV driver extrodinaires who got us all geared up and taught us how to drive the ATVs (in both English and Spanish).

From the salt mines, we ATV’d to the Inca archeological site of Moray. Moray is an ancient Inca settlement of terraced circular depressions. Entry into the area requires the purchase of a pass that includes either 3 or 13 other ruin sites. The first pass cost S/70 soles (approximately $20 USD) and can be used for one or two days, the second pass that included 14 sites cost S/140 soles for adults (approximately $45 USD) and S/70 soles for children under 12 years old and can be used for a longer period of time (I believe it was 8 or 10 days). From Moray, we drove the ATVs back to near where we started and we were introduced to the zip lining team.

After a provided lunch of chicken sandwiches and fresh fruit, the zip line team suited us up in the harnesses and gave us instructions. Zip lining was a highlight of our trip, and that is seriously saying something because we have never zip lined before and both my son and I are afraid of heights, like seriously afraid of heights. But the team was so confident and the equipment and lines were well maintained (which is not always the case in South American countries). We had a blast. Cusco Zipline Adventure owns their own property and lines that stretch across a canyon. They have 4 lines, the longest is 700 meters and 300 meters high. The view was beautiful with striking green mountains. Even my son and I loved it. We would have done even more lines.

My husband came through for us again by taking us to a beautiful Italian restaurant right off the main plaza in Cusco called Incanto. They have a wood fired oven in the center and the most yummy mint and basil lemonade that I’ve ever had. All of us loved our dinners and couldn’t recommend this restaurant enough.

For further details about our ATV and zip lining adventure, ready my post “How to Entertain Teens in the Town of Cusco, Peru.” [INSERT LINK TO POST]

Day 5 - Discover Cusco

We did what everyone who has gone before us told us to do, we took an extra day and just spent it in Cusco. We slept in, ate breakfast in the San Blas neighborhood and just walked around the city exploring. We didn’t have an agenda, and honestly, we had done very little research into what there was to see in Cusco itself.

We ate dinner at another delicious restaurant, Limo Nikkei Kitchen. It’s a Japanese-Peruvian fusion. So, they have both sushi, ramen, and udon along with more Peruvian influenced dishes such as ceviche and lomo saltado too. They are located right on the Plaza de Armas with a great view onto the plaza if you score a table next to the windows.

For further details about our walk around Cusco, ready my post “How to Entertain Teens in the Town of Cusco, Peru.” [INSERT LINK TO POST]

Day 6 - Whitewater Raft or Visit the Nearby Ruins

The nearby Urubamba River is a very popular river to whitewater raft. During the rainy season, areas of the river can become Class IV or higher rapids. Given we were traveling with teens or near teens, we decided to find a whitewater rafting company that would cater more to families. We found one in Eric Adventures. We scheduled a full-day rafting trip that would have taken us on six Class II and III rapids for the day. Or, at least that was the plan. I would love to tell you all about our whitewater rafting adventure, but I can’t because we had to cancel that morning. Myself and my husband ended up with a stomach bug that forced us to spend the day in the hotel room. However, I feel that I need to still recommend you consider doing a rafting adventure because it is such a popular activity in the area.

The family we traveled with decided to take the day and visit the ruins that surround Cusco. They hired a taxi for the day who took them from Sacsayhuaman (which is pronounced similar to “sexy woman,” no kidding) and Cristo Blanco, Qenqo, Puka-Pukara, and finally Tambomachay. Entry into the ruins does require purchase of a pass similar to the one purchased at Moray [insert link to previous post]. So, if you decide to tour the ruins, check which ruins are included on the various passes and for how many days the passes are good.

For further details about whitewater rafting and visiting the ruins, ready my post “How to Entertain Teens in the Town of Cusco, Peru.” [INSERT LINK TO POST]

Day 7 - Relax on the Train to Machu Picchu Pueblo

Day 7 we woke fairly early to catch the PeruRail train from the San Pedro station in downtown Cusco to Machu Picchu Pueblo (formerly known as Agua Caliente). Two different train companies make the trip, Peru Rail and Inca Rail. We chose Peru Rail for no particular reason. And we chose their Vistadome option that includes windows that wrap to the ceiling and a light Peruvian-themed snack (which none of our kids ate, but we liked).

We were met at the train station by a representative of our hotel for the night, Gringo Bill’s. The town of Machu Picchu Pueblo is very, very small, with pretty much just the train station, a central square, two branches of river running through the town and train tracks crossing the town. So, you simply walk from the train station to the hotel. The room at Gringo Bill’s was nice in that it was two bedrooms and had separate beds for the kids and a wrap around porch. Plus, it included breakfast. We would recommend the hotel for families with teens.

We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the town and ate at a local restaurant along the tracks. There are actually many restaurants in this town. It’s pretty much just restaurants, hotels, and shops, perfectly catered to everyone heading to Machu Picchu. We also bought our bus tickets to Machu Picchu. There are signs around town to follow to the bus ticket office, or just ask anyone for directions. Again, the town is not that large.

For further details about the train ride, purchasing tickets for the train, bus, and entrance to Machu Picchu and other details for entering Machu Picchu, read my post “Explore Machu Picchu with Teenagers.” [INSERT LINK]

Day 8 - Hike Machu Picchu

Finally the day had come to visit Machu Picchu, one of the newly named 7 wonders of the new world! Everyone was super excited to finally see the site in-person.

We started with breakfast that was provided by the hotel. You can start to line up in town for the bus 30 minutes before your entrance time. Just ask and follow the crowd on where you need to line up. Suddenly a person holding a large sign with your designated entrance time will appear and escort the long line of people onto the waiting buses. The buses are really nice and the ride is about 30 minutes from the town to the entrance of Machu Picchu.

We chose the entrance time of 10am. Many people say to be the first ones in the site to be able to catch the sunrise over the mountain peaks, but we were traveling with teenagers and knew better than to expect them to want to enter at 6am. We were hoping that a 10am entry would ensure we’d be in there early enough, but maybe late enough in the afternoon too in case we needed some of the fog to burn off. In the end it was a perfect time for us. The weather was great, we had some fog that clung to the surrounding mountain tops, but the valley was clear.

You are required to hire a tour guide to enter Machu Picchu. You will have no problem finding one either by your hotel, near the bus ticket station, or even right outside Machu Picchu. Our tour guide was clearly very experienced and loved to share all that he knew about Machu Picchu, plus he answered all of our many questions. As you’re leaving the site, be sure to get your passport stamped for fun (we forgot).

After the bus ride back to town, we had a bit of time before our train back to Cusco. We grabbed a late lunch/early dinner at one of the many restaurants in town. It was ok, but really expensive and they did not take credit card. Our train was delayed a few hours due to a landslide on the tracks, so we ate dessert at a popular Italian restaurant that we loved called Incontri del Pueblo Viejo. It apparently is #1 on TripAdvisor and it definitely deserves to be. The food is very good, we had the lava cake and gelato, but more importantly, the staff was fabulous. They performed close-up magic tricks for us, which were amazing! I don’t want to share any more details of their tricks, because you need to experience it for yourself.

At day’s end we enjoyed the train ride back down to Cusco. There is a point in the ride where the train needs to wait for another train to pass, so the staff performs a bit of local dancing for you and a fashion show of Peruvian clothes that are also available for purchase.

We returned to Hilton Garden Inn in Cusco for our final night and slept hard.

For further details about entering and hiking Machu Picchu, read my post “Explore Machu Picchu with Teenagers.” [INSERT LINK]

Day 9 - Say Goodbye and Fly Home

Our final day was a simple taxi ride to the airport, and two flights home. We were home by dinnertime and already talking about where we were going to go next as two traveling families. Europe here we come!

Helpful Hints

For my overall advice on the Top 10 Things to Know Before you Visit Machu Picchu, read my post by this name. [INSERT LINK]

For further details on our day trip to Paracas and Huacachina read my post “The Best Way to Visit Paracas and Huacachina with Teens.” [INSERT LINK]

For helpful hints from our time spent in Cusco, Peru read my post “How to Entertain Teens in the Town of Cusco, Peru.” [INSERT LINK TO POST]

Helpful hints learned from our visit to Machu Picchu can be found in my post “Explore Machu Picchu with Teenagers.” [INSERT LINK]

Recommendations on the best places to eat in Cusco and Machu Picchu Pueblo read “The Best Places to Eat with Teens in Cusco and Machu Picchu.” [INSERT LINK]

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campfiresandsandcastles · 5 years

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Shop and Dine in Cartagena, Colombia with a Social Cause in Mind

Cartagena, Colombia is fast becoming THE place to vacation in South America. It has been named on various “best cities to visit” lists for a number of years now. And while the city enjoys the plethora of visitors it now hosts, the large majority of the city, which is outside the normal tourist destinations, has plenty of poverty-stricken areas with ramshackle dwellings, little to no fresh water, lack of electricity, and can be overall dangerous. That said, there are stores, vendors, and restaurants that are dedicated to social causes meant to better life for those less fortunate in the barrios of Cartagena. I wrote this post to highlight these honorable establishments and encourage you to visit them and spend some money!

Las Mujeres de Tierra Bomba - Artesian Bowls Made from Recycled Magazines

Tierra Bomba is an island just west of Cartagena and is a popular destination for tourists because of its various beach clubs. However, much of the island is inhabited by very low income communities where fresh water has to be shipped in and electricity is spotty. Life is hard on the island and there are few opportunities to earn a living. Many of the inhabitants who were born there never move from the island.

However, Las Mujeres de Tierra Bomba is made up of a dedicated group of 12 women from the island who have been taught how to make beautiful artesian bowls from recycled magazines. This organization is near and dear to me because it was started by my friend from the Netherlands who during a visit to the island was moved by the women there and became determined to find a way for them to be able to support their families.

Now the 12 women travel to Calvary Chapel Church in the Bocagrande neighborhood of Cartagena every Wednesday to create their bowls and fellowship. You are welcome to come visit them during this time and purchase a bowl. The entire revenue from the sale of each bowl is paid to each woman who created the work of art. Sales of these bowls have provided sustainable income for these women and many have become the breadwinners in their families.

Location: Calvary Chapel Church (Carrera 4 #6155, Cartagena in Bocagrande neighborhood). Every Wednesday from 9am to 12pm.

Instagram: You can also message on Instagram to set up an alternative time to come view and purchase a bowl. @lasmujeresdetierrabomba

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lasmujeresdetierrabomba/

República Alegría - Handmade Stuffed Animals

This is another vendor that I adore, República Alegría. This artisan sells handmade stuffed animals, with articulated limbs, fully hand-sown outfits, and a complete backstory of each animal’s life in the fantasy land of República Alegría. The attention to detail on each animal is impressive and the prices are amazingly reasonable given the amount of work that goes into each piece. The owner will tell stories of hand dying the hair or securing a certain fabric from Europe for the dress.

However, the best aspect of this operation is that they provide sustainable income for the families involved in the production of the stuffed animals. Each artisan involved is treated like an entrepreneur, not an employee, who dictates their own schedule, production, and bit of artisan flair.

Location: They do not have a physical location in Cartagena, they are best reached via Instagram, their website, or by contacting the owner directly at +57 (302) 461-6543.

Website: https://www.republicaalegria.com

Instagram: @republica_alegria

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/República-Alegr%C3%ADa-113121820053011/

David and Keber - Purses Made From Venezuelan Money

If you are looking for a unique gift when visiting El Centro, look no further. Two brothers, David and Keber, make beautiful purses and wallets by weaving Venezuelan paper money. These brothers have found a source of income to support themselves and their family back in Venezuela using the now defunct bills, and it is beautifully done too. They travel around to various locations along the wall but can usually be found among the line of vendors stationed outside the Cathedral or at any of the artisan fairs that pop up now and again in the Old City (they are currently under the white tents outside the Naval Museum).

Location: Various locations in El Centro, notably near the Cathedral or any artisan fair.

Instagram: @ventasvenezuela10

Duran Design Studio - Handmade Colombian Wares

In a bright white shop in an inconspicuous area of El Centro you can find Duran Design Studio filled with beautifully pieces. They have purses, wall art, woven home decor, etc. And all of the pieces are handmade and the store supports many artisan families.

Location: Calle Cochera del Gobernador #33-10.

Instagram: @lilidurandesign

Facebook: @lilidurandesignstudio

El Centro Artesano - Colombian Handicrafts

You can feel great about buying anything from this store because they are dedicated to protecting the traditions of Colombian hand crafts. This is a good location to find woven goods, handmade pottery, carved wooden bowls and utensils, etc. The items can sometimes be priced higher than other versions found in other stores or from vendors on the street, but this store works directly with the artists to provide training and support in all stages of their production process. Plus, this space has some surprising additions if you’re nosy enough to walk through the store and out the back…it has a coffee shop, a second room containing more wares for sale, and a back room that often is showcasing background information on one of the hand crafts.

Location: Calle de la Universidad (Carrera 6) #36-121.

Website: https://www.elcentroartesano.com

Instagram: @elcentroartesanocartagena

Facebook: @elcentroartesano

Cafe Stepping Stone - A Restaurant that is a Social Enterprise

Not only does this cafe serve delicious food and coffee, it is also very serious about its social and sustainable practices. First, they employ indigenous and afrocolombian youth who have never had formal previous employment. They teach them how to serve, about nutrition, economics, team work, communication skills, and personal budgeting, plus they provide English classes. The cafe also participates in various sustainable activities including recycling, reducing waste through the use of reusable products including metal straws and cotton hand towels instead of paper towels, and using biodegradable soaps in the kitchens and bathrooms. Plus, they are working on getting solar panels installed, which is a very unique practice in these parts. Open every day from 8am to 3:30pm.

Location: Getsemani neighborhood. Carrera 10, #30-40a.

Website: www.cafesteppingstone.com

Instagram: @cafesteppingstone

Facebook: @cafesteppingstone

Blue Apple and Green Apple - Beach Club Inspiring Social and Environmental Change

Blue Apple is a beach club located on Tierra Bomba that is popular among the expat crowd. A beautiful way to spend the afternoon, or even the night, they have a nice nearly private beach, good food, and pool. Plus, they have a social conscious too. They employ locals from the island, subsidize English lessons for them, and harvest local fish responsibly. But, probably most impressive is their now separate enterprise, Green Apple. Green Apple is “dedicated to implementing long-lasting change in the way waste and natural resources are managed by the hospitality industry in Cartagena, while creating sustainable, positive employment opportunities for local people.” They do this by a number of different means including diverting glass normally headed to a landfill into building grade sand for use in local building projects. They also collect organic waste and convert it into compost.

Location: Tierra Bomba Island

Blue Apple website: https://www.blueapplebeach.com

Green Apple website: https://www.greenapplecartagena.com

Instagram: @greenapplectg

Facebook: @greenapplecartagena

Did We Miss Anyone?

If you know of other shops, vendors, or restaurants located in Cartagena that have a social cause, please let us know. We’ll be sure to check them out and include them.

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campfiresandsandcastles · 5 years

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What To Do in El Centro, Cartagena During a Cruise Ship Port of Call

If Cartagena, Colombia is on your itinerary for your cruise, be sure to get off of the cruise ship and spend some time in our historic and beautiful downtown Walled City. All cruise ships that dock in Cartagena have excursions that include a tour in El Centro. These tours most often include some time for you to wander around our Centro Historico area all by yourself, so I’ve created this post to give you a step-by-step guide on how best to spend the 1.5 hours that they will give you to explore.

I’ve even included a map with the route that I recommend. This route starts in Plaza San Pedro Claver, where they will most likely drop you off after their guided tour. If the cruise ship guided tour deposits you somewhere else in the city, it will likely be at some location along this circular path, so just pick up the route from wherever they leave you and go from there.

Printable map

First Stop - Plaza San Pedro Claver (#41 on the map)

Named for the church located along its western edge, this is a popular location to congregate. One of the most popular photos of the Cathedral can be taken from this square, looking along the steps of the church, down Calle San Pedro Claver, north towards the Cathedral.

Second Stop - Walk on the wall

The unique feature of El Centro is the thick stone wall that surrounds the entire city. So, this may go without saying, but be sure to walk along at least a portion of the wall when you visit. Walking south from Plaza San Pedro Claver you will come to a gradual walkway that will lead you to the top of the wall. From here you can look out onto the bay and marina. To reconnect with my guide, simply walk back to Plaza San Pedro Claver and continue the route.

Third Stop - Bathrooms

After your 1.5 hour self-guided tour, you may be in need of some bathrooms. Most restaurants have some version of a bathroom, if you are a patron of the restaurant. But, if you need one while walking through the streets there are public bathrooms in the front of the city in the wall by the Clock Tower (cost is $1200 COP). Plus, you can often sneak into one of the many Juan Valdez coffee shops to use their bathrooms too. One other very important tip…when using the public bathrooms, be sure to grab your toilet paper BEFORE you go into the stall. Yeah, that’s a thing here.

Fourth Stop - Plaza de Los Coches (#18 on the map)

You may have started your guided tour from this spot, but it’s nice to revisit as the Clock Tower is quite an iconic landmark for this city. In this plaza you will also be greeted by many, many vendors selling various items to make your visit better including sunglasses, hats, or hormigas (a.k.a. big ass ants to munch on - no joke). On the far west side of the plaza you will find a line of vendors selling various Colombian sweets, including plenty of coconut, ariquipe, and panela treats.

Fifth Stop - Fresh fruit juice to go from Sierva Maria (#26 on the map)

This cafe sells actual meals too, but we love their fresh fruit juices. This is a great place to stop while touring the city, cool down in the air conditioning for a bit while they make your juice, and then head off again on your adventure with a juice to go (“para llevar” in Spanish). Located on Calle de las Carretas (Carrera 7) #34-34.

Sixth Stop - Fresh bread treats from Pandequeso (#16 on the map)

Just around the corner and down a block from Sierva Maria is a panaderia (bakery) that you can find simply by following the smell of fresh baked sweet breads. They have various, fresh baked pastries including pan de queso (a yummy ball of dough with a cheesy center and a dusting of salty yuca flour on the outside), sweet rolls with sugar sprinkled on top…and the list goes on. The prices are so cheap (like 30 cents USD) that you can splurge and try one of everything. Located on Calle 34, just a few blocks from the Clock Tower.

Seventh Stop - Cathedral (#23 on the map)

Officially the Catedral Basílica Metropolitana de Santa Catalina de Alejandría or Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, this is probably the most recognizable and most photographed structure in El Centro. Not to be confused with an ordinary church, a cathedral is special in that it is run by a Catholic bishop, not simply a priest. Surviving an attack by the famed Francis Drake and with over 400 years since its completion, it is beautiful and worth a quick walk through to see the inside. There is even a bronze larger-than-life-sized statue outside of Pope John Paul II, commemorating his visit to Cartagena in the 1980s.

Eighth Stop - Plaza de Bolivar (#7 on the map)

Named for the famous freedom fighter, this square is recognized by the statue of Bolivar sitting upon his horse in the center among many towering trees. This square is a popular meeting place for locals to beat the heat of the city and the Cathedral, Museo Historico de Cartagena, and Museo de Oro adorn its sides.

Ninth Stop - Shopping - Territorio (#32), 408 Colectivo Artesanal (#31), and/or Casa Abba (#22)

These couple of blocks provide some unique shopping experiences, beyond the typical trinket stores you can find throughout the Walled City.

Territorio - Ceramic pineapples (#32)

Did I get your attention? Ceramic pineapples, you say? Yep. A trip through El Centro will expose you to numerous stores selling various tropical fruit sculptures. My favorite are the ceramic pineapples found at Territorio. This is a high-end Colombian artisan store, often with the prices to prove it. But you can’t go wrong with the uniqueness of their goods and their quality. There are actually three Territorios in El Centro. Ceramic pineapples can be found at the store on Calle de Ayos (Calle 35) #4-29.

408 Colectivo Artesanal - Unique wares (#31)

This store has a great variety of well-made, unique stuff. They sell jewelry, wooden watches, woven shawls, and printed leather wallets, among other items. El Centro has plenty of knick knack, touristy stores filled with the same things, over and over again, and I just appreciate this store for its quality and distinctiveness. Located on Calle 35, just down the street from Territorio.

Casa Abba - Local wares (#22)

The small entranceway of this store opens up to a large inner room filled with several vendors, each with their own designated area to sell their products. So, in this one store you can find hand-painted shoes and purses, handmade jewelry, paintings, bathing suits…the list goes on, all in a brightly lit and beautifully decorated space. One of the vendors that is close to my heart is República Alegría. The artisan sells handmade stuffed animals, with articulated limbs, fully hand-sown outfits, and a complete backstory of each animal’s life in the fantasy land of República Alegría. Located on Calle 35 near Plaza Santo Domingo.

Tenth Stop - Plaza Santa Domingo (#29 on the map)

This square gets its name from Santo Domingo church that abuts one side of the square. This plaza is often the location of various music celebrations, plus there is bustling activity with the plaza filled with cafe tables served by the surrounding restaurants and loads of roaming vendors. The square also contains a bronze statue of a naked woman by the famed Colombian artist, Botero. When you see her be sure to notice her various parts that are especially shiny because she’s been rubbed for good luck.

Eleventh Stop - Chocolate from Evok (#5 on the map)

To finish your journey, be sure to stop by Evok for the BEST Colombian chocolate that we have uncovered so far (and we have tried a lot). It is a chain, but that doesn’t detract from the flavor. Try one of their individual servings of chocolate truffles located in a glass case at their counter. They have two different levels of darkness and creamy centers of amazing flavors. Just $2500 COP per piece (approximately 75 cents USD), they are a steal. Located on Calle Santo Domingo (Carrera 3) #33-46.

Twelfth Stop - Return to Plaza San Pedro Claver

Follow the map to return back to the area of Plaza San Pedro Claver to meet your cruise ship tour guide. During your walk be sure to peek through open doorways. This is one city where being a bit nosy is welcome and even encouraged at times. The beauty of the buildings in this city are not always obvious from their outward appearance…but take a peek into their inner courtyards and you will often be astonished by what you find. Some dilapidated fronts give way to amazing entrance ways and there is always, always, always a courtyard, and often a water feature such as pool or fountain. The buildings are narrow and long, so what may look like a small house from the front, extends the entire block once inside. So, take any opportunity you find to peek inside, whether it be a hotel, restaurant, or even a residence, people here understand the fascination with their homes and often allow a brief look around if you ask politely (always with a “por favor”).

Do you have more time?

If you have more time than the typical 1.5 hours allowed by the cruise ship tours, check out my post of a Local’s Guide to the Best Things to Do in Old Town for some additional ideas on where to visit. The remaining numbered locations found on the map are each discussed in this post.

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campfiresandsandcastles · 5 years

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A Local's Guide to the Best Things to Do in Old Town, Cartagena, Colombia

El Centro, or The Walled City, or Downtown or Old Town…there are many names for the beautiful historic city center that is the main attraction for visitors to Cartagena, Colombia. Its thick wall fortification and colorful colonial buildings date back centuries with layers of history waiting to be revealed. The walls have warded off untold pirate attacks, the churches have been beacons of hope for thousands including the African slaves once sold in its main plaza, but the Church was also a poor example of Christianity during the times of the inquisitions. I’ve been told that if you know the history of Cartagena, then you know the history of Colombia. And I believe that to be true.

I have written this post to share those maybe less known places that we’ve found to be some of the best spots to visit in El Centro. So, this is a local’s guide of favorite places in El Centro. And as we continue to discover these tucked away places, I will update this post accordingly.

Table of Contents

No Two Streets Share the Same Name

Walk on the Wall and Peek Through Doorways

Parks and Plazas

Museums

Cultural Centers

Cathedral and Churches

Theater

Food

Shopping

Bathrooms

Parking

No Two Streets Share the Same Name

First, it is very difficult to explain where places are located in El Centro because a street has a different name on each block is (e.g., Calle 38 is also Estanco del Aguardiente, Calle de la Merced, Calle del Sargento Mayor, or three other names depending on which block you are standing on). I’ve heard that there are over 100 street names in El Centro…and those names are not used by Google Maps. Instead, Google Maps reverts to numbers (e.g., Calle 35, Carrera 3). Carreras run north and south through the city and Calles run east and west. However, taxi drivers are more likely to know the full street name, not the number of the street. So, trying to tell a taxi driver where to go using Google Maps directions is essentially useless. It’s best to just say the name of the place you’re visiting or a large nearby landmark.

Walk on the Wall and Peek Through Doorways

The unique feature of this area is the thick stone wall that surrounds the entire city. So, this may go without saying, but be sure to walk along at least a portion of the wall when you visit. The northwestern wall is a popular place to watch the sunset. There are some restaurants along that side, but you can also simply claim a portion of the wall to sit and wait for the sun to dip below the horizon.

This is one city where being a bit nosy is welcome and even encouraged at times. The beauty of the buildings in this city are not always obvious from their outward appearance…but take a peek into their inner courtyards and you will often be astonished by what you find. Some dilapidated fronts give way to amazing entrance ways and there is always, always, always a courtyard, and often a water feature such as pond or fountain. The buildings are narrow and long, so what may look like a small house from the front, extends the entire block once inside. So, take any opportunity you find to peek inside, whether it be a hotel, restaurant, or even a residence, people here understand the fascination with their homes and often allow a brief look around if you ask politely (always with a “por favor”).

Parks and Plazas

Another famous aspect of this city is its parks and plazas. They form the social centers of the various areas of the city and they are the landmarks by which directions are given. Learn their locations and you have nearly mastered navigating this city.

Plaza de Bolívar

Plaza Santo Domingo

This square gets its name from Santo Domingo church that abuts one side of the square. This plaza is often the location of various music celebrations, plus there is a bustling night life with the plaza filled with cafe tables served by the surrounding restaurants and loads of roaming vendors. The square also contains a bronze statue of a naked woman by the famed Colombian artist, Botero. When you see her be sure to notice her various parts that are especially shiny because she’s been rubbed for good luck.

Plaza San Pedro Claver

Named for the church located along its western edge, this is a popular location to congregate, especially at night. And the steps of the church are often used for various cultural events. The most popular photo of the Cathedral lit at night can be taken from this square, looking along the steps of the church, down Calle San Pedro Claver, north towards the Cathedral.

Plaza de Los Coches

Located just inside the entrance to the city that is under the clock tower, this is a popular place to meet to start your tour or adventure inside the city. You will also be greeted by many, many vendors selling various items to make your visit better including sunglasses, hats, or tours. On the far west side of the plaza you will find a line of vendors selling various Colombian sweets, including plenty of coconut, ariquipe, and panela treats.

Plaza de la Aduana

City offices line the southeast side of this plaza, which is also a popular location for various music and entertainment events. This is a good location to find ATMs as there are numerous banks that line this plaza too.

Plaza de Santa Teresa

This plaza is located outside of the hotel for which it is named, the Hotel Charleston Santa Teresa. This area is a good location to find vendors selling the woven Mochila bags that everyone carries around here, and it is a great place to find a taxi given the hotel and the fact it is located near an exit of the city.

Parque Fernández de Madrid

This is a nice place to relax from the heat as it is full of grown trees and plenty of benches. You can sit in the shade and take in the view of the statue of the man who is the basis of the square’s name. The cultural center Alianza Colombo Francesa Cartagena and Santo Toribio de Magrovejo church can be found along its sides (see more details of each below).

Plaza de San Diego

Located back in the neighborhood that bears its name, this a great little park to find local jewelry vendors selling their wares in the late evening. They will even offer you a little stool to sit on if you hover near one of their areas for any length of time so you can be comfortable while you shop. One side of this square is lined by the well known Hotel Sofitel Legend Santa Clara.

Museums

My Spanish teacher, Amaurys, would argue that El Centro, itself, is a huge museum. And he’d be correct. Dating over 450 years since its founding, there are layers upon layers of history built into the foundation and walls of this old city. But, we also have our fair share of actual museums too.

Museo Naval del Caribe (Naval Museum)

Two stories, this museum provides a complete history of Cartagena, from before its founding, when the indigenous people reigned, to nearly modern times. And don’t let the name fool you, while there are some great life-size parts of naval ships to climb around in on the second floor of the museum, the museum isn’t just dedicated to the naval history of the city. Cartagena’s history as a major port with harrowing real-life stories of treasure, pirate attacks, and conquistadors lends itself to be told via a museum with Naval in the name. Located in the Plaza Santa Teresa. Expect to spend 1 hour, $16000 COP per adult (approximately $5 USD). For a docent-led tour, contact my Spanish teacher and licensed tour guide, Amaurys, via WhatsApp at +57 (313) 526-3910.

Iglesia San Pedro Claver (San Pedro Claver Church)

Named for Saint Peter Claver, the patron saint for the hundreds of thousands of slaves that passed through the walls of this city during the two hundred years of the slave trade, you are able to tour the entire property of this church. This includes a two-story building, which once was home to Saint Peter, that surrounds a beautiful, tree-filled courtyard, plus, the inside of the church itself. This is a treat to be able to see inside the church, as this church is not often open and you surely are not regularly allowed to walk all over the altar where you can gaze at the bones of Saint Peter housed in a glass coffin (no joke). Located in Plaza San Pedro Claver. Expect to spend less than an hour, $14000 COP per adult (approximately $4 USD). A docent-led tour is available for an additional fee.

Museo Historico de Cartagena (Historic Museum of Cartagena)

Formerly known as the Museo de Inquisition (Inquisition Museum), this museum historically held examples of the torture devices used during the Spanish Inquisition to coerce the heretics into confession. The museum has more recently been transformed into a more pleasant locale, sharing the history of Cartagena which amounts to a static exhibit on the top floor of the building. Various rooms on the remaining floors often house art exhibitions which are free to enter. Likely of most prominence is the building and grounds themselves, which includes beautiful architecture, a large open courtyard, and massive tree-shaded grounds in the back. Located in Plaza de Bolivar. Expect to spend less than an hour, $21000 COP per adult (approximately $7 USD). I believe that an audio tour is available for a fee.

Museo de Arte Moderno (Museum of Modern Art)

This museum entails a small, two-story collection of various modern pieces including a black and white photo of Colombia’s famous author, Gabriel Garcia Marcus which greets you as you enter the museum. Rotating visiting exhibits can also be found here. Located in Plaza San Pedro Claver. Expect to spend less than an hour, $8000 COP (approximately $2.50 USD). The museum closes during almuerzo (lunch) from noon to 3pm.

Museo de Oro (Gold Museum)

This museum is currently under renovation and thus being housed in a smaller location on Plaza Bolivar. This museum is a fraction of the size of the famous gold museum in Bogota, and I’m told the gold pieces inside are replicas, they are not real gold. However, the intricate pieces that the ancients crafted are remarkable and help to impress upon visitors the abundance of gold that this area was founded upon and for which it was continuously sacked by pirates and others. Located in Plaza de Bolivar. Expect to spend less than an hour, free to enter. Independent tour guides are available.

Cultural Centers

Cartagena actually has a pretty large cultural and art scene. El Centro itself houses a few cultural centers that are worth noting because of their active schedule of events.

CFCE Cartagena - Cooperación Espanola

Supported by the Spanish Embassy, this beautiful two-story cultural center with a stunning open courtyard offers a variety of cultural events such as author talks, dancing, and music and rotating artisan and cultural exhibits, as well as a public library and a coffee shop run by the owners of Abaco Libros y Café. Located in Plaza de Santo Domingo (Carrera 3 #2-74). Expect to spend less than an hour, free to enter. https://www.facebook.com/cfcecartagena/

Alianza Colombo Francesa Cartagena

Dedicated to teaching the French language through numerous offerings of classes to all ages, this French cultural center also has a great cafe with unique coffee offerings and a library filled with French books. They also host cultural events and are most recognized by the striking blue exterior of their building. Located in Parque Fernandez de Madrid. Expect to spend less than an hour, free to enter. http://alianzafrancesa.org.co/cartagena/

La Presentación

This place is an all-encompassing artisan heaven. It contains 5 art gallery spaces with rotating exhibits, a theater, a beautiful internal garden, café, small store of artisan wares, hotel, and university. Located on Calle Estanco del Aguardiente #5-63. Expect to spend less than an hour, free to enter. https://lapresentacion.art

Cathedral and Churches

Like any good Colombian city, Cartagena has its requisite share of churches, and most notably, the Cathedral too.

The Cathedral (officially the Catedral Basílica Metropolitana de Santa Catalina de Alejandría or Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of Saint Catherine of Alexandria)

Probably the most recognizable and most photographed structure in El Centro is the highly revered Cathedral. Not to be confused with an ordinary church, a cathedral is special in that it is run by a Catholic bishop, not simply a priest. Surviving an attack by the famed Francis Drake and with over 400 years since its completion, it is still beautiful and worth a quick walk through to see the inside. There is even a bronze larger-than-life-sized statue outside of Pope John Paul II, commemorating his visit to Cartagena in the 1980s. Located on Plaza de Bolivar. Expect to spend less than half an hour, free to enter.

Santo Domingo

Apparently the oldest church in Cartagena, Santo Domingo is probably the least adorned church on the inside, but still worth a walk-through. See information above about Plaza Santo Domingo, the plaza out front of the church that bears its name. Located in Santo Domingo Plaza. Expect to spend less than half an hour, free to enter.

San Pedro Claver

See “Iglesia San Pedro Claver (San Pedro Claver Church)” under “Museums” above. This is the same location.

Santo Toribio de Magrovejo

This church is found in the San Diego neighborhood of El Centro. It is small, but bears a feature unique to any other church in Cartagena, it has a baroque-style altar carved in black lacquer and covered in gold foil. Another interesting feature is a cannonball that is preserved in a glass case. The cannonball was launched during an attack by Admiral Vernon on the city (friend to George Washington’s brother and the namesake of Mount Vernon), landed in the church during the middle of mass, and did not harm any persons or the church itself. Thus, it was deemed a sign of divine intervention and preserved. The church is not often open, but when it is, it’s worth a brief walk through. Located in Parque Fernandez de Madrid. Expect to spend less than half an hour, free to enter.

Theater

Teatro Adolfo Mejía

Also called by the locals by its previous name, Teatro Heredia, this is a truly beautiful theater, inside and out. The outside is known by its soft pink-colored brick, and the inside contains intricate wood designs with rich red upholstery. You can take a guided or self-guided tour starting from its less obvious Calle de la Chicheria entrance around the back of the theater. Prices range from $8000 to $11000 COP (approximately $2.50 to $4 USD) depending on if you have a guide, Monday - Friday 9am to 12pm and 2:30 to 5pm. Located on Calle de La Merced #38-10. Be sure to stop by the Universidad de Cartagena Clasto de la Merced extension right next door to the theater. The courtyard has a statue of the bust of Gabriel Garcia Marquez…and half of his ashes are buried there. (The other half are buried in Mexico, the country to which he was exiled.)

Food

Luckily, we are blessed with numerous food and restaurant choices in El Centro. This is one thing that Old Town does well. Note that dinner can be rather late here, so some restaurants do not open until after 6pm.

CHOCOLATE - Evok

The BEST Colombian chocolate that we have uncovered so far (and we have tried a lot) can be found at Evok. It is a chain, but that doesn’t detract from the flavor. Try one of their individual servings of chocolate truffles located in a glass case at their counter. They have two different levels of darkness and creamy centers of amazing flavors. Just $2500 COP per piece (approximately 75 cents USD), they are a steal. Located on Calle Santo Domingo (Carrera 3) #33-46.

PERUVIAN RESTAURANTS - Cuzco and Gran Inka

Surprisingly, one thing Cartagena has a lot of is good Peruvian food. We have tried many of them and two of our favorites are Cuzco and Gran Inka. Cuzco is a chain restaurant, but has a serene, beautiful atmosphere in the Walled City location. Plus, we have found that they have the best food. They serve sushi-type appetizers without the rice, called Bocados, that are amazing according to my husband and friends who went back a second time during their trip and ordered one of each of the 3 dishes. I always get the same dish and have now converted everyone who has visited to this dish too. The dish is called Risotto de Cilantro con Lomo Saltado. It comes in a black cauldron with a lid that they keep warm on your table with a candle. It’s a risotto dish that is nearly green with cilantro and medallions of slightly salty beef, tomatoes, and onion. It is simply delicious. Located on Calle Santo Domingo (Carrera 3) #33-48. Dinner does not start until 7pm. Reservations can be made via text on WhatsApp at +57 302 2137139, and they do speak a little bit of English.

A close second to Cuzco is Gran Inka. The food is delicious and beautifully presented, and the view onto the Plaza de Coches through their floor to ceiling glass windows is a great people-watching location. Located on the first floor of the Hotel Santa Catalina, it can be accessed from the Plaza de Coches entrance or the other entrance on Calle del Candilejo (Carrera 6) #32-62. Reservations can be made via text on WhatsApp at +57 318 4987259, and they can speak a little bit of English.

ITALIAN RESTAURANT - Wippy

As is not uncommon here, this Italian restaurant is also a cevicheria, as ceviche is abundant in Cartagena. But they also make their own homemade pasta, which is delicious. You also have the option to take any of their dishes and change the type of pasta they suggest on the menu. In fact, they provide you with a separate menu of just the pasta types which include such unique options as noodles made with cacoa (chocolate) or beet. The location is small, and we often do not make reservations before going, but rather show up and see if they have space. Located on Calle Santo Domingo (Carrera 3) #33-81 (down the street from Cuzco).

GREAT 2 FOR 1 APPETIZERS - Bourbon Street

Themed after Bourbon Street in New Orleans, this bar/restaurant is known for its 2 for 1 Happy Hour food and drinks, including hamburgers, po’ boys, chicken wings on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. I haven’t been yet, but my husband recommends them and the chicken wings and hamburgers in particular are favorites. Located on Calle 35, down the street east of Plaza Santo Domingo.

DESSERT - Donjuan

If you are desiring to hear some English in a town that mostly speaks Spanish, then head to Donjuan for dinner, and more importantly, dessert. Clearly this restaurant has been highly recommended among the English-speaking visitors because it was packed with Americans when we visited. It is a good place for dinner, but it is a GREAT place for dessert. First, of all they actually have a dessert menu, which is not often found in restaurants here, or there are just one or two items on the menu. Donjuan actually has 8 items and the Tarta de Manzana y Arequipe is amazing. It has light, buttery, layered pastry filled with apple and arequipe, which is essentially caramel. I also had the Cubos de Piña which is pieces of pineapple flambéed in rum with coconut ice cream. Simply delicious. Located on Calle del Colegio (Carrera 6) #34-60. Reservations are available on-line, but they only take them for 7:30pm and after 9:30pm. Otherwise, it’s first come, first serve.

FRESH FRUIT JUICE TO GO - Sierva Maria

PANADERIA - El Pandequeso

Just around the corner and down a block from Sierva Maria is a panaderia (bakery) that you can find simply by following the smell of fresh baked sweet breads. They have various, fresh baked pastries including pan de queso (a yummy ball of dough with cheesy center and a dusting of salty yuca flour on the outside), sweet rolls with sugar sprinkled on top, chocolate rolls…and the list goes on. The prices are so cheap that you can splurge and try one of everything. Located on Calle 34, just a few blocks from the Clock Tower.

BREAKFAST - Cafe de la Mañana

Here’s a little off the beaten path favorite…Cafe de la Mañana. Located across the street from La Presentación (see above), this is an adorable little cafe with yummy food and great service. The owner is German and is recognizable from his history of leading street food tours with Cartagena Connections (a local tour company who is also a favorite of ours). Located on Calle Estanco del Aguardiente #5-80. Their hours hover around 8am to 2pm and they are closed on Tuesday.

GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH - El Barón

Ok, so normally one wouldn’t think of “grilled cheese sandwich” as a food category, but El Barón’s grilled cheese sandwich is good enough to deserve their own category. El Barón is actually a fabulous cocktail bar, well-known for their mixed drinks. They have limited seating inside and plenty of umbrella-covered cafe tables in Plaza San Pedro Claver outside. And, be sure to read their “rules” for eating at their establishment, which can be found in the front cover of the menu. You’ll chuckle. Located on Plaza San Pedro Claver (Carrera 4 #31-7). Sunday and Monday they do not open until 5pm, and the rest of the week they open at noon.

PIE - Mila Postres

Is Pie it’s own category? Yes, yes it is. Especially in Colombia where they do not quite understand the concept of pie as a dessert. Their “pies” are often filled with meat. So, to find a restaurant that serves good ol’fashioned sweet pies is a treat. Our friend who is a key lime pie aficionado, loves their version. Oh, and they have a long glass display case filled with various other confections too. Located on Calle de la Iglesia #35-76.

HAMBURGERS - La Tumbamuertos Burger Bar

Surprisingly, there are a lot of places that serve burgers in Cartagena, but this is our favorite. The place is cute, with seating inside and out, and it’s family-owned. The bread they use for their buns is delicious. And I actually like their veggie burger. Check out their Instagram page too and you might just see yours truly… Located on Calle 39 #8-34, right on Plaza de San Diego.

ARGENTINEAN - Quebracho Parilla Argentina

Good food, great smells, great atmosphere, and great staff. They actually have a full pig rotating over the fire too. And you’ll enjoy seeing their towering candles with their layers upon layers of melted wax dripping down the sides. Oh, and stay for the live music too. Located on Calle Baloco (Calle 33) #2-69.

SMOOTHIES - La Divinidad

I am beyond excited that La Divinidad now has a location in El Centro. Owned by a sweet couple, their first location is in the Bocagrande neighborhood and is a regular haunt for us locals. But now we can enjoy their delicious smoothies, juices, and smoothie bowls while tooling around Old Town too. Their shop is always clean, the ingredients are fresh, and the water they use is trustworthy (which cannot always be said for juice , smoothie or ice cream establishments in El Centro). My favorite is the Pinkberry Smoothie bowl. Each bowl is topped with either strawberries or kiwi, granola, and two toppings of your choosing. My favorites are chocolate chips and chia seeds. Located on Calle Gastelbondo (Calle 36).

COFFEE

I don’t drink coffee, so I’m hesitant to recommend any places. But, El Centro is full of great cafes. You pretty much can’t go wrong with the local places like Epoca (two locations in El Centro), Abaco Libros Y Café (a bookstore and cafe), or Se Volvió Prispi (has delicious chocolate coffee). Plus, there are plenty of the chain Juan Valdez in El Centro too (which are great places to use their bathrooms. Maybe just buy a little something first.)

Shopping

El Centro is replete with vendors hawking their wears along various parts of the wall or in the squares. Plus, there are plenty of stores and most are open from about 10am to 9pm.

MOCHILA BAGS - Arte Wayuu

Located along the southeast portion of the wall near the Plaza de Santa Teresa there is a vendor selling numerous Mochila bags, the woven bags that are popular around here. His name is Martin Quintero and his business is Arte Wayuu. I have found him to have the best designs at the most reasonable prices.

WOVEN BRACELETS AND OTHER HANDMADE JEWELRY

As mentioned above, the vendors that fill the Plaza de San Diego after dark are a great place to find woven and leather bracelets.

HIGH-END SHOPPING - La Serrezuela

A new shopping mall just opened in El Centro and it is beautiful! Built in the location of the historic bull ring, the mall houses high-end stores and many restaurants. Plus, the main attraction is the bull ring itself located in the center of the mall. It is three stories of beautifully decorative wood, with an open roof and a fountain in the center of the floor that sprays water to light and music (think very, very small scale Bellagio hotel-type fountain). Currently there are not many stores open in the mall, but likely be the end of 2019, it should be full. Located on the corner of Calle de la Serrezuela and Carrera 11.

LOCAL WARES - Casa Abba

INTERNATIONAL WARES - Casa Chiqui

This store is a treasure trove of cool stuff. Gathered from all over the world, including a heavy presence from India, they have jewelry, beautiful wooden furniture, handmade purses, heaps of beaded pillow shams, dinner ware, statues, vases, and various other home decor that you didn’t know you needed. A printed sign on the front window of the shop states “Your husband called, he said to buy anything you want!” So true. Located on Calle de la Universidad (Carrera 6) #36-127, just north of the University of Cartagena campus, and on the same side of the street. Oh, and if the door is locked, just be patient, they will come open it for you when they see you standing outside.

COLOMBIAN HANDCRAFTS - El Centro Artesano

CERAMIC PINEAPPLES AND WOVEN BRACELETS - Territorio

Did I get your attention? Ceramic pineapples, you say? Yep. A trip through El Centro will expose you to numerous stores selling various tropical fruit sculptures. My favorite is the ceramic pineapples found at Territorio. This is a high-end Colombian artisan store, often with the prices to prove it. But you can’t go wrong with the uniqueness of their goods and their quality. There are actually three Territorios in El Centro. Ceramic pineapples can be found at the store on Calle de Ayos (Calle 35) #4-29. Beautifully delicate handwoven bracelets, some with beads, some without, can be found at their location on Calle de la Mantilla (Calle 36) #3-77. There are a lot of stores and vendors selling handwoven bracelets, but I’ve consistently found beautifully made ones at this location.

LEATHER GOODS - Vélez

Vélez is a major chain store and can be found in just about every shopping mall, but that doesn’t detract from the quality of its goods. They have beautiful shoes, for both men and women, satchels, travel bags, briefcases, and wallets, as examples. Located on the corner of Calle de la Iglesia and Calle 35, you can’t miss their blue painted building.

CREATIVE WARES - La Tienda del Museo

I love the gift shops of Modern Art museums, they usually have such unique items for sale. Well, the store next to the Museo de Arte Moderno doesn’t disappoint. But, what I really love is that their prices are surprisingly reasonable. So, if you’re on the hunt for a unique Colombian-made trinket that likely can’t be found anywhere else in El Centro, check out La Tienda del Museo. Located next door to the Museo de Arte Moderno in Plaza San Pedro Claver.

ANTIQUE STORE - El Arcon

I am willing to share with you information about a store that is a real treasure in El Centro, and not very well known to visitors…El Arcon. The smell of an antique store, which I’m sure you know exactly what I mean, greets you first from the street. The door to the store will probably be closed, and maybe gated, but be sure to knock and be patient for them to open it. This store is filled with some fun and unique items that are great reminders of the Old City including loads of door knockers like the ones you’ll see adorning just about every wooden door. Unfortunately, the antique door knockers are long lost, but the molds remain and are used to cast the ones found at this store. They have them both large and small, including mermaids, fish, octopi, lion heads, and lizards. They also sell antique cannon balls, like the ones once used in the cannons adorning the wall. They may not be great for keeping your suitcase weighing less than 50 pounds, but well worth the cool factor. Located on Calle del Camposanto #9-46 in the San Diego neighborhood in El Centro.

UNIQUE WARES - 408 Colectivo Artesanal

PURSES MADE FROM VENEZUELAN MONEY - David and Keber

If you are looking for a unique gift when visiting El Centro, look no further. Two brothers, David and Keber, make beautiful purses and wallets by weaving Venezuelan paper money. These brothers have found a source of income to support themselves and their family back in Venezuela using the now defunct bills, and it is beautifully done too. They travel around to various locations along the wall but can usually be found among the line of vendors stationed outside the Cathefral or at any of the artisan fairs that pop up now and again in the Old City. Follow them on Instagram.

COLOMBIAN ART WITH A SOCIAL CAUSE - Duran Design Studios

Bathrooms

A very important piece of information to know is where the bathrooms are located. Most restaurants have some version of a bathroom, if you are a patron of the restaurant. But, if you need one while walking through the streets there are public bathrooms in the front of the city in the wall by the Clock Tower (cost is $1200 COP) or in the rear of the city in the Plaza de Las Bovedas (cost is $1200 COP). Plus, you can often sneak into one of the many Juan Valdez coffee shops to use their bathrooms too. One other very important tip…when using the public bathrooms, be sure to grab your toilet paper BEFORE you go into the stall. Yeah, that’s a thing here.

Parking

Taxis are plenty to and from El Centro, but if you do decide to drive, there is a gated, well lit, and safe parking lot located at the Parque La Marina. The cost is approximately $8000 COP per hour (about $2.50 USD per hour).

Did We Miss Anything?

So, that’s our current list. If you have any additional favorites in El Centro, please be sure to leave a comment. We love to find new treasures.

Updated September 27, 2019

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campfiresandsandcastles · 5 years

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A Travel Guide for the Triangle Tour of East Texas: Dallas, Waco, Austin, Houston, and Fort Worth

We recently visited east Texas and travelled to 5 cities in 8 days. Our trip took us to Dallas, Waco, Austin, Houston, and Fort Worth, essentially making a large triangle on the map of Texas. Here I recount our whirlwind tour and provide some helpful hints for your future travels to these major cities of Texas.

Itinerary

Day One - Dallas

Day Two - Dallas

Day Three - Waco

Day Four - Austin

Day Five - The Woodlands, Houston

Day Six - Fort Worth

Day Seven - Forth Worth

Day One - Dallas

Arriving late the first day we spent the night near the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport at Dallas Marriott Las Colinas in Irving, Texas. The hotel had a perfect location given it was so close to the airport, but it was also across the street from the Toyota Music Factory, which provided lots of options for eating establishments, especially dinner. Plus, we came across the first of many larger-than-life bronze statues of western scenes that we soon learned are common across Texas. A square near the hotel had these beautiful stallions traversing a fountain. The area was under renovation when we visited, but the statues were still so majestic to see.

Meander Among 90,000 Pumpkins

We rented a car for our entire trip since we had a lot of driving ahead of us, and we spent the first full day in Dallas. The amount of attractions that Dallas has to offer is impressive. We spent the day at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, and since we visited in autumn, they had their Halloween and Thanksgiving display of over 90,000 pumpkins. The arboretum is beautiful and huge, spanning 66 acres. It is a popular spot to take wedding and quinceañera photos.

Plus, we paid to enter the children’s area named The Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden. I recommend visiting this section of the park, it has tons of environmental and science interactive displays including water cannons, a life-size tree to climb, and a maze.

The food options in this area are a bit slim, there’s a food spot advertised but it’s really only vending machines with tables for picnicking. Your best bet if you plan on staying in this section for any length of time with the kiddos is to bring a lunch. The main body of the arboretum has a stand to buy a quick lunch, plus a higher-end restaurant with linen tablecloths (it didn’t really look like a great place for young kids). We also saw a kiosk which looked like it served some yummy grilled cheese near the main entrance too.

Entrance to the arboretum was $15 for adults and $10 for children, plus an extra $3 for the children’s park.

We rounded out our first day with some very Americana activities including a trip to the arcade Dave and Buster’s, a visit to Half Price Books bookstore, and dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. The bookstore was so cool. It was huge and sold both used and new books. Plus, it had a large display of vinyl records, which just added to its retro vibe.

One observation I had about Dallas is that Dallasites (i.e., people from Dallas) do not stay home on Sundays, instead they go into the city. Every place we went to was packed with people. Strangely, the roads were not congested, but every place we visited – the arboretum, arcade, bookstore, and restaurant – was completely full of people. You go, Dallasites, way to take advantage of all your city has to offer!

We spent the night closer to the city of Dallas at Towneplace Suites Dallas Mesquite to be able to take full-advantage of time. This hotel was really lovely, but it ended up not being as close to downtown Dallas as we originally thought. But, we did get to park our rental car in the parking lot for free, which is difficult to find when you stay in the city of Dallas itself.

Day Two - Dallas

Feel Small Among Giants

As I said earlier, Dallas has a lot of attractions. We spent the second day in the Perot Museum of Nature and Science ($20 admission for adult, $13 for child). Such a cool place. First, the building itself is remarkable. It somewhat looks like the side of a limestone slab or cliff with cavities of blue glass in it which serves as an escalator. You actually start at the top level of the building and work your way down through the exhibits.

Plus, it’s full of these amazing life-size displays of dinosaur skeletons. You feel so minuscule standing under the skeleton of a brontosaurus-type dinosaur or realizing just how huge prehistoric turtles actually were. Plus, for fun, they periodically turn off the lights and project colored lights across the dinosaur bones creating a disco-type atmosphere.

Also, there are a number of just plain clever displays. One of our favorites was an interactive topographic map. It was a box of sand that showed the topography, by color, as you moved and piled the sand.

My son’s favorite display was a screen where you danced or moved around and dinosaur avatars mimicked your movement, so you can make breakdancing dinosaurs!

There was an additional temporary dinosaur exhibit at the museum that cost extra to attend ($10 for adult, $8 for child). However, we did not feel that the additional exhibit was any more spectacular than just their normal dinosaur display, and it wasn’t worth the additional cost. Also, the museum has a cafeteria, but unfortunately the food was not good. My husband’s hamburger, for example, was a shrunken charcoaled piece of meat, and it was overpriced, so I would not recommend eating at the museum.

Stand Among a Historic Must See

It seemed that it would have been a travesty if we visited downtown Dallas without stopping at Dealey Plaza, the site of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963. It was such an impactful experience to actually stand on the grassy knoll and on the whited painted “X” on the street which indicates where the motorcade was positioned when the bullet killed the former president. Places we’ve only seen in grainy films from that day or television specials since then became hauntingly real. We simply walked around the historic area and read the various plaques and displays, but there is also a Sixth Floor Museum of the Texas School Book Depository and gift shop. Plus, there are plenty of willing tour guides and conspiracy theorists around this area if you want to “learn” even more.

Before we left Dallas for the night, we stopped at Pioneer Plaza to climb among the famous life-size bronze sculptures of 50 long-horned steers located at the corner of Young and Griffin Streets. Interestingly, if you climb up to the top of the hill that the steers are navigating down, there is a historic pioneer graveyard located there.

I was simply surprised to learn all of the attractions that the city of Dallas had to offer. Our two days there did not even scratch the surface of the various venues we would have liked to have visited. So, here’s a list of additional attractions that may be of interest to you, and be sure to let me know about your experience when you visit any of them:

Texas Theatre in the Oak Cliff neighborhood where Lee Harvey Oswald was found and arrested

Dallas World Aquarium

Galleria – Shopping mall with an ice rink in the center

NorthPark Center – High-end shopping mall, with notable sculptures.

Dallas Heritage Village at Old City Park

Texas Discovery Gardens – Ten themed gardens and they release butterflies at noon.

Fountain Place – 5th largest building in Dallas and home to Ewing Oil in the TV show “Dallas” with 172 fountains. Located at 1445 Ross Ave.

Dallas Museum of Art – Eclectic display. Free to enter. Plus, Klyde Warren Park located across the street has food trucks.

This night we spent the night in Waco at Waco South Towneplace Suites to be ready for our next day in this famous Fixer Upper town. Just a short walk from the hotel was Saltgrass Steak House, which provided a hearty Texas meal with plenty of red meat and the most delicious pumpkin cheesecake.

Day Three - Waco

Waco, the city made famous by just two events, the Branch Davidian raid with David Koresh in the early 90s, and the more recent hit HGTV show Fixer Upper which reveals the life of the sweet Christian family of Chip and Joanna Gaines as they flip houses from outdated 70’s-style ranches to shiplap laden gorgeousness. Just to note, we visited because of the latter, not the former.

In preparation for visiting this city, I even listened to the audio version of Chip Gaines’ then-recently published book “Capital Gaines” during the flight. It provides good insight into how this couple turned a small, home decoration store and construction business into the major enterprise it is today, while sharing some honest truths about running a small business. Surprisingly though, for all of Chip’s charisma and antics on the show, his voice was pretty monotone on the audio book and I have to admit did lull me to sleep a few times.

Come Hungry and Eat Well

We started our morning of the third day eating breakfast at the diner that Chip and Joanna Gaines recently opened named Magnolia Table where they serve Texas-size portions of French Toast, pancakes, eggs, and housemade tater tots. The employees at the restaurant are plentiful and beyond friendly. We were even greeted in the parking lot by an employee stationed there just to say hello to everyone who got out of their car. The diner also has a gift shop and an outdoor café where you can order coffee and such while you wait to be called for your table. Be prepared though, this places is popular, and for that reason they have a well-oiled machine of Disneyland-esque employees that politely redirect you if you attempt to (heaven forbid) try to walk into the restaurant. Thou shall not peak behind the curtain until your name is on the waiting list and you’re called inside to be seated. No looky-loos.

Visit a Paleontological Dig

With our bellies full, we journeyed to the north side of town to see a very cool place, the Waco Mammoth National Monument. For a nominal entrance fee of $5 for adults and $4 for children, you take a guided tour down a short path to this active paleontological site where they have discovered the nation’s only recorded discovery of a nursery herd of Columbian mammoths. This place was well worth the stop. You can actually peer down on real dinosaur bones that are still encased in the ground. Our guide was so knowledgeable and entertaining, it was such a pleasant and educational experience. I highly, highly recommend it.

The Real Reason for Staying in Waco

We then visited the Mecca of Waco, Texas, that is Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Market at the Silos. The property consists of a bakery, a home goods store, a garden center, a grassy area for romping around and playing lawn games, and a slew of food trucks. We stood in the line for the bakery that wrapped around the corner for their famous cupcakes, ate lunch from the food trucks, and wandered through the store picking up small items that would fit in our suitcase. The Market has free parking that is connected to the property off of 8th Street plus there is street parking, so feel free to skip the lots that offer parking for a mere $10. And like any good Christian store, the Market is closed on Sundays. They also have a discount store called the Warehouse Shop located on Bosque Blvd.

There are three other attractions in Waco that we did not visit but are worth mentioning. Again, if you check these, please let me know what you find:

Dr. Pepper Museum – I mean, why not?!

Harp Design Co. shop – The carpentry and now home good store made famous by Joanna Gaines’ devotion to the work of Clint Harp in Fixer Upper.

Baylor University

Overall, I was surprised that the city of Waco did not take more advantage of the fame that Fixer Upper brought to their city. The Market brings tens of thousands of people to Waco every day, but the city doesn’t seem to have capitalized on these visitors. The areas around both Magnolia Table and the Silos appear to be exactly the same as they were before the attractions existed. The shops and businesses are few and mostly look older and a bit rundown. There are no attractions in these areas of the city other than these two establishments. I guess I just expected the area to be bustling with boutique shops and restaurants, but none were to be found.

We finished the day by traveling to Austin to spend the night. We stayed the night at the boutique hotel called Hotel San Jose located in the South Congress area. The hotel is clean and hip and a refurbished two-story motel with polished cement floors in the rooms, a small outdoor bamboo-lined siting area, and tiny rectangular pool. We really liked it and it is a nice alternative to the sometimes sterile large-chain hotels.

We grabbed dinner at a burger place on South Congress in Austin called Hopdoddy Burger Bar, which is a chain restaurant, but they made some outstanding burgers.

Day Four - Austin

Pay Homage to the Lone Star State

We started our day in Austin at the Texas State Capitol. This is such a beautiful building. Rather than disrupt the charm of the original building when they needed to renovate for additional space, they decided to tunnel underneath the land to create underground offices for the expansion. You are welcome to enter the building, peer up at the ceiling of the rotunda, and find your way through the underground labyrinth with its skylights that allow natural light in from above.

Walk 6th Street

From there we walked the famed 6th Street that is lined with nightclubs and bars. When my husband and I visited Austin a decade ago we loved the evening we spent at Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar, but we had to pass this time given we had underaged kids in tow. I have to say that 6th street also seemed a lot grittier since the last time we visited. I know it’s best visited at night, but I was surprised by the amount of filth. We did manage to snag some donuts from the famous VooDoo Doughnut which serves crazy donut concoctions 24 hours a day…but cash only, no credit cards accepted.

Travel by Scooter

The real fun we had was when we visited the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail which is a paved trail along Lady Bird Lake (a.k.a. the Colorado River) in downtown Austin. We walked the area of the trail by The Long Center for the Performing Arts. The area is resplendent with rentable scooters and my kids each rode one around the trail. It is this amazing phenomenon that is happening around some of the larger cities (sorry if you’re already aware of this scooter invasion…we’ve been living out of the country for a bit). Rentable scooters are simply ditched in various popular areas, you activate and pay for them by using an app, ride them around for however long you choose, and then drop them wherever you choose. The scooters available in this park belonged to Bird and Uber. The kids had the most fun scootering while my husband and I enjoyed a peaceful walk.

Do Not Miss the Bats’ Mass Exodus

From the trail, we walked under South Congress Avenue Bridge and watched the massive amounts of bats that roost there during the day take flight at dusk from under the bridge. Just a constant stream of black little beings fly out together in mass and disperse into the night. It’s a major attraction of Austin and a definite must-see.

We ate dinner at Lucy’s Fried Chicken on South Congress which is obviously famous for its yummy fried chicken, but also its oysters. The décor is Texas retro with plenty of neon signs. We enjoyed sitting outside in their area with picnic tables lighted by string lights. Oh, and you’re encouraged to leave your mark on the walls of the restaurant too, so bring a Sharpie.

Overall, Austin has changed since our visit 10 years ago. It used to have a funkier vibe and was awash with food truck parks, but the vibe is now more business and the parks are virtually non-existent. Instead, they’ve been replaced by paved parking lots and high-rise buildings that employ the tech influx from Silicon Valley. Most troubling is that my favorite restaurant in Austin, Frank, which served the most delectable melt-in-your-mouth pork butt sandwich I have ever eaten, was shuttered. A notice on the door stated they had not paid their taxes. Beer steins still lined the bar and empty chairs sat around tables with their place settings intact, as if all of the patrons and staff had simply left mid-service. It made us wonder if the major migration of Californians to Austin had changed the atmosphere of the city, and just simply made it too expensive for the funky, homespun haunts of the past. I hate to think that another Googleplex will be standing in this spot during my next visit to Austin, but I would not be surprised.

Day Five - The Woodlands, Houston

I’m hesitant to even say we visited Houston, because we really did not. Instead, we traveled from Austin to the northern area of Houston called The Woodlands. Part of the purpose of this trip was to explore potential areas that we may be interested to live in in the future, hence The Woodlands. The Woodlands is a beautiful area in northern Houston that has done a very good job of doing what the name implies, maintaining the woods. All of the streets in this area are tree-lined, and even the strip malls are placed a good distance from the street and hidden behind stretches of trees.

This master-planned community has a central area with a town green, lined with high-end stores. Think Tiffany and Rolex-type stores. It is a really beautiful area, but we ultimately wondered if we may not have the income level or age level to fit in with the other patrons. It seemed like a great community if you’re retired, drive a high-end car or SUV, and enjoy passing your afternoons having lunch at an outdoor cafe on the green talking about your golf club membership. In contrast, we lunched at Potbelly Sandwich Shop, which is a chain sandwich and soup shop that I frequented during my college days in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

From The Woodlands we journeyed back through Dallas and ultimately landed in Fort Worth for the night. We stayed at the Courtyard Marriott at Fort Worth’s Historic Stockyards which had the coolest Texas cowboy decor. It was by-far the nicest Courtyard we’ve ever stayed at. And…wait for it…they even have a Starbucks inside.

Day Six - Fort Worth

I LOVED Fort Worth! What a pleasant surprise. First of all, the Fort Worth Visitor Center website is full of useful, clear information on the city and things to do in it. It is probably the best and most organized tourist bureau website I have ever seen. I highly recommend visiting their website before traveling to Fort Worth.

Watch a Long-Horn Cattle Drive

Our hotel was located in the area of the famed Fort Worth Stockyards. The Stockyards is a multi-block area of old-time saloons, western wear shops, the rodeo, and typical western-type things. I loved every bit of it. Twice a day they do a long-horned cattle drive right down the center of the street.

We also watched an entertaining old-time shootout complete with a stern Sheriff and his comical deputy side-kick. The area also has plenty of BBQ restaurants and stores selling cow hides, saddles, and spurs.

Plus, the Stockyards Championship Rodeo is held every Friday and Saturday at 8pm. Our hotel gave us free tickets and we had a blast. I sure do love my rodeos and this one did not disappoint. It had all of the traditional competitions including bull riding, barrel racing, and team calf roping. Plus, it had some fun activities for kids of different age groups to come down in the arena and run around for a prize, and they had a hilarious audience participation game that I won’t share anything else about because I don’t want to spoil the surprise ending…

Walk Among a Waterfall in the Middle of Downtown

We also drove and walked around downtown Fort Worth and visited Sundance Square. It is a cool area with water fountains, an outdoor area with chairs for sitting, and shopping. In the south area of downtown, we stopped at the Fort Worth Water Gardens. The Water Gardens are these large water displays that you can walk around and interact with right in the middle of the city. One is a waterfall feature where you can walk down large steps to reach the bottom by the rushing water. Another is a large tranquil man-made pond that is sunk 20 feet below ground.

Fort Worth is also home to:

TCU (Texas Christian University) – Beautiful grounds with a huge football stadium. The horned frogs and purple banners are displayed everywhere throughout the city.

Kimbell Art Museum

Fort Worth Museum of Science and History – An interactive museum

Texas Ballet Theater

Panther Island Pavilion – A beach where everyone sits in inflatables to see a band playing on the side of the river. So unique and cool.

Fort Worth Zoo – With a splash zone.

Day Seven - Fort Worth

Our second day in Fort Worth was spent driving around the city and outlying areas looking for potential areas to live in the future, just in case. We really loved this city and were so impressed with the city’s cleanliness. The roads, sidewalks, parks, and buildings were all so clean and well maintained. It was remarkable and impressive. The citizens definitely take pride in their city, and it shows.

We spent the final night back in Irving at the same hotel where it all began (Dallas Marriott Las Colinas in Irving, Texas) to be near the airport for our very early flight out the next morning.

Helpful Hints

Location: Dallas, Waco, Austin, Houston, and Fort Worth are located in the eastern side of Texas, forming a large triangle between Dallas, Austin and Houston.

Accommodations: We are avid Marriott Rewards members, so this trip we stayed at Marriott accommodations that best suited us and our every growing teen-age kids, except in Austin where we chose a boutique hotel in a popular area of town.

Tolls: Be prepared to pay lots of tolls as you navigate through Texas. However, you cannot pay cash for the tolls, they are all automatic tolls charged via your license plate. So, if you rent a car, be sure to read the fine print on how the rental car company handles the tolls or you may be hit with a large toll charge when you’re done, which will amount to mostly fees charged by the rental car company itself. Ask me how I know.

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campfiresandsandcastles · 6 years

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The Best Things to Do in Cartagena with Young Kids

We recently had friends visit with their daughter who is a toddler and it made me contemplate how to entertain such a young kiddo in this city. It isn’t necessarily easy because many of the popular attractions in Cartagena, including all-day snorkeling or diving boat trips, eating late-night dinners at fancy restaurants in El Centro, and walking around historical sites in the blazing heat, aren’t a toddler’s idea of a great time. So, at the recommendation of my friend, I decided to share what we learned from their trip in hopes that other families with little children will be inspired to come visit Cartagena, Colombia and share their experiences with us too.

Build sandcastles

One thing that Cartagena has plenty of is beaches. The beaches line all of the areas of Bocagrande, El Laguito, and Castillogrande. The beach along Bocagrande is the most popular because that is where many of the hotels are located, but it is also the most packed with vendors who will constantly hound you to purchase something your entire visit.

The beach along El Laguito (where the Hilton is located) is probably most known for its waves. It’s a popular surf spot (imagine moderate waves, not large curling waves), and you can rent surfboards on the beach near the seafood restaurant named El Muelle.

However, I recommend that you venture down to Castillogrande beach. Located along the entire ocean-side of the Castillogrande peninsula, it is sometimes a little less crowded and the water is a bit calmer. You will still be approached by vendors, but the number of them is substantially less. Plus, you can buy a small inflatable pool and some buckets and shovels from one of them too.

It is the quietest on the beaches during the week. And, I recommend that you do not visit on Sundays or Colombian holidays as all of the locals swarm the beaches those days and it can be overwhelming.

Splash in a pool

Nearly every hotel here has a pool of some kind, and it can be fantastically refreshing to jump into one after a day of trekking around the city or even a day spent on the beach in the salt water. Probably the best kid-friendly pool in the city can be found at the Hilton located in the El Laguito area. And, actually, they have multiple pools, not just one. They have a shallow toddler pool area, a moderate depth pool, a pool with a swim-up bar, a pool with a waterfall, and best of all, they have a slide. If you don’t stay at the Hilton, they do offer day passes so you can lounge by their pools all day long. (And the Hilton’s front desk staff speak English too.)

Romp around on a playground

The best outdoor play area we have found for young kids is located at the Parque Espíritu del Manglar. I wrote an entire blog post about this park with photos, so be sure to read that to learn all the details of this surprisingly nice place to take your toddler.

Take a boat trip

There are seemingly unending beach clubs to visit on the nearby Tierra Bomba island and the more famous Islas del Rosarios. And traveling to one of them with a toddler in tow is completely possible, especially if you pick the right one.

We have found that Isla del Encanto, located on the very tip of the peninsula of Barú, is likely the most kid-friendly beach club. The resort has multiple pools of varying depths to enjoy, which is unique to many of the other beach clubs. They even have a toddler pool with various fountain features, but the equipment has seen better days, so it’s best to just enjoy the other pools. Also, be aware that the pools are saltwater pools.

Isla del Encanto also has a private beach (no vendors), wait staff to fulfill your every need, and a spa/massage area. You can reserve a day pass or even stay overnight at this resort. Plus, many of the staff speak English. I wrote an entire blog post about this resort with videos, so be sure to read that too. Plus, be sure to read my post on the things to know about Cartagena before you visit to learn some essential tidbits including the need for toddler-sized life jackets for these boat trips.

Go shopping

We have a number of shopping malls in Cartagena, so find one and go shopping. Sometimes it is nice to simply enjoy the air conditioning offered by the local shopping malls and just take a stroll. They offer nice shops, restaurants, and level ground to push your stroller. The Mall Plaza El Castillo is a two-story mall and often has some interesting rotating exhibits. Recently they had large animatronic displays of animals of the rainforest.

Go for a hike

Cartagena isn’t really known as a hiking destination, but if you want to strap your toddler into a child carrier on your back and feel like you’re hiking out in the wilderness (but in a safe setting), try the Jardín Botánico (the botanical garden) or the the Aviario (bird aviary). Click on the links to read my blogs about both locations, which provide lots of detail. Both provide a great place to get some energy out, while enjoying views of unique animals.

Feed them

As I mentioned, many of the restaurants, especially in El Centro, are not necessarily little kid-friendly. But, we have found a few favorites. There is a large chain restaurant in Colombia called Crepes and Waffles that offers exactly what the name suggests and is always a crowd favorite. There are numerous locations in Cartagena including in the malls, El Centro, and on the main street in Bocagrande called San Martin. Plus, they have menus in English.

A new, locally-owned restaurant that has also become a favorite is Zona 6. Located on Calle 6 in Bocagrande, they offer four different menus including street food, Italian, Japanese, and steak house, so there is something for everyone, including your picky eater.

So, while Cartagena may not initially be thought of as a great spot to vacation with a toddler, we do have some fun activities here to keep them plenty busy for an extended stay. And please let me know if you discover any more!

Helpful Hints

Additional reading: I recently published a post titled “20 Things to Know Before You Vacation in Cartagena, Colombia” that provides some great tips, especially if you are traveling here with small children.

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campfiresandsandcastles · 6 years

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The Best Beach Club in the Rosario Islands for Kids: Isla Del Encanto

We have found that Isla del Encanto, located on the very tip of the peninsula of Barú, is likely the most kid-friendly beach club in the area of the Rosario Islands. We recommend it to families because it is such a large establishment and has plenty of beach front and pools to hang out in. Plus, the resort is very organized and the staff are professional.

Lounge on the Private Beach

Isla del Encanto has its own private beach, which means there are no vendors approaching you on the beach or in the water. Instead, there are tables where a very few vendors are displaying their wares, including jewelry and hats. The beach is lined with lounges and beach beds, both right on the beach and some are tucked under a shade of trees. Plus, there is wait staff ready to fulfill your every drink and snack need. If you are an overnight guest, there is even a special designated area for you to sit that is even more private.

Dip in the Pools

The resort has multiple pools of varying depths to enjoy, which is unique to many of the other beach clubs on the islands who typically only have one pool, or maybe even none at all. This may be one of the best features of this resort. They have sprawling pool areas lined with beach lounges and even some beach beds. One of the pools has large water sprayers that kept my kids busy while they redirected the spray to soak each other. They even have a toddler pool with various climbing features, but the equipment has seen better days, so it’s best to just enjoy the other pools. Also, be aware that all of the pools are saltwater which can sting your eyes initially, but it keeps them from turning red like from chlorine pools.

Take an Excursion if You are Staying Overnight

Isla del Encanto offers many excursions that you can experience while at their resort, including snorkeling, diving, or a trip to the aquarium in the middle of the Rosario Islands. These excursions cost extra and are paid for at the resort on the day of the visit. If you are visiting the club for only the day, I do not recommend going on an excursion. The excursions just take up such a large part of your day. You tend to arrive at the club at 10am, the excursions start at approximately 11am, you return from your excursion at about 12:30pm, then you are fed lunch and have to be back on the boat by 3pm to return to Cartagena. Going on an excursion leaves only a small part of the day to enjoy the rest of the benefits of the club. But, if you are staying for more than one day, the aquarium is pretty cool, and the snorkeling trip is good too. We don’t dive, so I cannot provide comment on that.

The resort has a spa/massage area, which my friends who visited very much recommended. A small store that sells various beach paraphernalia plus ice cream treats can be found in the area of the beach too. There are also kayaks you can borrow, a ping pong table, playground, and a volleyball court.

Eat Like a Colombian

Your day pass includes a buffet-style lunch with all the Colombian fixings including baked chicken, fried fish, coconut rice, salad, tropical fruit, and a juice, water, or soda. Seating for lunch is under a large palapa with picnic tables. If you are staying overnight, there is a special area for you with a private dining experience. Plus, the overnight stay includes lunch and dinner the first day and then breakfast and lunch the second day.

We have not stayed overnight, but recently our friends from out of town stayed the night with a toddler and said the accommodations were great. The rooms are beautiful and spacious and there is even hot water in the showers (which is very unusual for beach clubs on the Rosario Islands).

Overall, Isla del Encanto just has it all figured out. They have thought of, and attend to, your every need and those of your children too. If you are looking to spend the day, or even the night, in Barú or the Rosario Islands, especially with your kids, then this is the place to go.

Helpful Hints

Location: The very tip of the peninsula of Barú near the Rosario Islands. The resort is accessed by their own private boats that leaves the main dock in Cartagena every morning.

Cost: A day pass costs $172mil COP per adult (the adult price applies to kids over the age of 10 years). Kids aged 1 to 3 years cost $61mil COP (plus the cost of lunch, if they eat) and kids aged 4 to 10 years cost $99mil COP and this cost includes lunch. Plus, Cartagena imposes a port tax of $16.5mil COP per person. This tax can either be paid when you purchase your tickets to the resort, or you can pay it at the port when you arrive. Excursion costs are: aquarium ($30mil COP), snorkeling ($45mil COP), and scuba diving ($150mil COP). (To convert the mil COP to US Dollars, simply divide the number I provide by 3 and it is a good approximation.) I do not know the current cost to stay overnight, however, I think it is actually a better deal because the overnight cost includes four meals instead of two and those meals are at a special private dining area, you have access to a special designated area on the beach for overnight guests, and you get to spend from 9am the first day to 3pm the second day at the resort.

Dock: The boat for Isla del Encanto picks you up from the Muelle de la Bodeguita, which is the main dock in Cartagena. When you arrive at the port, you show your ticket for Isla del Encanto, enter the turnstiles at the port, check in at the Isla del Encanto podium, and wait in white plastic chairs for your boat. The resort will also pick you up from your hotel in a large tour bus and deliver you to the dock.

Hours: You are to arrive at the port by 8:00-8:15am. The boats leave the port no later than 9:00-9:15am. They actually will start sending boats to the resort once they have enough people to fill a boat. At the end of the day, the boats leave the resort at promptly 3pm to return to the dock in Cartagena.

Tour guide: On the boat you have a designated tour guide who speaks English and provides a ton of safety and other information both before you leave and once you arrive at the resort. Plus, they can provide a bit of history if they choose to stop near one of the forts on the way to the resort. The guide also provides more information once you enter the resort, and they are your general source of information if you have any questions all day.

Boat ride: Isla del Encanto has their own boats. The boats are large with individual seats and it results in one of the smoothest boat rides we’ve had yet in Cartagena. The ride to the resort from the dock is about an hour. During your ride be sure to keep an eye out for flying fish that like to swim along the boats.

Bonus: Many of the staff speak English, so it is a great place to send guests or go yourself if you speak limited Spanish.

Bring: Towels if you are going on a day pass. Overnight guests receive beach towels.

Contact: Isla del Encanto has an office in the Bocagrande area of Cartagena, right on the main street of San Martin (Carrera 2). Going to their office is likely the best way to pay, especially for a day pass. Overnight accommodations are also able to be made on booking.com. It is also possible that some hotels in town have relationships with the resort, so you may be able to pay through your hotel too, but I do not know for sure. The resort also has a website, and active Instagram and Facebook pages. Our friends attempted to contact the resort to book their stay through the website, but never heard back from the hotel after an initial contact. So, we reserved and paid for their stay at the downtown location instead.

Other beach clubs on the Rosario Islands and nearby areas to check out: Islabela, Playa Blanca, Blue Apple Beach House, Hotel Tropical Inn, and Playa Linda.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase, I might make a little extra spending money, at no extra cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own.

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campfiresandsandcastles · 6 years

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Enter a Prehistoric World Just a Short Drive from Cartagena: Jardín Botánico de Cartagena

We took a step back in time, like to prehistoric times, when we visited the Jardín Botánico de Cartagena located just a short drive from downtown Cartagena. Our first experience when we arrived was reminiscent of a scene right out of Jurassic Park. From the parking lot at the entrance to the property you look out onto jungle and see remnants of abandoned cement buildings that are overgrown with vines and trees and resemble the dinosaur pens from the movie. And even more strikingly, there is this constant low guttural growl that radiates through the trees. Spooky much? We quickly learned that the source of the sound is the park’s famous red howler monkeys making their claim to the prized fruit perched high up in the trees. Apparently one group of monkeys thought the fruit was in their domain, and another group disagreed with their assessment.

The entrance to the park is gated, so we simply drove up and waited for an attendant to open the gate. You’ll need to hang a right just inside the gate and park in the small parking lot and then walk back to the booth just inside the gate to pay the park fee. We were met by a Comfelnalco employee, who now manages the property, who spoke perfect English and explained to us some of the history of the site and the future plans. We visited during the week and were the only car in the parking lot, although we were told that a school group would be shortly behind us.

From the parking lot we were led by an attendant, who did not speak English, down a series of cement steps to the café area. The walk takes you past more of the cement buildings which were once a school. In fact, one of the walls still has the painting of a train across it.

Once at the café we decided to grab a few small drinks and snacks. In the café, we met our guide. A guide is not necessary, but it was recommended to us to use a guide to be able to learn more about the property and actually observe the animals as they are known to be a bit elusive. Our guide did not speak English, but there is at least one guide at the property who does.

Our tour guide clearly loved and respected the property as he had lived on or at least been associated with the property for decades. In fact, he actually attended the one-room schoolhouse that we came across during our tour of the property.

The tour takes about 45 minutes to an hour and leads you over a cement-block path that somewhat forms a figure 8 across the property. While it was fine the day we visited, we have been told that the path can become quite muddy and slick after it rains.

The stars of the tour are the red howler monkeys. The constant rumble of their growls is remarkable. And they are so fun to watch move through the trees, hanging on with their tails and taking daring leaps from limb to limb. But, a word of caution, do not stand underneath the monkeys. They have a tendency to suddenly pee down on you, or knock fruit onto your heads.

The other star of the garden in the sloth (or lazy bears as they’re called in Colombia). It’s another reason that you need to have a guide, or else we’re told that you’ll never see him. Unfortunately, even with a guide we did not see him the day we visited. Our guide shared that the sloth is known for sleeping long hours, so he is difficult to find.

An unexpected treat was the trails of leaf cutter ants that were marching through the garden. They form long lines of worn paths, holding bright green tree leafs above their heads. Our guide even placed his hand down in the middle of one of their trails to show us how they were first confused, then found a way to march around his hand.

The tour also whips up a fair share of lizards to chase. Plus, they have a very clear pond full of small fish and a koi or two. During one stretch, you walk up along a small waterfall. And there are plenty of odd plants and trees to observe, some over a century old.

The Comfelnalco employee we met at the entrance informed us that there are plans for major expansion of the garden and its facilities in the next two years. So, it was great to visit, the howler monkeys were spectacular to see, and we’re interested to see what they have in store for their expansion.

Helpful Hints

Location: In Sector Matute in the municipality of Turbaco, about 40 minutes southeast of Cartagena, Colombia.

Hours of operation: Open 8am to 4pm. Closed on Mondays. If Monday is a holiday, then they are closed on Tuesday.

Cost: The entrance to the garden is managed by Comfenalco. The entrance fee is $17mil COP per person (approximately $6 USD). Credit cards are accepted. We recommend that you tip your guide too.

What to bring: Bug spray as there are many mosquitos and bugs.

Learn more: They have a website and an active Facebook page and Instagram account.

Contact information: I contacted them via their Facebook page using Facebook Messenger. They responded within an hour.

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campfiresandsandcastles · 6 years

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A Nice Escape for Young Kids in Cartagena: Parque Espíritu del Manglar

Tucked into a surprising location in Cartagena is this hidden gem of a park, the Parque Espíritu del Manglar. In an area of otherwise dirt lots and general disarray, the city has managed to preserve this beautiful nature sanctuary along the lagoon in the Chambacú neighborhood. The park is made up of beautifully maintained gardens, a shaded snack area, a play structure for the kiddos, numerous bronze sculptures of famous Colombian artisans, and an outdoor amphitheater.

Don’t Miss the Entrance

The park is located in the area south of the Edeficio Inteligente (Intelligence Building) and kitty corner from the Mall Plaza El Castillo. It is accessed by using the roundabout at the Intelligence Building, and the driveway into the park is just before you are about to merge onto 90A (Avenida Pedro de Heredia). Be sure you do not miss their driveway, or it is a convoluted drive to get back to it.

Parking and entrance to the park itself are free. The park is also completely stroller accessible, which is very uncommon in Cartagena. As you enter through the turnstiles at the entrance, you are met with smooth meandering paths under towering shade trees through manicured gardens and over bridges spanning small creeks. It is so unexpectedly pleasant.

Climb Through a Pirate Ship

The main draw for the littles is the huge pirate ship play structure on the north side of the park. Complete with areas to climb, slides, and various other parts to explore, it is clearly a main attraction. However, we did learn that you need to be 100 cm, or a little over 39 inches, to enter this area. If your little is too short for the pirate ship area, there is a separate area filled with playhouses, small slides, and balls for them. There are also two trampolines to romp around in too.

Bring socks for your kiddos to play in these play areas. No shoes are allowed, and the area is covered in fake grass, which gets very hot, very quickly. There is also no shade in the play areas, so bring water, sunscreen, hats, etc. to protect the littles (and you) from the blazing sun of Cartagena.

We arrived to the park on the day that two school buses filled with kids from a preschool decided to have a field trip too. However, there was plenty of space for everyone throughout the park and even in the play areas.

Enjoy the Wildlife and Art While You Meander

The park is also home to numerous large iguanas and turtles, which were seemingly everywhere and added a major cool factor to our visit. Along the path in the park are many bronze sculptures of famous Colombian artisans including the writer Gabriel Garcia Márquez, a baseball hall of famer, a boxer, musicians, singers, and dancers. The sculptures are life-size and impressive.

The snack area is quaint with little tables and chairs under shade and is well-stocked with drinks and snacks. The paths in the park also lead to areas of permanent, green metal exercise machines to work out, in case you suddenly feel the need to do so.

The park also has three large buildings. One of them is an outdoor amphitheater. The other two appear to be a “toy library” for kids from 0 to 5 years old, and a “playhouse” for kids from 6 to 15 years old. Neither of these buildings were open during our visit, but they appear to hold various planned activities in both. The park has an active Instagram account which provides information on the numerous activities the park hosts including puppet shows, mimes, clowns, arts and crafts, dancers and magicians.

I now keep an eye on their Instagram page for upcoming events. The park and its activities are geared to a slightly younger crowd than my middle-schoolers, but are perfect for preschool and young elementary aged kids. It’s definitely a place I’ll keep in mind for visiting youngsters.

Helpful Hints

Location: Next to the Intelligence Building in the Chambacú neighborhood of Cartagena.

Entrance cost: Free.

Parking cost: Free. As is not uncommon in Cartagena, when we returned to our car after visiting the park we were met by a gentleman who expected some payment for watching our car during our trip into the park. So, I always keep a cupholder full of loose change in my car, and a few pesos is all he desired for his time.

Bring: Socks for the play areas. Water, sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses for the heat.

Another source of information and photos: A short article in Donde Cartagena by El Universal, the local newspaper https://donde.co/es/cartagena/articulos/atractivos-del-parque-espiritu-del-manglar-37849

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campfiresandsandcastles · 6 years

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The Favorite Beach Club Among Expats in Cartagena: Blue Apple Beach House

A very popular day trip for expats from Cartagena is to travel to Blue Apple Beach House on the southwestern side of the island of Tierra Bomba. It's a relatively quick boat ride from Cartagena, at about 20 to 30 minutes, and drops you off at their private beach to spend the day or even the night on their property.

Frolic in the Ocean

The property includes a private beach on the ocean, pool, dining and reception area, bathrooms, and separate rooms to spend the night. The ocean area has lounges with umbrellas and beach beds either under cabanas or umbrellas. The day we visited there was a rainstorm, so the water was a bit choppy, but it made for great fun for my kids who enjoyed being tossed through the waves by my husband.

Enjoy a Massage, Shop Local, and Take a Dip

There’s also a massage hut right on the beach with two massage tables. We didn’t try them, but they must’ve been pretty good massages because they were occupied the entire day we spent at the club.

The trail from the beach to the main building traverses past some tables of local island wares including woven hats and jewelry. The main building on the property houses the reception area, dining area, and bathrooms, in addition to a few rooms upstairs to spend the night. All of the buildings and amenities are clean, modern, well decorated, and just overall pleasing to the eye.

The pool is relatively small at a single depth of about 5 feet, so it's not meant for swimming laps, but more for standing around and holding your adult beverage. And there are plenty of lounge chairs and beds surrounding the pool if you prefer the vibe at the pool instead of the ocean.

Eat Well

Our very attentive attendant provided us with a menu to choose our lunch and then when our designated time arrived, we walked up to a table assigned to us that already had our lunch waiting. That was a very nice touch. Often there is a large delay between ordering and receiving food from restaurants in Cartagena, so having our lunch hot and waiting for us was great. We ordered typical American lunch items including hamburgers and sandwiches, but Blue Apple is known for their paella, which is best served to a group of people.

As I mentioned, the staff is very attentive to your every need and they speak English, which is a huge creature comfort for us expats. In fact, the club’s entire website and all interactions with the beach club can be done in English.

Blue Apple has their own boat which picks you up at the Marina Santa Cruz in Manga. There is nowhere to park at the marina, so you’ll need to take a taxi. Our boat ride to the island was very rough as we traveled the north side of the island, into the open ocean. The ride home was much smoother via the south side of the island which stays within the bay. The boat captain also allowed us to be dropped off at a dock in Bocagrande on the way home too, which was nice.

Overall, spending the day at Blue Apple was a very pleasant experience, and recommended as an simple, stress-free day. It is a big favorite among expats because it is easy to book, easy to get to, offers good food, and really caters to an English-speaking community. In short, it’s comfortable and a crowd favorite. Is it worth going back? Yes, but for now, there are still many, many other beach clubs for us to discover, so the adventure will continue…

Helpful Hints

Location: Southwest side of the island of Tierra Bomba, just across from Cartagena, Colombia. The club is accessible by Blue Apple’s own boat which picks you up at the Marina Santa Cruz in Manga.

Towels: Yes, they provide towels for you to use, so no need to bring your own.

Kids: Children are only welcome on weekdays, not weekends or holidays. It does have more of an adult vibe than some other beach clubs. However, they do have a sand volleyball court and life-sized Jenga.

Booking: I simply filled out their online form and communicated with them via email. They also communicate via WhatsApp. And it was all in English.

Price: $75mil COP ($27 USD) per person for the day for transport to the club and use of the pool and amenities. Children under 12 years of age cost $30mil (COP) ($10 USD), and under the age of 5 years are free. Plus, you must spend a minimum of $100mil COP (approximately $33 USD) per person at the restaurant. So, for a family of 4 people who have kids over 12 years of age, you will spend at least $700mil COP (approximately $232 USD) to visit for the day.

Membership: They do offer a year membership for $600mil COP ($200 USD) per person, so if you plan on returning more than 8 times in a year, then a membership is worth the price. Membership also comes with some privileges like a no minimum spend at the restaurant, guaranteed availability, and discounts for guests.

Other beach clubs on Tierra Bomba: In addition to Blue Apple, we’ve also visited Playa Linda and Hotel Tropical Inn on the island of Tierra Bomba.

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campfiresandsandcastles · 6 years

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20 Things to Know Before You Vacation in Cartagena, Colombia

We've learned a thing or two about what you should know before you vacation in Cartagena, Colombia, having lived here for over 7 months now, and having visitors from the States. So, in the spirit of transparentness, I thought it would be useful to share what we've learned.

1. Yes, they really only speak Spanish.

Spanish is the official language of Colombia, and yes, that is the language that most people here will engage you in. Given that this area of Colombia, in particular, is so dependent on tourism, you will find some people who can speak English moderately well. But, expect your restaurant and shopping experiences to be in Spanish. Those of us who are not fluent here are highly dependent on Google Translate. We all have the app on our phone and use it multiple times a day. I highly recommend it.

2. You need a passport to travel here.

I hope this goes without saying, but sometimes it's good to be reminded to go dust off your passport and make sure it's not expired or going to expire while you're here. And Visas are not required to travel here from the States.

3. Know the address of where you are going.

This is a must. You will need it for your Customs and Immigration form and you will be asked by those officers for the address if you leave that space blank on your form. You do not need the exact address, just the name of the hotel and it’s general location is fine (e.g., Casa Eva in El Centro). Or, if you are staying with friends, their building name and area of their neighborhood is fine (e.g., Edificio Charlie in Castillogrande). You just have to write and tell them something.

4. It is hot and humid.

If you ask Colombians from other parts of the country what they think of Cartagena, the first thing they will always say is that Cartagena is hot. It is a tropical location and we live near the equator, so expect humidity and heat. This also means you will need hats, sunglasses, and lots of sunscreen. And, if you don't have any of these items when you arrive, there are plenty of vendors who are more than happy to sell them to you (see “you need to learn no gracias” below).

5. Beware of foreign transaction fees.

Before you arrive check with your ATM and credit card to verify that they will not charge you any "foreign transaction fees." Or, if they do, you're prepared to pay them. And, inform them that you will be traveling to Colombia, so they don't put a security hold on your card.

Plus, make sure that your credit card will actually work in Colombia. We have had some visitors whose credit cards were supposed to be international cards, but actually only worked at certain stores. We have a Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card that works great, as does the Marriott credit card (also by Chase). I'm sure there are plenty of others, but I am confident that these cards always work here.

6. Colombian money is in pesos.

The exchange rate from US dollars to Colombian pesos is currently and pretty consistently about $1 USD = $3,000 COP. When you are shopping, the easiest way to roughly convert a price here from COP to USD is drop off the last three zeros of the price and divide by 3 (i.e., essentially divide by 3,000). So, a box of cereal for $21,000 COP is about $7 USD. I always use this quick conversion, or you can certainly download conversion apps on your phone to get a more exact price too.

Also, commas = periods, and periods = commas in Colombia when you are talking about money. So, $21,000 COP is actually written $21.000 COP. So, something that costs twenty-one thousand and four hundred and fifty pesos is written $21.450.

7. You'll probably need some pesos.

Speaking of pesos, you'll need some. Plenty of purchases you make here are small, from a roadside vendor or stand, or a taxi that won't take credit cards, so it is good to have some Colombian cash and coins here. Some places in El Centro (the Old Walled City) will take US dollars, but there is no guarantee that they will give you a good exchange rate, so get some pesos. It’s easy to get cash from ATMs here (at reputable places such as banks, grocery stores, and malls). They also have money exchanges in the airport when you arrive to exchange your country’s currency.

8. Check if your cellular service will work in Colombia.

T-Mobile is international and their basic service works pretty okay here for no additional fee. Downloading websites and checking Facebook or Instagram is difficult, but texting is just fine. You can pay for an International plan from T-Mobile for only $20/month more per phone line while you're here to be sure you have T-Mobile's fastest speed service.

But, all other cellular services from the States, if they work here, charge you fees just to use your basic cellular service here, as far as I know. Some may have the option to turn on a International plan temporarily while you're here.

Also, many places around town have WiFi so you can rely on that at times, but in an emergency it's nice to have cellular service.

The cellular companies here such as Tigo, Movistar, and Claro also have pay-as-you-go plans where you can change out your SIM card while you're here to one of theirs. But, you will have a Colombian phone number.

9. Review your Immunizations.

If coming from the United States, there are currently no vaccinations that are required to enter Colombia. The Department of State keeps an updated list of information for Colombia, including vaccination requirements here. Plus, CDC keeps a list of recommended vaccinations for traveling to Colombia here. Currently, on their recommended list is Hepatitis A and Typhoid. For some travelers (especially if you'll be traveling to jungle regions) they recommend Hepatitis B, Malaria, Rabies, and Yellow Fever.

Based on the CDC's recommendations for Cartagena in particular, we only received vaccinations for Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Hepatitis B, and Yellow Fever. Yellow Fever is difficult to receive in the US, and is not needed if you're traveling to Cartagena, but we got vaccinated because of some of the traveling we plan to do, and because it is often recommended if you are visiting any of the National Park areas here, some of which are nearby.

10. Learn the phrase "no gracias."

If you do not learn any other Spanish while you are here, at least learn the phrase "no gracias." Cartagena is notorious for its street vendors and beach vendors. So, expect that you will be approached multiple times, and sometimes by the same persistent person, when visiting the beach, or El Centro...well, anywhere really.

11. Car seats appear optional here, so bring your own.

Traffic laws in general here are lax. In fact, I have never seen anyone pulled over and given a ticket for their driving, or lack of wearing a seat belt, or for having 8 people jammed into a 4 person vehicle, or driving on the wrong side of the road, as some examples. So, if you have littles and would like them to be in a car seat in the car, then bring it with you.

12. Bring life jackets if you have little kids.

If you plan on partaking in any adventure that requires you to board a boat while here and you have small children, then bring your own life jackets. Professional tour and boat companies will most likely have life jackets for everyone, but if you have very small children, they likely will not have one that will fits them well. And, yes, they need them, for your own peace of mind. My son is 11 years old and uses the smallest life jackets they offer on the boats here, to give you an idea of the smallest size they typically have.

13. ADA compliance is not a thing here.

The sidewalks and streets are not smooth and not conducive to pushing a large stroller or even a wheel chair. And the "handicap ramps," if they even have them, are about two feet long and at a 45 degree angle, so not really useful for their intended purpose unless you want to send Grandma on the ride of her life.

14. A light long-sleeved shirt or thin jacket for restaurants is a good idea.

I mentioned above that it is hot and humid here, but some places, such as restaurants, are not afraid to crank up the A/C. So, I often carry a light wrap with me to dinner. And, if you're arriving during any of our rainier seasons (e.g., July, October), maybe bring a light rain jacket too.

15. There is no need to rent a car.

I honestly do not even know if there are car rental places here or what it would take to actually rent a car. Instead, there are taxis everywhere. Most people who own cars here, including ourselves, take taxis regularly because parking can be a pain.

However, again, traffic laws are loosely followed here, and this especially applies to taxis. So, when you get in one, be prepared for a potentially wild ride with no seat belts. Oh, and have cash to pay them.

16. Download WhatsApp.

WhatsApp is an app that allows you to text and make phone and video calls using your data plan. And EVERYONE uses it here. It is the form of communication. Even businesses, doctors, and dentists will display their WhatsApp numbers. Most businesses here don't have websites and may only have a Facebook or Instagram page.

WhatsApp is truly amazing because even if you have very limited cellular service you will be able to send a text, even with a photo. Plus, it's encrypted. And, most importantly, you can communicate from a US number to a Colombian number with ease. Just add the +57 Colombian country code before the Colombian number, and you are all set. And, as far as I can tell, all communications are free (it is possible that if your cellular plan charges for data use you could be charged).

17. There is always a guy.

Things here work very much by word of mouth and on a personal level. If you need anything at all, someone probably knows a guy who could help or perform the task for you. We have a meat guy, a water guy, a painting guy, a paddleboard guy, a favorite driver, a guy who weaves outdoor furniture, etc.

18. Drink bottled water and be smart with what food you eat.

We only drink bottled water, but the water out of the tap is fine for brushing your teeth, showering, and washing your fruits and vegetables. And the food here is quite good and reliable. Just be smart about what you choose to eat. For example, eating ceviche from a beach vendor whose cart has been out in the sun all day, may not be the best idea.

19. Leave your pooch at home.

Actually, leave your cat, parrot, hamster, or any other pet you might be thinking of bringing at home. Getting them here and home will be the most stressful part of your travels if you decide to bring them. There are many requirements to bring a pet to another country, and Colombia is not exempt. Dogs do not have to be quarantined here, but that is about where the benefits end. Check with the airline and the USDA to see all the requirements for transporting a pet overseas and then expect that at every step of the process you will face problems and have to convince or argue with someone to get your pet on the plane, or even in the country. It's just not worth it for a vacation. And, vacations are supposed to be stress-free, right?

20. Be sure that they are charging you in COP.

Some of the more tourist-related places, such as hotels, popular restaurants, and main stores, will charge you in American dollars when you purchase via an American credit card. That sounds great and awful nice of them, but it will cost you 3.5% to do so. And it is not required for your international credit card because your credit card company will convert it to American dollars for you at no cost to you. So, before a waiter or receptionist charges your credit card, be sure to ask them to charge you in Pesos (COP), not dollars.

21. Get reimbursed for your IVA.

Ok, so I thought of one more point…everyday items you purchase here are taxed at 19%. It will be listed on your receipt as “IVA.” You can be reimbursed for this tax. We have not had a visitor do it yet, but we have been told that at the DIAN desk inside the Cartagena airport, you can show them your receipts, fill out a form, and you will receive the tax back. So, if you have made a large purchase here, perhaps jewelry, it may be worth your time to visit the desk and fill out the form. For 2018, the total value of your purchases must be greater than 331,560 pesos (about $110 USD). Be forewarned that the person at the desk does not speak English, only Spanish. Plus, you need the full detailed receipt (“factura” in Español), not just the receipt they hand you from the credit card machine. For more information, see this handy summary by Medellin Guru.

I hope that this list answers at least some of the main questions you have before vacationing here. Feel free to comment if you have any others and I'll answer the best I can.

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