Each of our two flights (Costa Rica -- Panama and Panama -- Colombia) was only about an hour, but we had a 4-hour layover in Panama! The Panama airport wasn’t anything special (I was expecting better shopping since it’s in a tax-free zone), but the Copa terminal’s seats are great for catching a little nap since they don’t have dividers or arm rests.
We arrived in Cartagena around 5pm and took a taxi to our hotel (Centro Hotel) in the old city (known as El Centro). Our hotel was really great and although slightly outside our student-level budgets, it was well worth it to stay in a comfortable place in the middle of the old walled city.
After getting settled, Carlos and I wandered around the old town to get our bearings and watched the sun set from the stone walls surrounding the city. The beach was only a hop away from the walls and it was a really nice scene. I felt completely safe walking everywhere in Cartagena with a purse and camera. I actually felt safer there than I usually do in Costa Rica!
For dinner, we ate at a chain restaurant called Crepes & Waffles (this turned out to be our favorite restaurant of the trip!) where I had a pita topped with melted mozzerella, arugala, tomatoes, and Portobello mushroom. We also had a strawberry ice cream sundae for dessert.
The city and walls are lit up at night and the colonial architecture in El Centro is gorgeous. Every night, you can see and hear horse-drawn carriages trotting through the narrow streets of the old city. After walking off our dinner, Carlos and I returned to the hotel where we watched the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. Such a nice start to our trip!
1 comment:
Hey, sweet blog man! I'm going to be making a similar trip myself soon.
What airline did you fly? How much was it from San Jose to Cartegena?
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