One of my favorite areas of Cartagena is the Getsemaní neighborhood. My favorite spot in that neighborhood is a quiet one-way street that leads away from the friendly prostitutes of Calle Media Luna toward Plaza de la Trinidad… and happens to smell distinctly of urine.
When I lived in Cartagena this past winter, I walked from a residential neighborhood at the foot of Castle San Felipe through Getsemaní every day to reach the language school where I was studying Spanish. I became familiar with the old men selling cold water in plastic bags in the already-sweltering 8 AM sun. I ignored the catcalls to the point that I barely noticed them anymore. I found a favorite place to buy jugo de lulo.
There was something perversely magical about the oppressive heat, the discarded trash on the sidewalk, the coconut venders, and the tropical music blasting from the taxi cabs. I loved those walks each day because I was passing through a world I’d never known and to which I was a complete alien. A short, blonde alien.
My local friends tell me that a few years ago, I could not have walked alone through Getsemaní. It was dirty, dangerous, and I’d probably be mistaken for a prostitute. Today, it’s full of backpackers, salsa clubs, and two of my favorite pizza joints.
And yes, my favorite street may smell like urine, but it’s worth every whiff.
Wow! This post is excellent! I love all the gorgeous colors and interesting photos! This one should be freshly pressed! It is fabulous!!!! Looks like I would love it there. The colors remind me a bit of Antigua. Yet more tropical looking.
Thanks Nicole! Yes, there is a mix of Antigua-style colonial architecture here and this beautiful, Caribbean, tropical flavor. It’s really a magical combination.
Would love to visit someday…so many places to go! Looks like a lovely place to live! Enjoy and looking forward to your next posts!
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Woops meant to put that last comment on your other post….but I wanted to add in I adore your photos as well. Street photography is just wonderful!!
No problem, Meg! Thanks so much for the kind words. I am a big fan of street photography and street art of all kinds, and try to document it as much as I can wherever I go!
This was so beautiful Meghan! I am so glad to have found your blog…You put into words so many of the thoughts that float around in my own head!
such amazingly vivid colors! I love the graffiti, especially the girl with the purple backdrop with the street in the background of the photo. beautiful.
Thank you beatnomad! I love the purple chick too, with her funky hair and piano necklace. I always wonder who that artists models his images after. I want to be immortalized on a brick wall too! 😉 Thanks for reading.
Absolute magic. Well done, Meghan.
And you know, I’m choosing to think optimistically–they say that urine is sterile….
Kim, I love your approach, very optimistic indeed. 🙂 Thank you for reading!
Beautiful!
Thank you mechasketch!
“No popó!” haha that was the best!
I thought so too! Definitely makes you wonder what prompted those messages, haha.
for sure, though I won’t let my mind wonder too much about it
haha
Beautiful pics Meghan, thank you!
Thank you, Su!
I love these photos so much, hun. You’re so talented. You make me want to go out and take pictures of my own surrounding streets and neighbourhoods. 🙂
Thanks so much Ceri! I had a lot of fun snapping photos in this neighborhood. So much personality.
I love the colours! I live in a complex, where uniformity is the keyword, the rules, and you just can’t break them – sure, it looks neat & clean, but very bland.
Uniformity is definitely not a priority around here, which is a nice change for me. I’m glad you liked the photos, thanks for reading!
I love the vibrant colours of the buildings, particularly the green wall with the tree. Great photos!
Thanks Denise, I loved that shade of green. Glad you like the photos!
I love that, so much to see! All of your posts are always so colourful and happy!
Thanks bigcities!
BRIGHT COLORS, BRIGHT COLORS! I love it! I just want to adopt that little boy he is so cute, is that wrong?! haha
Aren’t the colors awesome?! And no, not wrong at all. Well maybe just ever so slightly wrong, but you’re certainly not the only one who has thought it. 😉
Yes, I want to print all of those pictures for my home but definitely do not have enough space!
THIS is what I’m talking about. The color, the life. Even the smell of urine. I’ll end up paying my house Cartagena yellow or Frida Kahlo blue because of you.
I hope you do, that is precisely what Boston needs! Long live the color!