Photo Essay: The Colorful Streets of Cartagena: Part II

by T-roy on July 29, 2010 · 6 comments

This is Part II of the photo essay about street life in Cartagena, Colombia.  To see Part I, click here.  David Lee took all the photos from Part I and I (Troy Floyd) took all the photos for Part II.  It is interesting to see these photos from two people who visited the same place, that took different shots of the city.

Styles vary hugely with photographers and this is a good example of why it’s always best to have a different perspective on one thing.  What David might have seen, I didn’t, and vice versa.

I hope you enjoy the below photos… let us know which one you liked best and why!

Woman selling fruit along the streets. You can find her every day at the Plaza de San Diego.

Woman selling fruit along the streets. You can find her every day at the Plaza de San Diego.

The sunsets in Cartagena are some of the best in all of Colombia. Add on top of this the striking architecture and you almost feel like your in Havana, Cuba!

Man sitting on the street selling BBQ sticks for $1 USD each. Cartagena doesn't have much street food (compared to say Thailand) but at the end of the night, it's a refreshing treat to get something quick and easy outside the bar when nothing else is open at 2am.

Man sitting on the street selling BBQ sticks for $1 USD each. Cartagena doesn't have much street food (compared to say Thailand) but at the end of the night, it's a refreshing treat to get something quick and easy outside the bar when nothing else is open at 2am.

Lamps and arches are always present in the architecture of Cartagena. The colonial style makes one feel like they are in a time warp!

The Cathedral of Cartagena is a highlight at night for taking photos, but don't pay for the outrageously priced $5 USD tour. There is not much to see on the inside, and better photos can be taken from the outside for FREE! Besides, is it right for churches to charge that kind of money, as it's a religious place of worship?

The Cathedral of Cartagena is a highlight at night for taking photos, but don't pay for the outrageously priced $5 USD tour. There is not much to see on the inside, and better photos can be taken from the outside for FREE! Besides, is it right for churches to charge that kind of money, as it's a religious place of worship?

Art work is all over the streets in the Old Town. Mostly copied stuff from Colombia's most famous artist, Fernando Botero. His signature style is paintings and sculptures of very "large" people.

Art work is all over the streets in the Old Town. Mostly copied stuff from Colombia's most famous artist, Fernando Botero. His signature style is paintings and sculptures of very "large" people.

You can take a romantic carriage ride through the Old Town. If nothing else, it's great just to grab a few bottles of wine and ride around the city getting tanked up and seeing all the beautiful architecture!

"Plaza Santo Domingo (Santo Domingo Square). The square is home to the sculpture Mujer Reclinada ("Reclining Woman"), a gift from the renowned Colombian artist Fernando Botero." ~ Wikipedia. This is a popular place for tourists to visit because it's Cartagena's most famous plaza. It's filled with many nice restaurants, but it is all way overpriced. My recommendation is to have one drink and go around the corner where drinks are 1/2 the price.

"Plaza Santo Domingo (Santo Domingo Square). The square is home to the sculpture Mujer Reclinada ("Reclining Woman"), a gift from the renowned Colombian artist Fernando Botero." ~ Wikipedia. This is a popular place for tourists to visit because it's Cartagena's most famous plaza. It's filled with many nice restaurants, but it is all way overpriced. My recommendation is to have one drink and go around the corner where drinks are 1/2 the price.

I never get tired of seeing the windows and doors in the Old Town of Cartagena.

I never get tired of seeing the windows and doors in the Old Town of Cartagena.

Dave took this same picture in the first photo essay. He saw the most unusual drug store ever and I saw a perfect photo summing up Cartagena's Old Town. Exact same building, but as you can see, it is very different then David's picture. Just goes to show you why it's best to have different perspectives from more then one person.

Dave took this same picture in the first photo essay. He saw the most unusual drug store ever and I saw a perfect photo summing up Cartagena's Old Town. Exact same building, but as you can see, it is very different then David's picture. Just goes to show you why it's best to have different perspectives from more then one person.

About the Author:

is the author of 45 posts on Go Backpacking.

T-roy is taking an extended holiday from being responsible. Quitting his 6-figure salary job that was killing him with 12hr work days, he decided that this wasn't the life. He moved to Thailand and spent 3 months living a humble backpackers life and loved the experience so much he kept going. He now resides in Medellin, Colombia doing photography work while running his own travel blog: www.foggodyssey.com

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Categories: Colombia, Features, Photos, South America
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6 Comments

WanderingTrader July 29, 2010 at 2:50 pm

These are great pics… really shows what Cartagena is all about.. kudos :)

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foggodyssey July 29, 2010 at 6:28 pm

Thanks!!!! Yeah I could spend all day just walking around the Old Town there and shooting photographs. Every corner has something special I think. I find this to be true about most of the cities as well in Colombia, they all have something that makes it stand out. Thanks for the comment! More photos of Colombia to come soon!

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CamelsAndChocolate July 29, 2010 at 10:25 pm

The top one is my favorite one–love the colors and the composition!

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foggodyssey July 30, 2010 at 2:37 pm

People pictures are the best sometimes and that lady was a joy to photograph! If i didn't take the photo myself I would have thought maybe it was in Cuba or something. She is there everyday selling her fruit and unlike the restaurants near-by, her prices are a good value! Have you been to Colombia before? Thanks for commenting. :)

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camorose July 30, 2010 at 5:56 pm

Gorgeous photos! Definitely makes me want to visit here and take some pictures of my own :)

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AirTreks Nico August 2, 2010 at 5:23 pm

Not sure why, but I think the photo of the horse and buggy is the best of these. I think it's the color filter and vignetting that make it moody and beautiful. Or maybe it's the sad demeanor of the horse. Either way, thanks for these great shots. Brings me back very vividly to my own Cartagena visit back in September. It really is a photogenic town, in many ways.

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