Cartagena, Friends edition!!!

Ok so boom! I planned a friend trip for our friends. Now y'all know I love Cartagena but this one was a different vibe. We stayed in the city center and it was popping. Can we all just appreciate my gorgeous friends. you know I didn't know how much I missed hanging around men until I met them. They're so thoughtful and kind. Now on to the trip.

Budget, Price Breakdown etc :

5 DAYS

Flights -

Miami - Cartagena $80 (1 way)
Cartagena - Everyone went back to different cities $80 - $200 range
Villa (with maid and breakfast chef) - $250 per person
Excursions - $100
Spending $ - $400
Total - $910 - $1,030 range

Villa De Casa Trinidad

We stayed at the cutest Airbnb in the city. It was legit 1 minute from the city center and all the street food. Y'all we had a chef. Listen breakfast was on the table every single morning by 8 am and it was delicious!!!!! I highly recommend you stay here. It's 3 stories. 6 bedrooms with 6 bathrooms with a rooftop that overlooks the city. You can get your room cleaned everyday. It also had a jacuzzi that I really hope is working now because it wasn't while I was there. Overall this space is great for a couples trip, friend trip or family vacation if you want to be in walking distance to everything. The full tour is up on my insta!!!

Vacations are for rest too!

Now I am a busybody! Keep in mind I left Ethiopia, went to Miami and then headed to Cartagena. TIREDDDD. So the first day was rest day. We had breakfast and laid in bed.....and it was amazing. Napping and eating that's it.We ventured out later that day to get street food at night. Street food in Cartagena is nothing like you've ever had. It was a short walk and then back to the Villa to sleep. Our friends all did their own things, some slept and some went out. I love the flow of our bubble.

Snack foods, money exchange and deep thought

The next day of course was breakfast but we ventured out to exchange money. Now listen I normally exchange at the airport and yes it costs more BUT the chaos that ensued when we exchanged money in the city. Never again. Nah, nope. I'll exchange at the airport everytime. Also a big first for me....this is why you travel with friends, we got so many snacks, took them all back and had a full on snack taste test. It was the best time and then we talked for hours. We always do together about like legit life and help each other. I loved it. Street food was had again this night.

City Tour

The best piece of advice I can ever give you for traveling is TALK TO LOCALS.I have had the same driver every time I go and when other people go to the city I tell them to call Raphael. He's amazing!!! He feels like my family and every time I see him it's a vibe. He took us around to hit all the hot spots in the city and then he takes us to this restaurant that's not in the city at all and it's the best food I have ever had in Cartagena. The biggest pieces of fish I have ever had and this seafood soup. It was perfection and it's all because of connections. We visited the Castile, and rounded the day off shopping in the Walled City.I also got to visit a bookstore that I fell in love with. That location I am hoarding to myself for a bit. We also had the cutest cafe right by our house and we went several times.

Take me to church

The Church in the middle of Getsemani is never open when I go...this time..it was and I was so happy to sit during Mass. I absolutely love visiting churches in other countries...they feel like the Holy Spirit was imbedded in the walls. Like people have been praying for an eternity. It was my favorite thing that I got to do while I was there.

Early Morning Content

Hands down the best time to shoot in any city is early morning. No one is on the street, it's not too hot yet and you can film as much as you want. I have a tripod and I'll go out for an hour or two. Cartagena is the perfect city to see early because you can really appreciate the city in all its colorful beauty.

Save the gems for last...

The last day was all about ease. This entire trip really was an easy one, not super jam packed but full of fun. We left out early morning after our last breakfast to look at my favorite spots. I'm really a street art girly and I got to show Mel some of my favorite ones while no one was walking around. We purchased our last minute things and our driver picked us up to take us to the airport. Customs is alway a breeze and it was a full travel day. Viva Cartagena !