I recently traveled to Colombia, falling madly in love with all the complexities of such an incredible country.  Like many Latin American countries, Colombia is full of color.

Walking around Cartagena, Colombia, I felt like I was consistently on a movie set. The streets were showered in color, the music erupted at sun down, the sky painted in oranges and pinks, the crowds flooding the large sidewalks, the humid heat braising our freshly burned skin.

Sitting at an outdoor bar on the wall surrounding the old city of Cartagena, I took a deep breath in and closed my eyes. I listened to the waves crash right outside the city. I listened to the beautiful Spanish language around me, with so much speed, as if time was running out. I listened to the breeze as I pointed my face to the sky. I listened to faint music playing from the street saxophonist 4 blocks away.

If you haven’t been to Cartagena, don’t hesitate. Cartagena is a gift to this world. It is small and quaint. It is bright and vibrant. You’ll find so many backpackers there because it is genuinely a backpacker’s paradise. It is warm, picturesque, and inexpensive – plenty to do for the backpacker nomad.

I could write hundreds of different blog posts for Cartagena alone, but will save that for later. For now, follow me and fall virtually in love with this magical movie set city.