After Bogotá, I flew to Medellin. My plan was to visit Comuna 13 (San Javier). For years, the area suffered under violence from Narcos, guerrillas, paramilitaries and the local police. Today, it’s one of the safest places in the city.

I took an Uber from the airport to the Hotel Estelar Blue. Perfectly located, at the end of a quiet street, in El Poblano, it’s only a short walk from a busy street with nice restaurants and shopping venues. I felt completely safe.

At the hotel, breakfast was included. For other meals, I used the hotel’s restaurant or the local food delivery app, rather than walk up and down the hill to the nearest restaurants.

I booked a tour of Comuna 13 via Expedia and ordered an Uber to the meeting point, at the Poblado Metro Station. While waiting for the tour guide, I ran over to get a photo of this guy’s shirt. I’ve been taking pictures of people in 2Pac tees, since Ghana, in 2009.

There were eight people in the tour group. The guide tapped us into the metro and assisted in our transfer to the second train. We then walked up a few stairs and took a cable car ride, to get to better view of Comuna 13.

We then exited and made a short walk to a local bus. We were dropped off and made the upward climb to the first set of outside escalators. After 384-meters (six sections) of moving stairs were built, tourists discovered Comuna 13.

The popular tourist destination is safe, but it’s suggested that you hire a guide. I’m not really sure that was necessary for the tour, after getting to the escalators. If you can figure out how to get to that point, on your own, maybe the tour guide is not needed.

My final stop in Colombia was in Cartagena. I’ll swing back to Armenia (yes, there’s a city named after the country), Cali, San Andres, and San Basilio de Palenque, (the first free town for African slaves in the Americas), at some later point this year.

I booked a room at Casa Nori. It’s the first and only Black owned hotel in Cartagena. The hotel is located in the Getsemani neighborhood and I was surrounded by graffiti, murals, and paintings, lining the side street. The hotel is also a short walk to walled city center.

People claim these women expect to be paid, if you take their picture. I gave this woman two Pesos (50 cents) as I was walking by. She stopped me and showed me a sign that read, “pictures are free and tips are optional.” She then made me take a picture with her.

For my final days in Cartagena, I relocated to the beach. I booked a hotel that was just steps away and a short drive to the airport. After seeing it all, in Getsemani, it was time to relax and chill.

After traveling full time, since December, 2022, I’ve racked up a lot of points. My room was upgraded to a suite. Now, I had little reason to leave my room or the hotel.

I basically did nothing for three days. I went downstairs for breakfast. I sat out at the pool. I ordered room service. I figured out how to change the language, on the tv, from Spanish to English, using the remote. On the day before my flight, to Panama, I walked along the beach.

To exit the hotel’s property, you had to tell the guard your room number and then read the hotel’s beach policy. It read, “negotiate” prices BEFORE you agree to anything. It also warned to only walk along the left side of the beach. I immediately went down to the ocean and turned right.

I wanted to see the Afro Colombian community, on the right, after the hotels and condos ended. Some locals were sitting in front of their para surfing business. I stopped there and decided to visit, when I had more time.

I turned around and made my way back to the hotel. My time in Colombia had come to an end. I had made it to South America, my 6th continent and Colombia, my 65th country.

From looking for African sources, at Bogotá’s Museo Nacional de Colombia, to watching hip hop dancing in Comuna 13, to arriving in colorful Getsemani and staying at the only Black owned hotel in Cartagena, I definitely found the Colombia I was looking to visit.

I can’t wait to return to Colombia. The retired African Studies and African American Studies Librarian in me had an amazing time! US citizens get 90 day visas and trust me, you’re going to need all that time.

Now, it’s on to see a canal, built from the labor of 57,000 workers, the majority of African descent! XOXO—GGT