TABLE DANCING, CARTAGENA STYLE
Sep 16 '01 (Updated May 09 '05)
The Bottom Line The title is not what you think, honest.
Cartagena, the syllables roll off of your tongue in an almost seductive manner. Why shouldn't they. This place offers all one would need in a vacation destination. An exotic foreign land, warm climate, beaches, and perhaps even a hint of danger.
This last point however is perhaps exaggerated. While unfortunately many parts of rural Colombia are best avoided, Cartagena is as safe or safer than any other comparable Caribbean city. One only needs to remember to pack your common sense with the sun block.
When the sun goes down and the cool breeze comes in off the water that's when the fun begins, and Cartagena has more than its share of enticing night life. The city is divided into two main zones or districts, the modern high-rise, hotel beach zone of Boca Grande and the original old walled city, El Centro located a short distance away. Each has its own unique charm and attractions which both compliment and contrast each other. Cartagena offers something for everyone.
First is dining out, and while many of the cities hotels boast fine restaurants, they are by no means the only choices available. There is no way to begin to list all of the numerous restaurants in Cartagena. Suffice to say one can't go hungry here.
Naturally seafood places predominate, but one can find something to satisfy all tastes and budgets from fine dining in El Centro to fast food in Boca Grande. Cartagena boasts some excellent steak restaurants and a wide variety of other dining establishments including everything from Italian to Japanese cuisine.
In Boca Grande one should consider Dany el Churrasco an Argentinan place for steak dinners, or Restaurante Nautilus with its sailor suit waiters and nautical decor for seafood. For something a little different there is Yap Yaps an authentic Japanese Restaurant in the heart of Latin America. In a hurry, there is always the Colombian version of McDonalds, Kokorico an inexpensive and popular fast food place complete with its own "golden arches."
El Centro also offers an equally extensive selection of dining establishments. In keeping with its more sedate pace the restaurants here are usually smaller and more intimate, perfect for that special meal. Recommended are Bodegon de La Candelaria and Pacos for seafood.
The first is perhaps a bit pricey by local standards but very elegant. Don't forget the tiny roof top bar El Mirador with its view of the city, after dinner. The later is a small charming establishment off Plaza Santo Domingo and if the weather permits dining at a candle lit table in the square is not to be missed.
Tucked away on a small side street off Plaza Santo Domingo is Donde Olano, which is worth the search for it. Here again seafood, especially Lobster, is the main fare on the menu. The surroundings are not only elegant but literally antique. The building the restaurant is located in is 300 years old and all the furniture and even the place settings are antiques. Try and be extra careful with the cut glass wine decanter.
There is no need to call it a night after dinner. For a quiet relaxing evening try any of the small bars and cantinas in El Centro especially those that surround Plaza Santo Domingo and relax and soak up the atmosphere at an open air table with a few friends pleasant conversations and a Cafe Colombia or a cold Polar Beer. Recommended are again Pacos and Cafe Santo Domingo and the tiny Bar Conde La Cruz located between the other two.
Wishing for a little more excitement, grab a cab and head for Boca Grande. Here the party goes on until dawn. The main area for discos and night clubs is at the Carrea 1 and Calle 5. Here is the giant thatch roofed La Escollera Disco located right on the beach.
There are several other smaller places located around here all with parties that never seem to stop. At the end of the peninsula is Gallo Loco, popular with locals and guests of the Decameron Hotel who have free admission and free drinks included in their hotel package. By the time you read this the name will probably have changed again. In the last couple of years it has been called Bananarama and Klub Kactus.
Feeling lucky then try one or more of the several casinos located in Boca Grande. The one in the Hotel Caribe just off the main lobby is very popular and the setting matches the overall "old world" elegance of this establishment. It should not be con fused with the nearby "Caribe Casino" which is also worth a visit.
There are also several smaller establishments either in the other hotels and/or on the main street, Avienda San Martin. The larger ones usually have facilities for credit card cash advances if your luck turns. Most are also a convenient place to exchange money in the evening with better rates than hotel front desks.
When you've exhausted all these choices then head over to Calle de Arsenal near the convention center. The street is lined with several small bars and restaurants. While the pace is livelier than El Centro it is not as frantic as Boca Grande.
The most popular spot is Mr. Babillios, a restaurant and home to "table dancing" Cartagena style. This requires some explanation before you think it is an "adults only establishment". The restaurant is located in a small old building with a tiny courtyard which separates the dining rooms.
There is no dance floor due to the small size of the place so the locals have improvised. After dinner patrons climb up onto the large oak tables and dance the night away. Usually they remove the dishes first.
A good introduction to Cartagena's night life is the nightly Chiva Bus tour. This is an open bus that tours the city every night stopping at several night spots for a drink and then continuing on. The bus has its own open bar and live band to keep you amused between stops. Reservations can be made through your hotel. For something less exciting and more intimate a horse drawn carriage ride through the old city can also be arranged.
Getting around Cartagena is easy. In addition to the above choices, taxis are both plentiful and cheap. There are no meters and prices are set depending on how many zones or districts one travels through. From Boca Grande to El Centro is usually $3.00, while within a district it is $2.00. Make sure you negotiate the price beforehand and note prices increase late at night.
For the more adventurous there is the local bus system which may appear chaotic, but is actually as efficient as it is colorful. Renting a car for the city is not recommended due to the narrow streets and heavy traffic. The local saying is that drivers consider traffic lights as only Christmas Decorations.
Cartagena has all one has come to expect of a major city and tourist destination. The hotels offer all the requisite amenities, swimming pools, currency exchanges, tour desks. Many if not most even offer satellite television so you can keep in touch with what's going on at home after a long
day of shopping or sight seeing.
This last amenity to me at least seem superfluous though. As you can see there is a lot more to do in Cartagena when the sun goes down than relax in your room and catch HBO or CNN. Go ahead get out and enjoy the night, that's what vacations are for.
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