An Urban Garden in Getsemani: Cartagena, Colombia
We turned onto a narrow street of brightly colored attached houses of cement and stucco. Two boys played with their 
recent Christmas gifts of action heroes complete with sounds of warfare and annihilation. Potted plants were abundantly displayed along the raised edge of the paved road in front of many of the small homes in lieu of a yard and a woman tended her flowers while neighbors further on chatted, each sitting in front of their abodes. The thriving bushes and flowers created an oasis on this street in the center of one of the lesser known areas of Cartagena. And overhead, strung between the homes across the lane of Callejon Angosto, from one end of the road to the other, plastic shopping bags in pastel colors of white, yellow, pink and blues fluttered gaily in the breeze, trapping the morning light, radiating a festive aura and creating both shade and, surprisingly, a tranquil refuge. We were completely delighted to see the lowly plastic bag, bane of modern existence, transformed into a fanciful and useful piece of beauty.
A portion of Getsemani is immediately adjacent to the old walled city of Cartagena that the tourists so love. It begins just across a major thoroughfare, Avenida Venezuela and online tourist websites as well as printed books give the area short 
shrift. Yet it, unlike other neighborhoods such as San Diego, Boca Grande or the beach areas around Avenida Santander has not given way to the developers’ dollars and so it lacks the high rise condos, trendy stores and pricey restaurants found elsewhere. In this wedge-shaped neighborhood the common folk live, raise their families, attend schools and churches, save and spend their money, marry and bury their loved ones. For years, barrio Getsemani was stigmatized as poor and somehow unsafe for tourists. Yet we noticed on our visits that this was the mecca in Cartagena for the backpacker set; those young, mobile adventurists who flock to the barrio to take advantage of the clean, cheap hostels that thrive in Getsemani.
Barrio Getsemani is also home to a large, multi-gated, fenced park established in 1811, Parque Centenario. It’s reputed to have a two-toed sloth, a large, aged iguana and a small troop of howler monkeys in amongst the trees but, although we looked hard, we neither saw nor heard any wild life. On our first walk through the park in the late afternoon we encountered the strong disagreeable odor of urine in some shaded stretches of the walkways and several rather disreputably dressed gentlemen, looking suspiciously like drunken vagrants, lying on the grass or benches and slumped about giving the vicinity an overall creepy feeling.
However, on our second visit to the park, a little after 9 AM, we actually talked about the song, What a 
Difference a Day Makes, as it reflected the changes we were seeing as we wandered through the park. People strolled about under trees pleasantly shading the pathways, grassy spaces and flowering bushes of green in the otherwise vastly cemented area of this part of the city. Men sat upon benches talking quietly and a fountain sprayed water into a large pool. Book sellers sat in front of little permanent kiosks that completely lined one side of the park and stacks of new and used books were displayed. One gentleman’s attention was intently focused upon drying pages of a book by pressing a cloth to each page and fanning gently. We examined the books, struck up conversations and smiled profusely.
Walking other streets within the neighborhood of Getsemani we nodded to friendly passersby, stopped to 
watch a craps game being played by several men on a corner sidewalk and admired a pretty little church, La Iglesia da la Trinidad. One shaded and unnamed plaza had some whimsical metal statues of a dog chawing on a boys hip pocket, a drunk relieving himself in concert with a dog as his boon companion and a third of another borracho (drunk) proffering a drink to a not-too-close friend. Things that absolutely would not be encountered in the more prosperous, proper and staid old walled city. sometimes picturesque and charming precludes spontaneity and ribald humor!
Here, in Barrio Getsemani, you’ll find wide-spread gentrification. It appears that the locals are resisting changes by working to preserve this remnant of an older, less attractive but still vibrant and thriving part of the city. For now it’s a win-win for residents of the neighborhood as well as the tourists who have an opportunity to enjoy a grittier but character-filled corner of Caribe life amidst the hub-bub of cosmopolitan Cartagena de Indias. Viva el Barrio Getsemani!
By Richard and Anita
What an interesting place! We are thinking of Colombia for next year and this sounds like exactly the type of neighborhood I’d like to wander in!
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Colombia seems to be on a lot of peoples’ radar but it’s still an-off-the beaten-path sort of place with a feeling that you can discover it for yourself. We loved Cartagena and would highly recommend it as a great place to spend some time and absorb the Colombian culture as well as the beauty of the surroundings!
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Great report Ed
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Thanks Ed. It’s a little far from the San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua beach we were at in January 2014 with you and Marlene! Much more family oriented and local versus tourist and a totally different beach with great people watching.
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I have passed through this park a few times now. The first time i was there I saw a beautiful iguana who was casually munching on leaves. I managed to get some great pics on my phone. I returned today with an actual camera but unfortunetly only managed to cature a series of shots of a unusual red squirrel.
So I continued into Gestemani to photograph the street art. (Calle Sierpe has incredible graffiti art). After lunch I was heading back to the walled city and this time in the park, while I was trying to spot an iguana I saw two young men exitedly pointing into a tree. I walked over to look and there was a small (maybe 10″ tall) reddish brown monkey. One of the guys gave it a cracker. A few minutes later, another monkey, this one was about the same size but with striking white fur. GREAT photos.
So I would recomend really taking your time and pay close attention to the trees. Also, keep an eye on people in other sections of the park. If you see a group or a family suddenly exited about something you may have just gotten lucky like I did today.
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It’s all about being in the right place at the right time! We really enjoyed our time in Cartagena and it was great to wander and explore other parts of the city during our time there. Sounds like you are having a terrific time also. Enjoy and keep cool!
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Getsemani looks like a great place to use as a base for exploring Cartagena. I like areas like this in cities that are on the upswing but not yet too sanitized. Does the name have any connection to Gethsemane in Jerusalem?
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We actually had a chance to rent an apartment in Getsemani when our first apartment rental fell through but went for the beach apartment instead. After seeing this vibrant neighborhood though, we kind of wished we’d rented there – lots of good restaurants and grocery stores close by as well as the old town and endless opportunities for people watching!
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What a charming neighborhood. I love the use of the plastic bags, and it’s so good to see them repurposed into something that everyone can enjoy. I suppose they catch the wind and inflate and deflate. I’m going to try that concept when its warm enough to head outside again. {might be a while}. I’ve loved reading about your travels in Columbia. They have been getting a lot of press with the food scene and I am very curious about a visit.
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We’re so glad you’ve enjoyed our Cartagena travels. It’s such a unique city and an interesting blend of colonial architecture, ancient ruins, fascinating history and great beaches. It’s a perfect place to settle in and explore at a leisurely pace.
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Hi Anita and Richard,
Thanks for the jaunt around this corner of Cartagena. As I write this, it is yet another grey day in Michigan, (always like this in winter), and so your blue-sky pics are a wonderful oasis. My mind can wander with you, feeling the sunshine and hearing the rustle of all those pretty pastel plastic bags overhead.
Lovely!
Wishing you happy and safe travels,
Josie
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We lived for several years in Montana and Idaho and can recall the cold, gray and dreary winters that never seemed to have an ending. Armchair traveling and day dreaming about far-off (and warm!) places with brilliant blue skies sounds like a great winter hobby … maybe you’ll start planning your own winter getaway!
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Getsemani reminds me of the photos of Havana we’ve been seeing on the news since the new Cuba policy in the US.
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I agree Suzanne. A little run down, a little rough around the edges and gritty but the charm is still there as well as many unique places to visit and experience. And there’s always that great sense of adventure when you stray from the usual path!
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So pretty – those hanging plastic bags, like balloons :-). Too bad there are no more howler monkeys in the park, but that might be a bit hard to expect in an urban setting, right?
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It would have been so fun to have seen any wildlife in the Centenario Park but especially howler monkeys. Although we’ve seen them in Mexico and Central America I don’t think we’ll ever get used to the sound they make!
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Those plastic bags are wonderful. I’m going to decorate with blown up plastic bags strung in the trees. Those small alleys look so inviting. Thanks for the tour.
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It was fun to see the ubiquitous plastic bags recycled for a new use as shade and aerial decor across the roadway. We’re looking forward to seeing what clever way you display them on your trees!
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Loved the quaint alleyways you took us journeying through with all the colour and the gardens too. The bags were really interesting too – wish we did more creative things with plastic bags in Australia 😉
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We always love walking and exploring off-the-beaten paths of a new city because we never know what’s waiting for us around the next turn. This alley turned out to be one of our most delightful findings yet!
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Barrio Getsemani in Cartagena was fun to visit with you! My favorite feature is that plastic bag-canopy.
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I think our walk down the little street with the plastic bags fluttering overhead was one of our favorite finds in Cartagena. Who would have thought that the lowly plastic bag could be so pretty?
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The plastic bags are beautiful! What a great little neighborhood. I, too, love the last photo. Thanks for bringing us along on this enjoyable visit.
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Thanks! It’s fun to be surprised by what shows up on the camera – I was going to say film but that’s so old school! So glad you enjoyed the visit!
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I have to confess my *only* photo of a sloth is South America is from the Parque Centenario in Cartagena – I never saw another one… And there were enormous Iguanas in this park.
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Although sloths are hard to spot we looked and looked … nary a wild creature! It would have been fun to see what you saw in the park, especially as it’s surrounded by city life.
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What a fun read. You took me there. Thank you.
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Wish you were here, Jeannie, traveling along with us. You’d love it!
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Anita, I love walking in alleyways like this and all those small but wonderful potted gardens, thanks for taking us there!
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Many of the streets are very narrow in Getsemani and just wide enough for a car. However they’re great for walking and it’s always fun to see what you might discover!
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Great use of plastic bags! The last photo is my favourite.
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The use of plastic bags to filter the light was lovely and quite charming. Who would have thought…?
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Thanks for taking me on this trip to the Barrio! Love the plastic bag art, too!
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It’s so fun to explore new neighborhoods and walk unfamiliar streets. You never know what you’ll find!
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Love those plastc bags, what a good idea! Nice post.
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The lowly plastic bag achieved a new beauty and greater heights!
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Very interesting, we would like to visit here.
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There are so many places to visit in Cartagena that you’ll want to spend a few days. And, as we’ve talked about here, sometimes it’s worth a revisit!
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Good entry. Enjoyed the memories of Cartegena. Even though we were only there for a day, it all came back. Enjoy!!!
Suzi
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Memories and experiences are what travel’s all about. And many times, it’s can be about walking down a side street to see something totally unexpected!
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wow this looks like such a nice place! I take it they filled the bags with air then tied them shut together… but any idea how they kept them inflated over the long term? Thinking of doing this at the school….
Glad things are going well!
Monica
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The bags were filled with air but we’re not sure how they stayed inflated. The kids at Education Plus would love this project and the bags add both shade, color and movement overhead. And we know that the plastic bags aren’t hard to find!
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