20 minutes at the Portal of Los Dulces

Half a day and the incandescent sun of Cartagena de Indias had me exhausted. The Plaza de Los Coches is a beautiful place where the Clock Tower, the statue of Pedro de Heredia and the constant sound of horseshoes brighten my tourist spirit. But the heat makes me look for a temporary shelter to be able to keep walking after.



On the side of this emblematic site I see the Portal de Los Dulces, a sector frequented by locals and tourists who come in search of the delicious sweets typical of the city. Perhaps it has the name of portal because it takes us to a dimension where the palate delights with delicacies such as cocadas, bocadillos and muñecas de leche that are exhibited, mainly in large containers of transparent glass, in this striking historical and commercial place.

Without hesitation I decide to go and admire this passage and, while I remain in the shade, I hear the proclamation "a la orden!" from the vendors trying to sell you sweets everywhere. The colorful crafts also fill this place with colors with valuable hammocks, backpacks and handmade hats. Ten minutes after stepping on this spot, I am already delighted in an exquisite bittersweet delicacy that caught my attention among the variety of delicacies, -sugar coated tamarind bean- and, just then, an old man who must overcome 90 years. He offers me green and red maracas, so I decide to buy one of these instruments to help the man who looks tired, but I think the investment is worthwhile if you take something symbolic of this new trip to La Heroica, a city that I visit frequently.



I take advantage of the landscape of the Torre del Reloj, the Plaza de Los Coches, the Plaza de La Aduana, the walls of the city and the Calle de Las Carretas in the background to take some pictures of this beautiful curtain formed by these valuable places in Cartagena. The buildings that surround me make every captured image extraordinary, as well as the dozens of people, local and foreign, that pass through the portal.

The breeze that runs under the Portal along with the large amount of sugar consumed regains my strength to continue touring the Old City. 20 minutes later, I decide to leave but not before buying a package with the best sweets of the place.

Now, I continue my walk through the streets of Corralito de Piedra while savoring a muñeca de leche, a coconut and guava cocada, an alegria and a sesame nougat ... delicacies to savor!