Covering The Coverage: Love In The Time Of Cholera To Turn Colombia Into Middle Earth
18 October 2007, 11:15 AM. By jessie.soto
Turns out JLo is not the only one going Mordor on your ass. There is buzz around the Interwebs about how Gabriel Garcia Márquez’s novel Love in the Time of Cholera is expected to convert the city of Cartagena, where the novel takes place, into the new hot travel destination. The novel is popular again after it was chosen by Oprah for her Book Club. Travel web site Jaunted writes that the novel is “about to become for Colombia what Lord of the Rings was for New Zealand: a major tourism generator.” But hold on to your hobbits! USA Today was there and they have the stereotypes to prove it:
Graceful Carmen Mirandas ply the cobblestones proffering succulent fruits from bowls balanced on their heads [...] As Colombia’s most popular tourist haunt, [Cartagena's] change of fortune is at the forefront of an image makeover for a country that has been associated more with kidnappings, cartels and cocaine (with, perhaps, a passing nod to Juan Valdez and his donkey) than fun-filled getaways.
At least it didn’t take USA Today a long-ass trilogy to tell us how they really feel.
Why Cartagena is the Next New Zealand [Jaunted]
Cartagena: Colombia’s magical city rebounds [USA Today]
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nooooooooooo. leave it alone! call me selfish, but please dont let more tourists start flocking there. Cartagena is gorgeous, untouched, and doing just fine w/out the added tourism.
if this brings about more magical realism in our lives (i.e. really good blow), i’m fine with this.
I’d love to see the tourist parade crashed by un señor muy viejo con unas alas enormes.
@MM
ummm, when was the last time you where there? I was there this past July, and if I hadn’t been with my Colombian family, I sure as hell would not have gone out at night. An Italian couple was killed the week before I got there after being outside their hotel in the day. I did travel all throughout and for the most part, it WAS very safe, but I remember people warning me about Cartagena.
Cuando los mismos Colombianos are telling you “don’t go out” you listen amigita. Besides La Rumba Esta en Cali!!!!
Colombia can use the tourism.
And why should Costa Rica get to reap all the benefits?! Tourism is what is helping build many local economies down there. Go, visit Colombia, just watch out for the machetes.
I went there this May and it was completely fine Gatita. We went out at night, walked everywhere and nothing happened to us (and we are not Colombians) Don’t be so paranoid……The only thing that bothered me were the people who sell stuff on the Plazas….what are pushy bunch…..
i never said it was safe. lol. that sucks about the italian couple.
all i’m saying is that colombia doesnt need a wave of tourists to stomp all over its beauty like what happened to macchu picchu and probably will happen to costa rica.
Wow… a Colombian city with graceful Portuguese-posing-as-Brazilians walking the streets. Sign me up!!
And yeah, I think Cartagena has been on the “most dangerous tourist destination” list for years.
We went to Cartagena during semana santa this year & felt very safe. We drove from Armenia & back & felt safe the whole time, even in Medellin. Colombia is changing. Soon there will be internet sites offering trips there dedicated to giving you the Colombian experience blow by blow.
Blow by blow, eh? Please tell me that was intentional….