Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, Cartagena. You can't miss it!

The Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas is the greatest and strongest fortress ever built by the Spaniards in their colonies. The original fort was constructed between 1639 and 1657 on top of the 40m-high San Lázaro hill, and was quite small. In 1762, an extensive enlargement was undertaken which resulted in the entire hill being covered over with this powerful bastion. It was truly impregnable and was never taken, despite numerous attempts to storm it.

A complex system of tunnels connected strategic points of the fortress to distribute provisions and to facilitate evacuation. The tunnels were constructed in such a way that sounds reverberate all the way along them, making it possible to hear the slightest sound of the approaching enemy's feet, and also making it easy for internal communication.

Some of the tunnels are lit and are open to visitors - a walk not to be missed. Take a guide if you want to learn more about the curious inventions of Antonio de Arévalo, the military engineer who directed the fortress's construction.

The fortress is just a 20-minute walk from the old town, or take a local bus from the Parque del Centenario. There is a statue of Blas de Lezo in front of the fortress.

Read more about Cartagena on Lonely Planet.

TRAVELLING ALONE IS FUN: WHAT TO DO IN BOGOTA?

Knowledge in any means is helpful to expand your horizons. Reading books on literature, science and technology etc is not the only way to learn something. Traveling is something which not only provides knowledge but also gifts us with a package of experience and adventure. While most of us love to travel with a herd of great pals, traveling alone can be a lot of fun too and can in fact turn into life’s biggest adventure. Time is like an alcoholic spirit which vanishes with the flick of an eye. Today’s fast life is like a punishment for the youth and is increasing the stress. Hibernation of self is very necessary to relieve ourselves from the hectic life. Traveling alone helps one to understand oneself and discover new thoughts. It gives a sense of responsibility, self-reliance and independence. One can also know their likes and dislikes and the way they react in a particular situation. Visiting an unfamiliar place on your own allows you to know yourself better. This is the perfect time to rekindle with the most loyal company you could ever have in your lifetime – your own self.

One of the best places to explore today is Bogota. Bogota is the capital of Colombia and is famous for its picturesque architecture and unique culture. It is the largest city in Colombia with an altitude of 2,640 meters making it the third-highest major city in the world. It is also said that Bogota is about 8,500 feet closer to the stars. It is most famous for its magnificent Andean views and wonderful spring-like weather. Traveling on your own to Bogota can open up an adventure that you could only imagine.

Hop on to your Bogota-bound plane and make sure you do all of these!

1. Explore the Sabana – Take out time to go far away from the regular city life. For people who love to take risk can go for an adventurous trip near Suesca. It is a paradise for rock climbers. You can experience rock climbing, river rafting and hiking with an additional package of beautiful views.

2. Get a plastic surgery – Travel alone and surprise your friends back home with a sexier and beautiful you. Medical tourism is one of Bogota’s biggest prides. In fact, Bogota is among the world’s top three leading countries offering world-class cosmetic surgery. A plastic surgery in Colombia will cost only around 25% of what the developed nations charge. There is no compromise on the quality of the treatment. The patients are provided high quality service with world-class medical facility. A $32,000 Brazilian butt augmentation in the United States can only cost you $5,000 in Bogota. This is due to the low cost of labor. The patients are treated by highly qualified professional doctors and therefore the risk factor attached to the low cost is also diminished. And when we are talking about the plastic surgery in Bogota, a medical tourism company that needs mention is Cosmetic Harmony. Cosmetic Harmony specializes in complete cosmetic surgery packages, including cosmetic procedures, travel, accommodations, transportation to medical appointments, a bilingual personal assistant and medications.Cosmetic Harmony uses only FDA-approved materials.

Read full article on Colombia Travel.

Nightlife in Bogota: The Best Opportunity to Meet the Locals

As most guide books state, the best you can find in Colombia is people. Also tourists that have stayed in the country advise new visitors to try to get in touch with locals because they are amongst the friendliest people on earth, thus before going somewhere, it is important to know which are the best places not only to have fun but to meet people.

As all the big cities of South America, Bogota has a very rich nightlife with the right atmosphere to meet the locals, therefore there are many web sites that give information about restaurants, bars, cinemas, discotheques, shows, theater and all the events that are considered special each week.

It is well known that the best areas of the city to enjoy through the night are in the north part of the city, some examples are El Parque de la 93 which is located in one of the most exclusive zones of the city between the 93A and 93B streets and the 11th A and 13 avenues; La Zona Rosa which is the main nightlife zone of the city because it comprises a great number of bars, restaurants and nightclubs that can that please every taste; La Calera which is a route through the east hills of the city and has a wide variety of restaurants and nightclubs; and the called Zona T in Chapinero with an amazing range of establishments.

Read full article at Colombia Travel.

Colombia pics. Check them out!!!

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