CONÉCTATE CON LAS LLAVES
Nospi allá mi llave, de 1!
According to local slang, a llave is an amigo, a friend, someone you can count on. As an added bonus, llave officially translates as key.
For the most part, the team at Cartagena Connections are not officially guides.. and we don't really want to be. When we picture "guides" we envision those folks with the lollipop signs or flags, using microphones, leading packs of shuffling tourists that have been made to wear name-badges. A big generalisation, and maybe unfair, but there you go. Anyway, we don't want to be "guides". And we don't really want to offer "tours".
What we aim to be is your local friends, your llaves. Your keys to unlocking the best of the city. We all have individual interests and passions that will offer local insight. We all love sharing these in our non-tour tours and helping you experience our hometown in a way that is most meaningful for you.
According to local slang, a llave is an amigo, a friend, someone you can count on. As an added bonus, llave officially translates as key.
For the most part, the team at Cartagena Connections are not officially guides.. and we don't really want to be. When we picture "guides" we envision those folks with the lollipop signs or flags, using microphones, leading packs of shuffling tourists that have been made to wear name-badges. A big generalisation, and maybe unfair, but there you go. Anyway, we don't want to be "guides". And we don't really want to offer "tours".
What we aim to be is your local friends, your llaves. Your keys to unlocking the best of the city. We all have individual interests and passions that will offer local insight. We all love sharing these in our non-tour tours and helping you experience our hometown in a way that is most meaningful for you.
YOUR LLAVE, KRISTY
Australian born and bred, but internationally informed, Kristy's heart has been captivated by Cartagena de Indias (since 2012) and she's planning to stick around. With a preference for substance over style, you are likely to find Kristy hungrily sucking the marrow out of life at every possible opportunity. Her quest to savour everything to the fullest sees her flitting from sweaty dance sessions, to the manic market, to happening bars, to gastronomic greats, to fashion-forward retailers, grassroots artisans, to the great outdoors and almost anything and everything along the way.
Some of Kristy's grand accomplishments include being chosen as a Judge in the Cartagena Fried Food Festival, being called "affable" and "vivacious" by Conde Nast Traveller Magazine, being pulled up to dance champeta on-stage at El Rey de Rocha Picó, and being called La Australiana Champetua by El Universal newspaper.
Also check out FAQ So.. Kristy, what brought you here in the first place?
...AND LLAVE CATALINA
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Local Cartagenera, Catalina, is a weird and wonderful mix of creative powerhouse and organisation obsessive.. and we have no idea what we would do without her.
When she is not answering approximately 723,000 emails and enquiries and requests and phone calls every day, she is working on her graphic novel, coveting designer handbags and planning dinner reservations somewhere delicious. Catalina also loves showing visitors her amazing city (when we let her escape the office) and has even developed a darkly fascinating evening Ghost Tour for those looking for something different. Cata has also obtained formal qualification as a Cartagena guide. |
...AND LLAVE JAN
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Probably the most relaxed German ever invented, Jan (pronounced Yan), is a total convert to Cartagena living and has done an impressive job getting local in rapid time. It helps that he is enamored with a Colombiana (Natty is an amazing photographer if you'd like any portraits or photoshoots whilst in town **end plug) and that he is just so darn nice and likeable. He loves food and bakes delectable German treats like nobody's business (which you can sample at his spot Cafe de la Mañana). He loves getting down and dirty and local, leading tours to the Mercado, streetfood tours and historic tours. He is also the only Cartagena Connections llave, to have never ever been late to a tour. We guess (thankfully) there's some German traits that remain.
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HENRY
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Henry is a Cartagenero who loves his city and gets enormous satisfaction from sharing it with people from around the world. Henry completed the formal Cartagena guide training and is particularly knowledgeable when it comes to Cartagena's history. But that doesn't stop him from being a wealth of info for food and culture too. He also has a special love for the fascinating community of San Basilio de Palenque and is our go-to guide for tours here. Rounding out Henry's multi-facetedness- he also arranges awesome bike tours of Cartagena.
editor note: this is not a photo of Henry. This is a photo of Dan who worked with us for a couple of years but left to pursue his music career in Brasil and we are keeping his photo here as placeholder because Henry has so far been too elusive to be photographed! |
...YOUR LLAVE LEXY
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Born in Cartagena, Lexy took off to Cancun, Mexico when she was 17 and Colombia was way less fun. She came back to Cartagena a few years ago and we are super happy she did. A professional photographer and leader of our popular photo tours, Lexy also has her finger on the pulse of all the best cultural and musical events happening around town and together with fellow-local Lili, hosts our drink and dance and also bar crawl tours. She's informed, creative and knows how to make sure you get the best out of your time in Cartagena.
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...YOUR LLAVE FELIPE
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Cartagena family but raised pretty much gringo in California, Felipe is a our history, philosophy, language loving "born again Colombian" who is loving re-establishing his costeño roots and guiding new friends through streetart, history, market, streetfood, barhopping and everything locals love. If you're a literary or political buff and want to geek out with someone, Felipe's your man, with his extensive knowledge matched only by his fervent passion.
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YOUR LLAVE DANELIS
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Danelis is a downright superstar. Born in Cartagena fisherman village, La Boquilla (known to be one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Colombia), she has excelled in everything she has put her mind to, emerging as passionate ambassador and mentor for her community. She is fluent in English and French, a devoted cinephile, and passionate champion for social and environmental justice.
Danelis is an amazing host and particularly is our go to for tours to La Boquilla, Palenque, and Afro-cultural tours (and any clients requiring french). |
YOUR LLAVE MARGARITA..
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Margarita, or Maggie as she is known by everyone, is simply the very best person we know. We could stop there (because really, what else is there to know), but we will give the briefest of bios where we mention her classical artist training, her experience working in luxury travel, her obsession with the art of James Turrell, her enviable style and incredible selection of earrings and headwear, her dancing enthusiasm and her unparalleled thoughtfulness.
Maggie leads art and shopping tours (when she's not volunteering at Domino Volunteers - we mean, really, the best) and can connect you with independent artist studios, artisans and emergent and established Colombian designers. |
...AND JUAN SEBASTIAN
Lover of languages, beer, and Ernesto Sabato’s books, this native from the coast has his heart spellbound by the walls, history, food, colours and sayings of this beautiful city.
After a childhood spent in this heavenly bay, Juan Sebastian started, a few years ago, to wander the world, which allowed him, not only to perfect 4 languages, Spanish, English, German and Portuguese, but to understand the specifity and uniqueness of his Caribbean native paradise.
Now he's back in his hometown, thrilled to be sharing it with Cartagena Connection visitors. Juan's tours tend to focus mostly on his passion for politics and history, but since Kristy has now shown him where to find the city's best fried treats, Juan will also very happily join you for food adventuring as well.
After a childhood spent in this heavenly bay, Juan Sebastian started, a few years ago, to wander the world, which allowed him, not only to perfect 4 languages, Spanish, English, German and Portuguese, but to understand the specifity and uniqueness of his Caribbean native paradise.
Now he's back in his hometown, thrilled to be sharing it with Cartagena Connection visitors. Juan's tours tend to focus mostly on his passion for politics and history, but since Kristy has now shown him where to find the city's best fried treats, Juan will also very happily join you for food adventuring as well.
CONÉCTATE
We also share our connections to the best and most reputable tour operators and providers for when your travels take you beyond the walled city. And for visitors requiring customised tours, group planning, itineraries and event planning, we are available to provide personalised concierge services by private arrangement. Kristy's incredible zest and enthusiasm and her enormous network of local connections make Cartagena Connections your perfect partners in gaining a local perspective to the best bits of Cartagena de Indias. So get connected!