As Time Stood Still in Cartagena

What is it about Cartagena that makes you want to come back time after time? Perhaps it is the charming old city adorned with little streets that greet you with lovely little shops and pretty balconies to ponder on. For me, it is a place where time seems to slow you down whether you want to or not. And no matter where you have been before, Cartagena is not a place that you will forget easily. We really love coming back here and although we have been many times over the years, there is always something or some place new to discover. But above all, Cartagena has a certain magic that I believe no other places have, at least for me, it does…

Photographs by Tram D Martinez and Copyright to lessisMorebyTramDMartinez

Bustling Mumbai

Life usually surprises us when we least expected. In this case, it was a lovely surprise or rather, a wonderful early Christmas gift to Mumbai, India. And although I knew it is one of those places that I would eventually visit one day, it never occurred to me that it was a lot sooner than later. I was visiting Boston at the time and the flight to Mumbai was very long, closed to a 22 hour journey. Upon arriving in Mumbai very early (before sunrise), the city was so calm and peaceful, completely different from what is expected. But once the sun has risen, the city came to life, all 22M people and counting. It was loud, crowded, congested, but I loved everything about Mumbai. From the constant traffic honking (that haunted me in my sleep) to the crowded city and sad poverty in many cases, Mumbai wakes and sleeps in its own pace and sense. I had many wonderful memories during the one week stay from learning and venturing about the city to eating the most delicious foods, as well as meeting some of the most wonderful people. And similar to everywhere that we travel in this world, nothing is perfect. Especially with a city this large with a population of more than 20M, the obvious becomes even more obvious. But to travel is to open our minds and hearts, and to see beyond the obvious. For me, it was both a spiritual and learning experience that I am hoping that one day, I would be able to return and explore more of India.

Normalmente la vida nos sorprende cuando menos lo esperamos. En este caso, fue una sorpresa encantadora, o mejor, un maravilloso regalo anticipado de Navidad, el viaje a Mumbai, India. Y aunque sabía que era uno de esos lugares que eventualmente visitaría algún día, nunca se me ocurrió que iba a ser más pronto de lo esperado. En ese momento estaba visitando Boston y el vuelvo a Mumbai fue muy largo, casi 22 horas. Una vez que llegue a Mumbai, muy temprano (antes del amanecer), la ciudad que encontré era calmada y pacífica, completamente diferente a lo que esperaba. Pero una vez salió el sol, la ciudad saltó a la vida, con todos los 22 millones y más de habitantes. Una ciudad ruidosa, multitudinaria, congestionada, pero todo me encantó de Mumbai. Desde el constante ruido de los carros pitando (que me seguía hasta cuando estaba dormida) hasta la ciudad llena de gente y en muchos casos de triste pobreza, Mumbai se levanta y duerme a su propio ritmo y sentido. Tengo muchos recuerdos maravillosos de la semana que estuve allí, desde todo lo que aprendí y me aventure por la ciudad hasta la comida más deliciosa, así como el haber conocido a algunaw de las personas más maravillosas. Eso sí, similar a todos los sitios a los que he viajado en este mundo, nada es perfecto. Lo obvio es aún más obvio especialmente e en una ciudad tan grande como una población de más de 20 millones. Pero viajar es abrir nuestras mentes y corazones, y ver más allá de lo obvio. Para mí, fue una experiencia tanto espiritual como de aprendizaje, y tengo la esperanza de que algún día podre volver y explorar más de la India.

Tram D. Martinez with Assistant Editor Angelica Carvajal / Tram D. Martinez con Asistente de Editor Angelica Carvajal