It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust as we enter the dimly lit, silent crypt of what was formerly the Santa Clara convent in Cartagena. I'm standing at the spot where Gabriel Garcia Marquez was sent as a young reporter in 1949.
He was there to cover the story of the excavation of a crypt, which unearthed the remains of a young girl who had 22 metres of red hair attached to her skull. Marquez later drew on the event as the inspiration for his novella Of Love and Other Demons, published four decades later. It's a book I first came across as a little girl growing up in Sharjah, where I watched my father, a journalist, translator and writer, spend hours meticulously translating into Arabic the Latin American writer's most famous works.
I'm thrilled to be at the site where Marquez found his literary inspiration, although it has certainly gone through a lot of changes. The convent has been transformed and opened as the luxury Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena hotel in 1995. Our tour guide, Daniel, regales us with facts about the Nobel laureate before we arrive at the convent, which is lined with passages from some of his most famous works. When he mentions that Marquez's posthumously published novel Until August had recently hit local bookstores, I make it my mission to hunt down and buy an English translation, knowing that such a gift would be the perfect souvenir for my father.
Cartagena de Indias, about an hour-long flight from Bogota, is Colombia's fifth-largest city and a Unesco World Heritage site. Nestled on the Caribbean coast, it's a place filled with colour, music, street food, restaurants and an impressive art scene. The city has year-round tropical weather and is a fascinating mix of old and new. The 13km of centuries-old stone walls built by the Spaniards in the mid-17th century to protect against pirates and invaders contrast with the towering skyscrapers of Bocagrande.
After a hearty lunch at the Sofitel's fine-dining restaurant, 1621, a sudden downpour offers a welcome respite from the day's scorching heat as we head towards the village of La Boquilla. Here, we join local fishermen who take us on wooden canoes to explore the mangrove forest, a distinct change of pace. As my red and white canoe gently slices through the water tunnels, the silence is almost meditative after the loud, thumping tempo of the city. The tranquillity is only punctuated by the occasional bird cry and a stray whoop of excitement from a gaggle of teenagers playing football by the shore as the sun's last rays tinge the surface of the swamp with golden ripples.
Much like Colombia itself, which has fought back from a troubled past, the mangrove swamp is a lesson in resilience: the mangroves have adapted to live in the saltwater thanks to their extensive tangled roots, in turn providing habitat for birds, crabs and fish. One of the local fishermen proudly displays how he casts his handmade net across the water – fishing is the main source of income here. Visitors are offered the opportunity to offset emissions generated by their travel by planting a mangrove root in the water.
Returning to the shore, it's time for an African drums workshop, taking place in a beach kiosk where the city's Afro-Caribbean heritage comes alive through music. After a short introduction, the group I'm travelling with is divided into smaller clusters and given instructions on how to play different styles of drums. We practise our beat, before coming together to perform, the rhythmic thumping reverberating in my chest, the music pounding as a collective heartbeat and our laughter rising as we stumble through our initial attempts.
But the performance is about more than just entertainment. The musicians and dancers are young men and women from the community of La Boquilla. They are performing under the umbrella of a social project aimed both at preserving the cultural traditions of their African heritage and keeping disadvantaged children in school. A short stroll away from the frenzied beat of the drums, the shores of the Caribbean beckon me to take in a glorious sunset. The cool waves lapping against the soft sand offer a calming change of pace.
Exotic fruit roulette
The next day, we are whisked away to an exotic fruit and chocolate-tasting experience. It proves to be as delightful as it sounds, despite the protests of a fellow traveller that the two should never be mixed. Arriving at the Casa Santiago Botero, the spread set out before us is a feast for the senses. It is colourful and abundant, with many fruits that I did not yet have a name for and had never seen. Even for my Covid-dulled sense of smell and taste, the spread is a refreshing way to map out every corner of Colombia, with staff providing details on what they were and where they were grown.
Colombia is one of the world's top coffee, flower and fruit producers. This is mapped out in trays before us that symbolises the country's agricultural prowess; its location on the equator; its rich bio-diversity; trade routes; and economic growth. The country is a producer of fine-quality cacao and we're given samples from Sierra Nevada in the north and Tumaco in the south to nibble on. Chocolate bars of varying cacao percentages are then brought to our table to accompany and accentuate the taste of different fruits.
Discovering the flavours is a fun game of fruit roulette: mamon, a round fruit that is green on the outside and orange inside, is sour. Bright yellow uchuvas, or gooseberries, are used to make jams and pair particularly well with a 53 per cent chocolate piece. Lulo is orange on the outside with a greenish pulp inside and has a distinct citrus taste. I sink my teeth into a feijoa, which tastes like a cross between pineapple and guava, and pitaya which in Colombia has thick yellow skin and is sweet and refreshing. Cracking open a guama fruit – one that is native to the Amazon forest – I bite off the white cloudlike sweet pulp encasing its black seeds. Since Emirates began flying to Bogota in June, some of these Colombian fruits have started to increasingly appear on Dubai supermarket shelves.
Hip Getsemani
Stepping outside the ancient fortifications of the city walls, I encounter neighbouring Getsemani. A quarter where slaves once lived, it is a historical place of resistance and is now home to hip restaurants and buzzy nightclubs. Cafe Havana offers a fun night of salsa dancing and live music – Hillary Clinton, former first lady and US presidential candidate, was pictured dancing here back in 2012 – while our lunch at Celele, a Caribbean restaurant where each dish is designed to highlight the diversity of the region's ingredients, is highly recommended.
Afterwards, we head to La Bodeguita, the pier at the docks of the Port of Cartagena. A boat is waiting to take us out on a tour around the Bay of Cartagena – and enjoy another of the city's dramatic sunsets.
Getsemani exudes a bohemian air with its street art, large-scale murals and alleyways decorated overhead with colourful umbrellas. I'm delighted to come across a wall depicting Marquez reading One Hundred Years of Solitude amid a swirl of yellow butterflies, a scene described in his novel. Calle de la Sierpe (or Serpent Street), is the centre of street art in this captivating barrio. The Plaza de la Trinidad is the district's popular square where the street musicians are not only talented but also quick-witted. One of my fellow journalists – sporting sunglasses, tattoos and a clean-shaven head – gets his own rap tribute from the performers who dub him “Bin Diesel” in a twist on the actor's name, much to the amusement of our group.
Colombia's second-oldest city
Cartagena's old city is 10 minutes from here. Nestled within ancient fortified walls, it is a place that brings history to life with its cobbled streets and painted houses. Founded in 1533, Cartagena is the country's second oldest city after Santa Marta in the north and a walk around the old town is the best way to take in its history. I start by winding through its twisting streets, admiring colonial mansions where overhanging wooden balconies burst with bougainvillaea, exploring its churches and shopping at its boutiques. My favourite has to be discovering some of the locations mentioned in many of Marquez's novels.
Palanqueras – women dressed in bright colours selling fruit – are a striking sight. Wearing blue, red and yellow ruffled dresses, they portray an important aspect of the city's history. Our guide Fernando explains that many of them hail from San Basilio de Palenque and are descendants of African slaves who were brought to the country under Spanish colonial rule, but who fought for their freedom, escaped slavery and created their own settlement. Today, most of their income comes, not from selling fruit, but from taking photos with tourists.
As my whirlwind stay in Colombia draws to an end, I'm enthralled by all that I've seen but can't help shake the niggle of disappointment that despite an abundance of tropical fruit during my visit, my own search for Marquez's latest work has been less fruitful. This does not feel like the right ending to my story in Gabo's city.
After landing back in Bogota, where my direct flight back to Dubai was due to depart, I strike gold. In a small bookshop in the Usaquen neighbourhood, I finally get my hands on Marquez's posthumously published novel. So while the Spaniards came to Colombia's shores in search of riches – attracted by the promise of El Dorado, a city made of gold and the namesake of the country's international airport – I am delighted to be leaving with my own treasure, rich memories of this incredible country coupled with a memento of Marquez himself. Returning home, I present my father with his gift, and the smile on his face is priceless. Watching him leaf through the pages, I breathe a sigh of contentment. My Colombian treasure hunt is complete.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Expert input
If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?
“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett
“If I had all the money, I would approach Nike and ask them to do my own Air Force 1, that’s one of my dreams.” Yaseen Benchouche
“There’s nothing out there yet that I’d pay an insane amount for, but I’d love to create my own shoe with Tinker Hatfield and Jordan.” Joshua Cox
“I think I’d buy a defunct footwear brand; I’d like the challenge of reinterpreting a brand’s history and changing options.” Kris Balerite
“I’d stir up a creative collaboration with designers Martin Margiela of the mixed patchwork sneakers, and Yohji Yamamoto.” Hussain Moloobhoy
“If I had all the money in the world, I’d live somewhere where I’d never have to wear shoes again.” Raj Malhotra
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
Naga
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South Africa v India schedule
Tests: 1st Test Jan 5-9, Cape Town; 2nd Test Jan 13-17, Centurion; 3rd Test Jan 24-28, Johannesburg
ODIs: 1st ODI Feb 1, Durban; 2nd ODI Feb 4, Centurion; 3rd ODI Feb 7, Cape Town; 4th ODI Feb 10, Johannesburg; 5th ODI Feb 13, Port Elizabeth; 6th ODI Feb 16, Centurion
T20Is: 1st T20I Feb 18, Johannesburg; 2nd T20I Feb 21, Centurion; 3rd T20I Feb 24, Cape Town
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Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
More coverage from the Future Forum
UAE%20SQUAD
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1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List
James Mustich, Workman
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
Read more about the coronavirus
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
THE DETAILS
Director: Milan Jhaveri
Producer: Emmay Entertainment and T-Series
Cast: John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee
Rating: 2/5
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
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Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
More on Quran memorisation:
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Buy farm-fresh food
The UAE is stepping up its game when it comes to platforms for local farms to show off and sell their produce.
In Dubai, visit Emirati Farmers Souq at The Pointe every Saturday from 8am to 2pm, which has produce from Al Ammar Farm, Omar Al Katri Farm, Hikarivege Vegetables, Rashed Farms and Al Khaleej Honey Trading, among others.
In Sharjah, the Aljada residential community will launch a new outdoor farmers’ market every Friday starting this weekend. Manbat will be held from 3pm to 8pm, and will host 30 farmers, local home-grown entrepreneurs and food stalls from the teams behind Badia Farms; Emirates Hydroponics Farms; Modern Organic Farm; Revolution Real; Astraea Farms; and Al Khaleej Food.
In Abu Dhabi, order farm produce from Food Crowd, an online grocery platform that supplies fresh and organic ingredients directly from farms such as Emirates Bio Farm, TFC, Armela Farms and mother company Al Dahra.
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More on animal trafficking
The biog
Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi
Age: 23
How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them
Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need
Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman
Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs
Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
The biog
Favourite book: You Are the Placebo – Making your mind matter, by Dr Joe Dispenza
Hobby: Running and watching Welsh rugby
Travel destination: Cyprus in the summer
Life goals: To be an aspirational and passionate University educator, enjoy life, be healthy and be the best dad possible.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The five pillars of Islam
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Zayed Sustainability Prize
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
The Gentlemen
Director: Guy Ritchie
Stars: Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant
Three out of five stars
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More on animal trafficking
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How to help
Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.
Account name: Dar Al Ber Society
Account Number: 11 530 734
IBAN: AE 9805 000 000 000 11 530 734
Bank Name: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
To ensure that your contribution reaches these people, please send the copy of deposit/transfer receipt to: juhi.khan@daralber.ae
Background: Chemical Weapons
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
New schools in Dubai
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Power: 272hp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 331Nm from 5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.7L/100km
On sale: now
Price: Dh149,000
