by Crystal Peterson
[ICANN’s 39th Public Meeting is headed to Cartagena, Colombia this December. While much of the world pushes through frigid winter, .Co Internet Senior Marketing Manager Crystal Peterson promises it will be nice and warm in Colombia. -Andrew]
I had the opportunity to travel to Cartagena in advance of the 39th Public ICANN meeting being held there in December. As the Sr. Manager of .CO Internet and therefore a host of the meeting, I am excited to welcome everyone to this warm, beautiful locale and wanted to share a bit of my experience now so that those that have never been know what to expect.
HOT! – Expect it to be hot, more hot and then a little more – yup….HOT. The heat will of course be very welcome for most of us by the time ICANN is scheduled in December. I am told that December will be just as warm, but not quite as humid as it is in August – there will be a breeze throughout the evenings coming from the water. Bring your swimsuits – there is a pool on top of or on the property of every hotel. I highly recommend that you plan an extra few days on either end of your trip (or better yet, on both ends!) to rest, relax and enjoy all the fantastic things Cartagena has to offer.
Eating – is fantastic! If you love fish — you are really in luck! The fish is fresh and simply fantastic! Ceviche is very heavily represented in many menus – and you’ll absolutely love it! However, if you are not a fan of fish, your options are still great. Every restaurant does have a selection of non-fish dishes and vegetarian dishes that reflect the local taste and culture, but I really encourage trying the fish. (Did I mention how delicious the fish was?)
Culture & Nightlife – get ready for fun. Cartagena is an extremely lively, vibrant and colorful city! I had the opportunity to stay both in the walled city as well as a hotel a little further away. I recommend everyone stay in the walled city. There are a few hotels identified on the ICANN local site and (as of the date of this posting), even more of the small venue, but awesome hotels inside the muralla (or wall) will be coming. Each evening within the city (which is walking distance to the Convention Center); there is music, local bars, horse drawn coaches and a lot to see and do. I felt very comfortable walking the streets from hotspot to hotspot. And the burning question on everyone’s mind? Where do we hang out?! Well….you’ll have to come to find out!
All I can say is that we (.CO Internet, ICANN and the beautiful country of Colombia) have a lot in store for everyone attending ICANN Cartagena in December. I can promise you one thing for sure — it’s gonna be Hot, Hot, Hot in every way! Don’t miss it!
Below: street dancing in Cartagena
Nom de domaine says
All .co.ke lovers will be there I guess 🙂
Leonard Britt says
I’ve always heard Cartagena is a nice tourist destination. Never been but would like to visit some day. Regarding the fish, just expect to see the head and tail still attached as it sits on your plate (my wife is from a town in Colombia just a couple hours from Cartagena).