Cartagena de Indias It is without a doubt the pearl of the Caribbean, it is difficult to walk around it and not fall in love with its streets, balconies and squares.

The Portal de los Dulces is a magical place that attracts foreigners and invites them to enjoy the delicious fruit sweets that are sold there, but for people from Cartagena by birth like me, it is the place that evokes wonderful memories of bygone times. the aromas and the combination of coconut, mamey, tamarind and other tropical fruits are confused with the rush of our times, but not before reminding us how important our culture, our family and our city is.

The Portal de los Dulces was not always the place it is today, in times of colonization Cartagena was the only port authorized for the sale of slaves and these sales were made in this place called at that time "El Portal de los Esclavos". Because it is a place of great concurrence and attractiveness for the inhabitants of the city, in addition, you could buy all kinds of products, the name was changed to “La Plaza de los Mercaderes” and at the end of the XNUMXth century it takes the name of “La Plaza de los Coches ”because from there you could board horse-drawn carts to take a tour of the city.

Today if you go through the Clock Tower, you will find a bustling square full of people who enjoy the atmosphere that the place offers, you can also enjoy typical homemade sweets whose recipes are kept with great zeal and pride to protect the quality of the products.

There are, above all, cocadas. The yellow ones are coconut and pineapple; those of caramel, coconut and brown sugar; the white ones with black dots, coconut and milk; and the red ones, guava and coconut. There are also exotic tamarind balls, caballitos (papaya viche), marshmallows, cubanos (coconut dough with milk), alegrías (millo with panela), casabe, a cassava panderito, a coconut casadilla, a cornmeal ball, a doll or a milk hog.

It is a pleasure to see the expressions of taste of those who savor them. Take a cocada to accompany other tours of the city, Nueva Lengua guides you to explore Cartagena.

Ahh and a good glass of water to cool off afterwards ...