During our recent visit to Cartagena, Colombia we planned to go on a walking tour of the Getsemani neighborhood, a barrio filled with vibrant colors and images on every surface.

A Colombian friend shared that 20 years ago, this neighborhood was not a safe area. However, in a successful effort to revitalize the community, streets have been filled with artistic expression and it is now a lively hub of restaurants, boutique hotels, and shops.

The kids had the most challenging time acclimating to the sauna that is Cartagena humidity, and we knew the walk would likely trigger some whining. We had them create their own Mural Scavenger Hunt with a list of things they thought they might find in the murals: flowers, birds, fish, faces, sun, etc. Each kid’s list was unique to their own ideas (and spellings). As we walked they looked for images and checked off what they found.

This self-guided walking tour was one of my favorite moments of the trip. It wasn’t completely whine-free, but they definitely enjoyed hunting for the items on their lists. It gave us all a chance to really absorb the sensory bouquet that is Getsemani.