After three days at sea, we finally reached our first port of call—Cartagena, Colombia. Since we were here just last year on our first world cruise and had already explored most of the city’s historical and iconic sights, we decided to do something different this time: an authentic Colombian cooking class at https://lunaticoexperience.com/

Lunático is a warm, intimate cooking space that feels less like a classroom and more like being welcomed into a local home. Our teacher, Chef Daniel Amador, was outstanding—knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely passionate about sharing Colombia’s Caribbean flavors and culinary traditions. Adding even more depth to the experience, Chef Daniel brings a plethora of international cooking experience, having spent four years cooking in Australia, two years in China, and a year and a half working in a restaurant in Boracay, Philippines. His global background beautifully complements his deep roots in Colombian cuisine, and he shared insights and stories from his travels throughout the class.

We spent an amazing day cooking alongside a lovely family of four from Montreal, and everyone pitched in to prepare our lunch from start to finish. We began with mote de queso, a traditional, creamy white soup made from yam (ñame) and local costeño cheese—simple, hearty, and full of authentic coastal flavor.

Next came the star of the meal: posta negra cartagenera, slow-cooked topside beef rich with deep, caramelized notes, served with coconut rice—expertly prepared by Janice—and plantains in temptation sauce, which Walter made using the local soft drink Cola Román, similar to a red cream soda. The dish was finished with a smooth avocado mayonnaise with lots of cilantros and a few chili peppers that tied everything together beautifully.

For dessert, we enjoyed tree tomatoes poached in syrup, a delightful combination of sweet syrup and the fruit’s slightly tart flavor.

It was a truly hands-on, flavorful, and joyful experience—one of those unforgettable days that perfectly captures why we love traveling this way: learning, cooking, laughing, and sharing a table with new friends in a beautiful place.

Middle photo: The mural outside of Lunatico

Bottom photo: A street in Getsemani, Cartagena, Colombia