On the night of July 21st, the full moon in Capricorn shone huge, white and majestic in the clear open sky of Cartagena de Indias. The unusual back to back 2024 full moon on the sea goat sign posed like a big blank page closing a chapter in a beloved book.
In the most rounded and brilliant of its forms, the satellite associated with the subconscious mind lulled the Cartagena De Indias night’s sky with a quiet, soothing, wordless speech. It was the perfect hymn to celebrate in gratitude, and also to bless and foresee the new and better adventures still to come during the remaining half of this year.
A little past 7:30p.m. we first spotted our shiny friend from the rooftop of Selina Hostel in la Calle Larga. We were impressed by its size and delighted by the way it created an aura around her using the few visible clouds through which she was rising.
The Selina rooftop is a great spot for moon sighting. One can get a nice glimpse of the Manga skyline and see the Popa church. However, at the moment we took this picture, a group of “bros” chatting loudly about their adventures touring Colombia was not making the best soundtrack for moon contemplation. So we decided to go find a better place to keep catching the amazing soothing light of a full moon that was definitely there to bring us calm and not the random boring stories of a tourist bro. Apparently, after just a couple of days in Medellín, this guy felt like he could lecture his friends in the art of navigating Colombian cities like a local. Good luck with that!
From Selina hostel we walked for a bit and got to Muelle de los Pegasos. The big winged horses were covered in black fabric to protect them from some maintenance we assumed the Bahía de las Ánimas will go under. The black fabric made the robust flying mythological creatures seem like cosplaying Batman.
From there, we looked towards the Monterry Hotel and right above it there it was, the star of the night. The moon seemed even bigger than a few minutes before and was definitely not joking at elevating herself above the city. The moon and Cartagena have always had such a romantic relationship. One of the main streets of one of its most iconic and historical neighborhoods was named after her, La Media Luna. However, that night the moon was far from just showing half of her radiance.
By the time it was 8:00p.m., the moon was really minding business at showing off her fullness and determination to soon conquer her highest position in the sky. Her goal was to provide a rare show, that of a second in a row full moon in the sign of Capricorn, something we had not seen in 16 years.
Astrologists say the purpose of these back-to-back moons is to open a window to reflect about the things that no longer serve you, leave them behind and make space for new experiences and relationships. The lighter you feel, the easier it will be to move forward.
Aware of the cosmic relevance of what was going on in the sky, we knew we needed the perfect rooftop to enjoy the moonlight and get all the benefits of bathing in it. After some calculations to figure out where inside the old city there was a great place for moon bathing, we remembered the Sophia Hotel and their rooftop bar Urania. So we went there, and we were definitely right about going there for full moon sighting purposes.
As you can see in the pictures, from Uranina, the moon was shining in all her laserness, making us feel inspired and safe. On our way up to Urania, next to the elevator door, we found a book on a table that was there just for decoration. However, some books have an energy that draws you to them, and we are glad we picked that phone call because it turned out to be “The World According to Joan Didion” by Evelyn McDonnell.
And there we were, all of the sudden enjoining a cup of sparkling water with lime and a tasty ceviche called “Tumba Muertos,” just like one of the most famous streets in Cartagena. From the way it made us feel, maybe the chef should reconsider the name and change it to Resurrección! The raw fish combined with vegetables swimming in lime juices and spices got us even more in the mood for bringing Joan Didion back to life. The profile Evelyn wrote of Didion is marvelous, it added a touch of mystery and depth to our evening under the Capricorn moon spectacle.
After a delicious dinner we stayed at Urania until it was almost time for them to close. People running the bar are super kind. The view of the old town and the privileged position for moon sighting from Urania will definitely bring us back to its roof top to enjoy the next full moon in august.
By the time it was 10:00p.m. we went for a quick walk, passing by the very animated Plaza de los Coches and getting to see the big Carpicorn moon shining over the tip of the Clock Tower.
While going back home we felt our hearts were healed by such an amazing moon bath. Our minds were full of visions coming to light, showing us and helping us understand what we want to create and bring to the world from now on. With reflection, love, patience and compassion this will be possible!
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