First Santa Marta then Cartagena.  Give a dog a bad name.  Yes there are dangerous parts of this country but everywhere I was the people were friendly and helpful almost to a fault.  My guide took me to an offtrack Indian village; we brought them coffee and chocolate - a small offering to a penniless people.  The old town of Cartagena is as well preserved as Gdansk and Prague.  A country I would definitely go back to.