Hop said:
I remember Keller telling me about going to Columbia and having his car swept for bombs on the hotel parking garage every morning. That was something like seven years ago.
Trocha is from Cartagena and I've been there a couple of times in the past 5 years since it is close to Panama where I live (about an hour flight). Had a great time both visits and I never felt any danger, including when I took a couple long jogs by myself around town. Would definitely recommend as an interesting place to visit.
That said, I stayed almost exclusively in the Old Town section which is where the main tourist attraction are, and which is considered a very safe area. My understanding is meandering out of Old Town into the streets of other parts of the city would have been potentially dicey.