Tuesday - April 16, 2024 Arrive 10:00AM - Depart 5:00PM (Daily Diary Synopsis)
The trip was overnight from Panama and we were right on time pulling in at 10:00 am sharp! It's also one of the safest places in the country, so it's no wonder it's a popular port of call for cruise ships.
We are so happy traveling together! It's like magic!
The port was large.
We glided right into our dock.
Holland America was there first.
The port could handle the largest of ships!
The buses were at the ramp waiting for us.
We watched all the activity; our tour was at 11:00 am.
We docked right downtown!
Did You Know? - The Castillo San Felipe de Barajas is a fortress in the city of Cartagena, Colombia. The castle was built in 1536 and is located on the Hill of San Lázaro in a strategic location, dominating approaches to the city by land or sea. It was originally known as the Castillo de San Lázaro.
The Castillo San Felipe de Barajas (San Felipe de Barajas Castle) is a fortress in the city of Cartagena, Colombia. The castle was built in 1536 and is located on the Hill of San Lázaro in a strategic location, dominating approaches to the city by land or sea. It was originally known as the Castillo de San Lázaro. It was built by African slave labor under Spanish supervision during the colonial era. The fortress was involved in several battles between the late 17th to early 19th centuries between European powers.
There were a lot of tourists vising today!
Yes, it was hot a muggy!
Tapered walls allow the cannon balls to glance off the walls!
Did You Know? - The fortification consists of a series of walls, wide at the base and narrow toward the parapet, forming a formidable pattern of bunkers. The batteries and parapets protect one another, so making it practically impossible to take a battery without taking the whole defense system. The castle is striking for its grand entrance and its complex maze of tunnels. It is the most formidable defensive complex of Spanish military architecture.
Our tour guide!
We walked about eight blocks.
The streets were narrow and the city was very clean.
Little parks were all over the city.
We followed the red umbrella!
It was fun to see ancient dwellings and modern transportation
Stop #1 - No one home!
Looks like us after eating non-stop for the past ten days!
We made it.
Visit their website.
We are ready for a lesson!
A selfie?
Someone is tired!
The ladies get into their skirts.
A popular choice for salsa dancing is skirts and dresses that flare out. They enhance the visual appeal of the dance with their movement. However, ensure your dress or skirt is short enough to avoid tripping over it during your salsa class.
Mary is ready to go!
Beautiful
They go to town!
We tried it but alas we kinda did not make it.
Looks like Hip-Hop!
We all got up and did three basic dances.
Loads of fun!
Notice the air conditioning in every window!!
I wanted Mary to get a hat like hers!
Great for carry vegetables from our garden.
The city is old!
There are many statues around the city.
The average temperature is 88 degrees!
...and of course, churches!
The bus stopped for a photo op on the bay!
We look pretty good for just taking a dance class in 90 degree weather!
To the ship!
There was a small zoo at the port.
Did You Know? - Access only for cruise passengers arriving or embarking at the Cartagena Cruise Terminal. Access to the public is restricted.
The Port Oasis, or Port Oasis Ecopark, is a 10,000 square meter garden with more than 700 animals of 74 different species. These animals are sent here by the environmental authorities for their recovery, protection, and conservation. In some cases, they return to their natural habitat after a rehabilitation process. In other cases, they find in the Oasis a home according to their survival needs.
When the Port of Cartagena Group adapted the Cartagena de Indias Cruise Terminal, it not only built the necessary infrastructure for passenger embarking and disembarking, but also took advantage of a forest located in its facilities to establish an open sanctuary. This became a natural oasis in the midst of the modern port infrastructure.
The animals were NOT afraid of people!
We decided to stop for a few minutes!
The turtles move even slower in this heat.
Peacocks were everywhere.
The parrots were dressed in their Sunday best!
There were about 100 parrots in the area.
Looks like a box of melted crayolas!
He looks hungry!
We departed for a two block long walk to the ship!
It felt good to stretch!
We met up with our drinking buddy David and tried some new ones!
The city floated by as we at excellent Italian food.
One more for the road!
Goodbye Columbia!
Our bartender was kept busy with my odd ball requests!
"Paul... What are you ordering now?"
Mary had fun watching us get tipsy!
"Slurp gurgle belch!"
"Who, me??"
By the 4th drink, we were in great shape!
Politically, we are in total agreement!
David explains.
Mary totally agrees.
