DAY 5---CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA

                                   

We are docked in Cartagena, Colombia, today.  It was 84 very humid degrees.

BACKGROUND INFO

Cartagena is a port city on the northern coast of Columbia. It was founded in 1553 by the Spanish who built a wall around the old part of the city with cobblestone streets, squares, and colorful colonial buildings. During the colonial period it was the main port for exporting Peruvian silver to Spain and for importing African slaves. Now at one million people it is the 5th largest city in Columbia. Outside the old city it is a vibrant, modern city. Tourism, commerce, and industry make up its economy. Columbia is the world’s largest producer of cocaine unfortunately.

LAST NIGHT

CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE FOR BETTER VIEWING

                                                All the starters that comes without ordering.

                                                    My veal parmesan is huge as always.

                            As usual, I could only eat half of it.  It was sooooo good however.

     Rebecca had this veal limone.        

This is Jeanette.

                                                   The show featured "The Jersey Tenors".

Packed house for their show.  We were on the front row left side.

Their show was one of the best we have ever seen on a Regent ship.

TODAY

        We were up earlier this morning as yesterday I decided to book a tour for today that departed the ship at 7:45.

                                                Our view from our balcony this morning.

        We have been to Cartagena several times and done tours here.  I decided to book this 4 hour tour as had not seen the navy museum.  Rebecca did not go on the tour.  There were only 17 of us on the big tour bus today.  Our guide was Roberto Jr.  He talked the entire 4 hours and drove me crazy with TMI (to much information).  The tour mostly involved walking around in "old town" so everyone got tired of standing and it was soooo hot & humid.  The streets were very rough so bounced around in the bus.

                                   Statue of Spanish explorer, Balboa, who founded Cartagena.

Our first short photo stop was at the base of the huge San Felipe Fortress.  This castle was built in 1536 by the Spanish.  It was built by African slave laborers.

        

We next drove to the "old town" of Cartagena.  It has 11 kilometers of stone walls around it that took nearly 200 years to complete so as to protect the Spanish inside from invasion by pirates and others.  We got off the bus and walked around inside it.

                                                          Roberto Jr, our talkative guide.

                                            The fruit at the fruit stands looked so good.

The streets in Old Town were very narrow and traffic not allowed after 4pm as there are so many tourists visiting.

                                                  Another of several plazas in Old Town.

                                                                    Old artillery piece.

                          Next stop on our walk was at the Historic Museum of Cartagena.

                                                           You could lose you head here.

                                                                Another statue of Bolivar

                                                                          Sun dial.

As an Australian friend on our 2012 South America cruise used to say, "ABC--Another Bloody Church"

                         Largest plaza in Old Town with some Christmas decorations still up.

                                                                Hard Rock Cafe

                                                                       Clock tower

                                   Heading to the San Pedro Claver Church & Cloister.

                                                            San Pedro Claver square

                                                   This priest took care of the African slaves.

                            Never witnessed a guide eating lunch in the middle of a tour.

Colombia is famous for its emeralds, so of course, there was a stop at this emerald store.  No one bought anything.

The naval museum was the main reason I wanted to do this tour today.  What a waste of time!  Not much of a museum in my opinion.

We were entertained with three songs with dancing inside the museum.  It was old African slave dances with African instruments.  Not bad.

                              Replica of part of an old Spanish war ship.  Not much of a museum.

        We finally headed back to the port and arrived shortly after noon.  I was very hungry so headed to the suite to wash my hands and pick up Rebecca.  We had a nice lunch up in La Veranda then headed back to the suite so I could add photos and write today's blog post.  While at lunch a rain shower passed over so I made it back to the nice "airconditioned" ship just in time.  

        The ship sailed at 1pm for our trip to the Panama Canal.  We are to begin our transit of the canal at 7:30am tomorrow.  This will be our 11th transit of the canal but I love it.  I would HIGHLY recommend to you to do a Panama Canal transit cruise.

        Rebecca did not bring finger nail polish remover as though she would get it at the ship's boutique.  Well, they stopped carrying it on board.  The ship's boutique is pretty worthless in our opinion.  They try selling high end jewelry and clothes.  So I had my guide today to pop in a pharmacy and buy some remover.  Well, Rebecca still not happy as bottle is too small.  I told her not to worry as we have many more ports.

        Plan for this evening is cocktails in Mariner Lounge at 6pm.  We have requested "pigs in a blanket" for our canape there.  Following cocktails we will have dinner in Compass Rose.  

        Nothing on the entree menu grabbed us so we have requested panko coated shrimp this evening for our entrees.  No entertainment tonight but they are showing a movie in the theater.