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Published: October 31st 2005
Ok some last thoughts on Cartagena and Colombia and the rest of what happened in Colombia. Upon return to Cartagena from Santa Marta it was time to get ready to set sail for Panama. We had about 2 days of doing work: shopping, getting stuff cleaned, laundry, and other sundry things.
We did take to time to see the Inquisition museum. ("Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition") This museum has a good history of Cartegena.
We also found the time to go and tour San Felipe. Its a huge fort that overlooks the city and was built to defend the city from pirates and the English. Its a really cool fort that you can climb all over. Its built with tunnels connecting all of the different levels of fortification so the defenders can retreat farther into the fort if needed. Many of these tunnels were open for exploration. Its also interesting that not all of the fortification are built to defend the city or outer walls. Some are built so the cannons will fire on other parts of the fort. This was as the outer defenses are taken the men can retreat and then fire on where the enemy is currently.
The last night was spent eating dinner at the house of one of the big Emerald dealers in town. This guys condo was on Boca Grande which is like the South Beach of Cartegena. I'm here because he has a boat in the same marina that we are in and really likes the cruisers. There are about 6 other boats of cruisers at this dinner with us. It was really interesting. I got a chance to talk politics and religion with some of the cruisers. More interesting was brief glimpse into the life and political perspective of Colombia that our host house. What made it interesting to me is just days before I had gotten a similar glimpse into the live and thoughts of the poorer class, while on the trek. The perspectives were different and ways that you would expect. I don't really have specifics to share I just remember thinking, this isn't what they are saying in Santa Marta.
And now my time in Cartagena is mostly done. We plan on leaving the next morning. I do wish I had a few more days to just take in more of the old city and go and walk the old walls. It so much reminded me of pirates. Cartagena was everything I expected it to be.
We left Thursday afternoon, after waiting out the afternoon squalls. Like all sailing trips there was no wind or its on the bow. In this case the wind was about 5-10 knots on the bow. Good thing we have an engine
Ok now for the photo link:
Cartagena Pics Link toCiudad Perdida Pictures
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Anrea Serna
non-member comment
Hotel
When I went to Cartagena this past December, I decided to stay in the neighborhood of getsemani. I found a great Boutique Hote Called Casa El Carretero http://www.CasaElCarretero.com and I have to say that it is one of the best hotels I have ever been to. Great service, and views from it's terrace pool. If you really want to experience a great hotel in Cartagena, stay at the Casa El Carretero bed and Break fast.