January 31, 2023
When we woke up I could feel the ship rocking and shuddering (is that a word?)...the most we had experienced so far on the cruise. With a noon arrival in Cartagena, Colombia, it was almost like having a combination sea day/port day. Both of us took a dose of meclazine and laid in bed a little longer to give the medication time to start working before we got up.
The HAL Navigator app provided access to the NY Times newspaper which in turn gave me access to the daily Wordle puzzle. At home, my son and I text each other every morning sharing our results. It is a good day when I can solve the puzzle in less tries than him! Today's puzzle only took me three turns to solve and it was frustrating because without internet or cell service I couldn't brag!
Bob and I had breakfast at the buffet and then took the outdoor route down the back stairs to get back to our room. I was pleasantly surprised when the weather was cooler than I was expecting...79 degrees according to the Navigator app. I'm sure the cooler feel was due to the ocean breeze and the movement of the ship. I anticipated that it would be uncomfortably hot and humid once we arrived in Cartagena.
Since our afternoon would be busy, we opted to spend the morning relaxing on OUR deck enjoying the beautiful weather. Several ships were spotted and at one point we noticed two different distinct colors of water.
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| I have no idea why the water was two different colors. |
Because the ship was scheduled to dock at noon, an express lunch was offered in the MDR beginning at 11:00. Knowing the lido buffet would be crazy, we went to the dining room where the fixed menu had only a couple of choices for appetizers and the main course. The Zaandam was just arriving in Cartagena as we were seated and we had a nice view of the skyline until the ship rotated and backed into the berth. The Eurodam was docked right next to us.
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| Backing into our parking spot next to the Eurodam. |
The gangway was located on Deck A aft which was more convenient for us. The announcement had not yet been made that the ship was cleared when we went down as far as Deck 1. We joined a long line that had formed, stretching down the hallway. Once the gangway was opened, the line moved fast and we were off quickly.
The Zaandam was one of four ships docked and was the furthest away from the port exit. I had booked an independent group tour of Cartagena with "Dora the Explorer" online. A representative from the company was waiting at the end of the dock holding a sign with our names. We followed her through the cruise center and through an aviary and out to a parking lot. She walked us to a small taxi where we joined our guide, Josette, and the driver. I hadn't paid for a private tour, but that is what we got...just the two of us!
Traffic was horrendous but our driver was skilled at his job and expertly maneuvered us through the busy streets. Our first stop was Convento de la Popa, on a hill overlooking the city. The road leading to the convent was steep and narrow with many switchbacks. The 17th century convent provided panoramic views of the city of Cartagena. Inside the convent was a beautiful courtyard. A refreshing breeze provided a refreshing escape from the hot sun outside.
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| That's a lot of bananas! |
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| Castle San Felipe de Barajas |
Continuing on, we stopped at an old prison where the cells had been converted into stalls for craft vendors. I think Josette had planned for us to stay and shop awhile, but neither of us were interested in purchasing anything. There were many different shops, but the merchandise was pretty much the same at each one.
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| Las Bovedas...bombproof vaults originally used to store ammunition, then converted to prison cells and now stores selling crafts and souvenirs. |
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| View inside one of the shops. |
Leaving the shopping area, our driver took us to the old city inside the walls built hundreds of years ago for protection against pirates and storms. Josette led us through the narrow streets providing details and information as we walked. The city reminded me of old San Juan with its colorful buildings and balconies adorned with flowers and tropical plants.
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| Standing on the wall surrounding the old city of Cartagena. |
During his port talk, CD Ryan mentioned the impressive door knockers that we would see in the city and how these told a story of who once would have lived there. A lion indicated someone with power, a mermaid would be on the home of a fisherman, etc. Bob and I got carried away taking photos of the door knockers!
Another tidbit about the doors on some of the establishments...they were VERY tall with a normal sized door cut into the bigger door. Josette explained that the large doors allowed men on horseback to enter while the smaller door was for a person walking in.
Josette took us through the San Pedro Claver church (admission was included in our tour price). In the 1600's, Cartagena was a major slave trading center and Claver, a Jesuit priest, was known for ministering to the slaves. He has been called the "slave to the slaves."
I had read that the street vendors were relentless in Cartagena (and there were many) but there weren't near as many and they weren't near as aggressive as those we encountered in Antigua.
As we were walking, we passed by a large group on a HAL tour (recognizable by the stickers on their shirts.) I was so thankful that we were spending the day alone with Josette and for probably the same price (or less). It was wonderful to be dropped off right at the places we visited and then have the driver waiting with the cool car when we were ready to leave.
At the end of our tour we were dropped off at the entrance to a free zoo of sorts right at the port. Peacocks, parrots, toucans, flamingos, monkeys, etc. all roaming free in a lush green area. There was also a small enclosure with an anteater and some very tiny deer-like animals.
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| Teeny, tiny squirrel. |
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| A peacock showing off for the female. |
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| Birdman Bob |
The Zaandam was the last of the four ships to sail away from Cartagena. It was Caribbean night at the buffet and I enjoyed the meal as much as any so far in the cruise! We ate outdoors by the pool and watched the sun set behind the skyline of Cartagena as we headed back out to sea.
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| Caribbean Dinner |
The World Stage show was "In Tandem" performed by the Step One Dancers. This was the show that had been postponed previously due to rough seas. The show began but by the end of the second number, the video screen went dark and the house lights came on with the announcement that the ship was (once again) moving too much for them to perform. Ryan came out and announced that Hank Denson was on his way to the theater and would do his comedy show in place of the dancers. Most of his material was ad lib and related to his last minute call to perform and our day in Colombia. He was a funny guy and like the other comedian on the ship, Jose Sarduy, had a surprising background...pediatric orthopedics!
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| In Tandem dance show. |
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| Comedian Hank Denson |
I was wiped out from the heat and opted for an early evening back at the cabin. We didn't even have our nightly cup of tea by the pool! We did go down to the promenade deck and walked for a bit, but it was very windy! We went half of a loop and realized the other side of the ship was being soaked with sea spray so we turned around and called it quits.
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| The lights of Cartagena. |
Being on a ship for a two-week cruise was nice. It was easier to relax and not feel the need to rush to fit everything in. Also this cruise had more sea days than average which I also enjoyed. BUT...as we turned in for the night the realization was setting in that the cruise was almost over. š
I took a tour with Dora the Explorer back in 2015. Visited same places. It was really nice. We had about 8 in our group though. You were so lucky to have just the 2 of you!
ReplyDeleteYes I agree. I was thankful that the tour wasn't cancelled since it was just the two of us. Our guide couldn't have been any nicer and she was very knowledgeable!
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