Cartagena, Columbia....and you bought what?

The old fort

We are up early to get ready to meet our tour group at 7:20 am on the pier.  We have been to Cartagena once before and did tour of the old fort and the many historical sites in the city.  So this time it was time to try something different.  We are not much for ship organized tours, but I found one that we thought would be interesting involving a canoe ride through mangrove tunnels and took us out of the crowded city for the most part.

Soon we are headed away from the port with Willy as our tour guide.  Willy said he was never going to stop talking and that was exactly correct.  He spoke good English, was very knowledgeable in the history of Cartagena, and told us more than we cover ever remember.   He was very passionate about his job as a guide.

Willie, our guide for Cartagena

Our first stop was at the foot of the old fort, Castillo de San Felipe, a fortress built by the Spanish for protection against pirates while shipping gold out to Europe.  This was meant to be just a 5-minute photo stop but it was also the first opportunity for the very aggressive vendors to try to get us to buy their wares.

I tried to ignore their efforts to lure me with jewelry, magnets, leather goods, and hats as I walked around taking photos.  But then I looked back and saw Terry with a hat on his head and dollars being handed over to one of the vendors!

Terry did buy a Panama hat and I think he looks great in it.  But now the other vendors think we are easy prey, so we hurry back onto the bus.

As we headed out of the city, we passed by Las Murallas, considered by many to be the most impressive city walls in the world. Its construction began after an attack by Sir Francis Drake at the end of the 16th century.  Willy knew all about it!

Then it was off to the mangrove tunnels located in the Virgin Mary Swamp.  We drove to a fishing village where we were greeted by Colombian dancers and the canoes we would board to travel through the mangrove tunnels.

Fishermen along the beach

Typical house in the fishing village

One shy little boy checking out the busload of tourists

Dancers greeting us

After their performance we donned life jackets and climbed into canoes.

Each canoe held 4 plus the local who stood and pushed the canoe like a gondola.

Leaving the dock

Heading across the Virgin Mary Swamp to the start of the mangrove tunnels

The swamp is very shallow

Entering the mangrove tunnels

A termite nest in the mangrove trees

At one point we stopped and watched a fisherman named Jose' pull up a crab pot full of crab and he also demonstrated how he fishes with a net by throwing it out and immediately pulling it back in.  He caught several fish with just one throw.

Meet Jose'

Throwing out the fishing net

A net full of fish

We then headed out of the mangrove tunnels and back into the open swamp.  As we passed by this home, we noticed the satellite dish on the roof!

Upon returning to the docks at the fishing village, a group of 4 dancers entertained us with a Caribbean dance as we sipped on coconut water.

Enterprising young boy trying to sell a shell he picked off the bottom of the swamp

Then it was back on the bus and we headed to a building with many, many stores.  It was time for the obligatory shopping stop, available on every ship-sponsored excursion. LOL

We were able to purchase another hat--this time a smaller version of Terry's Panama hat for our grandson.  Terry tried to buy a soccer shirt, but could not negotiate the price down to what we thought we should pay.

The shirt was a no-go in negotiations.

Back on the bus we head to the Old City where we do a short walking tour through the streets and one church.  It was quite a job for Willie to keep 39 tourists together in a group.

We stopped by the statue of Simon Bolivar--he was one of the chief liberators of the nations of South America from Spanish rule.

Simon Bolivar

Beautiful balconies along our walk

Another mode of transportation around the city.

We walked through one church and then on the other side is a statue of Pope John Paul II.  He visited Cartagena twice in the 1980's and is beloved by the people.  95% of Cartagena is Roman Catholic.

The last stop on our walking tour was where Willy recommended we buy some Columbian coffee.  Next to that stand was a vendor selling soccer shirts and this time we were successful in buying one for our grandson.

The vendors on the street continued to follow us in hopes of a sale until we stepped back onto the bus to head back to the ship.  I think it was the hat on Terry's head that led them all to us!

The endless line of buses for tour excursions.

Sailing away from Cartagena

We really enjoyed our day in Cartagena.  The canoe ride through the mangroves was a fun way to see a part of the city we had not been to before.  The weather was really hot, especially when out in the sun in the canoes--in the 90's for temperature, and also very high humidity.  Didn't care for the constant hawking by the vendors, but we do understand that selling to tourists is the way they try to make some money.  If they would just take "no" for an answer....

Next up.......the transit through the Panama Canal.