Cartagena, Columbia

All I knew about Columbia was coffee, drugs and crime. Our ship arrived late for whatever reason and we weren’t allowed to disembark until 12:30. That was disappointing because for once there was actually a lot to see and do at this port. We teamed up with another couple from California and negotiated a taxi fare of $5 per person to go to the walled old town, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was beautiful with brightly coloured buildings, interesting architecture and wonderful views of the harbour. What spoiled the beauty for both of us was the persistent street sellers and beggars, mostly young children asking for one dollar. The street hawkers also followed us offering to get us a taxi, provide a walking tour, or special discounts at the many emerald shops. It was non-stop and frustrating to the point where I yelled “NO GRACIAS” at one of the sellers and he was actually taken aback by my response!

The temperature was 33 and the humidity felt like 100%. JS doesn’t tolerate the heat and in short order he was whining about wanting to go back to the ship. He stopped at an outdoor cafe so he could buy a beer for $6 but by this time was too frustrated to figure out how the internet worked. The beggars and sellers came right into the cafe so there was no relief from them. There were quiet air conditioned restaurants we could have stopped at so I don’t understand why he didn’t chose that option. I was able to convince him to sit in the shade while I browsed a couple of the artisan and emerald shops. The Colombian craftwork was beautiful but expensive and would take up too much room in my luggage. Emeralds are mined here but they were also expensive and there was too much haggling involved even for me. I did enjoy a small artisan market and bought a couple of items.

JS was getting anxious that we would miss the boat even though we had well over an hour to spare. There was another passenger removed from the ship for medical reasons so the departure was again slightly delayed. I’ve come to the conclusion that JS ought to limit his travels to temperate climates; where only English is spoken; must have no poverty; and doesn’t require planes, trains or ships. Surprisingly, for once he actually agreed with me! Must have been the heat exhaustion.Read more