INTO CARTAGENA

April 11, 2017

A short stop today – docked at 0800, all aboard at 1430, and sail away at 1500.  It would have been nice to have stayed longer, but we were back on at 1300.

Weather was beautiful in Cartagena.  We went into the Roman Theater which we had visited the last time here.  They have done more work on it, and it was even more magnificent.  We were standing on one of the upper levels – didn’t feel like trying the stairs down and up – and were listening to a man down on the stage talking to his wife who was standing near us.  Speaking in a normal voice, we heard every word. Incredible acoustics.  Modern electrical equipment couldn’t do better.  We rode the elevator back down the museum lobby – a museum has been cleverly built around the ruins – hoping there would be a passage out into the theater floor, but there was none.

There was evidence in the city that they are getting ready for the Good Friday parade.  We saw it two years ago in Civitavecchia, and are looking forward to seeing it again.  Spectacular display of the events of Good Friday which features what we would call floats, marchers, and actors, and a couple of bands.

I think you probably heard me complain that the man we had reserved the apartment with had not contacted me while we were in Augusta, so I reserved a hotel, just in case.  Lo and behold, yesterday he emailed me and asked me if we were still coming.  I told him we certainly are (because it is $30 a day cheaper to stay with him than in the hotel, and 3 rooms instead of one – plus a kitchen to do some cooking).  That was a pleasant surprise.  He told me that there is someone currently in the apartment, but they will be out at 11 and we can have the keys at 11:30.  We will have a bit of a wait after getting off the ship, but it will work out well.

The Westerdam Singers and Dancers did a show tonight called “Enchantment” which was a mash of Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Alice in Wonderland.  Very good.

Well, I need to rehearse for my last talk tomorrow for this cruise, so I will turn the keyboard over to She Who Must Be Obeyed for the next chapter of War and Peace.

TTFN

Well, good evening one and all. It is 9:30 and our next to last night. Tomorrow we must pack. We sent out our last bag of laundry this morning and should get it back hopefully in the morning tomorrow.

Today we arose at 7 and showered and dressed. By the time we were up and ready we were docked and the all ashore speech had been given. We went to breakfast and I opted for a bowl of frosted flakes and tomato juice.  After breakfast we headed out to the town. It was a short walk. We headed to the Roman theater first because he wanted see it again. They have added some stuff and it is a nice spot to see. Unfortunately the steps inside the actual ruin are very steep and there are no hand rails. There are probably 15 or so steps down to the stage area and I knew I could not make the trek. So we stayed up top and enjoyed the view from there.

After leaving the theater, we decided to walk down the street into the middle of the town. As you walk there are side streets that go off every couple hundred feet or so. It would be impossible to see everything so we stayed on what appeared to be the main walking street. We stopped in some shops and picked up some post cards and other stuff. I bought a new wallet in a store called “Ale-Hop” that had a large black and white cow standing in the door way. We took a picture. The store had all kinds of stuff and was fun to look around inside. We walked on down and found a church that was open, it was a very old church that had been there since the 1400's. It had beautiful paintings and statues. A lot of the statutes that are usually high up in places on the walls were down on the floor and I am sure it was because they would be used in the parade on Friday.

David found a wi-fi spot and checked the emails because he had not been able to get on the internet before we left. (Poor Mac! didn’t like the spaghetti and there was no one there to make him some soup rice.) Again there were numerous shoe store. We looked in one store that had  every style and kind of phone and tablet covers imaginable. There must have been over a thousand. He was looking for a mouse pad because he had forgotten his. I checked out a candy store where it was 13.90 euros for a kilogram, that is about $7 a pound. Didn’t see anything that struck my fancy.

We had walked pretty far, and remember how ever far you walk out you must walk back, so we finally turned around and headed back. At the end of the day today we have walked about 5 miles. I had my pedometer on today.

Here are some other things we saw as we walked. At the very beginning of our walk there was a man dressed up that had no head. He is one of the people that stand like statues, but he waved when we waved to him. It was funny because right behind where he was standing laying on the ground was a large model of a head. We also passed a table outside one of the innumerable cafes along the street where a large company of the ships crew was seated, Officers and such. We asked them who was tending the ship and they said they left the captain in charge. Funny.

When we got back to the theater we were going to go see the model of the first submarine that was made in Cartegena but it was a pretty far way off and we were both tired. It was after 12:30 and we were ready to go back on board.  As we walked back we passed one our fellow passengers, a young woman in an itty bitty pair of white shorts, taking a picture of her young daughter , about 3 or so, with the ship in the background. David offered to take a picture of the lady with her little girl and she accepted. The little girl was sitting in a small stroller and on the first picture was sitting like Maggie Rose often sits and her Mom asked if he could do another picture with her sitting like a lady. I had to laugh. We have seen her and the little girl on the ship before.

We made it safely back on the ship, went to our cabin to deposit our stuff and headed for the Lido deck. He had a hamburger and I had a taco salad. We both enjoyed some ice cream afterwards. Then, we went to deck 3 to play a hand of cards. After he beat me again, we went to the room as it was approaching 2 and naptime. WE napped and totally missed the all aboard and sailing away. After we awoke we dressed for supper and headed up to deck 2 to check out the evening menu because if we didn’t like it, we were going to the Lido deck. It seemed to be okay so we sat down and played some cards. Finally I am in the lead, 7/6.  We will see where I am when we get home.

We went to supper and were seated at a table in the front of the dining room beside a window. It was a table for ten, not our favorite size, but there were only a total of 7 and the waiter was very good. We sat with one couple we already knew and 3 new people. It was a good table and enjoyable conversation. The gentleman seated beside me had been drafted back in 68 and had been sent to Fort Gordon to train. He had been a military police man. He said when he was there that the fort was not very much. I told him he wouldn’t recognize it now.

Supper was pasta and tomato sauce with turkey ( I didn’t eat the turkey).The pasta was good. I had cauliflower soup and marinated vegetables for appetizers, then pineapple crisp and vanilla ice cream for dessert. Off to the show which was really good.

It is interesting that this ship going into dry dock for a complete over haul. They have actually started doing some of the work as we travel. There is a stateroom at the end of our hall that they have removed all the furniture, torn down inside of the walls and removed the carpet and are fixing it as we travel. We were told there will be all new carpet and furniture all over the ship.

Well, I had better go so he can send this. Looking forward to being in Civi??? soon and touring around Italy.

Love, Mom,Granny and Bonnie