Finally the "real" time for tourism rang: the carriage ride, done, the remarkable
door of the Torre del Reloj (Clock Tower ) in which we enter the city every night,
also done . We decide to pursue. Twelve kilometers of ramparts that surround the
old city are well suited to a morning visit and allow you to discover the perks tourist
streets. The bus terminal, street vendors , the South American atmosphere resurfaces
in the suburbs of the city , you just need to depart from two or three streets to
find a less “sanitized” Cartagena.
The tour of typically touristic sites is dispatched
in a morning: the convent of Santo Domingo with its panoramic view , Fort San Felipe
with excessive fortifications and old cannons, and a strange sculpture of bronze
zapatillas where every tourist wipes his sweat in the time for a photo. Nicer and
less crowded, it’s time for a rest in the few museums (free) that surround a nice
shady place. Conditioning of modern art museum is more valuable than the very very
special works it houses, but it’s especially the gold museum that attracts us. Tiny
statuettes formed 2000 years before always leave wondering about the ability of these
people to work the material precisely and finely compared with European techniques
even 1000 years later...
Official Tourist box checked, we wander randomly to suit
the mood of the photographer drew from street to street by his watchful eye. Thus
we take a Sunday morning the market direction, the real one, guaranteed with no tourist
!
We are the only non-
Rare and very
significant fact, the camera is here extraordinary sesame to invite in place. The
mood is very happy, and after being a little prayed, the photographed people return
Bruno from stall to stall, making us travel the full market according to their family
and friendship ties. The smiles are genuine, and even some refractory (including
super mama who sells coal) let coaxed by a bottle of water or seeing the result on
the tiny screen of the device. It is teeming with noise, life, Colombian people delighted
with our visit or with this beautiful Sunday morning, impudent kids, stylish teenagers,
tired grannies selling everything in this colorful bazaar. The meat is in the form
of very long and fleshy pink sausages, stacks of local fruits and vegetables are
associated with strawberries and grapes imported from Peru, the gleaming hodgepodge
kitchenware gives way to spice boxes for perfumes miles, multicolored plastic knick-
Only tourists on
the horizon, however no feeling of insecurity touches us in this popular area, close
to the old city profusely protected. It's time to enjoy!
Fusing ourselves with immediate
pleasure in this environment so far from our comfortable boat lives, we fill the
thrill of discovery and adventure just a short distance from the "tourist area ".
200% colombiano time for a ride full of charm !
After this enchanted visit, the memory comes back: Cartagena was theoretically a
refueling stop on the road and weather to Belize. So when finally the lull is announced
in the uninterrupted breath of trade winds of February, we decide to sail without
delay, eager to discover what looks like the advertised "lake version" of the Caribbean
Sea.
With 900 miles ahead of us, no need to switch to the Pacific for doing miles
! About 5 days + 5 nights (or 6 days, as Bruno said, I can trust him…) to 7 knots.
A
last sunset on the buildings of Cartagena, a last evening in the old town, a last
warm marina night without air. Everything is ready ! Yogurt, chocolate creams, and
home cooked lentils (with smell of cooking ideal for sea preparation at teatime),
pizzas and lasagna to freeze unexpectedly, seasick pills handy (we never know, maybe
be the Northwest road is not better than the East...). Movies in the iPad, shoals
recorded on the electronic chart (there are full on the way that is better to avoid...),
hard motivation, it should be okay !
Adios Cartagena, and thank you for sharing these
treasures !
* Tapimar, Tapicero Profesional, Juan Luis Vargas Durango, 311-
To access to the pictures album of the news : click here
To access to the Best Of pictures of the news : click here
Cartagena de Indias , technical and touristic stop, colorful
Mid-
From
a reliable source, the port of Cartagena ideally located on the road of the West
Indies occupied a prominent place in the history of world exploration. The gold coming
from the pillage of Aztec and Inca neighbors empires, and emerald mines buried in
the nearby mountains, brought a rich and sulfur breath to the citadel. Pirates and
adventurers of all kinds (English, French...) coveted and regularly attacked the
Spanish bastion in the past.
A must stop for “all-
The
front wind thrills Thetys getting again the better of our marine capabilities. Fortunately
the reward is at the “rendez-
The arrival in the vast
bay of Cartagena is magical. Skyscrapers of the Bocagrande peninsula sparkle in the
sun, playing our eyes with colored roofs of the old city listed as world heritage
by UNESCO. Thetys slips into the anchorage of the marina at only a short distance
from the towering ramparts that protect the old citadel.
Our pirates’ souls wake up,
quickly feeling better with a good slice of pizza eaten on a high color place in
the old center.
After a first night of recovery at anchor, the comfort of the marina seems more suited
to city life. Although priorities are discussed (...), "provisioning" and "odd jobs"
will undoubtedly be a lot of activity here, in addition to tourism. Access Thetys
by a simple footbridge (even shaky) will greatly simplify our lives. And we make
no mistake, the past two months in the San Blas and future trip Belize -
Surprise, our Carthaginian stay begins with unexpected reunion. Our
slaps that show service trample the banks towards our first evening on land when
we see Houbara majestically parked at the end of pier at the neighboring Club de
Pesca. Their Sunreef catamaran of 82 feet is too long ! René and Paulette are on
board, met last year on the occasion of a remarkable evening on a lost and windy
tiny island of the southern Cuban coast. We celebrate in the bubbles and smiles this
unlikely event , which once again proves that the earth is round ... And enjoying
at fair value all class and care taken to dinner by their Belgian crew , Anton and
Clémentine .
More convenient and much less romantic, we warmly get down to the "to do list". Coming
into Colombian papers are managed by a single interlocutor, an agent who embarks
passports and boat papers leaving us just a visiting card ...
That done, let’s go
for the festivities: two diesel tanks filled, two engines drained, two hulls scraped,
new cushions for the helm stations, a clean mast, a jib newly screwed, stainless
steel shining in the scorching sun of Cartagena. The sky is bright blue in the morning,
there is apparently no cumulus clouds in the Colombian azure... By late morning the
fan boat is at work. Especially the little air that comes from the city brings us
more dust than fresh... Fortunately dock water flows at will for Bruno, beginning
his daily struggle against the ocher dust covering the city and Thetys.
While I battle
with internet: weather forecast, administrative things, updating our website...,
Bruno does not even stop to breathe. As a result, the technical todolist narrows
at high speed. The ship’s boy is effective and not stingy with perspiration ! The
canvas guy* makes us a great job, smile appears under drops of sweat!
Essential step
in any good stop self-
The checkout beats all records: 2.8 million pesos, our
best score in six years around the world ! At the height of the budget, kindness
and service are included, and a trolley crack driver brings all back to the boat,
jumping merrily pitfalls along the dock, and stopping in extremis before our balanced
footbridge. Do we have enough for three months this time ?
All these tasks duly paid daily with the care that characterizes us (Bruno is watching
you...), parties are break synonymous ! At a time when the blazing sun dips behind
the towers of the Peninsula, tinting in red the anchorage ruffled by gusts from end
of the day, we discover the atmosphere of the streets of Cartagena.
Bocagrande neighborhood
and its buildings have no charm, this does not stop us from still enjoying an evening
at Carbon de Palo, excellent meat table where a pitcher of sangria sends us into
orbit.
Between eateries, great restaurants, salsa tunes and drinks, we meet Gonzalo,
atypical Spanish guy who invites us for dinner at his sister’s home. Taking us to
the game and unusual opportunistic encounters typical for “all-
Our other evenings are spent exclusively in the old town, well protected with the ramparts. To locate a little the neighborhood we treat ourselves to a big city tour by horse carriage, which brings us back from several centuries. In the rhythm of hooves and the honed, imperturbable and monotone speech of our driver, we perceive the surrounding charm: wood hanging balconies, orange torches that illuminate the cobbled streets where pedestrians stroll to the sound of music wafting from bars and restaurants. Old wooden doors open onto patios renovated with care and taste, Colombian people apparently have nothing to learn from the rest of the world in terms of decoration. Elegantly mixing modern textures, old stones, antique wooden floors, or wrought iron that shine under the indirect lighting of multiple candles, each entry is an invitation to discover the talents of creative and qualified “chefs”. The contrast between the classic Colombian postcard of dusty coca fields and this lovely old Spanish town redesigned with style and elegance challenges us. Cartagena is the opposite of the image we had of Colombia.
Untimely reminder of the 21st century, the yellow Japanese taxis sized yoghurt pots
plying the narrow streets honk to attract customers. But tourists are in a strolling
mood, enjoying by feet each colorful place by the time for having a drink on the
terrace listening to the street musicians, or buying some souvenirs on carpets that
cover the chipped steps of dry up fountains : bracelets and ivory colored panama
are apparently conventional souvenirs from Colombia!