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| entrance to Cartagena harbor |
Windy morning with 34 knots blowing
from the South. 0715 we caught our pilot and entered the harbor. We
entered the harbor, rotated 180º
and tied up starboard side to the town, port side to the harbor
entrance and point of land. At 0815 we left for the adventures of
the day.
On
a one hour ride through the countryside on a very fine freeway it was
a pleasure to see large well kept farms growing fruit, vegetables,
olives, nuts and so on. This is quite a contrast to what we had been
seeing in previous stops. Up over the mountains and down into
valleys, spotting old forts and castles and different types of
terrain, all the while enjoying a commentary by our guide.
When
we arrived at Caravaca a little sprinkle came down, the first damp
day ashore? Raincoats and umbrellas came out. We transferred to a
little trolley “train” for a ride through the narrow streets and
up to the hilltop 12th century Arab fortress. This was
once guarded by the Knights Templar and the Knights of St. James.
That is because it houses a relic deemed to be a few pieces of the
original crucifixion cross of Christ. In 1617 the new Sanctuary was
begun. For more info check these links:
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| box for relics of the cross |
Then a quick trip to the museum of the festival, a stop in the
square to wander about, then off to lunch.
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| in the square |
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| in the museum of the Festival |
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| In the square |
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| museum | |
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| Cartagena scene |
Back aboard the bus we had
a quiet return to Cartagena and a cruise around the center of the
city to glimpse city life and the important buildings. By 1615 we
were back aboard and sailed at 1645.
We
were disappointed to discover there were no turkey dinner leftovers.
The crew enjoyed them.
Post
Noon report: 37º 33.38'N,
000º 59.86'W (after
leaving harbor) Distance from last port was about 240 nm. Total
distance now is 7014 nautical miles.
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| leaving port |
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