This was a short day in Cartagena. We were in port from 8 to
1.
We walked off the ship at 10:30 and took a 45 minute cruise
off the harbor on a large catamaran. It was short but sweet. I read about it on
the internet and wondered how we would locate the right boat. It turns out there
is an information booth right out on the dock. The gal at the booth gave us a
map and an information sheet and circled the place where the harbor boat docks.
It cost 6 Euros each for pensioners.
After we got on board, the pilot caught a squid over the side of the boat and cooked it on a grill.
Unfortunately, no one seemed to be hungry. We had just eaten breakfast.
Cartagena is one of my favorite ports. When we come back, we
plan to walk up the hill to the archeological museum which is next to the
castle.
On the harbor cruise, we saw the fortifications on either
side of the entrance that were built to bar Napoleon’s navy. Plus there are
concrete bunkers where guns were placed in WWI and II. We sailed by a secluded
public beach not too far from the city. And, we saw the Spanish Navy’s training
center for divers and parachutists from a distance. It’s off limits to
civilians.
I have “Silver Linings Playbook” playing on the TV right
now. The first part of the movie is mostly screaming and arguing. The movie
theater on this ship is really small but the movies are shown on TV the next
day so we just wait to see them in our room. Today’s movie is “Zero Dark Thirty”.
Yesterday, they showed “Les Miserables”. They have also shown “Jack Reacher”,
“Argo”, “Quartet” and “Hyde Park on Hudson”. Silver Linings is not one of my
favorites. I do like Argo and will probably watch that again. I didn’t get a
chance to see Quartet yet, but it’s popular on the ship.
The movie theater is underwhelming but the Main Stage amphitheater
is the best and most comfortable showroom that I have seen on Holland America.
The chairs are good and have adequate leg room. The shows have all been
worthwhile. The ship may be less than full as the showroom always has some
seats available.
That evening we had the dessert extravaganza and then we had the Towel Animal Zoo the next day.
