After all manner of family drama disrupting dinner last night, and resulting in us spending several hours on the phone and then eating dinner in the buffet restaurant, today has been somewhat more calm. There were still phone calls throughout the day, and the prospect of all sorts of mayhem when we get home, but at least we got to walk around Cartagena together – so there’s that.
I’m going to be entirely honest – I had never heard of Cartagena before our arrival early this morning, and was quite surprised following the most bizarre dream in recent memory to wake up, gaze through the window, and see a huge port surrounding us.
Before heading out I made my way to breakfast alone, and found myself sitting among several tables having almost the same conversation as each other – essentially playing top-trumps with the places around the world they had “done”, and the cruise lines they had used to “do them”. How on earth you can learn anything about a place, it’s people, culture, history, or customs while hopping ashore for half a day is beyond me. I left just as they were pivoting towards everything that was wrong with the ship and cruise line we were on – wondering quite how narrow their view of the world had become.
Back in the real world, the predicted differences between North Africa, and mainland Europe were as stark as I had imagined – with the Bazaars replaced by paved streets, chain stores, cafes, restaurants, no children trying their luck, and no moustachioed store owners standing in the street trying out every language they could to entice you in.
Cartagena was beautiful.
After disembarking, while rounding a harbour filled with sailing boats, a military submarine, and an impressive obelisk bedecked with statues, we were passed by all manner of people out for their morning run, walking dogs, buying newspapers, or whatever else it is Spanish people do early on a Sunday morning. It was nice to just relax and just wander quietly – without being sold to, escorted, or followed. We also managed to avoid a number of tour groups by exercising a simple super-power – walking fairly quickly.
The main street extends throughout the city, flanked by all manner of shops – no doubt opening earlier than normal for the sudden influx of potential customers (three cruise ships had arrived in the night – I’m pretty sure one of them was filled with Americans – not sure about the other one). We bought presents for the kids, explored a Roman amphitheatre, and went a little “off the beaten track” to find a recommended vegetarian tapas bar.
Later in the day we amused ourselves greatly sitting at a bar opposite a huge church which was obviously hosting a family wedding. Their arrival outside the church was foretold by two twenty-something young men in suits – obviously from each side of the family – planted to direct family members into and out of the church. During the minutes before everybody arrived they disappeared for some time – re-appearing with beers from the bar opposite – strategically hidden behind the stone columns of the church exterior.
Some time later the families and friends began pouring from the church into the street – surrounding a Bentley waiting in the street – young men in sharp suits, young women in incredible dresses, and the aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, friends, and so on. The sun broke through the cloudy morning for them, and I couldn’t help smiling. I love weddings. We spent some time guessing who each group leaving the church might be – who might meet, and whose weddings might follow.
We eventually made our way back aboard the boat, dropped our things in the room, and headed for the pool – taking our chance to have a dip before the masses returned. It was kind of lovely – but also comical. Cruise ship pools are perhaps only five or six metres long. I probably thirty lengths before retreating for a lemonade, and a catch up on email.
Tomorrow we arrive in Gibraltar before setting out on the long journey home. We’ve visited Gibraltar before – twenty five years ago. We’ve climbed to the top of the rock, taken photos with the monkeys, and descended into the war caves. I can’t imagine any of those things will have changed – so we’ll probably just go for a wander.
I like wandering, rather than being led. You never know what you’ll find, or what adventures you might have until you step outside the door. I think somebody rather famous started a book with almost those words.
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