Life on the Chica Bus

Even as cruisers we still succumb to tourist stuff like seeing the city on the Chica buses. These are crazy painted open-air buses whose operators swear they speak great English, but once the tour started we couldn't understand a word. No worries, just sit back and enjoy the ride. With the music blasting (typical Latin style) you can't hear the tour guide anyway.

Phil and Monica, our friends from Miss Molly, were the perfect couple for a  Chica bus tour. Their wry English sense of humor made the day.

First stop on the tour, Boca Grande, home of the rich and famous. Ever wonder where all that Columbian drug money goes?

The view looking south from the convent on top of the hill. While we were typically in a more affluent areas of Cartagena, Columbia is still a very poverty ridden country.

The Patron Saint of Columbia, La Virgen de la Candelaria, at the Convent de la Popa.

Inside the chapel at Convento de la Popa.

We finally found an English speaking tour guide (off another tour bus).

With waterside forts covering all the sea entrances to Cartagena, the town was still vulnerable to land attack from the north. In the 1536 the Spanish constructed a massive fort, The Castle San Felipe de Barajas, to protect its last vulnerable point.

The Castle is in remarkably good condition with many of the original cannon still in place. Pity the poor pirate who though they could sneak around the back of Cartagena and attack.

The Castle is honeycombed with a series of tunnels leading to gun ports and munitions storage. Would be a great place to play hide and seek.

The angle of the walls was carefully calculated to lessen the impact of incoming cannon fire.

An intrepid group of cruisers: Walter, Meryl, Linda, and Harry.

The huge Columbian flag is a popular place to get your photo taken.

One of the more popular tourist activities is touring the Old Town via horse drawn carriage during the twilight hours.

We couldn't resist.