cartagena colombia

This was our last excursion before heading home. 

It was the HOTTEST day.

We look cool and calm now.

 We went to Castillo San Felip de Barajas (an iconic fortress with tunnels)

that's a quote from on line).

 Of course, everywhere are vendors. So many hats. If I thought I would wear one again back home, I would buy one. I just knew I wouldn't. It's too windy back home.

I'll stick to vacations to wear my hat. 

 Such a beautiful view from way up at the fortress.

 Columbia's flag

 Nice picture of Fred here I say.

 Not exactly a great looking place.

The tour guide took us down through a tunnel. 

It was suffocating. I really thought I was going to lose it.

I'm not claustrophobic, but there was no oxygen in there. 

It was hot and there had been probably hundreds of other people down there before us.

Plus it was so dang hot outside. I was sweating and it was disgusting.

Not a highlight that I will recall from our trip.

I was glad when we got out of there and back to the nice cool tour bus.

It's hard to believe soldiers ever had to inhabit that place. 

 Next was a tour of a historical area. Called the Walled City of Cartagena.

 The colors were quite beautiful. 

 Beautiful hanging vines of flowers.

 So many bright colors.

 I figured out this was their movie theatre - you think?

 LOVED THIS BLUE building.

 So I see these three ladies posing with this young mother and I think a few kids.

I didn't get there fast enough to snap a shot.

So I stop them and ask to take a picture, but I don't want to be in it.

They agree happily. I start to walk away and one of them stops me and puts out her hand.

I have to flag Fred down because I don't carry any money.

He gives me a dollar bill. The lady points to her two friends.

What the heck. What a scam. I felt stupid. 

Anyway I guess that's how they make their living. 

They do look spectacular though don't they.

 I don't know the names of the next two places we went so you will just have to enjoy looking.

 This was some type of museum.

These are all gold pieces.

 Made me think of the days of the Book of Mormon.

 Statue of Christopher Columbus in the Plaza de la Aduana 

Goodbye Columbia. 

Days at sea & Panama Canal

I should be ashamed and I am.

This was a Panama Canal Cruise and my phone has no actual pictures of the locks

 and very few of the Canal.

Fred planted himself out on the front of the ship in a nice spot at the crack of dawn and spent most of the day out there. I went out and watched a bit, but not much.

What pictures I did take, weren't very good so I deleted them. 

 These pictures are from the ship on the days we were at sea before we got to the Canal. 

 I don't know where this is? 

 We have a selfie stick. We are always working on the angle of our heads.

 And our expressions. I have an easier time because I'm not holding the camera. 

 The clouds on this days were really beautiful. 

Now we are at the Canal. The landscape along the Canal was so lush and beautiful.

 I took these pictures from our balcony.

 Felt a little bit like the Shipyard and Seattle shoreline.

 I took this picture for Scott. 

San Juan Del Sur Nicaragua

Today was Nicaragua. I cannot pronounce Nicaragua. 

Sitting looking at the word I can, but not without it.

It's a tongue twister.

Here we are waiting in the Theatre for the go ahead to hit the gangway to catch our tour bus.

Me and my hat. Love that hat.

 First stop was this old church.

 I don't remember any details.

 I was impressed with my cell phone camera on these outdoor pics.

The inside was pretty beat up.

 My camera was not as impressive with the indoor pictures.

 There were more figures of Christ, but I didn't take pictures of those.

They weren't uplifting at all.

Next we went out to a plantation of sorts.

They had these cute dancers. 

 It was hard to get good pictures of them facing the right direction.

 These are two volcanos.

 This is not ocean water. It is a lake.

Fred wanted to touch the water.

 This is back at the bay before getting back on the ship.

 It was pretty hot today. 

 There is our ship and the Princess ship we originally booked for this cruise.

 Back to O'Sheehans our favorite place for eating on board when we didn't want to dress up.

They had lots of options for eating when we didn't want to stuff ourselves. 

 Documenting our first time EVER to get in the pool onboard a cruise ship.