Cartagena, Colombia

 

Welcome to Cartagena in the state of Bolivar, Colombia.  I first learned of Cartagena while working in a Cerro Matoso nickel smelter 400 km to the south at Montilibano, Cordoba, in 2011. While I, hard working and dedicated to the job of demolishing the nickel furnace, stayed behind to get the job done, many of my compatriots were able to take time off and visit their wives or girlfriends (or both) at the colonial city of Cartagena.  Thirteen years later, I resolved to finally check this box on my bucket list and spend a few weeks exploring northern Colombia.

This is the infamous "Clock Tower" which divided the "old city" from Getsemani. Inside the walls of the old city are quality restaurants and gift shops and scores of hustlers doing what they do best. Expect lots cuban cigars, sombreros and also cocaine and "weed". Be on full alert, especially at night.

For excursions, day trips to the nearby Rosario Islands are readily available where you can enjoy a peaceful day in a shady palapa with food and drink.  Note that snorkeling is fun but hardly measures up to other areas I have been in the Caribbean and especially at the Farasan Islands in the Red Sea.

There is no shortage of food and drink in Cartagena.

Sunset cruises with dinner, drinks and dancing are fun and entertaining. The girls are not hard on the eyes either!

Unfortunately, like most of the world now, Colombia's beaches are heavily contaminated with plastic waste.

 Hello Dear Readers,

Forgive me a five year hiatus; I wrapped up my work in Saudi Arabia or rather Covid put an end to it and I found myself back at home in Canada.  There, I busied myself with work at home, at the farm and with consulting at the local lead smelter. I managed to complete my novel, "The Story of Dick Fry" and published it on Amazon.

The Story of Dick Fry: The fascinating account of Richard Fry and his exploits onthe wild frontiers of Washington, Idaho and British Columbia in the 1850’s –1890’s: Nichol, Kevin: 9798871447000: Books - Amazon.ca

 Facebook

That said, and with travel advisories lifting post-covid, I will go back to posting blogs of my travels.

Costantinople and The Road to Rome

August 8, 2018 (exactly 52 years after I came into this world), and I find myself walking the roads to Rome once again.  This time its the streets of Istanbul for four days and three nights, a slight reprieve from my work in Saudi Arabia, now in its third year.  

Two and half years of work in the Middle East and half because of laziness and half because that's just what you do in the Middle East, I have grown my beard out.

Istanbul is a modern city with sixteen million inhabitants and nearly as many tourists. Fortunately I nailed it by booking a hotel in Fatih, in the old city district of Sultanahme, which just happens to be where everything I needed was.  This is Ayasofya, one of two major mosques and my hotel was right beside it.

This is the world famous blue mosque which is right across the square from Ayasofya.

Shoes off in the blue mosque!

Nearly three years in the Middle East and the habit of smoking shisha has definitely become a daily one, even while visiting Istanbul.

Blue Mosque

Grand Bazaar, only about 15 minutes walk from the Ayasofya and Blue Mosque, and moments on the tram which is super easy to use.

The Blue Mosque dominates the landscape in Fatih.

The Burned Column of Constantinople

One of many tourist attractions, the Basilica Cistern was an ancient Roman water reservoir, only recently discovered below the streets of Istanbul.  I descended into the darkness to discover hundred of Roman columns, two of which used the heads of Medusa as pedestal bases and likely re-used and recycled from some other Roman Project.

One of the pulpits in AyaSofya

The Blue mosque in the back ground, taken from a window of AyaSofya in the foreground.

A ferry where the sea of Marmara meets with the Bosphorus Straight

Istiklal, one of many famous streets in Istanbul, especially for tourists looking for high end name brands.

Istanbul's metro is cheap and easy to navigate.

Narry a day passed that I didn't partake in the use of the water pipe.

Fresh shave and a haircut, ready to return to work  :)

Roasted ears of corn is sold on most street corners for 3 Lyra (75 cents Canadian)

More wandering in the Grand Bazaar

A peak at the Sea of Marmara to the south of Istanbul

Best lentil soup ever!

Traditional apple, blue berry or regular tea is served just about everywhere

About 5 miles to the west of Fatih by tram, I discovered the abandoned Walls of Constantine, the old Roman fortified walls which used to surround Constantinople.

Last day in Istanbul and I spent a great deal of it wandering the Topkapi Palace, former home (1478ish) of The Sultan Mehmet the Conquerer.

I spent some time exploring his harem as well...

My final meal in Istanbul was a traditional Testi Kpap which is a clay pot cooked in a fire with a really nice chicken (or lamb) stew.  MMmmmmm!