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TRAVEL REPORT
by Diane Putnam
REPORT ON TRIP TO CARTEGENA. September 2006
The long awaited day arrived and we left early in the morning for our final destination.
Colin from Tin Lizzie had organised the trip for us.
By late morning we arrived at the Civil War Museum. These were caves built into the hillside and people took refuge in these Air Raid shelters during the Civil War bombings. They actually managed to keep schools running in this building. There were lots of photos depicting the events, and also a video. It did seem cramped, and rather warm, so we were glad finally to get out into the fresh air, and travel up in the Panoramic lift for some magnificent views of hills on three sides, and the large working harbour.
We then walked to our lunch venue and indulged ourselves in a splendid four course lunch with wine (the first of many enjoyable meals).
After lunch we checked into the hotel, which is excellently situated near the seafront and the main street. We went down to the port to see the ´Roman Army´ landing. They then marched to the site where the Great Battle was fought, rather timidly, I thought. But no-one actually got hurt. It was all good fun. We went to a bar close to where the evening Victory Parade was taking Place. In fact it was so close some Roman centurions came to sit on the table next to us. They seemed to know a lot about English football teams! That Parade lasted for a couple of hours, and we went back to the hotel to ready ourselves for the next day.
After a hefty breakfast we went to see the House of Fortune. This is not a gambling establishment, but the remains of a house built during the Roman Empire. There were footings for many rooms for this well off family, paintings and mosaics and a half decent road outside with a sophisticated drainage system for waste. We still have a septic tank outside our villa! That evening there was another parade, The Grand Parade of Troops and Legions. Well, first there was an elephant! We saw all the troops and legions, families, children, camels, horses and much more. We were given sweets and wine by the travelling troops.
The following morning we went to see a section of the defensive Punic Wall, and the Crypt of San Jose, these two constructions separated by nearly two thousand years, with nothing to link them except the same location.
After that some of us went to the military Museum. We could have spent more time there as there were many guns, a tank and the largest collection of models of vehicles and guns. All models collected by one man.
After lunch we went on the tourist boat for a trip round the harbour. This circular tour gives a completely different view of Cartagena and its defenses. We then collected our cases for the homeward journey.
We got a flavour of this industrial town, but there was plenty that we did not see. It is well worth another visit.
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