Cartagena (1), Columbia 卡塔赫纳，哥伦比亚
December 14, 2025
After a day at sea, we arrived in Cartagena, Colombia, marking the completion of the second leg of our cruise. This visit felt long overdue. Back in 2023, we had canceled a planned trip to the city the night before departure due to safety concerns arising from widespread national demonstrations. Since then, we had always hoped to return and finally experience Colombia.
Our original plan was to disembark here and continue traveling through the country, but later we decided to add a third segment to the cruise instead, turning the journey into a round trip from Fort Lauderdale back to Fort Lauderdale.
On our first day in Cartagena, we explored independently. As soon as we entered the cruise terminal, we were greeted by a vibrant and surprisingly large aviary inside the terminal grounds. Flamingos, toucans, macaws, peacocks, and many other birds were everywhere, creating a lively and welcoming atmosphere. We were eager to get started, though, so we did not linger long on our way out.
We hired a taxi to visit Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, the largest and most important Spanish fortress ever built in the Americas. The fort played a critical role in defending Cartagena from repeated attacks, including major British assaults, and its survival helped ensure that much of South America remained Spanish-speaking rather than English-speaking. The fortress features steep ramps and an extensive network of tunnels, ingeniously designed for defense and communication. From the top, we enjoyed sweeping panoramic views of the city—an unforgettable sight. It was absolutely worth the visit.
Rather than continuing sightseeing under the midday heat, we returned to the ship for lunch and a short nap. On the way back, we spent more time in the terminal “zoo,” lingering among the birds and enjoying the playful interactions we had skipped earlier.
After resting, we ventured out again to explore the Old City. Our main stop was Iglesia de San Pedro Claver, one of the most important historic churches in Cartagena—both architecturally and morally. We hired a guide who walked us through the church and its history. San Pedro Claver, canonized in 1888, devoted his life to caring for enslaved Africans arriving in Cartagena’s port. His remains rest beneath the main altar and can be seen through a glass coffin, making the visit deeply moving.
We then walked along the city walls and visited several other sites. Although the Old City was crowded with tourists, we felt comfortable and safe strolling through its lively streets.
At 4:00 p.m., we joined a guided walking tour that offered more historical background and context for the Old City. The tour later took us to Getsemaní, a vibrant neighborhood just outside the city walls, known for its colorful streets, restaurants, and bars.
After the tour, we found a lovely restaurant to celebrate Chenggang’s birthday, creating a memory that will stay with us forever. Following dinner, we walked back toward the Old City. The Christmas lights were fully lit, and the streets were filled with both locals and tourists. The atmosphere was festive, energetic, and truly magical.
We lingered for a while before heading back, grateful that we were staying overnight. It was a perfect way to end a long-anticipated day in Cartagena.
2025年12月14日
在经历了一整天的海上航行之后，我们抵达了哥伦比亚的卡塔赫纳（Cartagena），这也标志着我们邮轮旅程第二段的结束。这次到访对我们来说有着特殊意义。早在2023年，我们原本计划前往这座城市，但由于全国范围内爆发大规模示威、出于安全考虑，在起飞前一晚临时取消了行程。自那以后，我们一直惦记着再回来，完成这趟哥伦比亚之旅。
最初的邮轮计划是从卡塔赫纳下船，继续深入哥伦比亚旅行；后来我们改变了主意，增加了邮轮行程的第三段，将整个旅程调整为从劳德代尔堡出发、再返回劳德代尔堡的往返航线。
抵达卡塔赫纳的第一天，我们决定自由活动。刚进入邮轮码头，就被码头内一个充满生机的鸟类园区震撼到了：火烈鸟、巨嘴鸟、金刚鹦鹉、孔雀等各种鸟类随处可见，整个空间热闹而富有活力。不过当时我们急着外出，并没有在入口处停留太久。
我们乘坐出租车前往圣费利佩·巴拉哈斯城堡（Castillo San Felipe de Barajas）。这座城堡是西班牙在美洲修建的规模最大、也是最重要的军事要塞，在历史上成功抵御过英军的进攻。某种程度上也正是因为这样的防御体系，南美洲大部分地区才延续了西班牙语，而不是英语。城堡内部坡道陡峭，地下隧道四通八达，设计极为巧妙。从制高点俯瞰，全城景色尽收眼底，视野极佳，绝对值得一访。
中午时分，我们没有继续顶着酷热游览，而是返回船上用午餐、小憩片刻，避开最热的时段。回船途中，我们特意在码头的“动物园”多停留了一会儿，近距离欣赏并“互动”了那些色彩斑斓的鸟儿，弥补了早上匆匆而过的遗憾。
短暂休息后，我们再次出发，前往老城。第一站是圣佩德罗·克拉维尔教堂（San Pedro Claver）——这是卡塔赫纳老城中在建筑和道德意义上都极为重要的一座教堂。我们请了一位导游详细讲解。圣佩德罗·克拉维尔于1888年被封为圣人，他一生致力于帮助被贩卖到卡塔赫纳的非洲奴隶。他的遗体安放在主祭坛下方，通过玻璃棺可以看到，参观过程令人深受触动。
随后我们登上了城墙，顺道参观了几处老城景点。虽然游客众多，但在城内漫步让人感到安心而放松。
下午四点，我们参加了一场老城徒步导览，进一步了解这座城市的历史与背景。导览结束后，行程延伸至老城外的赫茨马尼区（Getsemaní），这是一个充满活力的街区，餐厅、酒吧林立，气氛热烈。
导览结束后，我们选了一家非常不错的餐厅，为成刚的生日庆祝。这顿晚餐给我们留下了美好的回忆。
饭后，我们步行返回老城。此时圣诞灯饰已经全部点亮，街道上人来人往，既有当地居民，也有来自世界各地的游客，热闹非凡，很有节日的气氛。我们在城中停留了一会儿，才慢慢返回。幸运的是，邮轮在卡塔赫纳过夜，明天还有时间可以继续逛。