It is hard to reconcile all the bad reports and danger warnings about  Colombia with the reality of the city of Cartagena. The anchorage seems to be safe and  the people friendly. The old city is beautiful with flower filled balconies and a mixture of brightly painted and ancient crumbling stone buildings. There are plazas with cafes and many wonderful metal sculptures scattered about the streets. The street vendors aren't too pushy, you can stop and chat with them and even at night the city feels friendly. Taxis are cheap and plentiful which is a good thing as it is far too hot for long walks. The city feels more like Barcelona or some similar arty European city than anything we had imagined being in Colombia.

Street scene

Mime artists - Pescadores

We had a look round the Spanish Inquisition museum. Gail looks a bit too happy for this guillotine.

Gail was too short to see when steering so we thought we'd do something about it.

This was an unexpected exhibit in the Inquisition museum, a sleeping sloth in a banana tree in one of the courtyards. 

He wasn't too excited about being woken up..

There was a big event one of the nights we were here. I think it was a Spanish-Speaking convention of some sort. I'm not sure because we are not really a Spanish speakers! There was a massive stage built in one of the squares and all sorts of different events which wandered around in the streets as well. This is the youth orchestra.

This was a troupe of dancers with stilt walkers and fire-eaters.

We managed to find some pirates at last. Foss with one of the many metal sculptures that are dotted around the city.

Gail with one of the many costumed participants in the music and dance extravaganza. There was even one pirate whom we would swear had a genuine wooden leg.

FROM HERE WE CARRIED ON DOWN THE COLOMBIAN COAST