Thursday 14th December

 Ingrid joined us soon after breakfast and we drove into that part of the city called Gethsemani, a colorful neighborhood of narrow streets filled with street art, small houses with attractive facades and a bustling vibe. Then we entered the old city and visited the historic Jesuit church of San Pedro Claver who was a missionary who took pity on and ministered to the slaves which the Spanish had imported. The church is beautiful and has a floral courtyard.

The following link gives information about the life of Pedro Claver:

San Pedro Claver

We also visited another part of town called Candelaria. At the entrance there is a converted bull fighting ring (bull fighting seems to be outlawed in Colombia more or less everywhere, the last bull fight in Cartagena was in 1986). This area has been turned into a mall which houses fine shops and eating places. It is a very clever use of the old structure which is attractive and useful.

It was very hot (90 deg F 30 deg C), and we walked back via the walls along the seaside and through a small tunnel and back to the hotel.

We had a nice light lunch by the pool before joining Ingrid again for a tour of the old monastery Cerro de la Poppa which is on the highest point above the city:

A translated version of the Wikipedia entry is:

"Cerro de La Popa is the highest geographical feature of the city of Cartagena de Indias, in Colombia. The Spaniards who discovered it in 1510 never imagined seeing a huge galley jutting out of the sea, so they called it Cerro de la Galera, and the top, "La Popa de la Galera". Subsequently, the ancient people of Cartagena also called it Cerro de la Cruz because of the cross that crowns it.¹On its summit is a beautiful colonial church and convent of the Order of Augustinian Recollects built between 1606 and 1611. The cloister of the convent of La Popa is one of the most beautiful in the colonial city of Cartagena and in all of Colombia.

It seems that in the years of the Colony there was a clandestine shrine at the top where the Indians and African slaves worshipped a deity called "Buziriaco" or "Cabro Urí" who had the appearance of a goat. Legend has it that at that time Fray Alonso de la Cruz Paredes, a religious of the Order of Augustinian Recollects, who was secluded in the desert of Ráquira (Boyacá), received in a dream the order of the Virgin Mary to erect a monastery for him in the highest place of a coastal city. This is how the monk traveled to Cartagena and on the hill of La Popa he carried out the ordered mission. On his arrival in the city he snatched the goat Busiraco and threw it down the hill. Since then, the site has been known as the Salto del Cabrón and its cult was replaced by that of the venerated image of the Virgen de la Candelaria, a painting of colonial origin that represents the black virgin and who today is the patron saint of the city of Cartagena de Indias.

It is believed that the construction of the temple and convent of La Popa took much longer than expected due to the continuous sabotage of Busiraco in the form of thunder, lightning, rain and gales. In colonial times and until the abolition of slavery, black Africans settled in the city and its surroundings were allowed to celebrate the festivities of the Virgen de la Candelaria, where they made demonstrations of their celebrations and where the musical rhythm of cumbia emerged.

The convent of La Popa ceased to be inhabited by the Augustinian Recollects from 1822 to 1963 due to the confiscation ordered by the civil authorities. After that time, the friars were able to recover their convent that has always been the Sanctuary of the Virgen de la Candelaria, Patron Saint of Cartagena, and her image, which is in the golden altarpiece of the chapel, is highly venerated by the Catholic people of the city and surroundings. Pope John Paul II canonically crowned the Virgin on Sunday, July 6, 1986 during his Apostolic Visit to Cartagena"

There are sweeping views of the city as well as a peaceful and serene feeling about the place which is still occupied during the day by a small group of monks.

From here we drove to the fortress of San Felipe Castle where we climbed up to see the views and admire the huge walls and construction of this immense fortress.

Then it was back to the hotel.

Dinner was at a local restaurant in the Candelaria area called Cande which was a lively spot with local entertainment in the form of colorful dancers and live music. The food was good and featured versions of local dishes.

We walked back to the hotel.