Cartagena, Spain

Cartagena is known for its Roman ruins and their excavation, hilltop fortresses, its being a large naval port, and dry-docks some of the world’s most super super yachts. Cartagena, Colombia is named after this city.

This stop was a short day, all back on board by 1:00 in order to cover the distance to Barcelona by the next morning. Pity, because there is so much to see and do here.

We disembark from our trusty steed...

...and the first thing we see is this, the super yacht “A,” owned by a Russian oil zillionaire, of course, who likes to see his boat name first on ship registries. From what I read, it’s on its final inspection before being officially handed off to its owner. Those are actual sailing masts, tallest in the world, eight decks, helipad, underwater observation room, etc., etc.

 Both anantomically correct.

 Just liked the whimsy of the whale tail.

Lovely, busy downtown main street

From Wikipedia: Much of the historical weight of Cartagena in the past goes to its coveted defensive port, one of the most important in the western Mediterranean. Cartagena has been the capital of the Spanish Navy's Maritime Department of the Mediterranean since the arrival of the Spanish Bourbons in the 18th century. As far back as the 16th century it was one of the most important naval ports in Spain, together with Ferrol in the North. It is still an important naval seaport, the main military haven of Spain, and is home to a large naval shipyard.

There’s a HUGE maritime museum right on the water, alas, we had no time to visit.

The confluence of civilizations as well as its strategic harbor, together with the rise of the local mining industry is manifested by a unique artistic heritage, with a number of landmarks such as the Roman Theatre, the second largest of the Iberian Peninsula after the one in Mérida, an abundance of Phoenician, Roman, Byzantine and Moorish remains, and a plethora of Art Nouveau buildings, a result of the bourgeoisie from the early 20th century. Cartagena is now established as a major cruise ship destination in the Mediterranean and an emerging cultural focus.

We managed to find our way to the Roman Theater, just stunning.

Views from the top of the Theater

And, clever Cartagena, the city has built a contemporary theater atop the old.

One of my favorite pix of Allen.

And one of my favorite pix of my bff, Donna. 

Not my photo, but interesting to note these mountainside "pens" in Cartagena harbor were built during WW2 to provide protection against bombings for submarines.