shore excursions

[KBRADLEY06]

Hi, I am leaving on the Panama Canal cruise coming up at the end of the month...Wondering if anyone has visited Carta Hana, Colombia and what there is to do there....Oh I am going on Holland America Volendam Thanks

[Krazy Kruizers]

Cartagena -- been there several times - JMO - we don't like the place. Be very careful there. The ship will dock in a freight area. If you wish to go on a tour - take the ship's excursions - there is protection there.

The first time we were there we did the city tour which included the fort - very nice. At the end of the tour we were taken to a small shopping mall - nice - but I could live without the shopping. We were all back at the bus waiting to be taken back to the ship at the designated time - no bus driver. All the other buses pulled out. A supervisor in charge of the buses came over and asked what was wrong & then noticed - no bus driver. They had another bus there ready for any kind of emergency that took us back to the ship. We were told that the bus drivers sometimes just walk off the job.

The second time we toured the habor on a boat ---- a very hot boat -- no wind and little protection from the sun --- would not recommend this tour.

At one time there used to be several shops right at the pier. The last time we were there a couple of years ago, there was just one shop.

Don't know if they still have this, but all the times we were there, there was a shuttle bus to take you back and forth from the ship to that shop.

[cool change]

We were supposed to go there a 2 to 3yrs ago and the port was cancelled because of warnings for americans not to go there. We didnt know for sure that we would be passing up this destination until we boarded. This was on the Rotterdam.

[hammybee]

I love Cartegena and am in the minority. From what I can tell, most passengers do not get off the ship.

We ( DH, DD and I) chose to walk into the town. We were surrounded by hawkers. I am talking "in your face" , obnoxious and pushy, beyond belief. "No" did not deter any of them and it eventually got so bad we were unable to move. Never once were we concerned about physical safety. Their motivation was to sell or show us something and earn a wage.

We might have chosen to extract ourselves and run back to the ship but instead DH and DD knew what I was going to do and they gave me my space, to do it. I went top of my lungs, raving, crazy, out of my mind BARKING, right back in their faces. The spittle was flying.

When the situation calls for it, wild and crazy public BARKING is an effective deterent for aggressive halkers. They retreated, as they always do. From that point on, no one bothered us, although we had quite an entorage of followers. If any got too close , I would turn and BARK again. SOme saw the humor in it and I think stayed with us to see what I might do next.

The port area has many nice shops, local markets selling everything imaginable, churches, plazas and parks. We spent several hours on shore and had a nice time and eventually purchased a few trinkets from the street folk who followed us at a distance.

We got our picture taken by the Cartgena tourism board and signed releases for publication. It was not lost on me that they might have used the picture for an article about the tourist who barks. We also got to carry a live sloth around for and hour or so and fed it with a bottle. This kind of experience is priceless.

To iterate, we never felt we were in a dangerous or in a soon to be out of control situation. But if one is not prepared to deal with the hawker situation, this may not be the best port of call. There are many ports in the world that have similar situations. One day, I will sail to the mother of port hawker ports, Bali. I hope this helps and I hope you do risk the hawkers and see this lovely place.

[RuthC]

I went top of my lungs, raving, crazy, out of my mind BARKING, right back in their faces. The spittle was flying.
Yessssss!!!!!!!!!
I have a profound, abiding respect for you. You are my kind of woman. :D