2025 Volendam, Sailing through the Straits of Gibraltar to Cartagena, Spain...

The blog today starts with photos sailing through the Straits of Gibraltar yesterday enroute to Cartagena. This morning, I was out taking photos in the dark…We arrived dockside and got off the ship in Cartagena before sunrise. Cartagena is a port city and naval base in southeastern Spain, founded by the Carthaginians in the 3rd century BC, it became a significant city under Roman rule and retains a rich legacy of ancient and maritime history. We walked along the waterfront to visit to the Plaza Heroes of Cavite, with its imposing obelisk that pays homage to the fallen. Next, we stopped at the town square to photograph the Town Hall, one of the architectural jewels of the city. From here begins the busy Calle Mayor, Cartagena's main shopping street. We made our way through the narrow cobblestone streets of the city in search of the Roman Theatre and Conception Castle. In Cartagena's rich history, much of which can still be found in the city is the Roman Theatre. Built between 5 and 1 BC by Emperor Augustus, the theatre was discovered in 1988. During work on the ruins of the Santa Maria la Vieja church, excavators stumbled upon the more than 2000-year-old theater. Next, we climbed to the Conception Castle built as a strategic defensive military post. The castle is a historic hilltop castle offering great panoramic views of Cartagena and the harbor. After descending the castle through Torres Park, we returned to the ship for lunch and some sun time. It was a very nice day in Cartagena. Great exercise, 6 miles and a lot of hiking up hills…  I went out for a few photos for sail away.  Looking very forward to tonight’s Morimoto dinner.