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32FOCUS-JANUARY2013stretchedmynecktoseeawomanweepingfromfearofying.TheightattendantandanotherpassengertriedtoconsoleherbutIknewitwouldbealongvehours.OnceIwasonthegroundandinataxiIrelaxedasthe30temperatureseasedmytension.IcheckedintotheHiltonrightonthebeachandwaspleasedwiththeaccommodationsandfacilities.Theoceanwasazureblueandquitewarmandthewholeordealoftheightwasnowbehindme.ThecityofCartagenawithitspopulationofjustunder1millionisverytouristfriendly.ThemainsquarewiththestatueofSimonBolivarisahangoutfortouristsandlocalsalike.Mencanbeseenplayingchessorenjoyingamorningcoffeeandtouristswithguidebooksinhandareplanningthedayx19sadventures.In1984thewalledcityofCartagenawasgrantedUNESCOheritagesitestatusensuringitwouldbemain-tainedinitsoriginalstyleandcontinuetobeadrawfortourists.TheClockGateisthemainentranceintotheoldcityandopensdirectlyontothetownsquare.AfterwalkingforseveralhoursenjoyingthegreatlocalfoodIdecidedtobookanexcursiontotheRosarioIslandsaprivategroupoftinyislandswhicharelocatedaboutanhourandahalfawayfromthemainlandbyboat.Itisanamazingplacetosnorkelswimorjustsoakupthesun.Lotsofsunscreenisamustandahatisanecessity.TheaveragetemperatureinCartagenaandsurroundingareasisinthelow30x19sallyearroundsoyoucanimaginehowhotthesunmustbe.Iwouldrecommendtheexcur-sionhoweverIwouldadviseyoucheckouttheweatherconditionsbeforeyougosomethingIdidnotdo.Therideoutwasgreat.TheboatwasfastcuttingacrosstheCaribbeanandthedayonthesecludedislandswasveryrelaxing.Thecrewensuredthateverydetailwaslookedafter.Wewerescheduledtoleavearoundveintheafter-noonhoweveratfourweweretoldwewouldbeleavingsoonerastherewasastormapproaching.Ilookedoutoverthewaterandsawdarkcloudsinthedistance.Surelythesetypeofweatherpatternswerenormalfortheareabutthecaptainandhistwocrewmembersbeganroundinguppassengers.ItwasnotverylongbeforeIwasbackontheboat.Thecaptainannouncedwewouldbetakinganin-landrouteastheopenwaterwouldbetooroughforourreturnjourney.Theboatbegantomakeitswayacrosstheopenwaterinadifferentdirectionfromwherewecame.After20minuteswenavigatedintoariverwhichnarrowedandweslowedourspeed.Theviewsalongthebankswerespectacular.Smallvillageswithhutsmadefrompalmtreesandchildrenstoppingtowatchtheuncommonsightofaboatwereeverywherealongtheroute.IwashavingaelddaywithmycamerawhensuddenlyIfeltastrangevibrationfollowedbyaloudnoise.Wehadrunaground.Thecaptainandcrewwereshoutingnodoubttryingtondblame.Thepassen-gersondeckhadworriedlooks.Thetwocrewmem-bersjumpedoutoftheboatintothewaterandbegantopushtheboatbackintothecenteroftheriverwhichhadbecomemoreofastream.Theyhaddifcultyandthecap-tainaskedforvolunteers.Ilookedaroundatthedozenorsopeopleandseveralyoungermenjumpedinthewatertohelpthecrew.IthoughtIcouldbemoreeffectiveintheboatcapturingtheeventwithmycameraanddecidedtostayput.Eventuallytheboatmovedandwewereabletocontinueourjourney.Insteadofar-rivingatthehotelbysixitwasclosertonineandeveryonewastired.Idecidedtoskipdinnerandheadformyroomforawell-deservednightofsleep.TherestofmystayinCartagenawasuneventfulwhichisexactlywhatIwanted.IfyouarelookingforadestinationawayfromthestandardCaribbeanresortsvisitthecityofCartagenarichinhistorysunshineandwonderfulcuisine.Continuedfrompage31