The cruise ships have landed. Older folks all, a few in their 70's, but most, probably in their 80's. They tramp through the humid streets of Cartagena's old city, where minutes into any walk your clothing becomes soaked with sweat. I'm sitting in Parque de Bolivar watching locals feed corn kernels to pigeons, while Ellen walks the streets, looking for that perfect restaurant for tonight's dinner. The cruise ship people, one group after another, stop in the park where their guides tell them about Simon Bolivar, whose bronze statue, along with that of his horse stand at the park's centre. No one seems to listen to their guide; they're more frightened of being touched, as they shoo away hawkers selling T-shirts, trinkets and paintings. As the cruise ship people leave the park, the hawkers follow. Just like the pigeons follow the locals when the corn is all gone. 

 

Three days ago we met Paul Richmond, a sailor with a 50 foot sailboat called the Ave Maria. He uses it to run people back and forth to the San Blas islands in Panama. Ellen and I had no plans of going to Panama; we were looking for a leisurely way of getting to the remote beach village of Capurgana in northern Colombia. Capurgana is a sweltering two day bus and boat journey from Cartagena, and we've grown a distaste for buses. What to do? It's a bit complicated, but we're going to the San Blas islands.Then Paul will take us to Capurgana. The entire journey is about 450 kilometres and takes eight days. Paul has promised us fish to snorkel with on the coral reef, and other ones on our plates for dinner.