Year 5, Day 178 “Living the Dream”. Saturday, 10/25/2025 – Day 19 of 30 day trip to Rome, Italy with a Mediterranean cruise and a transatlantic cruise back to Bayonne, NJ. Day 4 of 14 night transatlantic cruise on Odyssey of the Seas – Cartagena, Spain 8:00am – 5:30pm. Buenos días. It is still dark as people are departing the ship.
The sun rises in twenty minutes. We did the Royal Carribbean Cartagena Walking Tour excursion. Bought in advance for $109.98.
Cartagena is a port city and naval base in the Murcia region of southeast Spain. We are docked in a large, natural harbor that opens onto the Mediterranean. This city was founded by the Carthaginians around 227 B.C. It is the fourth oldest city in Spain. The city boomed during the Roman period. Cartagena is an enchanting city with ancient monuments everywhere. Located here is the Cartagena Naval Base, also known as the Arsenal of Cartagena. This is a one of the main military bases and arsenals of the Spanish Navy. The main bases of the Spanish Navy are at Rota, Ferrol. San Fernando, and Cartagena.
As we are sitting on our balcony a ship approaches us. They are MacPherson underwater services. I wonder if they are cleaning the hull of our ship.
We also watched the Spanish Warship F85 pull in. This is a High Speed Craft sailing under the flag of Spain.
Our walking tour took us up the street to a Panoramic Elevator to the top of Conception Hill. From there we walked to Castillo de la Concepción
The views were stunning from Conception Castle.
The castle is currently set up for their annual Halloween performances of “El Castllo Embrijado”. These performances start at the panoramic lift we came up. Here the black candle flame is rekindled and the witches take control of the castle. Sounds like it would be fun to see. The performance is not recommended for children and occur nightly from October 17th through November 2nd. There are some matinees also.
Cartagena attracts plenty of tourists for its well-preserved Roman ruins ( Theatre, Forum, and Amphitheatre). We walked down the hill to view the Roman Forum. It was a very warm sunny humid day, in the high 70’s. Lots of flowers are blooming and loving the humidity in this region. I was amazed that there were lots of palm trees around and that there was marble everywhere. We even walked on marble a good portion of the day. Marble is used like brick. Personally I am finding the humidity pretty intense. Cartagena is full of ancient ruins, museums, and historic sites, which makes it a real paradise for history buffs. I am definitely not a history buff.
Our excursion was three and a half hours with lots of steps. We passed Tuna musical groups in the streets performing. These musical groups are formed by university students and friends that wear traditional, Renaissance-style clothing and perform in the streets. As the day wore on the streets became very crowded.
Tonight we turn our clocks back one hour. Most of Europe will set their clocks back by one hour at 3:00 a.m. local time to end daylight saving time. A little back to Halloween reality pics. Pumpkin are carved at Jenna’s.
Cruise Compass Day 3 of 14 – Odyssey of the Seas – Cartagena, Spain 8am -5:30pm
Things to ponder today! Have to leave you thinking.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/440SjjS Five clear Waterproof Travel Drawstring Shoe: These bags are sturdy, thick, durable, and easy to wipe clean. Great to keep your shoes off your clothing in your suitcase. Even great for those wet shoes when traveling.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. #CommissionsEarned