| Report by Rosie Sheppard
Edited by Carol Mantle |
| They say, don't they, that 'time flies when you're having fun'. Well in that case the few days we have just spent in Cartagena with the Moraira-Teulada U3A should have passed in the blink of an eye, and yet when we all got off the coach at the end of the three days, it seemed as though we had been away for simply ages. If you glean from this that we all had a thoroughly good time then you are right. |  |
Photo by John Sheppard Anne not wasting any time! |
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Photo by John Sheppard Our first 'coffee' break at the port |
Photo by John Sheppard Cartagena marina |
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We set off on the dot of nine on Monday morning and made good time down to Cartagena where our very pleasant driver Vicente dropped us off just before midday. Finding yourself in the middle of a strange city can be a little daunting but we were all armed with the excellent maps and information which our leader Anne Cattle had prepared for us and so off we all set to have a look around. |
| Being Monday, when all the museums and buildings of interest are closed, some of the group headed for the shopping district, but the five of us in my little party decided to stroll down in the direction of the harbour, get the general lie of the land, and take note of what we would go and visit on the following day. |
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Photo by John Sheppard The first practical submarine ever built: the Peral submarine, named after the Cartagena born engineer Isaac Peral who built it, was launched in 1888 |
| The sun was shining and it was most pleasant to walk along the water's edge and then find a café where we encountered several others from the group who told us that as it was Holy Week everything was open every day. Most of us then decided to go and purchase a special tourist ticket for €16 which would entitle us not only to enter the sites of interest but also to take rides on the tourist bus round the city and the tourist boat round the harbour. | |
Photo by John Sheppard |
Photo by Mary Heaviland Mar Menor beach - 5 minutes from the hotel |
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After an enjoyable lunch near the Town Hall we all made our way back to the coach and a twenty minute drive took us to where we would be staying, in Costa Narejos, on the banks of the Mar Menor. I think we were all impressed with the four star Hotel Costa Narejos where the staff were very friendly and helpful, and which was most comfortable, providing, as it did, many amenities and offering a very varied selection of dishes at the buffet that evening and at breakfast the following morning. |
Photo by John Sheppard
The Town Hall at night
Photo by John Sheppard Roman amphitheatre |
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Tuesday morning dawned a little dull but, undiminished, we all set out again and spent a most interesting if tiring day, looking at some of the attractions of Cartagena, including the remains of a Roman villa and street and the ruins of the Roman Amphitheatre with its excellent museum.
Photo by John Sheppard Renovating the old bullring |
| Everywhere we went we found people to be so friendly and helpful including a policeman on a motorbike who stopped and asked if he could help us. I'm not sure if he thought we looked shifty or just lost. A short sharp shower was followed by clearer skies which allowed my little party to take to the water and, surrounded by Spanish families, also on holiday, we got the chance to see at close quarters some of the ships at anchor in the port. |
Photo by John Sheppard Float made entirely of flowers |
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Being Holy Week, it was suggested that we might ask Vicente, our driver, if he would take us back into town after dinner to watch the events of the evening. Not only did he agree to this but fixed it so that he was able to drop us very close to the route of the religious procession. I think I can honestly say that those of us who went along to see this must consider it the high spot of the holiday. Whatever your religious views I don't think you can fail to be impressed by the wonderful spectacle, one of the floats (see picture on left) needed to be carried by up to 100 men because it is so heavy. The time sped by until we had to make our way back to the coach - or turn into a pumpkin as Anne had warned us. 
Photo by John Sheppard Marcher representing one of the churhes |
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| On Wednesday morning most of the group went into the city again for a few hours of culture and/or shopping. My little party were able to visit the museum dedicated to the Civil War and take a look round the castle with its panoramic views of the area before the coach picked up for the last time for the trip home. | |
Photo by John Sheppard Peacock in the old castle grounds |
Photo by John Sheppard Last morning leaving our hotel for our return to Moraira |
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However, it was not the end entirely for the journey back to Teulada included a visit to the Valor Chocolate Museum and Shop in Villajoyosa where not only did we all manage to sample quite a fair bit of chocolate but also buy items from the delicious selection on display. |
| We arrived back on time, tired but very happy having had a super holiday. Our warmest thanks go to Anne and to Carol Mantle who assisted her and we are already looking forward to the next trip!....... Coming? |
Photo by John Sheppard
Cartagena Marina
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