CARTAGENA, SPAIN

 May 1 (Monday), 2023

 

Mostly sunny, high 68 deg F


Cartagena was a surprising treat.   We were there only about 5 hours and would like to have stayed much longer.  Cartagena has been an important port city because of its strategic location on the Mediterranean, protected harbor, and rich mineral deposits, particularly silver, zinc, lead and iron, located in the hills around the city.   Because of this the city was a target for various powers throughout history, including the Romans and Turks.   


Our tour first took us north to the town of Cabo de Palos, a resort destination town with several golf courses, lots of condos, and beautiful beaches.  


Along the way, we passed through the mining area which is now abandoned.   In places, the terrain resembles a blast zone.  Our guide told us how the last company (French) to operate the mines did the unthinkable by dumping millions of tons from the mineral extraction process over several decades into the Bay of Portman, east of Cartagena, poisoning wildlife in the bay.   The company left the mess with no liability.  The government is slowly trying to clean up the mess, regarded as Spain’s worst man-made ecological disaster. 


On our return to Cartagena via a different route, we many saw beautiful farms that take advantage of the year-round temperate climate. Our guide then led us into the recovered ruins of a Roman theater.   This was fascinating.   In 1988 while demolishing a house, a contractor uncovered a piece of marble with a Roman inscription that indicated it could be part of a Roman theater.   Over the next several years archeologists excavated the area (about one block square) in the heart of Cartagena and found well preserved remnants of a Roman theater built between the years 5 and 1 BC.


May 2 (Tuesday), 2023


We are now on our way to Lisbon, Portugal and this morning we passed through the Strait of Gibraltar along with lots of cargo ships.   At one point we could see two continents, Africa on our left and Europe on our right.   Unfortunately, it was somewhat foggy and we couldn’t quite make out the Rock of Gibraltar.  


The water at Cabo de Palos was so clear and various colors of blue


          Cabo de Palos view from light house

        One of many beaches in the area

Functioning Light House - waters around Cabo de Polis are treacherous for boats.   

Mining area - you can see where a section of the mountain was cut away.  The whole mining area is scarred for miles.
 
Cartagena City Hall

                  Street in Cartagena with upscale shops

              Another street in Cartagena

   Roman Theater found in the heart of the city under 30 feet or 40 feet     of soil and debris 

               Entrance to the Theater used by the wealthy

Taken when passing through the Strait of Gibraltar.   The land sloping to the water is Gibraltar on the north side.  The "Rock" is hidden in the clouds.  Water flows constantly from the Atlantic into to the Mediterranean supplementing the flow from the rivers.   The volume. of water contributed by the rivers is less than that lost by evaporation, so the Atlantic has to make up the difference.    
















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