Cartagena, Colombia --- 1980
In 1980 we, Virginia and Eric, went for a week's vacation in Cartagena, on Colombia's Caribbean
coast. We went on a package deal which at low cost offered us the round-trip flights, a week at
the Hotel Caribe, as well as transfers between the airport and hotel. I welcomed the opportunity to
visit the places where during much of my childhood I had lived with my parents and siblings.
coast. We went on a package deal which at low cost offered us the round-trip flights, a week at
the Hotel Caribe, as well as transfers between the airport and hotel. I welcomed the opportunity to
visit the places where during much of my childhood I had lived with my parents and siblings.
Our vacation got off to a bad start. Virginia and I arrived at JFK early for our flight, scheduled
for the early afternoon. The time for departure came and went. Eventually we were told by the
airline, Avianca, that the flight was delayed by a mechanical problem but would depart in an hour or
two; after a couple of hours we repeatedly again got the same message. At around 11:00 pm the
airline transferred the waiting passengers to a hotel near the airport. At about 4:00 am we got the
message that our flight was ready to go and that we should get back to the airport as quickly as
possible, which we did. The flight took off.
for the early afternoon. The time for departure came and went. Eventually we were told by the
airline, Avianca, that the flight was delayed by a mechanical problem but would depart in an hour or
two; after a couple of hours we repeatedly again got the same message. At around 11:00 pm the
airline transferred the waiting passengers to a hotel near the airport. At about 4:00 am we got the
message that our flight was ready to go and that we should get back to the airport as quickly as
possible, which we did. The flight took off.
When we arrived at the airport in Cartagena the transfer vehicle did not appear, so we simply took
a taxi to the Hotel Caribe. When we got to the hotel the desk clerk told us that he could find no
reservation for us, but arranged for us to stay in a condo apartment for the first night and then
have us check into the hotel the following day.
a taxi to the Hotel Caribe. When we got to the hotel the desk clerk told us that he could find no
reservation for us, but arranged for us to stay in a condo apartment for the first night and then
have us check into the hotel the following day.
The condo we occupied the first night happened to overlook the house in which my family and I lived
when I was a child. The Cartagena suburb in which we lived is called Bocagrande and consists of a
long narrow "L" shaped peninsula with beautiful beaches on the oceanside and Cartagena Bay on the
other side. When my family and I lived there nearly all of Bocagrande consisted of scrub land
except for a dozen or so houses which the oil company my father worked had built for the families of
some of its foreign employees. The house we lived in has been converted into a nightclub called
Catacumbas; the whole area has been developed as a beach resort with high-rise apartment buildings
and several large hotels.
when I was a child. The Cartagena suburb in which we lived is called Bocagrande and consists of a
long narrow "L" shaped peninsula with beautiful beaches on the oceanside and Cartagena Bay on the
other side. When my family and I lived there nearly all of Bocagrande consisted of scrub land
except for a dozen or so houses which the oil company my father worked had built for the families of
some of its foreign employees. The house we lived in has been converted into a nightclub called
Catacumbas; the whole area has been developed as a beach resort with high-rise apartment buildings
and several large hotels.
My childhood home is under the dark roof and
enclosed by white walls. It is now the
Catacumbas nightclub.
enclosed by white walls. It is now the
Catacumbas nightclub.
Partial view of Bocagrande, Cartagena's beach
resort area.
resort area.
House built for the President, Mr. King, of the oil
company my father worked for. The house appears
abandoned and occupied by squatters.
company my father worked for. The house appears
abandoned and occupied by squatters.
Fishermen with net at Bocagrande's beach. The stone
breakwaters are new, in an effort to reduce beach
erosion.
breakwaters are new, in an effort to reduce beach
erosion.
The downtown Cartagena office building of the
Tropical Oil Company, for which my father worked.
Tropical Oil Company, for which my father worked.
Partial view of Bocagrande beach.
La Plaza del Sol, just inside Cartagena's main city gate. Cartagena
is almost entirely surrounded by an enormous city wall, built by
the Spaniards for protection from pirates.
is almost entirely surrounded by an enormous city wall, built by
the Spaniards for protection from pirates.
Entrance to Cartagena's inquisition, now
a museum displaying instruments of
torture. Could the CIA's building be
converted for the same purpose?
a museum displaying instruments of
torture. Could the CIA's building be
converted for the same purpose?
San Felipe, one of several fortresses built to protect Cartagena from pirates. In
Spanish colonial times Cartagena was one of the principal ports for the transshipment
of treasure from the Americas to Spain.
Spanish colonial times Cartagena was one of the principal ports for the transshipment
of treasure from the Americas to Spain.
A colonial courtyard within
Cartagena's city walls.
Cartagena's city walls.
One of Cartagena's poorer sections.
Cartagena is a beautiful Spanish colonial city with beautiful beaches and a rapidly developing
tourist industry.
tourist industry.