We've arrived in the San Blas Islands, Panama, after spending a month in Cartagena, Colombia.

We stopped in an anchorage in the city surrounded by skyscrapers. However, other than the modern part of the city, there was a historic part as well: the old town, a lively and beautiful place to wander around. There were stalls selling all sorts of things, street entertainers, and horse-pulled carriages. The first time we went there, we were accompanied by Ian and Stephanie from Yacht Nautilus (they accompanied us in the Lost City hike back in January, which now seems ages ago). We sat down outside a restaurant that was overlooked by a large cathedral and had a few drinks, enjoying the buzzing atmosphere around us.

An extra-enjoyable visit to the Old Town included witnessing an after-wedding celebration. A crowd of passer-bys stopped and watched a group of dancers cleaving a gap in the crowd to allow the wedding guests and the newly-wedded couple to walk from the cathedral to the wedding reception, as though they were Moses's followers. We followed the proscesion right up to the square where we spent our first visit to the Old Town. There were traditional Colombian dancers wearing long white dresses - which they swished from side to side - standing on the cathedral steps whilst drummers played bongo-like instruments by their side, not like a traditional British wedding with bells playing after the service.

The Old Town is not the only historic landmark of Cartagena, though. There was also San Phillippe, an enormous, redeveloped castle a short distance away from the anchorage. Paul and I walked to it one day, and explored the long tunnels down inside the castle, and the amazing views of the city from the tower tops. We also watched a film about the history of San Phillippe and Colombia. The film mostly favoured the time when the historic naval British "heroes/pirates" (depending on what view you see them from) attacked Colombia, led by Sir Francis Drake. We watched an animation of the ships sailing into the country, and battling the Colombian forces.

A big highlight of our stay in Cartagena was meeting an OCC port officer called Leland Miles, an American who had been living in Cartagena for 40 years. He invited us to the yacht club for a drink and a few nibbles. We had a chat, and he suggested we go to Isle Tierre Bomba, to visit his palm-leaf-thatched house during the weekend. So we spent the majority of our last Sunday in Cartagena there, and had a great time.
It was probably worth agreeing to go just for the ride there and back again. When we arrived on the dock where the motor boat was, we met up with Lee's son in law, Pedro, and Pedro's wife and two sons, as well as a German friend of theirs called Stephan. We all climbed on the boat together and set off.
Now, I had seen two 300-horsepower outboard engines on the back of the boat, so I knew we were gonna go fast. However, I didn't know just how fast. We got up to a speed of 30 knots (convert into mph) when we got out of the anchorage, and my regret of not bringing a hat was carried off in the wind. It was incredible fun with the wind blowing in my hair, especially since it's not long enough to go flying in my face anymore (I went to a hairdresser in Santa Marta and got a pixie cut, which barely needs any management and which I believe looks a lot better on me). We got to Isle Tierre Bomba in about half an hour. In our boat, it would have taken five times that long (something like that; due to my rubbishy maths skills, I can't say for certain), and found a noisy Dalmatian waiting for us on the dock. He led the way up to the house, and we met his companion dogs: a tiny dog belonging to Lee himself, a healthy-sized brown-and-white dog, and a slightly scruffy fourth dog. We also met some chefs working in the house, and Lee's wife, Pachie, a sweet Colombian lady. Some of us had a dip in the swimming pool there, and after a beautiful lunch of ribs, baked onions, salad, and whatnot, we went to Fort San Fernando, a fort just a few minutes away. We went by moto, a motorbike taxi. I'd never been on a motorbike on rough road before, so it was quite thrilling sitting on the back, gripping onto the bar for dear life as my driver (Mum, Paul, Lee, Stephen and I - all the people going to the fort - rode on individual bikes) bumped across rocky roads to the fort. We had a guided tour around, and learned about the history of Fort San Fernando. Our tour included seeing some bats dangling from the sloped ceiling of the dark, narrow corridors. This highly excited Mum especially, who's very fond of bats.
We spent a little more time at the house after taking the bikes back there, and then we made the trip home on the motor boat at four in the afternoon.

On our final full day in Cartagena, we made a final visit to the Old Town. Paul went to exchange some Colombian Pescos for American dollars, which is the currency in San Blas Panama. Mum and I went to take some photographs in the Old Town. We captured street-sellers selling hats, fruit and Cartagena souvenirs; statues of people playing chess or dominoes, sitting at a sewing machine, polishing shoes and trimming hair; and even of a group of pigeons we fed with a small bag of corn kernels we bought from a man. We also stopped by a sweet shop, and watched men rolling out long sticks of rock candy that was still warm and soft. They'd roll it into a long thin stick, and then slice it down the middle and set the halves aside. They chopped off two pieces for me and Mum to try. It was delicious, and had an unusual sensation as the pieces cooled in our mouths: they went from being warm and flexible to being rock-hard.

That evening, we had a nightcap with Lee and Pachie in their apartment. Camilla, their little dog, seemed to enjoy my company as I stroked her head while I talked with the adults, a beautiful selection of music playing in the background. It was a really pleasant last evening in Cartagena.

We arrived in the San Blas Islands after a slow two day sail. We spent a night in our first bay, and enjoyed taking Sky to a completely unoccupied island, letting her off her lead and watching her dash around like a maniac. After we got back to the boat, a homemade wooden sailing dinghy came sailing up to our boat, containing a stock of fruit and molas (layers of cloth stitched together in intricate patterns - there's a picture below), as well as a family of three. They sold us some plantains, a bunch of bananas and other local fruits, as well as a beautiful molas we've hung up on our wall.

We were planning on meeting up with some friends we'd met in Grenada, as well as a boat with a teenaged girl onboard called Coleen. I was very excited to meet her when we got to Yansaladup, and we hit it off straight away. It was great to meet another Harry Potter fan, but even if she wasn't one we had many other similar interests and personalities. Now we've left her at "Swimming Pool" (one of the bays in San Blas) while Delphinus sailed to the Panama mainland, we'll have to keep in touch via the Internet. It was surprisingly hard to say bye to her, since we'd not even known each other for a week. But we'll meet up again soon.

While we were together, though, we went to watch Steve from Slow Flight and Dave from Livin' Life go kite-boarding out in the bay. It looks so much fun, and pretty hard to begin with! I'd love to have a few lessons one day. We spent the best part of two hours watching them zoom (for lack of a better word) around the bay and occasionally chatting. Occasionally.

One evening, we went to BBQ Island for a finger-food potluck, along with a group of other cruisers who had been invited. We brought along some of Mum's homemade onion bajis, and you will not BELIEVE how fast they vanished. We had a really lovely evening chatting and nibbling.

The sail from "Swimming Pool" to Isla Linton, a part of the Panama mainland, took all day, and it was quite a relief to get there. Especially when an especially large wave lapped over the side and drenched me in salty water. Which reminds me, I ought to be taking a shower right now!

That's my cue, then. There's also a very tasty-looking stir-fry cooking down below which I'm looking forward to.
Until the next time! :)