Around South America in 80 Days

January 7, 2019

Santa Marta, Colombia

I knew my good luck would run out eventually. It has been twenty months since my doctor prescribed nasal drops and I had my last sinus infection. Last evening before bed I started feeling the symptoms. I was hopeful that it wasn’t what I thought it was but when I woke up I knew the truth. I have taken two azithromycin and I will know in twenty-four hours if it is a bacterial infection because it will be almost gone, if viral then I am in for seven to ten days of a yucky head.

I decided to take the “Santa Marta’s Highlights” tour. Santa Marta was founded on July 29, 1525 by the Spanish conqueror, Rodrigo de Bastidas. It claims to be the the oldest city in Colombia.

We left at 9 am and went to the Santa Marta Cathedral which includes the remains of the founder. Then to the gold museum although it was more a museum of the history of the area. After a short drive out of the city, we went to Quinta San Pedro de Alejandrino where Simon Bolívar died. Our last stop was at a beach front hotel for a cold drink and Colombian music and dancing. The tour was not the best in part because the guide was not very good and partly because I wasn’t feeling all that great. I didn’t even stop to buy anything.

Upon return to the ship I had lunch and then took an hour nap before afternoon trivia. We had 13 out of 17 and tied for first place.

Who was the first woman named Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year?
Who shot Achilles?
How many eyes does a bee have?
Which movie features a maid named Magenta?
Which is further north - Norway, Sweden, or Iceland?

After trivia I went out on “my deck” for sail-away which was delayed about 30 minutes because a crew member was ill and had to be taken away in an ambulance. Just like on my last cruise, there is a forward facing deck outside of my cabin that I refer to as “my deck”. It is a great place to watch sail-ins and sail-aways.

I then worked some on the blog and got ready for dinner. Evening trivia was at 7 pm. We only had 11 out of 17 and the winners had 16.

What is the national sport of Canada?
What instrument does the Muppet “Animal” play?
How many toes on an ostrich?
Who is the patron saint of children?
Who said, “God does not play dice with the universe”?

All seven present for dinner. I had French onion soup, Chicken Kiev (not all that wonderful) and pavlova for dessert. Six of us from the table went to the show which was a singer/comedian Carl Strong who had once been one of Gladys Knight’s Pips.