Santa Marta, Columbia... a world apart

Our third stop on our cruise aboard the Norwegian Gem was in Santa Marta, Columbia. If our first two stops in Bonaire and Aruba were all about having fun in the sun, then Santa Marta proved to be a world apart giving us the chance to learn about and absorb some of the local culture and history.

We had a very windy arrival into the harbor as you'll see in the video below and you can get a sense of what its like on a smaller cruise ship when the wind's howling. Once ashore we headed for the Taironaka Archaeological Park that feature the ruins of a Tairona Indian city. One interesting thing about our shore excursion to the Park is that it mandated that folks over age 60 weren't allowed. I'm assuming that's because the trail through the Park could be considered challenging for folks who have difficulty walking over uneven terrain. Still, the age limit, which nobody followed, seemed crazy. And in fact, on our excursion, there were folks in their 60's and 70's who walked circles around those much, much younger. I'd never seen such a caveat on an excursion before and hopefully never will again!

Anyway, enjoy our visit to Santa Marta, founded in 1525.