Cartagena Colombia 哥伦比亚卡塔赫纳 – 3/2017 (4)

12-13/3/2017. A couple of years ago, I met a super friendly young couple honeymooning in Cancún, Mexico. They told me I must go to Cartagena. I have not forgotten their friendliness down to this day. So, do not underestimate your gesture. After an hour’s flight from Medellín, I arrived in Cartagena. This is an old port city facing the Caribbean Sea. The beach is quite ordinary, and the sea-fronting buildings uncharacteristically unimpressive. But I was sure more magic would follow.

飞行一小时后到哥伦比亚另一个著名城市，靠加勒比海的卡塔赫纳。市里海滩一般，面对海滩的高楼设计跟其他旅游胜地比较显得有点落伍，遗憾先天条件没充分利用。但我相信好戏在后头。

Cartagena was founded a few hundred years ago and has a lot of history. In the city center rises a fortress that defended the city in olden times.

这城市几百年前成立，有不短的历史。市内的这座堡垒，以前用以防御敌人， 就是这历史的物证。

I wandered out and around to see the city’s night happenings. With many of African descent, I was not surprised to hear the sound of drumbeats bursting out at various spots, the people rocking to the beat.

这城市非裔不少，夜晚在市内走着走着不时响起如雷贯耳鼓声，节拍快速，青年随拍快舞，激情四射，气氛欢快。

This is one of the most romantic moments in all the places I have visited. At sunset, a soft, pinkish glow enveloped this place. The calm, silvery sea shimmered on one side, the sea breeze gently whispering, almost imperceptibly. On the walls, lovers and families of different nationalities drifted aimlessly, bars were strategically located to incite tourists to enjoy, to get high and boisterous, while within the walls below, people stirred quietly for a good evening out. These walls are a few miles long, flat and wide in most parts, and reasonably elevated to provide a good view of the happenings below and around, making for a truly relaxing stroll.

As night fell, the soothing evening breeze quieting the hot sun, locals and tourists swarmed the streets in the old town below. Many visitors were Latinos. The men were tan and macho. The girls were curvaceous without creases, their features attractively accentuated. A blink around them would be a blink too many. Come dinner time, I could not decide to go Western or Latino. I was really between a rock and a hard place. When I by chance came across the Hard Rock Cafe, the stars aligned for me tonight.

这城市的旧城，面向加勒比海，受这旧城墙呵护着。这墙长达数公里，部分高达十到二十尺，有些宽度仅只两尺且不设防杆；但多处较寬阔，可无拘无束散步。墙上几处也摆了些酒吧，女孩沉醉于浪漫，男人乘机陶“醉”吧 。夕阳西下时，一切那么柔和 – 墙上寥寥无几的在溜达，偶尔一群擦肩而过掀起点热闹。 这里帅哥美女众多， 女孩无论上方下方，前端后部，都装得满满的，但没超载，身材标准，曲线突出，几乎圆圆的吕字型，样貌体形特征都很突出， 一切更显的柔美，可能该归功于这里的牛油果。

白天的炎热降为凉爽，耀眼的白天调为浪漫灯光，海边轻风使毛发动而不翻，墙外银海静静卧着， 没兴风作浪。一个人很平静，两个人很美妙，三个人就热闹，但要知道如何掌握。夜晚后，墙内人头开始缵动，人群沉静开始喧闹，吃饭喝酒玩乐，浪漫情调转为享乐。走过长城，西安古城，欧洲一些城墙，还是这里最浪漫。