Our first visit to South America!

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La Boca Del Puente

The Boca del Puente, or more commonly known as the Clock Gate, was the only access route to the Historic Center from the Getsemaní district via a drawbridge over the old San Anastasio canal. Built at the same time as the city's first enclosure around 1631, the original gate did not last long, as it was destroyed during the French siege of 1697.

In the first third of the 18th century, the engineer Juan de Herrera y Sotomayor repaired the breach and designed a gate befitting the city's status and the artistic dictates of the time. He constructed three bombproof vaults, the central one a Doric portal providing access to the city, and the two lateral ones serving as a refuge for the guard and storerooms for provisions and supplies. He also added a section topped with a spire and a piece to house the city clock and its bell.  (Source:  Google)

Santuario de San Pedro Claver (Church of San Pedro Claver), an iconic 17th-century Spanish colonial landmark located in the historic walled center of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.  Built primarily from local coral limestone between 1580 and 1654, it features a grand, sand-colored Baroque stone front piece flanked by two prominent square bell towers.  The sanctuary honors Saint Peter Claver, a Spanish Jesuit priest known as the "Apostle of the Slaves". He spent over 40 years ministering to, treating, and baptizing hundreds of thousands of African slaves arriving at the port.

(Google photo)

(Google photo)

This bronze monument depicts San Pedro Claver (Saint Peter Claver) alongside an enslaved person.  The statue is located in the Plaza de San Pedro Claver in the historic walled old city of Cartagena, Colombia, right in front of the church and sanctuary named after him. Created by the famous Colombian artist Enrique Grau, the sculpture commemorates the 17th-century Spanish Jesuit priest who dedicated his life to ministering to, feeding, and defending enslaved Africans arriving at the port of Cartagena. He famously referred to himself as the "slave of the slaves forever.”

Pedro de Heredia was a Spanish conquistador who played a key role in the conquest of what is now Colombia. He founded the city of Cartagena.

This is the equestrian statue of Simón Bolívar, located in Plaza de Bolívar (also known as Bolívar Park) within the historic walled city center of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.  Simón Bolívar was known as "El Libertador" (The Liberator) because he played a pivotal role in leading the independence of several South American countries from Spanish colonial rule, including Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.

What a fun and fabulous display of athleticism and entrepreneurship by these acrobatic young men we encountered on the street.  When the leader, seen above, saw I was about to starting to video them, he came right over to give me a fist bump.

(Note.  The song they played on their speaker was from the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan and contains an offensive word.)

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