DETOURS

It’s good to be back home. We went to my grandson Conor’s third birthday in Palos Verdes, California on St. Patrick’s Day. That is not unusual in and of itself. What was a bit more fun, rather than the two day drive to LA though Utah, was how we got there. I thought I wanted to get out of the cold of late winter in Colorado. We flew to Ft. Lauderdale where we caught a cruise ship going through the Panama Canal. On the day we left Florida it was ten degrees warmer in Arvada than Miami. The best laid plans…

We spent 17 days on a beautiful Princess Cruise ship going through the Atlantic, Caribbean and then the Pacific. Our first destination was to be Aruba. The day before our arrival the Captain came on the PA to tells us there had been a change of plans. “The weather in Aruba does not allow for our ship to safely dock so we are redirecting our course to Cartagena, Colombia”. I was not a bit disappointed. I had been to Aruba twice and my beach life is significantly hampered by my mobility. I knew nothing about Cartagena so I did the usual Google search. I got excited. We signed up for an all day excursion, “The Best of Cartagena”. It did not disappoint.

Our first stop was the fortress. I no more than got off the bus and knew it was out of my league. So I took my first detour on my detour. It was a very steep and long climb to the top, so I told Mary Kay to take pictures and I would go to this coffee shop across the street. I negotiated the rather chaotic traffic bringing a couple of trucks and cabs to a halt. It was a protected pedestrian crossing that was pretty much ignored in the urban chaos. From the sidewalk I could see that they had no handicapped ramp so I was studying how I might get inside. Out the door came this beaming store manager who got me up the stairs. It was a very beautiful setting with lots of art and a Latin feel.

She got me to the counter where I ordered a Mocha Latte—The Picture needs no explanation. I sat there and admired it for a couple of moments not wanting to spoil it. It was absolutely better than it looked. Colombian coffee and chocolate “Oh MY”!!! I took my time savoring every sip. The shop began to fill up with an energy of Latin warmth. Families, young folks with lap tops and one American in his Bronco hat, and a blue rollator which got love even in the shop—I soaked in the vibe of the space.

We stopped at many cultural spots along with a street market which buzzed with energy. Our final stop was the “Museum of the Inquisition” which in South America was centered in Colombia. I have been to two Holocaust Museums, one in DC and the other in Jerusalem. I thought I was prepared. It was full of stories and mechanisms of torture in the name of conversion. Let me say this and move on—I walked out—took my personal detour—after a few minutes as it was more than I could endure. It was the 16th—century version of Christian Nationalism—I am always very hesitant to make this kind of statement in this space but silence is not always courage.

My day in South America was a gift. Our guide was a delight, he loved his city and loved his country and made the day a detour I will never forget.

Onward and Upward,

Mark