Richard Detrich's Cruising Photoblog

Ask not for whom the bell tolls . . .

richarddetrich — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:27:24 +0000

Bells in the Palace of the Inquisition, Cartagena, Columbia.

Please visit my other photoblog at www.beautifulpanama.wordpress.com for photos of life in Panama and my primary blog about life in Panama at www.RichardDetrich.wordpress.com.

Palace of the Inquisition

richarddetrich — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:24:43 +0000

This is the ornate Spanish entrance to the Palace of the Inquisition in Cartagena, Columbia, a monument to church stupidity and intolerance in the wake of the Reformation.

Please visit my other photoblog at www.beautifulpanama.wordpress.com for photos of life in Panama and my primary blog about life in Panama at www.RichardDetrich.wordpress.com.

Cartagena Courtyard

richarddetrich — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:21:02 +0000

This is actually inside a government building in Old Cartagena, Columbia.

Please visit my other photoblog at www.beautifulpanama.wordpress.com for photos of life in Panama and my primary blog about life in Panama at www.RichardDetrich.wordpress.com.

Cartagena Street

richarddetrich — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:17:25 +0000

Please visit my other photoblog at www.beautifulpanama.wordpress.com for photos of life in Panama and my primary blog about life in Panama at www.RichardDetrich.wordpress.com.

Cartagena, Columbia

richarddetrich — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:15:39 +0000

This was taken off the VOLENDAM on a trans-Canal repositioning cruise.

Please visit my other photoblog at www.beautifulpanama.wordpress.com for photos of life in Panama and my primary blog about life in Panama at www.RichardDetrich.wordpress.com.

Old Cartagena

richarddetrich — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:12:58 +0000

I love the old section of Cartagena, Columbia. I could, and sometimes to, just wander around for hours, just soaking up the architecture and ambience.

Please visit my other photoblog at www.beautifulpanama.wordpress.com for photos of life in Panama and my primary blog about life in Panama at www.RichardDetrich.wordpress.com.

“Some Shopping”

richarddetrich — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:10:12 +0000

This was the Cartagena city tour with only “some shopping” . . . too much for me, but hey . . . some of the ladies complained there wasn’t enough shopping. Anyhow, from the ROTTERDAM in Cartagena, Columbia.

Please visit my other photoblog at www.beautifulpanama.wordpress.com for photos of life in Panama and my primary blog about life in Panama at www.RichardDetrich.wordpress.com.

Amazing Grace

richarddetrich — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:07:11 +0000

This was taken from inside the tiny chapel at the old monastery overlooking Cartagena on the ROTTERDAM. It just reminded me of the song “Amazing Grace.” I like Cartagena and especially enjoy the old city.

Please visit my other photoblog at www.beautifulpanama.wordpress.com for photos of life in Panama and my primary blog about life in Panama at www.RichardDetrich.wordpress.com.

Horseback Riding at Half Moon Cay

richarddetrich — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:02:52 +0000

Half Moon Cay is Holland America’s exclusive out island in the Bahamas. One of the shore excursion options is horseback riding along the beach.

Please visit my other photoblog at www.beautifulpanama.wordpress.com for photos of life in Panama and my primary blog about life in Panama at www.RichardDetrich.wordpress.com.

Herculaneum

richarddetrich — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 10:32:48 +0000

Herculaneum was a small seaside resort not far from Pompeii which was destroyed in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius beginning on August 24, 79 AD. which buried them in superheated pyroclastic material that has solidified into volcanic tuff. Since the discovery of bones in 1981, some 150 skeletons have been found. Herculaneum was a smaller town with a wealthier population than Pompeii at the time of its destruction.

According to Wikipedia,

At around 1 PM on August 24, Vesuvius began spewing ash and volcanic stone thousands of meters into the sky. When it reached the boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere, the top of the cloud flattened leading Pliny to describe it to Tacitus as a stone pine tree. The prevailing winds at the time blew towards the southeast which caused the volcanic material to fall primarily on the city of Pompeii and the area surrounding it. Since Herculaneum lay to the west of Vesuvius, it was only mildly affected by the first phase of the eruption. While the roofs in Pompeii collapsed under the weight of the falling debris, only a few centimeters of ash fell on Herculaneum causing little damage. This was enough to cause many of the inhabitants to flee, however.

It was long thought that nearly all of the inhabitants managed to escape because initial excavations revealed only a few skeletons. It wasn’t until 1982, when the excavations reached boat houses on the beach area, that this view changed. In 12 boat houses archaeologists discovered 250 skeletons huddled close together.

Boat houses where skeletons were foundDuring the night, the column of volcanic debris which had risen into the stratosphere began falling back down onto Vesuvius. A pyroclastic flow formed that sent a mixture of 400°C (750°F) gas, ash, and rock racing down at 100 mph toward Herculaneum. At about 1 AM it reached the boat houses, where those waiting for rescue were killed instantly by the intense heat. This flow and several more following it slowly filled the city’s buildings from the bottom up, causing them little damage.

The amazingly good state of preservation of the structures and their contents is due to three factors:

By the time the wind changed and ash began to fall on Herculaneum, the structures were already filled with volcanic debris. Thus the roofs did not collapse.
The intense heat of the first pyroclastic flow carbonized the surface of organic materials and extracted the water from them.
The deep (up to 25 meters), dense tuff formed an airtight seal over Herculaneum for 1700 years

This was taken on a shore excursion from Celebrity Cruises’ MILLENNIUM.

Please visit my other photoblog at www.beautifulpanama.wordpress.com for photos of life in Panama and my primary blog about life in Panama at www.RichardDetrich.wordpress.com.