NCL Port: Puerto Limon, Costa Rica

My family and I recently went on a 10 night cruise, over Christmas 2016, on Norwegian Cruise Line.  The itinerary was Miami –> Aruba –> Cartagena, Columbia –> Panama Canal / Gatun Lake –> Colon, Panama –> Puerto Limon, Costa Rica –> Miami.

This last post is about Puerto Limon, Costa Rica!

For this trip my mum, sister and I booked a trip to Tortuguero National Park and Cacao Trails chocolate tour in Cahuita.

First up was a boat tour of the canals of Tortuguero National Park.  Plenty of wildlife to see here, including sloths, caiman, plant life, and lots of birds!

Tortuguero National Park

caiman!
caiman!

Tortuguero National Park

sloth!
sloth!

Tortuguero National Park Tortuguero National Park

bats!
bats!

There was also a coast guard station along the tour which included piles of small boats which had been numbered.  Turns out these boats were seized from drug runners just off the coast of Limon.

Tortuguero National Park

After this boat ride, we were given some delicious fruit of pineapple, papaya and watermelon before we headed off for the long drive to Cahuita.  On the way, we saw white faced capuchins.  Unfortunately, they were too hidden in the trees to get a good photo, but even the tour guide was impressed to have seem them at all.

At the chocolate place, called Cacao Trails, we were taken on a walk through their gardens to look at the different plants and talk about how the cacao plant is grown.  We saw more howler monkeys and sloths here too.  Then we were given a demonstration of how to make the chocolate.  This included tasting the raw cacao bean directly from the pod, as well as roasted cacao and then the final product which was delicious!  I purchased some roasted beans so I can attempt to make some myself 🙂

Cacao Trails, Cahuita Cacao Trails, Cahuita

 

*All photos are the property of Charlotte Moore, unless stated otherwise, and may not be used without written consent

NCL Port: Cartagena, Columbia

My family and I recently went on a 10 night cruise, over Christmas 2016, on Norwegian Cruise Line.  The itinerary was Miami –> Aruba –> Cartagena, Columbia –> Panama Canal / Gatun Lake –> Colon, Panama –> Puerto Limon, Costa Rica –> Miami.

This first post is about Cartagena, Columbia!

My dad, sister and I decided to book an eco-canoe tour through the mangroves.  First we started off with a stop at the San Felipe de Barajas Fortress.

San Felipe de Barajas Fortress San Felipe de Barajas Fortress

Then our bus headed to the La Boquilla fishing village via a beach road.  From here, we’d be picked up in canoes for 4 people, plus the guy paddling, through the Cueva de Manglar.  The canoes here have certainly seen better days, and required bailing periodically throughout our hour long canoe trip.

La Boquilla Fishing Village - Eco-canoe tour La Boquilla Fishing Village - Eco-canoe tour La Boquilla Fishing Village - Eco-canoe tour

These guys were conveniently throwing the nets as we came around the corner - tips appreciated ;)
These guys were conveniently throwing the nets as we came around the corner – tips appreciated 😉

La Boquilla Fishing Village - Eco-canoe tour

After arriving back to the dock, we were treated to a delicious coconut before heading back to the city and finally the cruise ship pier.

The cool thing about the Cartagena pier is that there is a small wildlife park which you have to walk through to enter/exit the pier.

Cotton-top tamarin... we think?
Cotton-top tamarin… we think?
A prehensile-tailed porcupine!
A prehensile-tailed porcupine!
Toucan outside the bird aviary! Me...inside!
Toucan outside the bird aviary! Me…inside!

Port of Cartagena - Wildlife Park Port of Cartagena - Wildlife Park*All photos are the property of Charlotte Moore, unless stated otherwise, and may not be used without written consent

 

My Angola Series: Museu Nacional da Escravatura, Miradouro da Lua & Rio Kwanza

For this post, I want to tell you about great day trip from Luanda, the capital of Angola.

First up is the Museu Nacional da Escravatura, which translates to the National Museum of Slavery.  It’s a small museum, founded in 1997, which adjoins to the Capela de Casa Grande, where slaves were baptised prior to be put on ships bound for the Americas.

Museu Nacional da Escravatura

Museu Nacional da Escravatura

Museu Nacional da Escravatura

The second stop is the Miradouro da Lua, or moon valley viewpoint.  This roadside landscape is similar to the moon’s surface.  It’s hard to explain how amazing it is, so take a look at the photos below!

Miradouro da Lua

Miradouro da Lua

Miradouro da Lua

Finally, we visited the Rio Kwanza for a boat ride up and down the river, leaving from the Kwanza Lodge.  The lodge is located at the mouth of the river and is popular with anglers.  The river contains large numbers of tarpon and other popular game fish.  In addition, just offshore are feeding grounds for marlin, sailfish and dorado (mahi-mahi).

Kwanza Lodge

Rio Kwanza

Rio Kwanza

Rio Kwanza

A heron and a kingfisher
A heron and a kingfisher

 

*All photos are the property of Charlotte Moore, unless stated otherwise, and may not be used without written consent.