Millennium Dragon: 27 March 2012

In a few winks, from last night to this morning, we returned from Africa back to Europe, Cartagena on the Mediterranean Coast of Spain to be exact. A bit of continent hopping overnight.
Anpother port that has its origins in the dim dark ages:

City Wall

Municipal Building

Hasdrubal, a Carthaginian general founded it in 228 BC and stayed there until 221 BC.In 219 Hasrubal's brother in law, the famous Hannibal brought his armies and elephants to Iberia and defeated the forces who had taken root there.Then Gold got into the picture, and Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus captured the city in 206 BC, and exported gold, and mined silver in the surrounding country side.600 years later the Goths noticed (a little slow) the wealth, and sacked the city in AD 425.AD 711 saw General Tariq of Moorish origin seize the city and commenced to restore some order and rebuild it. The Moorish reign lasted for 700 years.In 1269 AD the King of Aragon took over, ending Islamic rule.In 1888 Isaac Peral, a local citizen, built a small unassuming submarine, powered by two 30hp engines - the first of it's kind and still around as a monument at today's harbour front.1936-1939 it served as the Naval Base for the Spanish Civil War.

Palm Sunday and Semana Santa are next week, so the stores are filled with children

A heady mix. Spain's economic crisis is evident, though: empty building lots, half completed structures, fronted by preserved art deco walls, closed stores, groups of unemployed young men, crisis prices tell the story of a city in trouble.Tourists take advantage of lowered prices, and still populate open air cafes and visit dozens of museums and galleries.Sunshine and balmy temperatures made exploring the city an enjoyable day.

Just a wall, with an empty lot behind it. The art deco front is preserved.

No wonder, the city is a mosaic of ancient, antique, old and new architectural styles. Citizens are afraid to dig foundations for new buildings (or renovating old ones) as sure as anything - there is another archeological find - end of development! Some of the most impressive roman ruins were only discovered a couple of decades ago.
Roman structures (their plethora of games and amphitheatres beat any hockey play offs and arenas in Canada - none would last a couple of thousand years) are evident here again. Forts and fortifications, defensive walls and look out towers, refuge and communication tunnels compete with medieval and baroque churches and art deco and art nouveau street scapes.