Cartagena and Calblanque in February

On Tuesday we combine two destinations which probably deserved a day each, but the road is slower than it seemed on Google maps. I also decide to take the coast road south which is a bad idea. I don't see anything of the coast anyway and it's even slower. But at least going through the villages and urbanizaciónes aIong Mar Menor I realise none would have been any better than where we are in Torrevieja.

Google Maps is as confused as us about the best road into the Calblanque Nature reserve. I don't take the worst but later find a better one. The best road into the reserve is not from the Barracas area where there are the signs of the entry to the park but further along the RM-12 near exit 14 where Google Maps gives Parada Bus Clablanque 4:40. Either way, there are a lot of artificial bumps and the road is narrow but we arrive safely at Los Cobaticos visitor centre. We park and walk about 15 minutes downhill to the next car park (it's possible to go that far by car) and to the Mirador Playa Larga. 

From there we go back to the car park and follow the red and white signs to the Duna Fossile, the salt pans and Calblanque bay, which is pristine, beautiful and empty, but not white!

We stop at the observatories at the Salt pans on the way back. There are a few flamingos in a far off corner. It’s a nice area where nature has been left undisturbed and on this sunny early February morning the temperature is ideal for walking. 

It would also have been fine for a picnic and I regret not bringing anything with me. We get back to the car at well past twelve so it’s quarter past one by the time we are parking in Cartagena. We are hungry but really it’s just starting to be the right time for food in this part of the world.

On the way to somewhere else we stop to read the Menu del Dia blackboard at Bar Granada. A smiling lady comes out and we ended up stopping. It’s a simple lunch except for an unexpectedly artistic ‘bomba de patate’ for the appetizer, which deserves a photo. 

For the second I have the trusty merluza with home made chips and a green pimiento, Andrea the same sides but with lomo de cerdo. For dessert we choose the cheesecake, which is filling, instead of coffee. The beer ‘El Aguila’ de grifo, is excellent.

It was all good but it’s not especially warm in the bar so we don’t linger. Looking for the centre of Cartagena we get a bit lost and end up in a grittier part. There’s more ‘up and down’ than is usual for a port town, but we eventually get to the Museo Nacional de Arqueología Subacuática, by which time we are in full lack-of-caffeine slump and probably don’t do it justice. It’s free for both of us – me for the Tarjeta Museos Estatales and for Andrea because he’s over 65 and is well thought-out but at this time of the afternoon I would need to be more motivated. 

When we come out, we walk along the water front which is very smart and pleasant, reminiscent of Muelle Uno in Malaga which we love, and then, before the monument “El Zulo” to the victims of terrorism, turn right into the centre of Cartegna, which is also very attractive, light stone and sandstone, sunshine and flowers.

Still in need of coffee Andrea finds the bar El Soldadito de Plomo a little way behind the entrance to the Anfiteatro Romano, which apart from the fascinating vintage/recycling decor also does excellent coffee – the cakes looked good too but we are full from lunch. It’s an interesting stop. We should get busy around the sights to see in Cartagena but instead we walk past the Ayuntamiento along the main street – Calle Mayor to admire the architecture and do a little shopping.

It’s getting late so we go into the Anfiteatro Romano which is free on a Tuesday afternoon. Hmm, not very atmospheric, a lot of it has been rebuilt and the chaotic buildings around it don’t help. 

The ruins of the basilica look interesting but you can’t get close enough even to look in from outside. It’s too late now to visit the castle so we go for another walk along the Puerto before heading back to the car and home.