As a result of Portobelo being Spain’s hub of their plundering it became a target of folks like Drake, Morgan and Vernon. The bay was therefore fortified against attack from the sea. Yesterday morning we explored the remains of these forts. Our first stop was on the north side of the bay. The fort comprised a lower section and a smaller section higher up the hill. Plenty of canon remain as does the general shape of the place. We had the place to ourselves which was nice. On the way back down the hill we encountered a 3ft lizard in our path which refused to budge. I prodded it with a twig a few times but it just sat there breathing. We left it and the fort and headed over to the south side where there was some more fortifications and the town of Portobelo.
The fortifications were similar to the north side although the higher section was more run down and not accessible. Walking into town we could see the place was pretty poor but some efforts have been made to preserve and present the historical aspects of the town. Around the center is the old customs house and museum which looked interesting. A sign outside stated that for one whole century a third of the worlds gold went through this one building. Nearby were a few tourist stands selling handmade items. One stand had a couple of small monkeys which instantly went for our pockets as soon as we passed near.
The church in Portobelo is noted for it’s black Christ. We were able to enter the church and see this. The layout of the church was the familiar catholic theme we saw in Cartagena.
Outside the church were a few small restaurants and some small stores. We bought a few more things that we’d forgotten before.
We rested the afternoon before returning to the town to eat out. None of the restaurants were open so either they don’t open in the evenings or we were there too early. Either way we headed back to the boat to eat. While cooking a solo sailor, Norman from Pawnee, who we’d talked to on the radio the previous evening popped by and we chatted for a while.
Today we’ll pick up some ice from the stores before heading out. We’ve decided to head straight for Isla Grande where we’ll rendezvous with the family on Sunday. It allows us time to settle in, do some exploring ourselves and be ready for the family when they arrive.