Carol's Travels

After breakfast this morning, we were given a tour of the ship’s kitchen. Then we had a group picture taken with the crew and our tour group. Then we boarded the small bus that would take us back to Panama City. Our bags were put in a delivery-sized truck.

We just missed going across the canal bridge when they closed it for two huge container ships to go through . That delayed us forty minutes, but I thought it was interesting to watch them go into the first canal lock. We then continued on our way, and we stopped to look down on the canal expansion project. It will allow much bigger ships to pass through. We also watched a short film about the project.

After that, we got onto a bigger bus to continue on to Panama City. Another Grand Circle group on the way to the Discovery traded buses. Next we stopped for pizza. The cheese they use is really delicious! I don’t think they use tomato sauce at all.

We continued on to Panama City where we stopped at the Reposa Jewelry Factory. We were given an interesting tour that took us through the various steps in the lost wax process. They make a lot of replicas of ancient jewelry and decorative pieces. It was especially interesting to me because I had taken a jewelry making class in college, but I had not taken the lost wax class which followed the class I took. In the gift shop they sold pieces made with this process and they also sold items made by the Indians.

We then went back to the Tryp Hotel. Some of us made a rum run with Abdiel after we checked in. Then we had Abdiel Specials with rum, ginger ale, lime pieces, and ice by the pool. Dinner followed. We said our good-byes since we will be leaving in three groups tomorrow. Only eleven of us are going on the post trip. We were so fortunate to have Abdiel as our guide. He has been one of the best guides I have had!

Panama Canal Expansion Project

One of the worst prisons because of the extreme overcrowding at 65 per cell

The gold plating over silver on a lost wax replica at Reposa Jewelry

Northbound ships go through the second part of the canal in the afternoon, so after breakfast we rode a bus out to within a mile of San Lorenzo National Park. On the way we saw howler monkeys in the trees, and an ant eater appeared briefly beside the road ahead of us. We walked the last mile looking at butterflies and other wildlife on the way to the old fort. There we investigated the old canons and the buildings. Then we went back to the ship.

Lunch was potato soup and salad. Then we stood on the deck and watched the ship go through the canal. It was extremely interesting to watch the gates in each lock open after the water had gone down to the level of the next lock. It was fascinating to watch the gates open for us to enter the next chamber. Finally, we were out of the canal and cruising to the town where we are tied up for the night.

We had a lovely farewell dinner and dance. Then we came down to our cabin to prepare to disembark tomorrow morning.

Howler monkey seen on nature walk

Paul riding a canon at Castillo San Lorenzo

Castillo San Lorenzo, an old fort

Canal pilot sitting next to Captain Carol

Going through the Panama Canal locks

A canal pilot has to be aboard every ship that goes through the Panama Canal. Our pilot boarded our northbound ship this morning. We were scheduled to follow a tanker and be beside a tugboat in each lock. It is costing our ship $3800 to go through which is less than the thousands of dollars that big ships have to pay. We are charged by the length because we have no cargo and only 22 passengers plus crew.

After breakfast we began the trip through the first of three locks we would go through this morning. It was a fascinating process to watch from our catamaran since we were low and could see everything so well. I thought it was especially interesting to watch the lock doors close behind us, then the water began to rise. The ships inside rise, of course, then the north lock door opens to let us continue on to the next lock. After the third lock, we had risen 85 feet. Then we motored on Gatun Lake quite a while until reached our mooring spot. We also saw two videos today on the history of the Panama Canal.

This afternoon after a delicious lunch of marinated beef and chicken kabobs, salad, corn-on-the-cob, eggplant, fruit, and wine or beer, some of us went kayaking for about an hour. After that, we went on panga boats to spot wildlife. We saw lots of birds and three sloths.

For dinner we had seafood pasta in red sauce, salad, dessert, and wine. After dinner our ship tour director gave us a presentation on the history of Panama and how it was used for overland transfer of goods since the time of the early Spaniards.

Our captain (right) and the canal pilot (left)

Entering the first lock from the Pacific going north

The lock doors closing behind us

Water filling the lock

Three Toed Sloth