Panama Canal and origami penguins

1/8/2023 - 1/9/2023

Holy cow the Panama Canal is amazing! It takes all day to transit the canal. We start off bright eyed and bushy tailed at 6:30 in the morning with Panama rolls served to us.

The crew opened the bow specially for the day, which is where shauna and I spent most of our day. At one point, it started raining, and everyone but shauna and I ran to cover. So we got the very front of the bow all to ourselves for the third set of locks!

ANYWAY! We went through the old locks.

The route goes like this:

1: Atlantic bridge

2: Gatun locks (my personal favorite) where we were raised nearly 90 feet

3: Gatun lake- the worlds largest man made lake. Where the islands you see are actually the tops of mountains.

4: Centennial bridge

5: Pedro Miguel locks- second locks - watched water gush out

6: Miraflores - third locks

7: Bridge of the americas

The skyline of Panama City is incredible!

Once we docked in the evening, we were able to go out with a complimentary shuttle to a plaza. Just so happened to be the night before a panama holiday, so there was a carnival and a bunch of food vendors, and everyone was out celebrating. There were a ton of people with dogs, and almost everyone was on wheels. Whether that be a bike, roller skates, or a large 4 seater pedal cart.

It was really cool to see the night life BECAUSE the next day when I did my historical tour, the plaza was entirely empty.

Night and day difference.

The historical tour was great. My guide Roxanna- or Roxie- was funny and super informative. We’d be going along and she’d say “okay let me get on with the blah blah blah” which made me giggle. She had so many facts that I didn’t want to forget, so, for anyone curious, I’ve got a whole notes section on various facts about Panama City- old and new- and the canal!

Now I’m at sea for like 8 days. Many people have been worried about me getting bored. My response to that: if you’re bored on a cruise, you’re doing it wrong.

We’ve been going to different lectures- my favorite so far has been on whales! Art classes, comedy shows, “late” night live music (their late night means 9:30-11 haha). They have a STUNNING library, and a wonderful fitness center… needless to say, we stay entertained.

I talked to another guest from the Netherlands yesterday, who said world cruises spoil you because you’re given the best of the best for everything. The best customer service, the best food, the best products, etc. One touch I really love, is all the bouquets of flowers spread around the ship. THEYRE REAL. And they smell amazing. A really cool touch.

1/12/2023

At dinner our server Roy made origami specially for shauna and I. Shauna a fish, and me a heart! So sweet! So, the next night 1/13/2033 shauna and I came back and gave him origami we learned how to make during one of our arts a crafts classes! Shauna a penguin, and me a samari hat that he could put on the penguin!

Cheers,

Tay