Island Princess May 6, 2014 The Panama Canal and May 7, 2014 At Sea

Every time I told people I was going on the Panama Canal cruise, most of them who had done the cruise said they had been twice. One person, the receptionist at my optician, had been THREE times.   That’s kinda crazy.
Yesterday we went through the canal. Now I understand. I could not have imagined and I fear words will fail me as I try to describe going through the Panama Canal. It is truly a wonder of the world. It takes all day. Once we begin the passage, the captain gives up control of the ship to the canal pilot and everybody else who guides the ship through the canal. Process is flawless and fascinating. The on-ship guide talked to us intermittently throughout the day and the details he provided I can’t possibly remember but it was a day of education from start to finish. So many ships, so much cargo, lock gates opening, lock gates closing, ships rising, ships lowering, guys from a cargo ship waving to passengers on a cruise ship, how it was built, the history (the Spanish had the idea, the French tried and failed, the United States made it happen…), there is a third canal being built as we speak, “mules” – electric tow cars on rails that attach to the ship, two on each side, and pull the great ships through the canal. Mules used to do it, you see. Get through the first set of locks, sail across the “lake at the top” Gatun Lake. Did you know it is the 100^th anniversary of the opening of the Panama Canal?

I decided I really needed a nap and something woke me up. I wandered over to the balcony to see TORRENTIAL rain, thunder, lightning like only the tropics can bring. The last time I saw anything like it was not the Bay Area, which is no slouch when it comes to torrential rain, but in Costa Rica with Mom back in the 90’s – either ’95 or ’96 I can’t remember…  

Then more locks, more fascination, the enormity of the operations still not able to be comprehended.   As we sailed away at dusk and under the Bridge of the Americas past Panama City (gorgeous skyline, reminded me of Chicago) I felt like…well, I felt like I wanted to do it again someday. It’s just too much to grasp in one go around.

Today is At Sea on our way to Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

A word about cruise life. We do not have assigned seating and usually end up at a table with other strangers. The conversation always starts the same – where are you from? Is this your first cruise? Oh, where else have you cruised? From there is always gets more interesting and people are generally very friendly.   Many Canadians on board and gosh darn it they are all just so nice. Many folks from California. Last night was apparently The Midwest Table as we were seated with a couple from Kansas City (instant conversation starter), Gary who lives in SF but was originally from Minnesota and who was on his 99^th cruise, his 100^th to be Alaska in August which was also his 27^th cruise to Alaska. Wow. I don’t think I could take that much cruise food and cocktail lounge music in one lifetime. He spoke of his wife who is apparently deceased and it sounds like they had much fun over the years.

The ship is absolutely DEAD after 10:30 p.m. which is pretty awful. When in Rome do as the Romans do – we played Cribbage and Bananagrams and Backgammon. And we have done a jigsaw puzzle although someone commandeered it while we were away from the table. Al traditionally takes one piece and puts it in his pocket (a terrible trick which he learned from his brothers and which he taught our sons) so he was able to finish it after all.

This morning I woke up early, there was a time change, and I went out to the balcony (it’s warm, just humid and lusciously warm always) and there were birds soaring alongside the ship. I went down the hall to the bow of the ship and there were probably 15 of them. I think they are frigate birds. It was so beautiful, as if they are guiding the ship, and they never so much as flap a feather – just gliding along on the currents. That was 7 a.m. and as I look out the window at 2 p.m. they are still with us. I am happy to back to “my” ocean, The Pacific, and consider how blessed I am to be able to say that.

A word about the ship staff. They are from all over the world, and most of them are between the ages of about 25-40. They work their butts off and never once let on that they may be grouchy or bored or dog tired. The waiters sing as they go about their business and tease you If you refuse the “free” (but not calorie free) food. They always greet you as you walk down the hall, and it’s genuine. I plan to collar one before I go and ask how they got the job, what do they think of it, why did they do it (money, of course, but there are other ways and other reasons). That question was answered somewhat yesterday when we were going through the canal. Our deck 10 bow is set in a bit from the 9^th deck. Many young staffers, smiling broadly, were taking turns having their pictures taken going through the Panama Canal. It’s an experience of a lifetime. It’s not the Peace Corps, but for them possibly an opportunity they would have available to them in no other way. Yesterday as I was stretching in the aerobics gym the dance troupe was practicing their routine and it was so delightful to hear the many different accents to their English. There was one thing coming out of their mouths that had no accent, though. It was universal: laughter.