Costa Rica and Panama
Elderhostel Cruise January-February 2006
Cruise Day 10: Vaya Con Dios
(Click
Here for Cruise Map)
The ship's public address system woke everyone at 6:00
AM. We were already berthed at Colón. After a buffet
breakfast, we disembarked and headed by bus to Panama City. On
the way, we visited the Panama Canal Museum at Miraflores Locks. This
provided a new perspective on the operation of the Canal. We were
impressed by the size of some of the vessels that were designed
specifically for passage through the Panama Canal. One automobile
carrier from Asia, pictured below, had only 11 inches clearance on each
side. It held
6,000 automobiles! Note the "before and after" photos as the water
rises in the locks. After a visit to Balboa Park (which provided great
views of the Panama City skyline) we had lunch and a presentation at a
Balboa hotel. We then proceeded to the Holiday Inn Crowne
Plaza in Panama City. We walked to nearby N. Sra. del
Carmen (Mt.Carmel) church, where we found teens from two local
parochial schools rehearsing choir music. Several of the students
talked to us, and we were amazed at their command of colloquial English
that all had learned in school.
--Click
on Photos for high resolution full-screen images--
Memories
We were very favorably impressed by how smoothly the
Elderhostel and the Cruise West program was operated. This was the
largest of the 16 Elderhostels we had ever attended, and there were
several incidents (ranging from lost luggage, late arrivals, and two
ambulance calls) that required intervention by the ship's crew, medical
officer and our Elderhostel Coordinator, Dennis of Holbrook
Travel. Meals, including a sumptuous beach picnic, were
outstanding. Fresh fish was available every day, and the coffee
was wonderful. There was an ongoing dispute as to which country had
better coffee, Costa Rica or Panama. To settle this, suffice it to say
that our hotel in Panama served Costa Rican coffee! As has been our
experience, the Elderhostel participants
contributed greatly to the enjoyment of our trip.
--Click
on Photos for high resolution full-screen images--
