Autumn 2012 Panama Canal Cruise
Two Weeks on the Celebrity Infinity cruising down the coast
of Mexico on the Pacific Ocean and crossing through the Panama Canal and on to
the Atlantic Ocean and home again.
Cruising is a good time from visiting other countries to relaxing
aboard the liner and meeting people and making new friendships.
Our cabin was great, big and with a balcony. We were
surprised with complimentary champagne and fruit, along with afternoon caviar and vibrate fresh-cut
flowers.
We boarded the Celebrity Infinity in San Diego about noon
after getting up at 3 a.m., getting a car to the Tampa International Airport
for our flight on United Airlines, and not to forgetting changing from one
flight to another in Houston. Before sailing from San Diego harbor we stood on
deck and watched Naval helicopters on practice before enjoying a nice lunch
at the buffet and grill.
We had several choices for dinning. In the evenings we
mostly took advantage of dinner in the “Blue Café”, which has a fabulous array
of fine foods including of filet minion, escargot, cold avocado soup with
shrimp. After dinner we usually went to the variety show, sometimes being
served complimentary champagne. The theater offered a balance of musicals and
comedy. Afterwards sat on the balcony late into the evening and watched the
Pacific Ocean white-capped waters rising as the ship cruised on.
The first morning aboard, I went up to the gym, on the 10th
floor, for Yoga practice. When I paid for the 40-minute session and did a
little figuring, I decided not to participate in the exercise for the next two
weeks.
Also on the first day, after breakfast in buffet dining
room, we cheerfully joined with a tour being escorted through the ship’s kitchen.
I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised. The large emasculate area and
employees were great. Totally clean!
Coming into the waters of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Thursday
morning, I could not help but notice the aqua waters and the awesome stone
hill. Here, cruisers had to tender in,
as there are no docks for ocean liners. We walked streets of the lovely city,
stopped at a couple bar & grills and did some souvenir shopping. At the
Happy Ending, we took advantage of $2.00 Corona with a double shot of tequila.
The place was great, with free Internet and free International phone calling.
Just remember, when you go there be sure to get on a tender back to the ship
while you can still walk.
I did sleep well that night.
Well certainly, with many extra calories added to my normal
daily night, I spent much time the following morning walking up and down
staircases. Then to breakfast in the Blue Café and then a walk on the top
91-degree-windy joggers trail on the 11th deck before retiring to
the cabin to sit on the balcony to watch the peaks of the mountains of Bahia
California reaching through the haze on
the Coast of Mexico and gaze at the aqua blue Pacific where fish were jumping
and seabirds circling and every-once-in-a-while sea turtles floated by at the
water surface.
Next stop: Puerto
Vallarta, Mexico… with a dock… which was nice although being tendered in as we
were in Cabo San Lucas was fun, too. Here, we took a cab to mid-town and then
proceeded to walk the Malecon, which, stretched some 15-plus city blocks along
the seawall and that has sculptures; plus
the most awesome landmark—the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe—about a
half-block from the Malecon. (I was on my way inside when I learned, “They are
having Mass.” Whoops…. No photographing
inside today.
On a street just north of the boardwalk we crossed over a water-way
and in a few blocks, turned back toward the ocean and parked ourselves at the Cheeky
Monkey Bar & Grill where we chatted with fun servers and local people. We ordered Blood Mary’s ($4.00 each, & $1.00 beers) and watched people walking
the Malecon. Soon locals set up stands and shucked oysters and prepared the
most mouth-waters servings of oysters-on-the half-shell anybody could ever imagine.
After shopping for souvenirs we spotted a cab with its
driver napping under a tree. We awoke him and went back to the ship.
Back on our cabin balcony we sipped wine and watched the
going-on at the port—buses coming in from tours and people walking the dock to
the ship’s boarding area.
Days at sea were relaxing. Enjoyed sitting on our balcony
and watching the tall mountains raising behind layers of glistening mist that reminded me of the sun shining
through the rain between the shore and this ship.
Our next stop was Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala. We took a tour bus to Antigua and then walked the cobblestone street of this surprisingly lovely old city. (I plan to write an article on Antigua and post more pictures soon.)
Puntarenas, Costa
Rica, sad to report the town was quite untidy. After getting off the ship I
walked to the first street and turned right (north). Found few tourist and the
further I walked the dirty the streets and the more rundown the buildings. (I
learned later that the area was not recommended for walkers from the cruise ships
and, although I wasn’t bothered, turning left at that first corner had
certainly been a mistake). Store fronts,
including restaurants were closed with iron gates closings and even boarded.
Getting a little concerned about my walking alone in this undesirable part of
the city I turned east and for a block then back south. The further south I
walked, the more desirable the city became. Finding myself among people, mostly
locals, I did some souvenir shopping and parked myself in an Internet café for
a while before returning to the ship and having sushi on the 10th
deck by the pool.
Not only was the balcony a wonderful place to just hangout,
it was awesome for dining—especially breakfast and snacks.
Breakfast and lunch on the sunny tail deck overlooking the
surf stirred up by the ship was hard to beat.
Needless to say, the ocean-to-ocean voyage through the
Panama Canal was amazing. Very educational and a book of its own! (I plan to post another article and more photos about the canal soon.)
We dismbarked in Colon, Panama on Nov. 3, which is Panama
Independence Day, to the sounds of distant drums and other music. The city, of
some one-million people, much like most we explored in Central America is quite
poor and very trashy. Our cab driver pointed out to us a house that had burn
down but still had a few charcoal studs standing, “People still live there,” he
said. It is amazing how tour guides seem unmoved by this; as if they think it
is an okay environment.
Entering waters of Cartagena, Columbia, we were amazed to see
tall, white structures of modern décor in the metropolitan area—not really for
tourist. We had planned to take a taxi to the old, historic part of the city (known
as Centro or Old Walled City or Centro Historical or Old City) but were soon
talked into the some four-hour taxi tour, which ended up being quite interesting
and very educational. We visited the Covento La Popa de la Galera, located on
tallest mountain peak in the city. Here, we could view all parts of the city
below—the modern-day high-rises, Old Town, and the poor side, which according
to our guide is extremely poor and the location of the “real” (poor) people.
We made it back to the ship early enough before sailing to
sit on the balcony and watch passengers of both the Infinity and beside us a
Holland American re-boarding. Captains of the Holland American made several announcements,
and waiting nearly an hour longer than their scheduled sailing time, for a
couple missing passengers. But finally officials announced that they could wait
no longer. And the ship sailed…
And then Welcome Home: Two days after leaving this South
American country, and two-weeks of cruising, we sailed into the harbor at Ft. Lauderdale and headed back to West Central
Florida.
Bridged By Love, historical fiction by Patricia Lieb
Bridged By Love, historical fiction by Patricia Lieb
