Baton Rouge, 56 feet above sea level, is the capital of Louisiana. It’s situated on the eastern bank of the Mississippi 81 miles upriver from New Orleans. We woke up to another gloomy day, but no rain, so try as it might, the weather did not dampen our spirits. We grabbed a quick breakfast and were ready to navigate the levee and board the bus for our morning excursion: Houmas House.

The Houmas Indians selected this particular high-ground location on a curve of the river. A trading post was established and then a small home was added and then many transformations later that small home and trading post were joined together, enlarged, remodeled, enlarged again and over time the spectacular mansion house we saw today evolved. In 2003 it was sold to a fellow from New Orleans who has not only restored it but lives there as folks have done for the last 240 years. The gardens are spectacular with 500 years old live oaks, ponds, gardens, and walking paths. We really enjoyed Oak Alley yesterday and found Houmas House to be just as interesting in different ways. Sugar and enslaved labor formed the foundation for the wealth that allowed for such opulent living. There are no signs of either now since it is a home that has been lived in and updated continuously over the centuries.

The mansion house is filled to the brim with fun stuff. Firsts for us included a voodoo mask, insect trap used on the dining table, lawn darts, a sugar mold, a vampire slayer kit, coffin-sized wicker baskets originally used to carry amputees from the Civil War, needlework known as turkey work, and wedding attire for the nuptials of the current owner’s dogs. There’s also some memorabilia from the filming of the movie Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte.

We noticed an odd portrait of two children. Odd in that the heads did not seem to match the bodies. Our guide explained that painters back in the day used to paint headless bodies in a variety of clothes, age combinations, and backgrounds. When they had a sizable collection the painters traveled from home to home asking if parents would like a portrait of their children. Easy peasy since the children only had to sit long enough for the painter to add their heads to the bodies already on the canvas.

With heads spinning from all the beautiful sights and interesting information, we headed back to the river for a quick turnaround. Lunch was on our minds, so we focused on that and then freshened up before our city tour. The highlight was the Capital Park Museum which tells the story of Louisiana from a cultural as well as historical perspective. We saw stunning Mardi Gras costumes; Louis Armstrong’s bugle; the door to a slave pen; a bottle of Promin, invented to cure leprosy; a fist edition of Uncle Tom’s Cabin; a hurricane alter; displays highlighting the food and music of this diverse state; and so much more. We drove past the old and new governor’s mansions, the nation’s tallest state capitol building (450 feet/34 stories), a couple plantation homes, three huge cemeteries, and a few pretty neighborhoods before ending with a drive around the Louisiana State University (LSU) campus. Fun fact: LSU has kept a live tiger as its mascot since the 1930s. They have all been named Mike and have all been in need of a sanctuary home. Our last stop was at Mike’s 13,000 foot enclosure. Merry early Christmas to us because Mike was up and strolling along the perimeter of his enclosure the whole time we were there.

Both of our guides today were fun and informative and clearly proud of their state. We learned about sugar production (harvest, press, boil, strain, dry) and what a bonanza it was for the growers once it was figured out that the cane stocks that they formerly had to pay to have hauled off could be exported (primarily to Russia) to be made into pressed wood. Cha-ching! BTW dried, pressed cane stalks are called bagasse which we found amusing because of its similarity to bad ass.

Another fun tidbit was the history of the numerous ponds we saw. Years back the state needed dirt for the construction of raised roads, so they offered to buy dirt from locals with the agreement that if the farmers dug ponds the government would not only buy the dirt but provide fish to stock the ponds. Nature filled the ponds with free fresh water, the free fish were delivered, and then some smarty pants suggested the farmers plant rice in the ponds. Talk about a win-win.

Fun facts about Baton Rough…

This city has been ruled by six different governments: French, British, and
Spanish in the colonial era; the Republic of West Florida; the United States
(as a territory and as a state); and the Confederate.

Baton Rouge is French for red stick.

The Battle of Baton Rouge was the only American Revolution battle fought outside the 13 colonies.

LSU is home to two Indian mounds, both of which are older than the Egyptian pyramids.

To signify the start of Mardi Gras season, wooden pink flamingos show up in the LSU and city lakes.

LSU contributed more graduates to World War II than any university except the military academies.

What to do when your grown up babies and their babies will be with their in-laws this year? Why not cruise the lower Mississippi? It kinda sells itself: no need to leave the country, delicious food, interesting tours and activities, no long-distance flights, nightly entertainment, and a chance to explore a new corner of the world.

American Cruise Lines’ American Melody will be our home away from home this week and will take us from New Orleans to Memphis. It’s our first time with this cruise line and our first time to cruise solely in the United States. We’re excited to be sharing the adventure with Cleone and Walter, Army pals of 46 years.

Walter, Cleone, Dan and I timed our arrivals perfectly so that we could meet at the airport on the 18th and share a cab into town. We checked into the beautiful, new, WWII-themed Higgins Hilton, grabbed a quick lunch, and headed across the street to our main event for the day.

The Big Easy is famous for a lot of things, but we came a day early to make sure we had time to visit what congress has designated America’s Official World War II Museum. Since its 2020 opening on D-Day, June 6, it has supported the mission of telling the story of the American experience in the war: why it was fought, how it was won, and what it means today. We started our visit with a fabulous, though sobering, 4D movie titled Beyond All Boundaries and then took in two of the galleries. The first one, dedicated to aircraft, had a B-24 suspended from the ceiling, the kind of plane Dan’s dad was in when he was shot down over Germany seven months before VE Day. The other gallery dealt with trench art—homemade souvenirs crafted out of discarded war refuse. Vases, candlesticks, and ashtrays made out of bullets and shell casings I can wrap my head around but the functioning violin made of scavenged wood took me totally by surprise.

Paying homage to the famous Stage Door Canteens that entertained and fed 11 million Allied servicemen and women during the war is The National WWII Museum’s own BB’s Stage Door Canteen. We snagged tickets before we left home for an evening performance by the Victory Belles. Fun meets three-part harmony meets whimsical, sophisticated, and talented. Their rendition of The Little Drummer Boy might be my all-time favorite.

The first official day of our cruise adventure was the 19th. We spent the morning seeing the remaining two galleries of the museum, both of which were wonderful. One focuses on Normandy and the other had a wing for the Eastern Front and one for the Western. The galleries are designed like experiences with the displays in makeshift bunkers, Quonset huts, battle ships, the jungle, and bombed out buildings. Short movies and displays made them come to life.

We timed our arrival at the American Melody just in time for a late lunch. (Being in time for food is one of our superpowers!) Like all arriving passengers we got a complimentary covid test and waited in our room until we got the all-clear and were free to eat, explore the boat, unpack, and relax until the 4:00 briefing on the excursions that will be offed this week. From there to cocktails and then dinner and then a foot stomping hour of vocals by Connie Garrett and her son. A great day one.

This morning we toured Oak Alley, a sugar cane plantation established 211 years ago that takes its name from an impressive row of 28 magnificent 300-year-old live oak trees stretching a quarter mile from the front of the mansion to the Mississippi River. Its sprawling lawns, pastures, ornamental gardens, and upper and lower wraparound porches make it easy to understand what an impression it would have made in its prime. The plantation was built by and relied on the labor of the enslaved. Two rows of reconstructed quarters tells part of their story. Having an abundance of house slaves, as many as 19, served as the ultimate demonstration of its most prominent owners’ wealth. With its impressive landholdings, beautiful grounds, astute business practices, private docking site, and imposing big house, it’s easy to see why it became know as The Grand Dame of the Great River Road. The property was designated a National Historic Landmark, one of only 2,500 in the United States, in 1978 and has been used in numerous films (The Long Hot Summer, Interview With a Vampire), commercials, magazine layouts, soap operas (The Young and the Restless, Days of Our Lives), and music videos (Beyoncé’s Deja Vu).  

After our excursion, lunch was served on board before our 1:30 departure from New Orleans. It was fun to watch our fellow river craft ply the water this afternoon. The ride so far has been smooth and quiet.

It was evident within 24 hours of getting on board that our main, if not only, dilemma will be working up an appetite for the next food offering. Champagne and strawberries were available the minute lunch was over. Cookies were passed around at 3:00, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres set up by 5:30, dinner anytime before 7:30, and believe it or not popcorn, ice cream sundaes, and floats were available during tonight’s entertainment.

Speaking of tonight’s entertainment, we thoroughly enjoyed Mario and Norm playing Boogie Blues. Mario, 35, was on vocals, trumpet, and piano and Norm, 85, played a mean steel guitar. Fun scoop on Norm: he toured and recorded exclusively with Merle Haggard for 49 years; has played the White House, Madison Square Garden, and Carnegie Hall; has had 30 hits so far; and is in the Western Swing as well as The Steel Guitar Halls of Fame.

We are heading to bed excited to see what tomorrow brings.

Fun facts about New Orleans…..

New Orleans became the first city to host opera in the United States (1796).

The Voodoo culture was introduced in New Orleans by the 1800’s voodoo queens.
Of the queens, Marie Laveau became the most prominent.

New Orleans was the largest city in the Confederate States of America during the Civil War.

The phrase Dixieland comes from the name Dix which was the currency of Louisiana
back when states were using their own currency.

Mobile, Alabama held the first Mardi Gras party in America (not New Orleans).

Louis Armstrong and Lee Harvey Oswald, the assassin of President Kennedy, were born in New Orleans.

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway has been declared by the
Guinness World Records as the longest continuous bridge in the world.

The Superdome is the largest enclosed stadium in the world.

A New Orleans dentist, Levi Spear Parmly, invented the first form of dental floss. 

Most of the city was built on a cypress swamp, so the dead are interred in above-ground tombs.
A pyramid tomb in St. Louis Cemetery was built by actor Nicolas Cage. 

The city boasts the oldest continuously used Catholic cathedral in the country: the St. Louis Cathedral.

How does one fill the last two days of a cruise? Three meals a day helped, of course, as did strolling the deck, sleeping late, feeding the machines in the casino, reading in a quiet corner, napping out of sight of the more energetic cruisers, catching some rays, and attending more lectures.

Brent, our renowned naturalist, lectured on dolphins and coral reefs. He easily kept us interested with his pictures and narrative on things like reef spawning, the variety of mouth shapes fish have, cleaning stations (where small fish lend a hand {hungry mouths} to a larger one), sleep patterns, fish that can change sex, camouflage, how a whale’s shed skin feeds a reef, the differences between dolphins and porpoises, the arrogance of some really colorful underwater creatures, and much, much more. He ended his final lecture of the cruise by wondering out loud if we humans could shift our focus a bit and start to pride ourselves in what we save, not in what we make.

Mary Amanda is a forensic musicologist, among other things, and lectured on her research that solved the question of which song was the last to be performed on the deck of the Titanic by the brave musicians who played until moments before they met their untimely deaths in the freezing water along with 1,500 others, one of whom was Mary Amanda’s great-great-uncle. Songe d’Autumne was accepted as the final song for years because survivors could hear it from their lifeboats, but research did not bear this out and the hunt was on. Over time the undisputed contenders were Horbury, Bethany, and Propior Deo. To the untrained ear they all sound like Nearer My God to Thee, but to someone who knows music, there are subtle differences. Mary Amanda proved it was Propior Deo by Arthur Sullivan.

Mary Amanda’s other lecture was on lady mariners. Life at sea was a dangerous place back in the day, but for a woman it would have been especially risky. Hundreds of years ago women did sign on, however, but almost always passing as men. Her presentation focused on a few gutsy gals who dared to dress as women while acting like men! Grace O’Malley is a great example. She learned the trade of tax collecting from her dad in the early 1500s and took over the family business after his death. At 63 this spunky mariner even had a successful audience with the queen of England to negotiate the release of her son.

Anne Bonny was a pirate in the early 1700s looking for loot in the Bahamas alongside her husband, Jack. The plot thickened when they took a small man captive, discovered he is really a she, and welcomed her, Mary, to their gang of thieves. Yep, Jack and Mary become lovers; Ann could live with that; and the pillaging and plundering proceeded.

Violet Jessop, a tuberculosis survivor, was a translator and cabin steward on the Titanic and lived to tell her tale. No shrinking violet, she was also on the RMS Olympic when another shipped rammed into it, and she was a nurse on the RMS Britannic when it ran over a mine and exploded. She died at 83 with the nickname Queen of Sinking Ships.

Grace, Ann, Mary and Violet were just rookies compared to the Jeff Bazos of the pirating world: Zheng Yi Sao also known as Ching Shih. After her husband’s death in 1807 she took control of his pirate confederation, the Red Flag Fleet, with the support of his adopted son. Her fleet was composed of 400 junks and between 40,000 and 60,000 pirates. She wrote a manual outlining her rules and the equitable spit of the loot, which she explained would be shared among everyone to include the lowliest pirate. No doubt this move garnered her great loyalty. The government offered her a sweet deal in 1810: if she quit pirating she and her husband (former stepson) would be allowed to retain a substantial fleet and avoid prosecution. She took them up on it and eventually died a rich women at the ripe old age of 68.

Before closing, Mary Amanda brought the tribute into modern times discussing the first lady to sail around the world solo (1936); the first to sail around the world nonstop (1988); the youngest (14-16) and oldest (71) to do so; and finally the first American woman to captain a mega-cruise ship (in 2015). As the saying goes, we’ve come a long way baby!

We thoroughly enjoyed these last two lazy days. Hettie brought her conversation cards to dinner and Dan continued with his clever seating arrangements. On the last night of a cruise I usually ask everyone their favorite part of the cruise, which I include in the blog. Not tonight! Right after our orders were taken, a woman approached the table and asked if there was a Dan and Schele at the table. She explained that someone on a bus tour we took had just tested positive for covid and we were to return to our cabin immediately.

We had numerous calls from hospitality and catering to see if there was anything they could get us. Our waiter, Tammy, sent our meals to the room. Dessert and a bottle of champagne were delivered and, in time, a team of two came to the door to administer a covid test. We even got future cruise credit vouchers! Throughout the cruise we always had our masks in place when we were off the ship, even on the tour buses and when we were outside, so we were not too worried. But it was admittedly a relief when we got the call that we tested negative.

We’re headed to bed anticipating the group scattering to the wind tomorrow morning.

For what it’s worth…..

Jelly fish and star fish are not fish.

Each officers on board the ship carries gold stripes either on the sleeve or as epaulets.
Who knew you could tell what they did by taking a closer look?
Engineers, have gold stripes with a propeller on a purple background.
The purple honors the memory of the engineers on the Titanic.
The hotel department have gold stripes on a white background.
The marines wear gold on black.
Environmental officers have gold on green with the universal recycle emblem.
The medical team wears gold on red signifying its relation to the Red Cross and the Red Crescent of medical assistance.

If yesterday was a bit of a bad surprise, then today was a huge good surprise! We loved Cartagena and were charmed by how her colonial walled city and fortress, World Heritage Sites since 1984, have been beautifully restored and maintained. Brought back to life, really, after a concerted effort by city planners about 15 years ago. From the get-go we were excited to explore this little corner of the land now known for emeralds and coffee.

Sidebar: Yep, I was here once before with a group of wild and crazy friends from Panama.
Let me just say, what happens in Cartagena stays in Cartagena. 😉
The city was tired and unkept at the time, nothing like what we saw today.

Known since the colonial era as Cartagena de Indias, it became a key port for the export of Peruvian silver to Spain and for the import of enslaved Africans, 1.1 million of them! The fact that it was defensible against pirates was a huge plus for the city but did not protect the ships once they left the port headed home.

Our guide prepared us for the deluge of vendors before we stepped off the bus at the San Felipe de Barajas Fortress, the largest Spanish fort in the new world, situated on San Lazaro Hill. Sure enough, they knew we were coming and were anxious to show off their wares. A first for us were the ladies dressed in very colorful Congo-esque skirts and blouses with large trays of fruit balanced on their heads. The fruit was not for sale, but a picture of the ladies or with the ladies, your choice, was.

The nicely landscaped, impressive fortress, designed to prevent land-based enemy attacks, overlooks part of 6.8 miles of walls surrounding the old city across the lagoon. Its tunnels were constructed in such a way that footsteps (of an approaching enemy) could be heard. Silly us, we were amused by the pubic restrooms which were located in a space originally designed to be used for ammunition storage. We walked to the top of the fortress and enjoyed views on all sides.

Once we were fortressed out, we met at the statue of Don Blas de Lezo at the base of the hill. He cut a dashing figure having lost an arm, an eye, and a leg in service to the colonies. His popularity is based on his skillful defense of Cartagena against a vastly superior British force in 1741. His maimed appearance, believed to be accurately reflected on the statue, makes him look like a picture book pirate. Once everyone snapped a photo of Don, we wove our way through the venders aggressively promoting their wares: hats, jewelry, fruit, sun glasses, drinks, and table clothes.

Next stop, and our favorite: Old Town, which dates back to 1586. Its storybook architecture, impeccably clean streets and plazas, well preserved balconied colonial buildings, shaded outdoor cafes, churches, monasteries, plazas, palaces, and mansions had us at first glance! The mansions have massive doorknockers indicating the profession of the occupant: a lion indicated the military, an iguana meant you were related to royalty in some way. I also saw huge fish but can’t remember what they meant. Some of the balconies were almost consumed by plants and others were more subtle. Charming, colorful, lively, manicured kind of sum it up.

We had free time to roam and shop plus our group visited a couple places. We enjoyed the small museum at the Inquisition Palace with its torture equipment used on victims during the inquisition. Fun fact: These items were removed from display in 2015 prior to Pope Francis’ visit. Hum?

The stop that made the biggest impression was the Sanctuary of San Pedro Clave, the patron saint of slaves. He was born into a privileged family in Spain, decided on the priesthood, and volunteered to work in the colonies. During his six years of study in the colonies he became deeply disturbed by the harsh treatment and living conditions of the slaves. It soon became his practice to head for the wharf as soon as a slave ship arrived. Boarding the ship, he entered the filthy, diseased hold to treat and minister to those in the worst shape. Those in need of special care were taken to his hospital. He made it his habit to visit slaves where they lived during periods when slave ships were not expected in port. He lodged in the slave quarters further endearing himself to his flock. He stayed the course for 40 years! President Obama as well as Pope Francis have paid their respects at the altar of the Church of St. Peter Claver which is part of the beautiful sanctuary we visited today.

Back on the bus we headed to the ship. Our guide kept us busy looking at interesting things along the way: a former leprosy hospital; all-white, above-ground cemeteries; a former slave market; and two small submarines confiscated from drug smugglers.

To top off our perfect day, the walk from the bus to the ship took us through a large store filled with Colombian goodies. We took this last shopping opportunity very seriously and were among the last to get back on the ship. 😉

Dan had another clever seating arrangement and Hettie brought out more conversation cards over dinner. Cruisers seated next to us asked what the heck we were doing. Soon they were borrowing cards, asking where to get some, and chuckling at one another’s answers.

Tonight’s entertainment: Touch of Shine, a Ukrainian-born duo. Anna is a trained gymnast and Vlad, a professional circus performer. They were spectacular!

For what it’s worth…..

The currency is the Columbian Peso (COP)
$1.00 = 3,743 COP / 1 COP = $0.00027

Cartagena was under Spanish rule for more than 275 years!

The population of Cartagena is between 1 and 1.5 million.

Hold on to your hat: Pedro Clave owned slaves. I kid you not!

It is legal to walk around in public with an alcoholic beverage in hand.  

In spite of being met at the port by a lively troupe performing traditional dances, today was a bit of a disappointment. Sad to say, from the moment we left the pier there was no shortage of evidence demonstrating the poverty, lack of civic pride, neglect, and chaos of the city. Trash was everywhere! Buildings were abandoned, dilapidated, and served as a dumping ground for piles of refuse. Such a sad reflection on this small country with its world renowned canal and proud history.

Colon lies at the Atlantic mouth of the canal and was founded by the United States in 1850 as the Atlantic terminal of the railroad that took gold rushers to Panama City on their way to California. During its heyday, Colón was home to dozens of nightclubs, cabarets, and movie theaters. It was known for its citizens’ civic pride and orderly appearance. Much of the city was destroyed by fire in 1885 and again in 1915. Add politically instigated riots in the 1960s and the US’s departure at the end of 1999 and you’ve got yourself some serious decline which precipitated many of its upper and middle-class residents leaving. Mary Amanda spoke of this decline in her presentation as well as the low vaccination rate, 75% unemployment (up from 50% pre-Covid), pickpockets, poverty, and muggings. A massive restoration and reconstruction project involving parks, avenues, and historic buildings and monuments began in late 2014, but we were in the wrong part of town to see evidence of it.

Sidebar: The only time I spent in Colon when we lived here was shopping in the
Free Zone (see For what it’s worth….. below) and watching the beginning
of the dugout canoe race that Matt and Murphy were part of.

Our first stop of the day was to visit (wearing our masks at all times) the town of Portobelo (no relation to the mushroom). The 45 minute ride from Colon took us through the jungle on a very nice four-lane highway and then on a two-lane blacktopped road in good condition. We passed abandoned cars; cinderblock buildings with grillwork on the windows and doors, lush vegetation and tropical flowers; a few horses and free range chickens; brightly painted homes and shops with corrugated metal roofs; and trash, trash, and more trash strewn literally everywhere. Once we arrived in Portobelo we were joined by two uniformed ‘tourist police’ who stayed with us the whole time.

Portobelo’s claim to fame back in the day was it’s beautiful port (porto bello). Columbus was here in 1502. It was from this beautiful port that gold from Peru was shipped to Spain, where treasures from the east would make their way to Panama City, and where trade markets were said to have lasted up to 40 days. With so many valuables passing through the area, Portobelo became a target for pirates including Henry Morgan and Francis Drake, who attacked the city and took the port several times throughout the 1600’s. The remains of colonial Spanish forts are the last relics of this town’s legacy as the largest colonial Spanish port in Central America, and the reason it has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We saw the remains of Fort Santiago where cannons still point toward the entrance to the bay and San Jerónimo with its 8 cannons, some watchtowers, and an officers quarters.

The most revered religious figure in Portobelo is Nazareno, the Black Christ. There is a beautiful life-size wooden sculpture of him at Iglesia San Felipe, a church built by the Spanish in 1814. We lit a candle for Aunt Jerry at his feet. 

The highlight of our day, besides our enthusiastic guide (who ended the tour by giving us each a banana muffin) and our bus with its bright purple window valences bedazzled with well placed elaborate gold tassels, three layers of trim, and a few hundred small, subtle tassels, was our tour of Agua Clara, the brand new and very impressive visitor center perched above the newest (larger) locks. Our timing was perfect because a huge container ship was inching its way into place just as we arrived. A narrator walked us through each step as the ship was raised from the Atlantic on our right to Gatun Lake on our left. Bonus: The gift shop gave us the opportunity to add a carved and painted tagua to the collection we started when we lived in Panama.

We learned over our sumptuous four-course meal tonight about Hettie and Ronnie’s day in Panama City. They were wowed by how clean, organized, and modern it is with tall buildings; clean, wide streets; and beautiful shops. Their group was not shadowed by ‘tourist police.’

With Dan’s contest at an end, Hettie whipped out the conversation cards she brought along and we had fun going around the table answering the questions posed by the cards. Questions like: What is your favorite happy color? Where do you feel peaceful and calm? Name three songs that make you happy.

For what it’s worth…..

The population of Colon is 204,000.

The Colon Free Zone is the second largest duty-free zone in the world behind Hong Kong’s.

Tagua nuts are often referred to as vegetable ivory because of their resemblance to animal ivory.
Once mature, a tagua palm can produce up to 20 pounds of nuts a year until it reaches 100 years old.
Fun fact: Before plastic became common, about 20% of all buttons produced in the US were made of vegetable ivory.

This very day is the main reason we all came on the cruise. We were ready and excited for the six-to-eight-hour transit of the famous Panama Canal, considered one of the seven modern wonders of the world. The season is shifting from rainy to dry, so we had our fingers crossed for a beautiful day. And we got it!!!

Uncharacteristically enthused for daybreak, Dan and I popped out of bed around 5:30 to insure we did not miss a thing. We saw the lights of Panama City in the distance, the lights of two container ships waiting their turn, and a pilot boat just pulling away from our side of the ship. At that early hour it was 77 degrees with 90% humidity.

Sidebar: Murphy and I have bragging rights for going through part of the canal on a navy vessel
when our family lived in Panama in the early1990s, and Matt and Murphy can boast racing a
dugout canoe the length of the canal as part of an Explorer Scout activity.

Panama lies in the center of the Americas and looks a bit like an S lying on its side. The Panama Canal splits the country into a western, or North American part, and an eastern, or South American part. The Isthmus of Panama at the site of the canal is 50 miles wide and separates the Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic Ocean.

Additional sidebar: Cyd visited us when we lived here, so she has
some familiarity with Panama and the former Canal Zone.

When transiting from the Pacific to the Atlantic, like we did, the first two locks are at Miraflores. Once through these we traveled just under a mile in Lake Miraflores to a single lock at Pedro Miguel which finished lifting us up to Gatun Lake which is 85 feet above sea level. The narrowest portion of the canal, the Gaillard Cut (or Culebra Cut), begins where we exited the lock. This cut is an artificial channel, or excavated gorge, sliced through the continental divide. Hettie and I had read The Path Between the Seas which goes into great detail about how treacherous, daring, tedious, and dangerous creating this section of the canal was, so this eight miles possibly fascinated us more than the others in our group. It was easy to picture the engineers and work crews struggling to get the terracing and angle of repost calculations just right to stop the rainy season’s inevitable mud slides from destroying the previous days work and endangering the crews and equipment.

Once we were out of the second set of locks, around 10:00 AM, and through the cut we entered Gatun Lake, an artificial fresh water lake created by damming the water from the mighty Chagres River. Countless small mountain tops rise above the water and create islands smothered in green vegetation. Not a structure in sight, our transit was quiet, peaceful, and almost serene as we glided slowly through the lake. We did not spot any West Indian manatees, introduced to eat lake vegetation, poisonous frogs or alligators, but there were lots of birds. We passed Barro Colorado, a 100-year old Smithsonian Research center visited by more than 400 scientists each year. This rainforest-covered living laboratory is dedicated to the study of biology, ecology, evolution and animal behavior.

Almost last sidebar: I visited Barro Colorado twice; Matt was able to join me the second time.
Because no insect repellent was allowed, we wore long pants, long sleeves, and a hat.
We pulled our socks over our pants and duck taped them together in case little
creep crawlies got any big ideas. Yes, it was hot, but we saw a lot of cool things!

When it was time to be lowered back down to sea level through the triple flight of locks on the Atlantic side, we decided to get an up-close-and-personal view by going to the helipad at the very front of the ship. By then it was 90 degrees and sunny, so the cold towels and cool drinks were a welcome treat.

The canal consists of seventeen artificial lakes as well as several improved and artificial channels. Operating around-the-clock, the canal sees some 40 vessels pass through each day (14,000+ annually) including tankers, cargo ships, yachts, and cruise ships. Our transit alone used a total of 52 million gallons of fresh Chagres River water! With climate change and deforestation, it is easy to see why ideas for judicious use of the water supply are now being seriously looked at.

Last sidebar: Matt graduated from Balboa High School a couple weeks before we moved.

A quick bit of history (to skip over if you are so inclined): This narrow isthmus was no secret to ambitious Europeans having a field day colonizing, trading with, and overpowering Central and South American countries. The earliest recorded mention of how great it would be to have a canal through Panama was made by Charles V, King of Spain and the Holy Roman Emperor in the 1530s; he wanted a shorter, safer route for his ships traveling between Peru (think gold and silver) and Spain. Two hundred and fifty years later Thomas Jefferson even went on record encouraging the Spanish to give it try. The California gold rush in the late 1840s stimulated US interest in building a canal between the oceans, but it was actually the French who made the first noble 10-year effort that began in January 1881. They abandoned the project for several reasons not the least of which was the expenditure of hundreds of millions of francs and at least 22,000 deaths, mostly from yellow fever and malaria. The United States bought the French out for $40 million and the US Army Corps of Engineers began its valiant 10-year effort to connect the two oceans. The United States built the canal for $500 million with the help of 56,000 workers, 10 percent of whom died in the process, mostly from accidents, since the US did not start building until they wiped out yellow fever and malaria. The cargo ship Ancon was the first vessel to transit the Canal on August 15, 1914.

Let’s talk money: Buying the French out was not the only hurdle to canal building, of course; the United States also needed an agreement with Panama. The US paid Panama $10 million for the Canal Zone and canal rights in perpetuity with an additional per annum of $250,000. With paperwork under control and engineering plans in hand, construction began in 1904. By 1955, the per annum had risen to $1,930,000.

Where do things stand now: In 1977, President Jimmy Carter signed treaties returning to Panama gradual control of the Canal Zone until it was completely theirs by the end of the century. The treaties also guaranteed Panama’s neutrality in operating the canal and called for US military bases to be phased out. Control of the Panama Canal passed into Panama’s hands at midnight on the last day of the 20th century, December 31, 1999 (4.5 years after we left). On June 26, 2016, a new and expanded third lane of the canal opened after a long construction period lasting from 2007 until 2016.

We were all a buzz at dinner tonight and agreed it had been a perfect day! To the person we felt like we could turn around and transit again just for the sereneness of it all.

For what it’s worth…..

Panama is roughly the size of South Carolina.

The currency is the Panamanian Balboa (PAB).
$1.00 = 1 PAB
The US dollar is legal tender in Panama too.

Panama hats are actually made in Ecuador.

The canal generates fully one-third of Panama’s entire economy.
Fun fact: The lowest toll ever, $0.36, was paid by Richard Halliburton who swim it in 1928.

Senator John McCain was born in the Canal Zone that was, at the time, considered U.S. Territory.

Panama is the only place in the world where you can sit in the same spot and watch the sun rise
on the Pacific Ocean and set on the Atlantic Ocean.

Panama and efforts to build a canal there had held the world’s fascination for decades, so the successful
opening of the canal—at long last—should have been The Event of the decade,
but it was completely overshadowed by the beginning of World War I.

OK, let’s start with the BIGGEST NEWS of the day: Cyd won Dan’s eight-day trivia contest. She was tied with Ronnie and Ricky for first place before tonight’s bonus question. Test your skill: Is the following statement true or false? Albert Einstein invented the Rule of 72, an accounting shortcut to estimate how long it will take an investment to double in value.

Rick fell out with that question which left the little vixen tied with Ronnie necessitating three tie breaker questions.
1) In the last four years how many states have enacted legislation or passed resolutions to provide for year-round daylight savings time: 19 or 8?
2) What is the most popular and least popular color in the world: blue/yellow or red/purple?
3) According to U.S. News and World Reports what are the top three luxury cruise lines: Viking, Seabourn, and Crystal or Azamara, Regent Seven Seas, and Oceania?

Our little winner got all three correct (Ronnie missed one) before graciously receiving her prize of a Celebrity umbrella provided by the quiz master.

Aside from mounting anticipation of who would win the umbrella tonight, this sea day was similar to the others in that we slept late, ate, attended two wonderful lectures, ate, relaxed, walked the deck, ate, and then luxuriated in not having to be anywhere or do anything before another date night.

Brent lectured on green sea turtles, so named for the color of their fat, not the color of their shells, by the way. We learned about their courting rituals, breeding sites, life spans, and their horrific odds—one percent—of living to breeding age. Almost unbelievable since a single healthy female in her prime can lay up to 800 eggs in one breeding cycle! Oddly the youngsters are carnivores but switch to vegetarianism after their fifth birthday. In case you were wondering about all that sea water they take in while grazing, it is expelled with massive burps.

Mary Amanda’s lecture was on the building of the Panama Canal. I’ll share lots more tomorrow, but for now let me offer a few teasers. Passage through the canal saves 8,000 miles and 22 days when compared to a trip around South America! Ships can’t just show up and think everyone will be happy to see them; nope, a reservation is required. Payment must be in cash and in the case of cruise ships is determined by the number of beds, regardless of occupancy. Celebrity paid in the neighborhood of $600,000 to transit. If, let’s say, you do not want to wait your turn in line, you can get a speedy pass for an early slot. I can only assume that is payable in cash also. These charges include the service of a mandatory canal pilot, most of whom are now women.

Tonight’s entertainment: vocalist Rachel Tyler packed a punch.

For What it’s worth…..

Albert Einstein is Not the brains behind the Rule of 72.

Tie breakers: 19 … blue/yellow … Viking, Seabourn, Crystal

Today was a tie for favorite day so far, for me anyway. Perfect weather, great guides, beautiful scenery, and two interesting sites.

Sidebar: Dan and I visited Costa Rica over Thanksgiving in the early 1990s with Matt and Murphy.
We centered our trip in and around San Jose and had a fabulous time white water rafting,
hiking a volcano, and exploring the capital.

With high altitudes, fertile volcanic soil, warm temperatures, steady rainfall, and a tropical climate, Costa Rica is uniquely positioned to produce superior coffee beans. In fact, it is the only country in the world where it is illegal to produce anything less than 100% Arabica beans – the highest quality. We decided to tour a coffee plantation to see what all the fuss is about. Five minutes out of the small town of Sarchi is Espiritu Santo, a 610 acre coffee cooperative.

We thoroughly enjoyed a very informative visit in a beautiful setting with rolling green hills that are carpeted in flowering coffee plants each spring. What a spectacular sight that must be! We learned that coffee is actually …wait for it… a fruit. The ripe fruit is called a cherry and is bright red when hand picked. Our guide volunteered Cyd to strap on a harvester’s basket for our viewing pleasure and the whole group was then welcomed to help Cyd pick ripe, red cherries. We bit into them (no chewing or swallowing) for a taste test and found them sweet and appealing. Nicaraguans come to help pick since there is always more to harvest than the local labor market can manage.

Before sampling coffee that had been freshly brewed and dripped through a cotton sock, we got to see how the outer husk is removed (hulled) from the dry beans and then, hairnets in place, we toured the processing plant where coffee is roasted and bagged. Interestingly beans that are exported, which most of them are, are dried but not roasted, ground, or packaged before shipping. News to us!

Our other fun stop today was to an oxcart factory which has been in business since 1923. Say what? Once the main form of transportation across this mountainous, agricultural country, oxcarts in Costa Rica today are mostly used for celebrations. The colorfully-painted wooden carts with teams of matched oxen and smartly dressed drivers are known around the world. The oxcart has been the National Labor Symbol for Costa Rica since 1988, and in 2005 UNESCO proclaimed Costa Rica’s vibrantly painted, traditional oxcarts to be an Intangible World Cultural Heritage.

A custom cart made today costs between $3,000 and $4,000 unpainted. They are still made with spoke-less, solid wood wheels bound by a metal ring that cuts through mud without getting stuck. No two oxcarts in Costa Rica are painted exactly the same. The fine art of oxcart painting has been passed down in families from generation to generation, especially in Sarchi. Another of the town’s claims to fame is what Guinness World Records has deemed the World’s Largest Oxcart, built in 2006, which is on full view in the center of town.

We had an uneventful ride back to the port after our lovely day. We drove on nicely paved roads, some without shoulders or painted center lines admittedly, but in great shape. We passed roadside watermelon and ceviche stands; mango, palm, and almond trees; banana plants heavy with fruit; and laundry hanging on the line. All the small dwellings and business we passed had corrugated metal roofs and were colorfully painted. The small communities were spotlessly clean and tidy with rolling green mountains in the background. We drove back down 5,000 feet through the cloud forest to the salty air that coffee plants do not like and were welcomed by palm lined black sandy beaches.

Two fun facts:
1) Coast Rica is the second oldest democracy in Central and South America.
2) Just like old American school buses go to Guatemala to be repurposed, old American cars are shipped to Costa Rica to be repaired and sold or dismantled for parts.

Tonight’s entertainment: James Stephens III, a comedian

For what it’s worth…..

The currency is the Costa Rican Colon or CRC.
$1.00 = 614 CRC
1 CRC = $0.0016

Costa Rica abolished its army in 1949.

The national flower of Costa Rica is the orchid.

Costa Rica generates more than 99% of its electricity using renewable energy.

Laborers earn more in Costa Rica than anywhere else in Central America with a daily wage of $10 USD. 

Costa Rica is slightly smaller than West Virginia with over 25% of its land protected as either a national park or wildlife reserve. This is the largest percentage of any country in the world!

Costa Rica has around 200 volcanoes; five (or seven) are active. Poas Volcano has the second-largest volcanic crater in the world.

Nicoya, on the western coast, is a Blue Zone where the inhabitants commonly live active lives past the age of 100.

Costa Rica is the second-largest exporter of bananas in the world.
(For the insatiably curious, Ecuador is first.)

Costa Rican women don’t take their husband’s last name; they keep their maiden name
which, by the way, they receive from their mothers.

You know you’re in a cruise fog when you’re scurrying to get ready for dinner while commenting on how busy the day was! That’s the condition all of us seem to be in. With absolutely NOTHING TO DO we found ourselves late for cocktails at 5:00.

Our morning began with Dan off to walk the deck and me racing to the 10:00 lecture on crocodilians (crocodiles, alligators, caiman). I allowed just enough time to grab three pastries and a cappuccino at the coffee cafe. 😉 Priorities!

Anyway, Brent had us captivated with fun facts and his amazing photos of these ancient creatures. Who knew, for example, that these powerful creatures are such caring, gentle, attentive parents? Not I. Their babies are nurtured for a year and grow about an inch a month. On average they lose a tooth every nine days for a grand total of about 2,000 lost teeth in a 60-90 year lifetime. (They grow back.) Here’s a news flash: the sex of the babies is determined by egg temperature which is determined by the eggs’ locations in the nest. Courting season is just ending now, so females will be laying their eggs anytime. By the end of the lecture we all had a greater respect for these creatures that have managed to hang around for 37 million years! BTW, if you want to know if you are looking a croc or an alligator in the face, check out the teeth and the shape of the jaw. They are dead (no pun intended) giveaways.

Speaking of wildlife, masked and brown boobies plus frigate birds flew close to the ship most of the day hoping to take advantage of whatever treats we might be stirring up in the water.

Anyway, we had just enough time after the lecture to grab a multi-course lunch before heading back to the theatre for a matinee performance by two powerful, energetic vocalists from the Celebrity singers and dancers. From the concert we zipped off to a $10 flash sale before scrambling to get ready for cocktails.

Want to play along? Tonight’s contest questions:
1) When oak trees produce an unusually large number of acorns, it’s called
a) Rigging
b) Masting
2)Which month is the riskiest to drive?
a) September
b) July
3) This group tends to be undercounted in the decennial census.
a) Young children
b) College students

Tonights entertainment: the music of Frankie Vali and the Four Seasons performed by December ’63.

For what it’s worth…..

We are sailing at half capacity with 1,100 guests aboard.

All crew members wear masks when at work and have not been allowed to leave the ship when we are in port.

Contest answers: b, a, a

Today was my favorite day so far. Before going ashore, we were able to join some of our fellow passengers on the helipad for a bird’s eye view of the port. The downside: it’s an industrial port, circa 1980s, which left us with zillions of containers to look at as well as piles of imported coal. The upside: mimosas, champagne, flavored water, and iced towels to cool us off in the already-hot sun.

Sidebar: I had a blast when I visited Guatemala with a group of ladies in the early 1990s.
We were here a week and visited wonderful places. The highlight for me was a side trip to Tikal.

Once ashore we entered a lovely park-like welcoming area with live music, restrooms, and colorful shops filled with local arts and crafts. From there we boarded our bus for a warm hour and half ride along a very nice four-lane highway that took us from the Pacific lowlands to the highlands. Our guide, Carla, was wonderful like all the others and pointed out what we were looking at: fields of sugarcane, bananas, and shade coffee (top three agricultural exports) as well as black beans, wild flowers, corn, and papaya. Once we were far enough from town, mountains and volcanos formed a backdrop for the fields and made a beautiful scene. Smoke was coming from the top of Volcan del Fuego, but most of the other volcanos were shrouded in clouds. We passed a tire shop with a guy napping in a hammock, an establishment that disassembles old American school buses (see For What it’s worth…. below), colorful cemeteries that had been decorated for the picnickers and visitors who paid their respects yesterday for All Saints Day, and small communities. Our destination was Antigua, the colonial capital of all of Central America when Spain ruled this part of the world.

Antiqua’s old town has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The buildings, all low lying to withstand earthquakes, are earth toned stucco with red tile roofs. The uneven cobbled streets are paved with lava rocks. The black roads, colorful buildings, flower boxes, and bougainvillea were set into a low spot in the landscape with a backdrop of lush green mountains and volcanoes. We were so careful not to trip on uneven cobbles that we worried we were missing the beauty of our surroundings.

Indians dressed in ultra colorful clothes had come in from surrounding areas to sell their crafts to the first cruisers they had seen in almost two years. We were besieged (!!!) from the moment we got off the bus. It was fun and smothering all at the same time. A man decided I needed some small, beaded quetzals (see For what it’s worth…. below) and stuck with me from street to street. He started at $7 for one. We eventually made a deal: eight for $20. Cyd stepped up and said she’s take eight also. I’d say our salesman had a good start to his day.

We had a delicious lunch and made a few memorable stops. To get the lay of the land we started in the quaint, clean, candy colored town square with its Spanish colonial buildings and beautiful mermaid fountain. It was overrun with eager salespeople, some of whom were young children, showing off crafts made in their respective villages: textiles, beaded necklaces, and things made of jade. Near the town square is the beautiful, yellow Santa Catalina Arch which dates to the late 1600s and once served as a walkway for cloistered nuns. On a clear day the arch is a perfect frame for Vulcan de Agua in the distance.

We visited Las Capuchinas, a former convent. Like most edifices in Antigua, the convent was severely damaged by the 1773 earthquake that caused it to be abandoned for nearly two centuries. Its partial renovation allows visitors to get a glimpse of sequestered life centuries ago. We saw bathtubs chiseled out of stone; small sleeping chambers for the nuns, each with a window and toilet; gardens; and a courtyard with covered colonnades. Our guide explained that it was not uncommon for families to ’give’ their eldest daughter to the church as a gesture of gratitude for God’s many blessing. Once goodbyes were said, these girls would never have seen family or friends again. Nor would they have ever left the confines of the convent. A sobering thought.

Earthquakes and floods have left many other beautiful facades that can only be appreciated from the outside since they are now ruins. However we were able to visit Iglesia de La Merced, formerly a monastery for men, and the Church of San Francisco where we had the opportunity to light another candle for Aunt Jerry. The restroom at the church required a small fee. I gave the attendant $1.00 and got change in Guatemalan coins and (the fun part) a printed receipt! It was large, numbered (in red), and had a picture of the church as well as the address and date (in blue) of my visit to the restroom. As an additional service the attendant sold candy, snacks, and drinks, so I spent my change before heading back to the bus.

Our last stop of the day was at a jade factory, Casa del Jade, where we saw craftsmen honing their skills. Although jade is found 125 miles away, Antigua has been and continues to be the center of all the artisans that work the stone. A guide talked us through the importance of jade in the ancient Mayan culture, the uniqueness of Guatemalan jade, and its different colors. One necklace and earrings later I was on the bus ready to head back to the ship.

The ride back to the pier gave Carla a chance to share more fun facts about her country. Here’s something that’ll keep you awake at night. Sugar cane, introduced by the Spanish in the 1500s, is a natural snake habitat! The fields are burned once a year (where do all the snakes go?) and then harvested by hand. Speaking of sugar, it is routinely fortified with vitamin A. It is not uncommon to mix it with coffee, put it in a bottle, and offer it to a hungry baby waiting for its next meal!

Less frightening fun fact include the following:
*Kite festivals are held in conjunction with All Saints Day. We saw some being flown on our ride back.
*Geothermal heat (from the volcanos) is used where practical.
*October 31 is the official end to the rainy season.
*Spanish is the official language of Guatemala, but 21 distinct Mayan languages plus several Amerindian languages are also spoken.

Ronnie shared a great Pentagon joke at dinner tonight and Dan continued his eight-part trivia contest. I have maintained my firm hold on last place. If I pick the obvious answer, it’s the odd ball that’s correct, and if I go with the long shot, it’s the obvious answer. Would backing off the umbrella drinks help?

For what it’s worth…..

Currency is the quetzal (GTQ)
1 GTQ = $0.13
$1.00 = 7.7 GTQ

Guatemala is slightly smaller in area than Pennsylvania.
About 60% of the country is covered by mountains.

Guatemala has one of the youngest populations in the Americas.
The median age of the population is 23.3 years, compared to 38.5 years in the US.

There are 37 volcanos in Guatemala, three of which are still active. The tallest, Tajumulco, is also
the highest peak in Central America and is somewhere between 12,529 feet and 13,841 feet depending on the source. 😉

Chocolate is originally from Guatemala, so they say! It was used in Mayan culture as early as
the sixth century A.D. and served as a form of currency in ancient times.

The quetzal is the national bird. Its outstanding feature is tail feathers that can grow up to 16 inches long.
Speaking of wildlife, the country has the highest diversity of lungless salamanders.

Get this: One of the first McDonald’s restaurant operators in Guatemala, a lady BTW, came up with the Menú Ronald, a menu catering specifically to kids. Bob Bernstein refined the idea into what we know today as the Happy Meal.

Lots of old school buses from the U.S. retire to Guatemala and are transformed into chicken buses to
augment the Guatemalan public transport system. The new owners add more seats, paint them colorfully, and
overhaul the engines. Traveling in chicken buses can be tedious and unreliable but very affordable.
Drivers usually name their buses after their wives or daughters.

The jungles of northern Guatemala featured in the Star Wars film franchise appearing in both Star Wars Episode IV
and The Force Awakens. Tikal National Park was the location of the filming.