ay Op

Thursday April 27, 2023

Day 7 of 15….Welcome to Colon Panama, the gateway to the Panama Canal on the Atlantic Ocean

Arrival 9am……Gangway Open 9:30am….All Aboard….5:30 pm

Yesterday, Cartegena Columbia…… Today, Colon Panama…….. Tomorrow, The Panama Canal….Its a very busy 3 days. Today our excursion will be the Imax Theater production of The History of the Panama Canal. We headed to the Aurora Theater again to check in and get our number and colored sticker. We waited to have our number called and then proceeded playing follow the leader again down to the 4th floor to get off the boat. We had docked this time at the dock. It was a very short distance to all the buses.

We looked for the guy with a sign with our Tour Number. On the way we stopped and had that Quick picture taken again…..Ughhhh…..

Then followed the Guide to our Beautiful Red Bus. As we had come down the inlet to dock, we had seen all these warehousing looking buildings. We found out it is the Tax Free Zone. Colon is a Tax Free Port dedicated to re-exporting to Latin America and the Caribbean. It is the largest free port in the Americas and the 2nd largest in the world. Hong Kong is first. It covers approximately 130 acres. It is separated from Colon by a wall. As we drove by the many entrances, it looked like regular shopping streets inside. Each entrance is gated. Our guide said it is totally locked up every nite at closing.

The guide we had this time was not the best. He had a very heavy accent and was difficult to understand. We also didn’t realize the Imax was clear on the other side of Panama, on the Pacific side. That was about 50 miles. We also didn’t realize until later that the back of the Imax was against the Canal. So, we now had about an hour drive across Panama from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. It really was a very pretty country. Lots of Trees, hills, just like the states, some small mountains, Lake Gatun, the manmade lake they flooded to make the Canal. There were plenty of small homes, very poorly made, hidden in the landscape. The main highway was Route 9, a beautiful highway, 4 lanes in places that ran from Colon to Panama City.

We arrived at the Imax to a very large modern building. There were many buses there, not only from our ship but many others. It is probably a main Tourist attraction coming out of Panama City also.

We entered and was given free popcorn and soda. It was a very well-made movie about the History of The Making of the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal was constructed at the Isthmus of Panama in order to save ships from going around Cape Horn in South America, saving 8,000 nautical miles. The canal is approximately 50 miles long from Atlantic Ocean deep water to Pacific Ocean deep water. The French first attempted to build the canal but gave up. So many men died of Malaria and Yellow Fever due to mosquitoes. Finally, the United States took over and acquired the Canal from France in 1904 and it was completed and opened in 1914. In total over 25,000 men died constructing the Canal, mostly French. Now what we did not know, was behind this Imax was the 3rd set of locks, Miraflores Locks. There was a stadium seating viewing area that they did not show us. The next day as we went through the canal, I seen the back side of the Imax. Now I sure don’t know why they didn’t take us there. We headed back to our BRIGHT RED BUS.

The tour guide drove us all through the area. The Canal was owned and run the United States from 1914 until a Treaty was sign in 1977. It stated that the Panama Canal would be officially handed over to Panama Dec. 31, 1999. During the United States time they owned it, they had constructed many buildings. Office buildings, homes for the officers and their families, as well as hospitals etc. All these were given to Panama.

Our guide took us past many of these buildings that are successfully being used today. We drove by the Corozal American Cemetary. This land was designated for a permanent cemetery in 1914 when the US opened the Canal. Citizens of over 70 nations are buried here, among them over 5000 Americans, Veterans and Civilians.

Then we headed towards Panama City. We rode on the Official Highway 1 that connects the Americas. We saw the Bridge of the Americas through the trees and then passed some apartment areas with graffiti paintings.

We headed for a little strip of land that ended in an area called Flamingo Island. It was a beautiful drive to the point. The ocean was on either side. Panama City was in the distance. So impressive with its tall buildings.

We drove all the way out there to stop at a souvenir shop and a bathroom break. lol. But it really was a pretty area. At the Souvenir shop I bought this cute little purse. I bought this purse for a purpose. I will write all about that the next time. Its worth a laugh.

Time to head back to the ship. We were pushing it for time. I heard comments being mentioned about how late we were. But remember……..We purchased this tour through Royal Caribbean. They wait for any tours that come back late. So I wasn’t worried. So back across Panama we went to Colon and our ship, The Radiance of the Seas. Another pretty drive back through the trees, hills, some mountains, Lake Gatun to Colon.

We finally got back, again tired and hungry. So off to the Windjammer for Dinner. We looked for Conmelia and Shane. As usual there they were. It is so good seeing them every day. Like seeing long lost friends. It was so good to sit down and relax in front of the windows and see the magnificent scenery that lays before you. Here we sit after a full day tour and are eating a wonderful meal before us, while looking out of the wall of windows from the 11th floor. Your looking at this magnificent view and think. WOW, Is this real? How Amazing life can be. We left port and are now traveling to Limon Bay near by. It is the entrance to the Panama Canal. We have to head out and wait for our turn to enter the canal in the morning.

Tomorrow, we will be entering the Canal and riding through 3 sets of locks to the Pacific side. It will take all day. This will surely be the highlight of the trip.

This is a map of the Panama City side of the Canal. The red flag is where the Imax was and the last of the 3 locks, Miraflores Locks. The long strip of land called the Punta Nature Center is where the driver took us. Panama City is on the right upper side of this photo. So tomorrow we get to stay on board, but it will be the Purpose for taking this Cruise. Our Passage all the way through the Panama Canal to the Pacific. It’s a once in a lifetime trip for us.