Doctor's Orders Part 1 of 3

While visiting Glenn's cardiologist in Guatemala City earlier in October, he wrote out a prescription for Glenn.  "Caribbean Cruise as soon as possible". And we always obey our doctor:).  Thanks to a dear friend that generously gave to us, I was able to find a "last minute" Panama Canal Cruise - 14 days. 

We had stops in Cartagena, Colombia.  It is a colorful town.  Hot.  Friendly.  Glenn was there back in 1976 on his bicycle ride.  It brought back memories for him.

4 days after leaving Miami, we had a day long transit through the Panama Canal.  Magnificent!  It has wonderful technology and it was educational.

It took approximately 8 hours to travel from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Did you know?

• The canal is not just a “path” of water between the two oceans. There are a series of 6 locks in two parallel tracks that raise and lower ships between the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.
• The canal runs North and South, not East and West.
• Each vessel has to pay in cash for their transit.
• The locks are gravity fed. (the Pacific is lower than the Atlantic and the Gatun Lake which is the primary part of the transit is about 80 feet higher than the oceans)
• A cruise ship pays over $200K in cash, well in advance, to enter the canal. You pay the same amount whether you go completely through from one side to the other other or turn around in the middle and go back the way you come in.
• The lowest toll paid was $0.36 and was paid by Richard Halliburton who transitted the Canal swimming in 1928.
• “A man a plan a canal Panama” is a palindrome. Check it out.
• There are no pumps on the canals. Valves allow water to pass from the higher elevations to the lower ones by power of gravity. The water accumulates in man-made lakes produced from tremendous amounts of rainfall.
• Ships do not simply sail through the canal. They are aided by tugboats and are guided by electricity-powered “mules” attached to the ship with cables.

I love the Panama City skyline!