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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Nov 23, 2024 12:00 AM On the way to Florida...
There is no hurricane expected in the coming days in the weather forecast. It was rocking a bit yesterday in the evening but today we experience only light breeze. The sky is blue again, giving still the last chance for the sunbath. This is our last day on this cruise ship - tomorrow in the morning we will be disembarking in Tampa. I have been many times in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Port Canaveral but never in Tampa - this will be new experience to me! During this day at sea there is still a lot to do: music, dancing, trivia and bingo... Last day of unlimited ice cream! :)
I have a voucher for dinner in the Japanese restaurant, and later in the theatre there will be Circus Bijou show. Aha, I should also think about packing my backpack... It will be heavier than before! :)
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Nov 22, 2024 12:00 AM Grand Cayman... so small and crowded!
Did you hear about Cayman Islands? This member of British Comonwealth has a territory of 3 islands in the Carribean Sea, around 90 thousand inhabitants and they drive left side of the road... Practically only Grand Cayman is visited by cruise ships. Since they do not have a port tourists are taken from the anchoring ship to the Georgetown - their capital aboard the tenders - small motor boats.
But today the sea was rough near the Georgetown. Tenders cannot operate here today. They decided to land on the concrete jetty at Spott - 6 kms away, around the corner, but in the middle of nowhere. When I landed they told me that they do not provide the shuttle to "downtown". If you want to go there you can share taxi paying 6 dollars each way. Shame!
In the heavy morning traffic it took me an hour to reach the capital. No changes there (I have been here already twice) except new shopping mall selling diamonds, luxury watches etc.
I took a 2,5 kms walk to the end of famous 7 Mile Beach. Fish market on the roadside... New hotels and villas block the access to the sand... Microbuses marked "Public bus" operate around charging 2,50 USD or 2 local dollars per ride. Cayman dollar is stronger than US dollar! One more little known place on Earth!
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Nov 21, 2024 12:00 AM Cartagena de las Indias
It was sunny and hot in the morning when our ship reached port of Cartagena in Northern Columbia. In the colonial times it was rich, fortified city, famous for the beauty of the architecture. UNESCO put Cartagena on the World Heritage list. I have been here already 3 times, but each time I was delighted.
So we disembarked the ship only at 10.50 am and... the warm rain started to fall. It is 5 kms from the pier to the old city. Previously I was doing this by foot, but not in the rain... Taxi, after bargaining cost me 5 dollars each way. I was walking narrow streets with colorful houses and plenty of flowers on the balconies in the light rain. But later storm arrived and I was forced to find the shelter in the hotel. After the storm it was too late to wonder again the city so I discretly took the picture of the ladies posing in the colors of the Columbian flag and returned to the ship. At the pier there is a bird park with flamingos, big pattots and other animals - great attaction for the passengers! We were saying goodbye to Cartagena in the dark, enjoying warm evening, harbor lights and hot chocolate :)
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Nov 19, 2024 12:00 AM 80 kms of Panama Canal...
Captain said we will be passing under Americas bridge at 5.45am. It was still dark, but everybody was on the upper deck at this time. Mistake! We were under the bridge at 6.50. Then we were sailing through the system of the locks - very interesting experience. The water lifted us 27 m up to the Gatun Lake. And later 27 m down - to the Atlantic level. It took us almost 10 hours sailing in the heat and high humidity. It was my second time in the canal, but it was worth! Especially for the views of the Culebra Cut - the narrowest canal segment. Great but tiring day!
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Nov 18, 2024 12:00 AM Panama - walking Casco Viejo
This is my third time in the colonial quarter of Panama City. Nowadays it looks much better than few years ago. Many buildinds were restored and painted...Casco Viejo with many cobbled streets still has colonial atmosphere. There were many churches in the past. Some of them like Santo Domingo are still in ruin, but cleared. Other - like San Jose with golden altar, San Francisco, the cathedral and La Merced church are nicely restored and open for free visit. In addition those ones has a/c which is so important in ever- present heat. In Plaza Mayor there is Panama Canal Museum. You can see many stalls of Kuna Indios selling their colorful handicrafts and of course panama hats. Casco Viejo is now safe with a visible presence of army and police. I survived 4 hours in the sun, high temperature and humidity. Now it is the time to rest and get ready for tomorrow's canal crossing!
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Nov 17, 2024 12:00 AM Only 6 deg North from equator!
Ufff.... Very hot and humid climate...
We are reaching Panama City. The passenger terminal Amador is located on a small, rocky island connected with a mainland by a long causeway. From the upper decks of the ship there is a great view of the skyline of Panama City. The terminal building is imposing by the size, but inside there is nothing except screening machines. No single shop, zero information. In the opposite front of the huge building the taxi drivers will hunt for you. Offering rental per hour (25 USD and more) excursions (from 40 USD) but you have to bargain. I paid 25 for one-way transfer of 4 people to Casco Viejo - Old City. No city bus or shuttle goes to the terminal. Shame!
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Nov 16, 2024 12:00 AM Puntarenas, not Punta Arenas!
Puntarenas, not Punta Arenas!
Weather today is warm but cloudy. We dock in the little port Puntarenas on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Do you remember? There is also other, more famous Punta Arenas on the Magellan Strait, where I was already 3 times...
It was raining lightly when I was disembarking the ship in the morning. We soon embarked the bus to drive lush-green hills to the little town of Esparza, where kids from the local school were singing and dancing for us national dances. We had a lot of fun. Then we went to the interior of the country to see and to try pineaples, papayas and other crops, also the locally grown coffee. A lot of river crossings on the way... Volcanoes was not visible because the clouds. In the afternoon in Puntarenas it cleared up and it was possible to take a beach walk, visiting cathedral built of irregular stone and Casa de cultura...
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Nov 15, 2024 12:00 AM Memories of Guatemala Antigua
I visited Antigua already twice in the past and now I am enchanted again. By its colors, climate and people. I started wondering from Monastery San Francisco with devoted people praying in the church. In the courtyard there was handicraft bazaar. In the Old Antigua there are other monasteries, partly in ruins. The nicest is beautifully restored La Merced. In some museums they charge from foreigners 30-40 quetzales entry fee. For 1 USD they pay 7,50 quetzales. San Pedro, cathedral, Santa Clara are also worth to see... But what I like most is the colorful traditional dressing of local people you can see in the streets and plazas. Just see my pictures...
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Nov 14, 2024 12:00 AM Landed in green and lush Guatemala!
We docked today in Puerto Quetzal on the Pacific coast of Guatemala. This port is huge and nothing special for the traveller (nothing to see in the port) so everybody goes to Antigua - the former capital of this country, located on the level of 1400 m above the sea and surrounded by picturesque volcanos. It is around 80 kms on the bumpy road from the port to Antigua. On the way you will see huge sugar cane and banana plantations and plenty of palms planted for palm oil. Finally the bus will enter cobbled streets of old Antigua - great monument of the past, posted on the UNESCO World heritage list... Wonderful place for the traveller!
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Nov 12, 2024 12:00 AM Captain Stefan...
We have day at sea, saling south to Guatemala... In the morning I was working using my laptop computer. But in the afternoon our captain Stefan (he is from Finland) invited frequent passengers for the cocktail. He was greeting guests at the door of the lounge. He is taller than me! I introduced myself, he was impressed by my traveller's output and of course we took souvenir picture. If I remember well he is my 42nd captain... Then there were free drinks for everybody and opportunity to meet other distinguished passengers - most of them are Americans and Canadians, I met interesting people. Then in the evening we attended Broadway show in the theatre...
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