December 17, 2009

THE PANAMA CANAL!

When I woke up we weren't moving.  The sun was up.  I immediately jumped up and opened the curtain on our 'picture window'.  Here is what I saw.



Then I felt us moving - but not forward.
and this is what I watched....

and then eventually (like about 2 minutes)...

this.

Now, remember, our stateroom is only on Deck 5.  We are not high up in the ship.  That was the block wall of the 2nd (I missed the 1st one) lock of the Miraflores Locks.  But there were still many, many more things to see!  What an exciting day for me!  I went up on deck, I went down to the stateroom, I had breakfast watching the whole mystery unfold, and then back down to the stateroom! 

The Bridge of the Americas
the bridge joining North/Central America with
South America
(since the natural bridge between the 2 has been disposed of)

This is how narrow the Canal actually is - this is the side of the lock - andthe side of the ship - Promenade Deck 7.  This is why they are
working on digging another Canal that is wider and deeper than this one.  For the big ships!! Hahaa

This is the view from the 'Bridge Cam'.  The entire transit was televised for those who didn't want to go out into the heat and humidity to watch from the outside decks.  This is one of the final upward locks that we went thru before going thru Gatun Lake.

Then down the other locks and into the Caribean we went.  All within about 10 hours.  10 whole hours to go from Ocean to Ocean!  Amazing!  at least to me.

And Keith could finally relax!! At least until 2120 when we had to go up on Lido Deck 14 and watch another darned football game.  I made it about 1/2 way thru the Colt/Jaguar game before I had to give and head for bed.
It was a very, very full day.

No comments: