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The Milkman’s Son
By Tracy C. Baker
Panama Canal #144
Across the Isthmus
By now you have heard about the Baker “Bucket List.” All 50 states, Egypt, etc. etc.
And many of you already know that Winnie has had the Panama Canal on her bucket list since the fourth grade. As a result, we have been looking into cruises across the Canal for years. Either money or time has kept us away…until we attended a party for our friend Rocky’s retirement party last summer. At that party, Jeanni and Rocky happened to mention that they were going on a Panama Canal cruise with their friends, Vic and Judy, on December 5th and that we should come along. I mentioned it to Winnie and her eyes lit up.
That was all it took. I came home and checked the cruise out on the Princess website. It was surprisingly affordable, but Winnie balked at the timing. She loves the Christmas holidays and didn’t want to miss the parties and fun of the season. I looked at the cruises in January, but the price jumped considerably and Winnie, ever the financial pragmatist, decided to give up her Holidays for a long-dreamed holiday.
A Little History, Professor
A canal across the Isthmus of Panama had been the dream of men since the 16th century. In 1880, Ferdinand de Lesseps, builder of the Suez Canal, took on the long-sought canal project, hoping to build a sea-level canal as he did in the Suez. Construction problems, 1800s technology, financing, Yellow Fever and Malaria all combined to stop the project cold in 1893.
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December 5th, Embarkation – San Pedro, California Docks
Our adventure began with a quick Southwest Air flight from Oakland to Los Angeles where we were met by the representatives from Princess, ready to whisk us off to our…bus…which was late…or lost…or commandeered by another Princess group. No problem. We were finally put on a bus and we were off…to a traffic jam on the I-110.
Eventually, we made it to the port and, after a few formalities; we were ensconced into our stateroom on the Island Princess. (The very same ship we took our Alaskan cruise on six years earlier – not that that helped us find anything the next few days.)
So, what does one do when you are on a ship that isn’t set to sail for several hours?
“Let’s eat!” said Winnie forcefully.
That was it. We didn’t stop eating until the ship pulled into Ft. Lauderdale 15 days later.
Food, Glorious Food!
The food on Princess has always been pretty good, but on this cruise the food was legendary. That night at our dinner seating we met Pimm, our wonderful head waitress from Thailand and Joel, our assistant waiter from the Philippines. They delivered a delicious array of foods from appetizer to dessert. This did not bode well for our weight management goals.
Later we found out that a Princess VIP was on board. He spends several cruises a year checking out the Galley, chefs, service, menus etc. On top of that, he was a top pastry chef and it showed as the desserts were out-of-this world, both creative and delicious. This guaranteed that every single day, at both lunch and dinner, we ordered at least one, and sometimes two desserts.
Special touches came to our table from time to time in the form of a wonderful antipasti plate of the freshest grilled vegetables and Italian deli meats I have ever had; a plate of fantastic cookies, and some special pasta. Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!
And every single plate was as appealing to the eyes as to the palate. The presentation was impeccable and Jeanni dutifully recorded each and every plate for posterity on her digital camera. Vic worked a little of his travel agent magic and got us copies of each night’s menu so we would have a name to go with all those photos of our great meals.
Sea Days
Before reaching our first port, we had a couple of days at sea. If you have never taken a cruise and are goers and doers like Winnie and I, you may think “What am I going to do on the sea days? I’ll be bored to tears!”
Wrong.
The last thing Princess wants you to be is bored. Just open the daily newsletter, the Princess Patter, and you will find they fill the “Sea Days” with activities of all types. It is entirely up to you to participate or to just veg out. On our first cruise, my friend Ed got me hooked on the Trivia contests that take place at least twice a day and, after getting Winnie settled into her favorite activity, the Art auctions and lectures, I sought out my fellow minutia buffs and hooked up with a team in need of my trivial mind. I ingratiated myself by providing the answers for several questions on movies and the Simpsons TV show. Our team ended up winning four contests (missing a fifth in a sudden death playoff) which earned us bragging rights, several Princess Cruise shopping bags, some leftover trinkets from the Alaska cruise season and a bottle of Champagne.
Winnie got interested in the art auctions on our first cruise, probably because they offer free champagne for a couple of them, but also because some of the art is very nice. On this cruise, we both attended the first auction and met the best Art Director we have ever encountered. Jennifer was both knowledgeable about art and really enjoyed her job and it showed. Winnie was hooked and attended every art function there was, including a couple VIP Wine and Cheese parties. We even won two limited edition prints during the raffles!
We have never bought any of the art (our walls are full of artists we have met and know personally), but it is still fun to see some of the up and coming and also established artist’s works. Okay, we did buy one piece on our Alaska Cruise; a cel from Disney’s Lady and the Tramp. It was the only time we strayed from our rule of knowing the artists, but, hey, it’s a Cocker Spaniel and she looks like Buffy!
After our breakfasts, we would (when possible) put in our mile or more walk around the Promenade deck. In the afternoons, I would relax on the Lido deck with Jeanni and Rocky or get into conversations with various and asunder passengers from around the world before the Afternoon Trivia started while Winnie attended various lectures, cooking presentations etc.
Then, of course, it was back to eating!
Bored? Never!
Port – O – Call: Cabo San Lucas
We had been here before on our first cruise in 1999. What was once a sleepy little fishing village with a few resorts has boomed. The number of resorts has grown and spread so that you now start spotting them even before you round the cape and enter the bay. As I recall, there weren’t a lot of boats in the Marina the last time we came. Now there are hundreds of them. Where there were once a few shops and a scattering of bars and restaurants and hotels, they now line the streets throughout the downtown and beach front area, with more under construction. The growth was shocking.
Along with ours, there were two other cruise ships in port that day, so the town was jumping. We opted out of the ship-sponsored forays and wandered the town on our own, seeing the famous old church, popping in and out of shops, having a couple nice cold beers, and finally hopping on a small glass-bottom sight-seeing boat for a trip out to the famous Arch and around the cape before returning to shore. All in all, it was a nice day and at less than a third of the cost of the ship-sponsored excursions.
That is one thing to make note of. You don’t always have to do the ship excursions. In fact, in most ports you can get the same excursion right near the port for a lot less. We did this a lot on our Alaska Cruise and saved a bundle in the process. Just do your homework and pick and choose what might work and what wouldn’t. In Costa Rica, Panama, and Columbia, we chose the Ship-sponsored excursions simply because of logistics (or worry – Cartagena wasn’t exactly the nicest Port on the cruise).
Our day ended with a beautiful sunset as we sailed for Acapulco.
Ocean Interlude
A sea day came before our next port of Acapulco. It was a great day of champagne (at the Art Auction), Trivia and a little sunning by the pool. The Sunset was exceptionally stunning and I captured it practically frame by frame. After another exceptional dinner, we hit the sack early in preparation for a full day excursion.
Fun In Acapulco
It wasn’t one of Elvis’ best movies (Ursula Andress as a Mexican social director?), and it wasn’t filmed in Acapulco; it was on a Hollywood set and Elvis never set foot in Acapulco in his life. Still it lingers as the quintessential Acapulco movie and Elvis is worshiped here. In fact, the first time we came through here in 1999, the cab we hired played “Love Me Tender” every time the driver turned on his turn signals.
And, as we had been here before, we decided to do a couple new things. We walked through Fort San Diego, this time in much more bearable weather (it was sweltering hot our last visit). We actually enjoyed our visit this time around. The displays of early Spanish colonial history were very interesting, especially the information on the trade with Asia. Many Chinese actually immigrated to what was then New Spain to seek opportunities with these new trade partners. They also had a special exhibit on the Mexican revolution…Viva Zapata!
Afterward, we were walking around, trying to find a church when we ran into a Guia de Turistas Especializado (A City Certified Tourist Guide), Juan Carlos. He pointed us in the right direction toward the church without trying to sell us his services. That was the honesty we were looking for and Winnie immediately laid out our itinerary for him to mull over. We agreed on a price and were off to find his “brother”, the Cab driver. (One thing you will find with many of these guides is that they will always have a brother with a cab, an Uncle with a store, an Aunt with a restaurant etc.)
Tonio turned out to be a really nice guy and a great driver who knew the ins and outs of getting around this traffic-congested city. Juan Carlos took to calling Winnie M ‘Lady and promised to make all her dreams come true.
Our first stop was the botanical gardens on the grounds of Loyola University in the hills above the City. The view was enough to make the trip worthwhile, but the gardens where beautiful. The tour guide was even enchanted as he had never been to the gardens. He rustled up a gardener who explained the different plants, their origins and their uses through the centuries. It was fascinating and worth the long ride through the downtown area to get to this somewhat unknown oasis. After we got back in the taxi, the guide turned to us and said thank you for introducing him to a place even he, an Acapulco resident, didn’t know about. He said he would be bringing future visitors there as well as his own family.
Our next stop was the Acapulco Cathedral. Built in 1930, it is a mix of Spanish and Moorish influences with its minaret-like towers. It was an interesting change of pace from the usual Renaissance and Baroque style Cathedrals that are everywhere in “New Spain.”
Our final stop was the perennial favorite of all the tourists, the Cliff Divers. They did a great show and this time around we got a picture of ourselves with the divers (for a tip, of course). Juan Carlos and Tonio both made “M ‘Lady’s” dreams come true.
NOTE: I am sure you have heard and read of the drug cartels and gang wars in Mexico and maybe Acapulco in particular. While it was scary to think of going off on our own like that, one thing you should know: All of the port towns and cities in Mexico are very worried about losing the cruise ship business due to the bad publicity and they have gone to great lengths to ensure that the tourist areas are safe.
After a lunch of Pizza and Beer back on the ship, we returned to the city to hunt down Winnie’s favorite souvenir, a shot glass. After walking around an hour, we found the perfect one in the port shop, then sat for a nice beer and a picture with Johnny Depp – okay it was a guy dressed up like Johnny Depp from the Pirates movies.
We finished the day with another wonderful meal and a documentary on the oceans before hitting the sack.
A Little “Down” Time
Two more sea days followed and we made the most of them: Winnie went to her art lectures and I to my trivia games. I did run back to the Art Auction after the afternoon trivia as Winnie had entered my name in the raffle. She told me I had to get back as she had a feeling…sure enough, I won! We picked out a nice print from the selection and, of course we had to pay the $20 shipping and handling. But hey, I won!
I also spent most of the day making our sign for the Panama Canal. The ship sponsors a sign contest and takes pictures and video of you holding your sign as you go through the locks. Ours was based on Winnie’s Bucket List wish and read: Baker’s Bucket list – Panama Canal CHECK! It was fun, but I am not an artist so it took me hours while everyone around me came and went with their completed signs.
The big talk of the ship was the closing of the Panama Canal. Seems the drenching rains that had hit Columbia earlier in the month had made their way up to Panama. Flooding on the rivers that feed the Canal Zone had caused a large amount of debris to fill Lake Gatun and the channels. Gatun Dam couldn’t handle the overflow there was so much rain. It was closed for less than a day, but it was only the third time in history it had to be closed. The first was shortly after it opened when landslides forced its closure for several months. The second was when the US invaded in 1989 and arrested Manuel Noriega. This was the first time it had ever had to be closed due to weather.
A late afternoon dip in the spa and then it was off to another fantastic dinner. Afterward, we took in the show by the Princess dancer and singers – Motor City with all the Motown hits. Great fun.
Green and Great - Costa Rica
We were up and running by 5:30 a.m. as our tour started at 8:15. While our friends were off to the popular zip lines, we chose to take a river cruise and a gondola ride over the treetops of a rain forest. We met our guide, Rhyan, a local University student studying ecology and biology. On our hour-ride into the countryside, he filled us with Costa Rican facts and figures. Did you know that Costa Rica was now the biggest producer of Pineapple in the world or that they had 139 species of snakes? File that away for your next Jeopardy appearance.
Yet Costa Rica has a much richer history than you may know. In 1949, the government permanently disbanded its national army; something few other countries, especially in the troubled region of Central and South America, have ever even thought of doing.
Costa Rica is one of the most literate countries in Latin America. It has a 95% literary rate and requires all children to complete the 11th grade. (12th is mostly college prep.) College for poor families is subsidized by the government.
In the early 1990s, the Costa Rican government saw the value of protecting its natural environment. This resulted in an explosion in Ecotourism and national park lands. It changed the way coffee, banana, and pineapple plantations were managed. Costa Rica has also grown its manufacturing base, with tech, pharmaceutical and biotech firms coming in. The Government, while open to these businesses, regulates how they affect the quality of life and their environmental impact.
It isn’t paradise, but it is getting there, and it is attracting people from Europe and the United States, mostly retirees who find their income stretches farther here.
After reaching the river, we boarded our boats and pushed off into the Tarcoles River. Once one of the most polluted rivers in Costa Rica, the government is in the midst of a massive clean-up effort and they are winning the battle.
We were on the delta area of the river near its mouth at the Pacific Ocean. American Crocodiles love these brackish waters and we saw plenty of them from babies to full-grown monsters. The river was brown and muddy as recent heavy rains had flooded and eroded its banks, changing its course in some areas. One of the tour boat company’s bathrooms and docks had been washed into the river.
Our day was nice and sunny, though, and we floated along spotting Red-Headed Iguanas on shore and Jesus Lizards running across the water so fast I couldn’t even get my camera up, let alone take a picture.
There were a number of different species of egrets and heron and a bare tree full of cormorants. As we headed along the Mangrove filled banks, we spotted a Toucan with a brilliant orange head and yellow-streaked beak. A Turtle squirrel who uses his bushy tail as an umbrella in the rain, scampered around a tree, while monkeys shook the trees in the distance. Tiny swallows flew constantly around our boat as they use them to nest in when they are parked.
After a wonderful fresh fruit and juice break, we headed off for our gondola ride, climbing into the mountains of the rain forests.
We boarded the gondola and lucked out as they put Winnie and I right in the front with unobstructed views all around us. The guide told us that the Gondola system was built with minimal impact on the environment. The towers and all supplies were flown in by helicopter and no roads were built to the work areas. The forest growth is constant and has to be trimmed back to keep the path clear, but one way they were able to avoid roads is that they followed the path of a small river that flowed in a waterfall down the steep Cliffside.
As we climbed higher above the canopy, passing flora and fauna, I noticed the abundance of different colored butterflies all around us. Capuchin Monkeys rustled through the trees while a coati (a member of the raccoon family) lumbered by. It was magnificent!
After we returned, they provided us with a traditional Costa Rican lunch. Black beans, rice, chicken, local veggies and fruit all combined to make a wonderful meal!
Our last adventure was a nature walk led by Rhyan. He showed us some small fruit bats hanging from the inside of a large Banana plant leaf and talked of the orchids that vanilla comes from, how coffee came to Costa Rica, and some of the medicinal uses of the native plants and trees. He also showed us some terrariums with samples of the snake species that abound in the rain forests. They were amazingly beautiful.
Winnie was a little upset because she only had 10 minutes to buy her souvenirs. After a little of that Winnie grit, she got a little more time and we were able to secure a shot glass and some Costa Rican Coffee (although I told her the coffee brand we buy at home comes from Costa Rica anyway.) I have to admit it was delicious coffee!
The bus ride back to the ship brought us by several of those ex-pat villages that are cropping up in the country.
We ended our day vowing to return someday. Costa Rica is an amazing country and I, for one, would like to explore more of it.
The Captain’s Circle – A good excuse to get free drinks!
Another sea day and we had, by now, fallen into a routine – eat, trivia, lectures, eat, pool, art auction, trivia, eat, drink, party, bed.
Tonight, however, was one of our favorite nights. Tonight was the Captain’s Circle party for frequent Princess Cruisers.
One of the banes of cruising is the hidden costs of drinking on the ship. By the time you check out, your bar bill could be quite a shock. But the Captain’s Circle has FREE DRINKS! Yea!
So, after a soak in the spa, we hied ourselves back to our room so Winnie could set her hair and I could set my…well, I really didn’t have anything to set, so I went up to get us some appetizers before the drinking binge to come. We noshed a bit and then went on down to join the throng of fellow passengers, all of them prepared to drink the well dry.
Do you like sweet drinks? After downing bottles of Boone’s Farm Apple Wine and Ripple during my wild school daze, I really don’t. I will down the occasional Margarita or fresh, well-made Sangria – perhaps even a Screwdriver, but that is about it. So, it was nice to know we didn’t have to pick from the tray of pre-mixed drinks being offered. I settled on a nice Chardonnay since I knew tonight was Lobster Tail night at dinner. Perfect.
Various ship VIPs were introduced, and then the Captain came on and gave a short speech. Many couples were recognized for multiple cruises with Princess, some as many as 20 or more. The Martinis, wine, and champagne flowed and before we knew it, it was time to get your picture with the Captain. Winnie and Jeanni obliged. We stumbled off to dinner and made the most of a delicious lobster tail with crab cake appetizers, a fresh-made banana cream pie and passion fruit soufflé.
Somehow we all made it to the Princess show that evening, a dance show that was enjoyed by all.
If the Ice You’d Like to Thaw, Take Pa and Ma to Panama
I really should be a country music songwriter….hmmm…okay; I just reread that line…maybe not.
We docked in Puerto Amador for a day’s visit to Panama. The ship had many excursions available: Train rides to the Canal Zone, small boat rides through the locks, a visit to the Gold Museum and/or Panama City, etc. Our friends Rocky and Jeanni chose a Monkey and Nature cruise on Gatun Lake in the midst of the Canal. We chose to take a motorized dug-out canoe into the forest to visit the Embera Indian Village in Chagras National Park.
The trip started with a bus ride along the newly built Amador Causeway, then a turn onto gravel road towards the river launch site. Heavy rains had fallen the last several days and flood damage and garbage was everywhere along the roads. Our guide, Daniel, was a retired banker (not too unusual in this rather open banking country with no true currency of its own.)
He was very personable and openly talked about the problems they had with garbage collection – not a strike, but lack of funds at the local level. The roads were badly damaged from the rain and it was a bumpy, rocky ride to the river and back. Thank goodness we had one the most experienced bus drivers (also named Daniel). We may have survived sea sickness, but would have fallen to car sickness if not for his careful driving and knowledge of which roads were better than others.
The native Indian population makes up about 8% of the total population of Panama. Most of the tribes live in the dense jungles of the south (the reason Columbia couldn’t get their army to Panama quick enough during the revolution of 1903). While the US controlled the Canal Zone, several Embera Indian tribes moved north of the canal and settled in the rainforests there. When Panama took over the Canal Zone, they made this area into a National Park. In exchange for the tribes stopping the practice of slash and burn for their agricultural products, Panama arranged for them to rely on tourism for the majority of their income. The tribal Chiefs saw this as a way to hold onto their culture while improving their lives and agreed.
It was an amazing adventure, beginning with boarding dugout canoes powered by outboard motors in the pouring rain. We were greeted by the village women and children as we came onshore and showed to a covered gathering area to shake off the wet, use the restrooms, and have a sandwich and drink before the Chiefs speech and tribal dance demonstration.
The rain let up and I explored the village a bit. While the women usually go topless, they have adapted to Western priggishness and now wear halters made of coins given to them by the tourists when they have visitors. The coins are hand drilled with rock tools and wired together making a beautiful shimmering top. They also take the silver coins and melt them down making bracelets and other jewelry.
The rain left the area around the village muddy and slick (probably why the natives go barefoot) and Winnie, along with every other wife on the tour called out for their mates to help them walk to and from the bathroom. It was funny watching each of them come out the door calling out, “Jim!”, “Bill!” “Tracy!”
I had the confidence of hiking shoes, but that didn’t stop my slow, but inevitable, slide to the ground. Ah, well, a little mud never hurt anyone but I was a mess.
Winnie took in the hand-made crafts made from wood, all painted and sealed with forest-grown plants and minerals. They carried an interesting price list – each priced at a dollar per day of labor. If it took a villager ten days to make it, that was the price - $10.
The tour group regrouped in the large covered hut where the Chief told us about the Embera culture. One of the interesting points is that their desire to keep their culture pure is so strong that if a member marries outside the culture, they cannot return to the village to live. They are not banned completely – they can visit their families and village anytime they wish. They just do not want to dilute their culture.
A woman elder then showed how they wove the grasses and bark into different articles of clothing and hut materials. The women now wear brightly dyed and designed cloth that they buy in the towns during their rare trips out of the forests.
We then watched as they demonstrated some of their tribal dances. We were handed fresh caught and fried tilapia with fried plantains wrapped in a banana leaf to munch on – delicious! After the demonstration it was our turn to join in and I danced with a lovely, shy young girl. What a treat.
We finished our visit with a bit of shopping gathering up a necklace, bracelet and a small frog for our souvenirs. Sadly, they didn’t have Winnie’s shot glass. :)
Before we left, I had a chance to talk with one of the young men of the village. All the children are required to attend school and must learn Spanish to do so. Many of these children are now attending college and I was pleased to learn that some are planning to return to the village when they complete school to help their tribe.
It was a special day and I was kind of sad to leave as I would have liked to learn more about the tribes. Could there be a return visit in our future?
They had a great duty free shop at the tender dock and we stocked up on beer and wine and Winnie found her shot glass! I opted not to buy a Panama Hat that has never been made in Panama, but is made in Ecuador.
After returning to the ship, I gratefully took a long, hot shower. We then snacked on Pizza and Beer, rested a little, ate dinner, and went on to a show by Bobby Brooks Hamilton who is Jackie Wilson’s son. Great 50s and 60s music and songs combined with a touching tribute to his father. He was great!
Through The Panama Canal
Our trip through the Canal started at 5:00 am. While we were up early, we couldn’t quite rouse ourselves that early, so missed the trip under the Bridge of the Americas that marks the start of the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal. We did, however, make it to the Lido Deck before entering the first set of locks, the Miraflores. Once through, we took a breakfast break, and then made our way back to our little spot we had carved out on the Lido deck with Rocky and Jeanni. The trip through the locks was made especially interesting as we had a large cargo ship right alongside us most of the way through the canal. This allowed us to see the locks in action without running all over everywhich side of our ship.
The Captain is not in charge of the entire way through the canal. A pilot boards the ship and takes over as there is only two feet of room on either side as they pass through the locks. The pilot also knows the channels and passages through the zone like the back of his hand. The ship is assisted through the lock by small locomotives, known as mules that are attached to the ship with cables. The mules assist in keeping the ship in one spot as it traverses the canal as well as breaking motion. The forward motion comes from the ships engines, not the mules as is falsely thought.
The second set, the Pedro Miguel Locks, are a single set that bring the ship up to the Centennial Bridge, a second road bridge to connect the Northern and Southern halves of Panama. After that, you enter the Culebra Cut, one of the hardest sections to build of the Panama Canal. This massive gash in the earth runs through the continental divide and required the removal of millions of tons of rock and dirt. Dynamite, steam shovels, and raw man-power got it done. Today, it is being widened, as well as new locks being built to allow for larger, wider ships to transverse the canal.
We floated along through the Rio Chagres channel and then into the man-made Lake Gatun, slowly making our way to the Atlantic Ocean. At the Gatun Locks, it was time to break out the sign we had made and hope to get on to the cruise video for posterity. We went down to the promenade deck and started looking for the videographers who were supposed to be on shore following us through the lock. There were several other folks looking, too. Finally we decided to try the other side and hit pay dirt. Winnie and Jeanni appear in the video and Winnie and I got a great picture with our Bucket List sign.
After the last set of locks, it was a short trip to Bahia Limon and the Caribbean. Our amazing journey through the Panama Canal was complete and it wasn’t even 1:00 pm. Just then, the sky opened up and it rained…hard... and we all retreated inside to clean-up, rest up, or attend our various functions. What luck we had with the weather on this trip.
Italian Night
While Winnie was relaxing in the afternoon, I attended back to back Trivia events. When I returned to the room there was a plate of handmade chocolates courtesy of Jennifer, the Art Director and one of the pursers who assists her. Winnie had written a nice note praising them and they reciprocated with a wonderful treat that we enjoyed for many days.
Our dinner that night had an Italian theme. We opened our bottle of Chilean Meritage blend ($8 at the Duty Free and delicious!). Our head waiter, George, prepared a special pasta tableside and we had veal scaloppini, tiramisu and a bottle of chef-made Limoncello; an excellent end to an unbelievable day.
Cartagena de Indias, Columbia
Founded in the 1500s, this city became an important part of the Spanish trade in gold and silver. Columbia was also rich in Emeralds and other precious jewels. As a result, it became a favorite of pirates and corsairs, prompting the building of several forts. Sir Francis Drake took the town in the 1580s and ransomed it back to Spain for what would be 200 million in today’s US dollars. Spain then built more forts and city walls to protect the city from both the North and South. The Spanish crown was not so impressed with what it got for its money, though.
The Catholic Church chose Cartagena as one of three sites in New Spain to establish their Inquisition (Peru and Mexico City were the other two) and this was the tour we selected to see. Rocky and Jeanni joined us on this excursion and we met up with our guide, Bigloniza. After she introduced herself, she made it clear that if we ever found anyone with her name, we were to contact her! Apparently after many years of leading tours she has yet to have anyone take her up on the challenge.
Our tour started with a stop at the Fortress of San Felipe, the 17th century fortress that sits on a hill overlooking the old walled city and with strategic views of the port. It is one of several forts and batteries built to defend the City from pirates. We then went on to the walled old city, stopping at the Naval museum first. We took in the pirate exhibits, the slave trade (much of the Caribbean trade run from here), and the different ships of the Spanish Armada. Afterward, we had a short break and enjoyed a show with dancers and musicians reenacting slave and worker dances in beautiful costumes.
We made a stop at the old Church of San Pedro Claveo named for the Jesuit who worked for the rights of the slaves. He was the first South American saint and his remains sit in a glass coffin reliquary under the altar. Outside the church are some wonderful modern art sculptures and a statue of a local pirate fighter who lost an eye, a leg and arm – reminds me of an old Monty Python bit and speaking of Monty Python…“Bring on the comfy chair!”
After a walk around the Zocalo and a wonderful statue of Columbus (while Rocky and Jeanni ran off to the local Hard Rock for souvenirs), we made our way to THE INQUISITION! So, in the words of Mel Brooks “The Inquisition – Let’s begin!”
The inquisition in “New Spain” was more about keeping slaves and natives in line rather than converting heretics as in the Old World. We took in the wonderful world of torture and Rocky volunteered to demonstrate the rack with its ropes for the arm and legs as well as a third rope for the…ahem…third leg. Ouch! Another instrument of torture was an early form of mastectomy, clamping on the breast and then ripping it off. Yeow! Then there was the Dick Cheney special, a dunking tank used to see if you practiced Witchcraft or were a member of Al Queda or a Democrat or something. After all that, regardless of your “confession” you were more than likely taken out and beheaded, drawn and quartered, or hung; possibly all three.
We wrapped up our tour with a little souvenir shopping, a walk on the City walls, and a trip to the new side of town. We were back on the ship by 1:00 and went to the dining room for lunch, had a nice soak in the spa, enjoyed another nice dinner, and hit the sack.
Be Bop Aruba, She’s My Baby
We docked in Aruba for the afternoon and early evening, opting for our own tour to take us to a few of the sights, before grabbing a little beach time at one of the hotel row beaches, Palm Beach.
Aruba is one of the ABC Dutch Islands; the others being Bonaire and Curacao. While part of the Dutch “Kingdom,” it is under antonymous rule. Dutch, Spanish and a language all its own called Papiamento, an Afro-Portuguese Creole based language that grew out of pidgin the various natives and slaves used to communicate with each other.
Of course Aruba is best known these days for the disappearance and probable murder of American teen Natalee Holloway; a sad fact that the locals would like us to forget. Its world-famous beach resorts are beautiful and popular and the prices reflect its European ties.
Our first stop was the Natural Bridge on the north coast. Of course, it fell down several years ago, but a new one is forming and the coast was very dramatic. We went from there to the California Lighthouse, named after the ship The Californian which had crashed off this point and sank. It is a popular diving location.
Side note: As we were driving there, we spotted a pick-up truck with a Christmas tree in the back. We asked our driver if the trees were very expensive here and he said that they were about $40 – the same as ours -and came from Texas. It was something we couldn’t get used to this whole trip. Christmas in the 85 degree heat, 85-humidity weather just didn’t fit. Of course it is their Summer!
Our final stop was along Palm Beach at the local Hard Rock where we bid our driver goodbye and Rocky and Jeanni stocked up on their souvenirs. We walked the beach, splashed in the Caribbean, and enjoyed a couple of cold (and expensive) local beers in the Hyatt beach bar. With the help of a local, we caught a “bus” (actually an 8-passenger van) back downtown where we shopped, walked to Queen Wilhelmina Park, and just generally enjoyed the town before boarding our ship.
Before dinner we made our now usual stop in the Crooners bar. The lead singer from the Princess performers joined our group and we had a fun time talking everything from acting to photography to our day in Aruba. The Chef’s Choice dinner was especially delicious.
After dinner, the ship had a tropical island party on the Lido deck and we danced to the wonderful music of Evolution, the multi-national group with members from the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand etc. They covered songs from the 60s until now and we danced all the typical party dances. What a fun evening.
Dwindling Down to a Precious Few
The last two sea days started off as the rest – eating! After another great meal, Winnie went off to see Richard, the cruise director, talk about classic ocean liners and cruise ships of the 20th Century and where they are now. He also discussed the future of cruising, talking about the megaships and the innovations coming down the line.
Lectures, Trivia (another win, another Princess Bag), Art Auctions and a little down time filled the day and then it was off to Captain’s Farewell Cocktail party where we partook of tee martwonis and a…(urp)…few other cocktails before stumbling off to a great lobster tail and prawn dinner. We ended the evening at the “Tribute” show with the entire Princess staff.
On our last sea day, we attended the hilarious cooking show with our Maître d Hotel Jose, and our Executive Chef Klaus. Winnie took the galley tour and I went on to my morning Trivia.
After lunch we went to the Wheelhouse Bar to see a small exhibition of a fellow passenger’s paintings he had done during the cruise. What fun. I joined Winnie for the final Art Auction, but had to leave before the end for our final Trivia Challenge. When we finally met again, we found out we both won! Winnie won an art raffle and selected a nice print while our team won the final challenge and netted a nice bottle of bubbly which we promptly popped to celebrate our winning ways.
Side Note: If you have ever taken a cruise one thing is guaranteed – you will have your picture taken. Whether a formal night, heading off the ship in a port, or just lounging around, the ship photographers are there to snap your picture. All of these shots are placed in the lobby near the photo station where you cannot avoid seeing them day after day. They stack up until, at the end of the cruise, you could have as many as several hundred pictures staring out at you. Of all the things on a cruise ship, picture sales are the biggest money maker (and that includes Casino Gambling). They are not cheap, starting at $20 for informal poses to $25 for formal poses.
Now you should know Jeanni has a knack for attracting or just plain tracking down the ship’s photographers and her and Rocky’s picture pile had steadily grown over the days to a stack as thick as a ream of paper. The photo team even made a special box just for their shots. At the end of the cruise, the negotiating began and they ended up walking away with each and every one of them for around $300, a third less than the retail value! Smart!
We met up with Rocky and Jeanni in their cabin to finish off the last of their wine and beer. I brought down a plate of appetizers from the Buffet and we had a great time going over our great adventure together. We all gathered at Crooners for the last time and all our ship board friends were there for a last toast.
We went off to dinner anxiously awaiting the parade of waiters with the Baked Alaska. Wonderful!
Our final evening ended on a great note, listening to the farewell set from Evolution.
December 20th - Disembarkation – Fort Lauderdale
Disembarking a cruise ship is always a bit chaotic. There is a lot of hurry, gather, wait. Eventually we were off our ship and on our tour of Ft. Lauderdale. After two weeks of tropical weather we were surprised at how darn cold it was! In reality it was probably in the low 60s, but that was quite a drop for our tropically tanned and humidity humbled group.
The City tour was nice, but the highlight was a cruise down the man-made canals lined with the homes and yachts of the rich and richer. Called the Venice of the Americas (by the local Chamber of Commerce, I’m sure.), there are a slew of big and small canals all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. While there is a sprinkling of movie and TV star homes here, most are owned by business owners and founders. Waste Management Corporation, Alamo Rent-a-Car, and the owner of the Miami Dolphins are just a few of the names who built or rebuilt homes here.
It didn’t start out this way. In fact, many of the homes are still small stucco bungalows from the original development that was aimed at the middle class. However, slowly but surely, these have given way to bigger and bigger mansions.
Royal Palms (at $15,000 each) and yachts are the toys of the rich here. One yacht, the Phoenix II, was once the biggest yacht in the world. When the owner found out someone was building one longer, he had a giant chrome phoenix/eagle fashioned and attached to the bow, making his just a little bit longer. Even if it just sits at its dock, it requires a large crew who are constantly cleaning, polishing and keeping the engines in shape just in case the owner should want to take it for a spin. In the aft section, a hatch door opens and a smaller shore tender boat can be launched to take you into shore from an anchor point. Amazing!
We passed under the causeway bridge and into the Cruise Ship port. This newly renovated port has to be one of the nicest and largest cruise ship ports in the world. There were four ships in port, including our own Island Princess which was preparing for its return journey back through the Panama Canal.
It was awfully hard not to grab a lifesaver, jump overboard and swim back to our comfy cabin to do it all over again. Reality prevailed, though, and we returned to the airport for our flight home.
Epilogue
Coming home from the tropics can make an awfully strange Christmas. It was very hard to get in the spirit of things when every night, instead of visions of sugar plums, you have visions of canal locks, rain forests, and tropical beaches. A marvelous adventure that we recommend you add to your own bucket list.
Fini
Tracy
Copyright The Milkman's Son, Tracy C. Baker 2011
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