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Riding the Ocean Waves ...Riding the Ocean Waves ...
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We took an ocean cruise back in the late '90s with our daughters. I swore I would never do another one!! However ... here we are ... betraying our own "never" and heading to Panama to ride the waves from there to Florida! Wish us well ... 😉 Read more
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  • Lansers on the Loose ...Riding the Ocean Waves ...
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    Day 1

    All packed and ready, except for ...

    February 6, 2023 in Canada ⋅ 🌙 0 °C

    And so ... another adventure begins! Usually, however, by the time I am packing the bags, I am getting excited. This time ... we've fit everything we might need into carry-ons ONLY. The only thing that is missing is my enthusiasm. I hate to admit it ... it feels so ungrateful and privileged to not feel ecstatic about the opportunity before me ... but ... so far I am filled with apprehension rather than delight. Grrr.

    The old boy is getting into the spirit and definitely into travel mode. He's even sporting his new hi-tech Normest metal wallet! I've been trying to find my sense of delight ... but it eludes me. Maybe it's because I am betraying my promise to myself to "never" go on an ocean cruise again. But, seriously ... when Viking gives you $2300 in credit vouchers ... it doesn't make sense to squander the gift does it? Shouldn't we have jumped on the chance to spend thousands more dollars in order to save $2300? It made sense at the time ... but now ... I am second guessing my investement.

    Maybe it is because I am a bit afraid I'll get trapped on the ship and feel seasick. Fair enough ... but ... I am sure I've got enough anti-nauseant meds to pacify half of the ship. I've got gravol ginger ... dramamine non-drowsy ... some expired ear patches - do you think they actually expire or is this simply a pharmaceutical ploy to earn money?? I also had a dear friend smuggle in some Bonine for me from the United States. We can't get it here in Canada but apparently it works really well. And, we have the Silver Spirits package ... which means we can have any kind of drink at any time of day that I would like. For medicinal reasons only ... of course! Wink. Wink.

    Or maybe I am feeling reticent because I have been following a Viking Cruises Facebook Group online that reported a stateroom on the Viking Orion caught fire. Three of the rooms were badly smoke damaged. Thankfully they were in port. The fire was on the fifth level. We are staying on the fifth level! We have a room at the very back of the boat. There are two little state rooms sandwiched between the big fancy Explorer Suites. I thought it might be nice to be able to see both sides from our deck. I'm hoping it might be less windy back there too! Keep your fingers crossed for us, okay?

    Or maybe, my tentativeness comes from the fact it was reported in the same Facebook group by an ocean cruiser that the food on the Viking Star is sub par. Yes, You guessed it. We are sailing on the Viking Star. Given their vast experience with ocean cruising, I am just hoping this person simply has a really finicky palate. One of the infamous perks of cruising is the food, right? So, maybe I shouldn't let that rumor dampen my enthusiasm. I can attest to the fact that these rumors will not deter the old boy's joy one bit.

    Or, maybe it is because when I was telling someone I hadn't found my enthusiasm yet ... they responded understandingly ... given the turmoil in International waters near Panama (due to drug cartel activity). Yikes!! I had not even been aware of that 'news' until then. Gah. The old boy is wondering where he can get a peg leg, pirate hat and invisible parrot for his shoulder! Sheeesh. We definitely see things differently!

    Or, perhaps it is because I got a call from our Viking rep on a "recorded line" wondering if we had any concerns. Maybe she knew about the cartel activity before I did??? I don't know ... she said she was just calling to say "Bon Voyage". She never called us last time when we went on the river cruise. So, what's an anxious mind to do with THIS anomolie ... ?

    Nonetheless ... and despite all these concerns that my amygdala is holding tight to ... we are spending tonight in Calgary and scheduled to fly out at 6:00AM tomorrow morning. We couldn't check in online though because we are flying home from Ft. Lauderdale and Panama requires confirmation of an exit date. So, we have to prove our spots on the cruise before they will let us fly. Interesting, eh?

    Some really good news is that when we checked in at Hotel Clique (our favorite hotel to stay at near the airport) the General Service Manager did some fancy footwork for us to save a whole schwack of money on parking here at the hotel as well as some money on our return stay! We also got two complimentary drink tickets! So ... the wine with dinner is on them tonight! All these savings started to spark a little more light in my spirit!

    Okay folks ... I have rambled on for far too long. I wasn't even sure if I was going to blog about my lack of enthusiasm ... but ... I write these blogs so that the old boy and I can make them into books. And then, when we are oldER, we can look back over our trips and reminisce. So, I thought I should start by ltelling it like it is' for me ... right now ... anyway.

    Hopefully, when I see you again here on the page, I will have kicked the old boy at a game of Clever ... we will have enjoyed a delicious drink/meal in the restaurant ... and have gotten into our flourescent blue lit up bed early! Our wake up call is at 3:15am!    Read more

  • Lansers on the Loose ...Riding the Ocean Waves ...
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    Day 2

    And ... we are up and away!

    February 7, 2023 in Panama

    Our alarm was set for 3:15am ... to catch the 4:00am shuttle to the airport! We asked for a wake-up call as a back up (yes ... we are that set in our ways!) but didn't need it! We were both restless through the night and finally got up and shut the alarms off at 2:45am. We didn't think the check in desks were open until 5:00am but things must have changed because things were hopping already when we arrived! It didn't take too much time before we were off to security.

    Going through security could have been a breeze ... except when they discovered the old boy had a weapon in his carry-on! I had already sworn upon `check-in' that we were not carrying any weapons ... but ... I did not pack his bag!! I moved through security without a hitch and, upon glancing backwards, thought the old boy had done so as well. I had already moved into the customs line .. thinking he was right behind me ... but nope.

    I looked back again, just in time to see him completely abandon his day pack on the security table (totally unattended and with his money belt inside!!). He was entirely flustered because his carry-on was under serious scrutiny!! He had brought the same little  purple corkscrew we've always brought with us when we have travelled. Apparently, this time, they noticed it has a wee little knife in it. How it escaped their fervent gaze prior to today will remain a mystery ... but ... they offered the old boy the chance to go outside and "dull" it. Sheesh ... if only we had more time!! Can you just see him in the airport drop off zone ... dulling his weapon of choice!! Suffice to say ...we'll just be imbibing from screw off tops for a while!! We can be flexible.

    But ... wait! THIS was not his only transgression!! They also discovered a FULL size Dr. SCHOLLS aerosol foot spray that he thought would make it past inspection. I could have scolded him quite properly ... but ... they let him keep it!!! WTH. Given this surprising turn of events, I'm tempted to try and bring a full size hairspray along next time!!

    It felt a bit crazy to be on a sold out flight with NO masks. I had to argue with myself to not put one on. I hope I will not be regretting this in three or four days! Please keep your fingers crossed for us! The first flight was good except ... the Captain came on saying we could expect some "bumpy patches for about 20 minutes" so they would delay bverage and snack service until we were past the bumps.

    Then ... the flight attendant came over the loud speaker updating that there were still reports of "severe turbulence" !! WHATTTT?? That sounds a whole lot worse than a few bumps! My anxious mind is already wishing I had paid more attention to how w put on our life vests!! In the end ... the pilot nailed it. Nothing to get to excited about ... except .... we had been up since 2:45AM and so we ended up having some cashews and pretzels for breakfast ... and ... a cup of black coffee.

    This was my first caffeinated coffee since October! I expect it will not be my last! The most amazing part of the flight was the sunrise ... shining through the Chinook arch in the most amazing play of light and colors! I've never seen the 'red sky at morning' from the top looking down. The pics don't really do it justice! It was magnificent artplay indeed!

    Upon landing ... we enjoyed a glass of wine and pizza ... for a mere $87 USD! Good grief ...no wonder the old saying is that "Houston - we have a problem"! It was breakfast and lunch though ... so ... I shall refrain from sounding like my father when it comes to money!

    Our afternoon flight was exceptional ... the seat between us stayed empty! And then ... the old boy stopped one of the flight attendants to say "happy hour has started" and she thought it was our anniversary ... so she brought us couple of complimentary glasses of wine! People have the most wonderful hearts!!

    The Universe offered us the most magical welcome to Panama in terms of the sunset! We were not even on the West side of the plane ... but ... the colors out my window were magnificent! the pics don' quite do it justice but you get the idea!!

    We landed in Panama ... and ... I had no idea that I should have dipped into my anti-nauseant stash for the drive to our hotel from the airport ... but ... Carlos took us for a RIDE! He was doing 105 to 120 in 30 to 50 kms zones!! The old boy got into his James Bond persona ... while I was simply trembling in the back seat ... gripping at his flesh ... and ... pressing my imaginary brake pedal. In Carlos' defense ... he had another pick up at the airport in 15 minutes. Even at warp speed, he still had a 20 minute ride to get us to our hotel and then 20 minutes back to the airport. He was trying to make up time!!He was very handsome but I don't think math was his strong suit.

    We got checked into our humble abode ... and then ... it dawned on me!!!!! We had no bottled water. Well ... we only had one half bottle of water. We headed out in search of water and supper ... and ... found BOTH right next door at the 'Food Bazaar'. Unlike our lunch ... we enjoyed a full bottle of wine and so much food I had to bring some home ... and ... got some bottled water for under $50. And, they worked so hard to accomodate the English speaking guests! We owe much thanks to Maria (aka Muffy with the exceptional cleavage for all the extras! Ha ha ... no pun intended! She even made us a map of where to find the Mini Mart ... and ... coffee and breakfast in the morning.

    And now ... it is bed time! I apoloagize for the delay in posting but I was exhausted. On a brighter note ... I AM finding my enthusiasm!! Oh ... and ... we have a bidet ! For real, this time. We still haven't tried it, but I am determined to do so!!    Read more

  • Lansers on the Loose ...Riding the Ocean Waves ...
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    Day 3

    Hello Panama City!

    February 8, 2023 in Panama ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    We are staying at the Hotel Coral Suites. It is humble ... but ... spacious and exceptional in many ways. Our total bill for four nights is only $242.38. That is less than $60 per night CAD. Sheesh .... we paid just a wee bit more than that for our lunch in Houston yesterday!!! And, we have a rooftop pool! We are going to need it! It is HOT here. 32 degrees celcius today but feels like 36 degrees!

    Our first order of business for today is to get a few groceries and get our bearings for where we are situated! And the location is phenomenal! We wandered about this morning and came across oodles of restaurants and grocery stores and shopping!! It feels a lot like Cuba to us. Beautiful people ... rustic concrete ... nice cars. The old boy picked up a nice light white shirt ... and .... I got some gorgeous sterling silver hoop earrings for $28USD. I know they would be over a $100CAD in Canada. I'm just hoping they have no nickle in them. If they do ... I will be sad. There is not much English here so we are wishing we had polished up on our Spanish a bit more! We have no excuse with Spanish speaking family members! Maybe I'll have to be more committed to learning more of this beautiful language once we are home.

    I also picked up a pair of flesh colored sandals for on the cruise. Cheap like borscht at Payless here! But the best of all so far today was our breakfast!! We stopped at the bakery just up the street. We ordered two coffees (one was a cappucino) and had Ranchero eggs and an omelette. They each came with two fresh baguettes and then the old boy got a pastry too! Oh ... I got a bottle of water too. Our entire bill was less than $10USD. They have daily specials for lunch and supper ... so ... we will definitely return! I was initially going to buy some eggs so we could have breakfast in our room ... but ... at that price and convenient location .... we will forgoe the cooking!

    We had so much fun shopping and exploring until the heat caught up with us. We were eager to get back to the room to cool down and head to the pool. Before I got my ass whipped at Clever, I took a little video of your room to give you a sense of it, but it didn't want to load. I'll add some photos and try to include the video later from my phone once I have uploaded it. Also of note ... the room keys have no information on them at all. They are completely blank. I am assuming this is to reduce any kind of criminal activity ... in case you lose your keys.

    So, I got brave while I was changing into my swim suit ... I used the bidet! I had no idea you had to let the water warm up!! At first is was so uncomfortably COLD ... until the old boy suggested I turn up the volume! He was right ... it wasn't horrible once the water warmed up, but, oh my, it was wet!! How is a person to sop up all that wet?? The cord on the blow dryer was not long enough.

    Our time at the pool was fabulous! Some clouds threatened to move in some rain ... but ... it is so hot here the cover was welcome!! We met a lovely woman by the pool from Nova Scotia! We just hit if off with her so nicely! Her husband was not feeling well so he was sleeping. We lazed around the pool and enjoyed the laughter and languishing immensely. She invited us to join her and her friends for dinner. So we did!

    We had a nice meal and are ready for bed. We are headed off to do some sight-seeing tomorrow around the old town. And ... given the heat ... I expect we'll be back at the pool by afternoon. Talk to you then.    Read more

  • Lansers on the Loose ...Riding the Ocean Waves ...
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    Day 4

    Casco Viejo - The Old Town

    February 9, 2023 in Panama ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    We started our day late ... the two hour time change is making it hard to get up and out before 8:00am. Can I also say that when you open the doors to leave the hotel ... it feels like you have just opened the door to a pre-heated oven! My gosh ... it is HOT!! We opted to have our breakfast at the bakery again! The beautiful server made an extra special effort with my Cafe Leche this morning!

    Then, we ordered an Uber to drop us off in the old town. Jose took us there in absolute air-conditioned comfort for a total of $4.73USD. Honestly ... there are cabs everywhere but I really like the idea that I know how much it is going to cost me before hand ... and ... no money actually changes hands.

    We had a lovely time wandering about the Old Town. The tide was out, however, so it wasn't as pretty for the pictures. We had barely made it around the promenade (lined with vendors) when we came around the corner and noticed our new friends from our hotel at a table having drinks! This meeting just had to have been divinely orchestrated because the Old Town is large!! Even if you agreed to meet there at a certain time and place, it might be hard to find each other! So ... we enjoyed another nice visit and decided to meet up on the pool side later in the day!

    We entered one of the markets and the most charming vendor greeted us with a smile! His name was Raphael and he was from Roatan, Honduras. He was an exceptional artisan ... making all of his own fine jewellery! He was not even hard selling us ... but ... the old boy's favorite shark tooth necklace broke yesterday ... so ... when he spotted another shark tooth ... he was curious about whether Raphael could fix his. Instead, Raphael wired up a whole new neck piece for the old boy!!

    All I can say is that the old boy is beyond ecstatic to be sporting a new shark tooth necklace! He also bought himself a new "Panama" visor. I just know he'll be wearing it when he racing his 68 Chick! I might also have to declare that many folks complain about the woman and their shopping ... but ... in our family the old boy is the EXPENSIVE date! I didn't buy ANYTHING. At any rate, the beaming smile on his face makes it all worth it!

    We found our way to the "Mercado de Mariscos" (aka: fresh fish market) where you can purchase fresh caught fish and seafood ...or ... enjoy it prepared for you in one of the many restaurants surrounding the market! We opted to have some jumbo prawns and a beer. I ordered a glass of "vino blanco"... but ... it looked the color of gasoline so I send it back. With that heat ... it was probably best to stick with the "agua" anyway.

    By 2:00pm, the temperatures were getting to us so we ordered another Uber back to the hotel. Diego was our driver ... and ... he spoke English!! He shared that it was his first day at Uber ... we were his second fare ... and his wife was panicking about him being alone in vehicles with people. She had warned him to remove all valuables from his car and never leave his keys unattended. It was such a great perspective shift to see things from the drivers perspective too! At any rate ... he was a five star ride and got a great tip!! It's so nice to feel safe and secure in transit in unfamiliar locales.

    Upon arrival at the hotel ... we cooled down playing a game of Clever in our beautifully air-conditioned room ... and ... I got beat AGAIN. Gah. I was licking my wounds so ... we headed off to pool! The only place one should be in this heat is near or IN water!

    We ended up having some interesting conversations with people at the pool. It was a bit of a challenge to make space for some of the perspectives I was hearing. I really had to invite myself to stay curious and compassionate. We don't have to agree but it is certainly interesting to see how many of us can or cannot hold space for differing perspectives.

    We finished off the evening with some take-out food and another rousing game of Clever! It was tough to accept that I lost by ONE point ... but ... the game is always fun! And .... it's even crazie to think that our last full day at the hotel is tomorrow! We check out on Saturday and embark upon the Viking Star!

    Sleep well friends and family!    Read more

  • Lansers on the Loose ...Riding the Ocean Waves ...
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    Day 5

    Still Seeking Shade!!

    February 10, 2023 in Panama ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    It's another hot one here in Panama City! We headed out for our usual breakfast but NEW staff were on duty! The chef of this day had the audacity to put green onion in my trusty #6 Omelette. If he had cooked my first omelette, I would not have gone back for a second and third. It's so fascinating what a difference the cook makes to a recipe! Maybe not as much love as our other servers put into it?

    After breakfast we had plans to walk around the neighborhood to see if we could find a nice place for dinner tonight. It was truly astounding to notice how many large bars and restaurants were no longer open ... including the #1 Trip Advisor coffee shop. We are imagining that this was a result of the pandemic. In all honesty, though, we only got around the block (albeit a large block) before we had to find some shade. It was only 10:30am but already 30 degrees Celcius (feels like 33). Yes, it did indeed feel like at least 33.

    We thought about heading down to the waterfront and wander around the Cinta Costera (which we erroneously thought was walking path out over the water) but then remembered that the tide would be out until 2pm. So, we opted to come back to the hotel and head to the pool until after lunch! And then, we can either order another Uber ... or ... we now have the option call Miguel! As we were walking around the block, he was one of the many taxis that offered us a lift. The special thing about Miguel is that he has business cards and speaks "Full English". This is a real bonus because there is not a whole lot of English speaking here. He also got huge props from us for his dazzling smile and his business acumen!! We were trying to remember if we have ever been in a city with more taxi cabs?? You don't have to find them, they come looking for you!! Ha ha ...

    We cooled off in the room and then headed up to the pool for a bit! Thank goodness some cloud cover rolled in because when the sun was blazing, it was almost intolerable ... unless you were in the pool. The water in the pool was as warm as bath water ... but ... it kept the internal temp from rising too high!

    We had a great little lunch at a lovely air-conditioned place just up the road from us! The old boy ordered a traditional Columbian soup. It had tripe and other slimey things in it!! He absolutely LOVED it. I could not even watch him eat it without gagging a wee bit. I ordered the traditional Panamanian Chicken soup. It was absolutely delicious! Panama is wonderful in many ways ... but ... I, personally, am not so fond of the food. The old boy loves it, but for me ... it is a bit too much in terms of fried fare. So, this soup was so refreshing ... with chicken, potatoes, plantains and corn. I could have lived with a bit less cilantro, but I am not complaining.

    We then headed over to the Malecon in hopes that the clouds would continue to provide a barrier between us and the sun. And, of course, we had to take a picture with the PANAMA sign.

    The old boy also searched out Trip Advisor and discovered the #3 rated restaurant in Panama City is right near Cinta Costera ... so ... we decided to head over there to see if we wanted to enjoy our last dinner in Panama at a really nice place. It is called Casa Casco and is a "perfect blend of antique and avant-garde divided into 5 floors, where you can entvjoy 3 fabulous restaurants and a Terrace (rooftop) with a panoramic view of the city." It truly was beautiful ... but ... after taking over 30 minutes to get home in rush hour traffic ... we opted to stay a little close to home. BTW - our Uber driver took us for a 'short cut' ... to avoid the traffic. We're not convinced it was any better but he tried. He also tried to sell us a tour to a beautiful beach ... and ... he tried to sell us a residence. This was more the experience we might have expected from a cab ... but once again ... you had to give the guy props for his initiative!!

    Our final meal ended up being at Azahar instead. It was closer to home and rated #4 in Panama City on Trip Advisor. It also had five $$$$$ ... so ... it was not cheap, but the old boy was craving fresh lobster. So off we went. And, it was an incredibly delicious indulgence! The buns were yorkshire pudding and were served in a drawer! The old boy enjoyed Lobster Thermador and I had a sun dried tomatoe ravioli. We finished it off with a molten chocolate cake! It was decadent and entirely extravagent! And ... such a nice way to end off our time here in Panama.

    We board the ship tomorrow! We catch you all later then.    Read more

  • Lansers on the Loose ...Riding the Ocean Waves ...
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    Day 6

    Embarkation Day!!

    February 11, 2023 in Panama ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    Well ... embarkation day is off to a very, very "shitty" start! The thought crossed my mind when I was eating the soup yesterday that I had wished it was hotter ... aka ...hot enough to kill any bugs. Then, I chided myself for always being such a worry wart and simply enjoyed the soup. I have no way of knowing for certain, but I awoke in the night with stomach cramps and have a severe and solid case (or should I say 'not so solid' case) of travellers diarrhea. Gahhhhhhhhhh.

    In all our travels, this is the first time I have EVER experienced it. I am always so super, ridiculously cautious. I only consume cooked things. I avoid fruit or salad. I don't typically have drinks with ice in them. I followed all my best efforts here in Panama too .... but then ... the soup.

    I searched my bag for Pepto Bismal in the night ... only to realize that the vial I had was EMPTY!! I found a few tablets in my make up case that were best before 2016! I downed two. By the time the old boy was awake in the morning, I was struggling. For some reason, we didn't have any immodium. I was desperate for this to pass because we had a day of transit ... getting an Uber to the hotel where the shuttle picks us up ... then getting checked in onto the ship. I really didn;t want to have an accident on route!!! Eeeegads. It was fierce. This certainly not the way I wanted to say "Bon Voyage".

    The old boy was a saint and went to the pharmacy to get some immodium and more pepto bismal. They don't sell immodium here. The pharmacist gave him two different products. Lomotil is controlled substance that the internet says you can't get without a prescription. The side effects didn't sound good. The Enterogermina is a pediatric probiotic ... I took two at 8:00am ... and then ... after having little relief decided to risk the Lomotil before we had to call the Uberr at 1:00pm. Wouldn't you know it ... the Uber driver took forever to arrive to pick us up ... and then ... got lost. Yep. I even sat on the old boy's jacket in case I had an unexpected blow out!

    Thankfully, the lomatil did the trick. It's 10:00pm now and nothing has moved! I guess that is good news. Hopefully, I'll have a good night and be able to put this nightmare behind me. Keep your fingers crossed, okay? I think we will forgo our excursion tomorrow so I can stay close to the restrooms. Good thing we had a few days in Panama before we embarked!

    The ship is gorgeous. We had to use the map of all 8 levels to get acquainted with it. We never made it to the sports deck on level 9 yet. We enjoyed some great music in the Explorers lounge ... the guy sang the Beatles, Garth Brooks and many other infamous artists! If we weren't so tuckered we'd head out for more ... but ... not tonight.

    We also enjoyed a really interesting talk in the theatre on the making of the Panama Canal. Part 2 is tomorrow. And, on Monday, we get to experience crossing it ourselves. We are looking forward to it ... and ... our stateroom is going to give us a bird's eye view. We are in the middle of back of the ship ... we are positioned so we can see both sides from our balcony! I'm hoping to see some nice sunsets from here too!

    Okay. We are headed to bed now. And, looking forward to a nice leisurely day getting comfy on this ship tomorrow! Hope you all sleep well too. I will have to add the pictures tomorrow. I can't log in on two devices at one time. So ...    Read more

  • Lansers on the Loose ...Riding the Ocean Waves ...
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    Day 7

    Sitting in the Dock of the Bay ...

    February 12, 2023 in Panama ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Well ... it's our first full day onboard ... and this ship has not sailed yet. We've been sitting in the morning sun ... and ... we'll be sitting when the evening comes ... watching the ships roll in and then watching them roll away again. We will be sitting here resting our bones in port for one more night and then will be going through the Panama Canal tomorrow!

    It was actually a blessing, given the 'issues' I experienced yesterday that we didn't feel the need to join all the folks heading out in the early morning heat to enjoy their excursions. Instead, we had a decaf cappucino on our beautiful deck ... and then ... headed to 'The Restaurant' for breakfast. It's going to take some time for us to remember which place if what for food service! There are so many exceptional options!

    Our server this morning was Ketut (aka Kaput) from Bali. He was an absolute hoot and we will ask to sit in his section when we go back. It makes such a difference that the servers make such an effort to make sure you are feeling well tended to!! After being coddled over breakfast ... we headed to the laundry room to do our own laundry. We are not complaining though ... they say 'balance' is the key to a good life.

    We took another tour of the ship ... still getting confused about where we are and where we are headed. It was already too hot for me to want to be outdoors so we settled into 'The 'iving Room' and played a little Clever while we waited for our laundry. I will just mention that I whipped the old boy's ass this morning. I will not mention how badly he took me down yesterday! ;-)

    I should mention however ... that if you need the restrooms on board ... the birds are serenading you while you tinkle! I told the old boy he should experience the soothing sounds of song birds while you piddle. Apparently, that is not a drawing card for him. Can I say, however, that in comparison to the toilet paper that we had in our hotel ... this ship's reserve is so exceptionally soft and luxurious.

    We then enjoyed a really nice lunch at the World Cafe ... its an enormous buffet! Today, the old boy fell in love with a mushroom pasta dish! It was really tasty. I thoroughly devoured the vegetarian chili. We both agreed, however, that Hutch makes a far better lamb. And ... our meals would be so much better if we met another Ray and Carol. We really miss you both!!

    We headed to the theatre for another presentation regarding the Panama Canal. It was truly so interesting to hear all of the 'behind the scenes' information regarding the building of the Canal. After that, we enjoyed a visit with a couple that we met earlier today that are from Scotland originally. The old boy tipped back a scotch and I thoroughly enjoyed an Aperol Spritz!

    There was a big Superbowl pool party tonight ... so ... we thought we'd take our chances and see if we could get into the Chef's Table. I couldn't make a reservation ahead of time because all the tables were already spoken for ... but due to the superbowl, there were a whole lot of cancellations ... so ... we were able to enjoy the 5 course Asian Panorama! It included a number of things I was not sure I would like. But ... much to my surprise ... I really enjoyed the caviar on the Lobster dumplings ... I also enjoyed the Peking Duck ... and ... I found that I enjoyed the sherry with the dessert trio!! It was quite a surrise to enjoy all of these taste experiences that I have never before enjoyed.

    We are tucking in early tonight ... hopefully we will sleep well. We are also ordering room service for breakfast because we expect that the best seat in the house as we go through all the locks will be on our deck! Good night ... and ... see you tomorrow!    Read more

  • Lansers on the Loose ...Riding the Ocean Waves ...
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    Day 8

    Traversing the Locks!

    February 13, 2023 in Panama ⋅ 🌙 1 °C

    We decided to order room service for breakfast to arrive between 8:30am and 8:45am because we thought we might be able to enjoy seeing some of our travel through the locks from our balcony. We grabbed a cappucino and headed up to the sun deck at the front of the ship to enjoy our passage through the Miraflores locks around 7:30am. Viking had the deck set up with a huge tent, water bottles, umbrellas to protect from the sun ... and ... had wait staff serving mimosas and chilled wash clothes. It wasn't too hot at first, but by 8:15am it was already quite toasty up there!

    It was a fascinating process to witness. Apparently, the pilot of the locks comes on board and the ship is turned over to him to make the delicate entrance. I believe the boat is 95 feet wide and the lock is 110ft wide. There is minimal room for error. And, I came to understand that the pilot is the only person allowed to speak aloud through the process. He uses rings and other sounds to alert the other crew as to what needs to happen when. The ship is guided by tugs and ropes etc to line up with the dock along the starboard side. It is then an intricate process by which the ship is further guided into each lock.

    The Miraflores lock has three levels ... emptying the ship into the Miraflores lake. After we arrived there (@8:20am) we hustled down to our room to enjoy our room service breakfast. It was already way to hot to sit on the balcony but we rearranged the room so we had a birds-eye view of things from our comfy chairs! You can also watch the whole thing broadcast in your stateroom on your TV if you prefer.

    We enered the Pedro Miguel locks about an hour later. The old boy went up to see it from the outside again ... and ... I stayed to enjoy it from our room. I was hoping to get some nice pics of the Culebra Cut for my dear friend Caryl. We are amongst a convoy of 19 vessels heading north through the Canal at this moment. The flow of traffic is seriously monitored. A big cargo vessel from Korea (which they estimate paid $750,000 to get through the locks) was supposed to be in front of us, but they renegotiated the order because otherwise we we would have needed to stay very far back given the wake from that vessel.

    Apparenty the Culebra Cut is the most watched and monitored piece of land in the world. They are vigilant about ensuring it does not have any landslided. I cannot fathom how mere mortals shaped those steps on the sides of the canal. It truly is remarkable. And, sobering to think of all the lives lost in the making of this infrastructure. I am ever grateful that my Great Uncle (who worked on the Panama Canal for 20 years) was not amongst those who lost his life here.

    The Gatun Lake is situated between the east and west and is dotted with tranquil islands. The Panama Canal is 48 miles long in total and crossed the narrowest stretch of the Isthms of Panama. It is truly an engineering marvel and lowers the ship a total of 85 feet from Pacific to Caribbean Sea. The Gatun Locks are a little wider than the two previous ones, but the mechanisms remain the same.    Read more

  • Lansers on the Loose ...Riding the Ocean Waves ...
    1
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    Day 9

    Puerto Limon, Costa Rica

    February 14, 2023, Caribbean Sea ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    After a great night's sleep, we arrived in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica this morning at 8:00am. We had booked an include excursion down the Tortuguero Canals. These are apparently the breeding grounds for sea turtles ... hence the name of the canals. It was such a beautiful day ... not as hot as Panama and sunny and breezy. We were able to see some gorgeous blue butterflies, a caiman, a two-toed sloth, a three-toed sloth with a baby on her chest and a crocodile sunning himself next door to a residence.

    After a relaxing trip down the canals, we headed back to the ship for a nice lunch and then headed to the pool. I'm not sure if it was the Bonine or not, but I was feeling so lazy. It was exquisite to rest my eyes while we laid in the sun ....just like a coule of crocodiles ourselves! Only get up to enter the water, piddle or get something cool and refeshing to drink. It was a perfect day in terms of feeling completely relaxed.

    In honor of Valentines Day, they gifted all the women on board with a gorgeous long-stemmed pink rose! It was a lovely gesture! We enjoyed another nice buffet at the World Cafe ... the old boy particularly enjoys the sushi options. And, today, they had a lovely pork belly! We really enjoy being able to try a number of different things and then go back for more of the ones you really like!

    We are headed off now ... for a day at sea tomorrow ... and then we find ourselves in Roatan, Honduras. We are still trying to find our sea legs. Even the old boy is finding the rocking and rolling of the ship a bit troublesome. He even took a dramamine.. I'm on my third Bonine ... been taking them every 12 hours or so. Is that too often Nurse Caryl??

    We are still really questioning whether or not we are 'ocean' cruising people.....hmmmm. We have struck up conversation with a few people here and there. But in all honesty ... we haven't hit if off with anyone in particular. Maybe its just the folks we have met ... but ... there seem to be a whole lot of uppity people.

    For example, the old boy was making small talk in the pool with a fellow who was describing (in great detail) how he had renovated his entire home ... he needed a number of extra custom made amenities ... urinal, steam room, elevator etc. He asked John where he was from and his next question was ... "What kind of house do you have?" Gah.

    We shared a table at lunch today with a couple who have been on a number of cruises ... but ... complained about the quality of first class flights they had endured recently. I can only imagine how uncomfortable it must have been for them. I couldn't relate ... maybe it was offputting for them when I shared that flying first class is still on my bucket list. There is endless talk about politics and all the immigrants trying to sneak into the U.S.A. Yesterday we had a short chat with a couple who were adamant that the wall needed to go up to "keep those people out". When the old boy inquired about what should be done to help alleviate their challenges instead ... they finished their drinks and left.

    We have met a couple of couples that we had some good visits with ... the Scottish couple and another couple of gals who were hilarious ... but ... you can meet them once and never see them again!!

    I don't know. We feel a bit like fish out of water. I'd really rather not talk politics with folks. We bumped into another couple at our hotel in Panama who had really strong feelings. It's not that I have a problem with people who have opinions. I just don't like to feel their undaunted attempts to convince me.

    But, tomorrow is an new day ... and .... there are likely 860ish passengers that we haven't met yet!! Keep your fingers crossed for us okay??    Read more

  • Lansers on the Loose ...Riding the Ocean Waves ...
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    Day 10

    Our first full day at sea ...

    February 15, 2023, Caribbean Sea

    Well ... when my eyes popped opened at 6:11am, I could see a some light sneaking past the drapes! I bolted out of bed (as much as one can 'bolt' when you are using furniture to stabilize you) to see if I could catch the sunrise. I was too late. Sheesh ... the sun gets up early in this neck of the woods!!

    I have no idea where we are ... somewhere in the middle of the Carribean Sea. Apparently Find Penguins has no idea where we are either! They had us positioned in Madrid, Spain at 1 degree Celcius as we made our way through the Panama locks! Argghhh. I was able to change the location, but couldn't change the temperature setting. It seems like the GPS on my tablet is having trouble picking up a signal. I guess it will be a surprise to see where they say we are when I actually post this!

    We are hoping to take in some of the many activities that are scheduled and available today during our first fulll day at sea. We aren't feeling sick but we are bopping and shaking and rolling around a fair bit. The swimming suits are swaying on the drying line in the shower and my make up bag is wobbling to and fro as well! We don't remember feeling this much movement on the Carnival Cruise decades ago ... but ...it was a much bigger ship and we were positioned in much lower staterooms closer to mid ship. I'm hoping it will just take some getting used to .... fingers crossed.

    We do love the view from this room though. The first picture is the sight that greeted us today as we settled in to enjoy our morning coffee! Pretty darn breath-taking!! After that , we headed to the World Cafe for breakfast! We ended up sitting with a lovely couple from Massachusets. The conversation flowed comforatably ... as did the laughterr!@ There was no one-upping and no talk of politics. Their names were Lorelie and Jay. We quite enjoyed our time together.

    We noticed that over breakfast ... the ship steadied more! Maybe it was because we weren't sailing as fas?? Who knows ... but ... it ended up being a FABULOUS day at sea! We watched a bit of the Baggo tournament (aka the bean bag toss/ring toss that we often play a home!) and then we headed to the library to see if I could win at Clever. That might not have been the old boy's plan but it was mine ... but ... my wish came true!

    We headed down to the Explorers Lounge for a trivia game! It was a whole lot of fun and we enjoyed the people we were teamed up with. Thn, we partook of the seafood buffet at the World Dafe! The old boy was delighted to see that the Pork Belly was highlighted again. I had some crab ravioli ... they were okay!

    After that,we headed to back to the Explores Lounge for the line dancing lessons. We were delighted to see Swood and Lori again. We met them for a brief visit previously and ended up spending a couple of hours with them! Such great humans!! What a difference it makes to have such nice conversation with others! And ... the ship is so tranquil ... or .... maybe it is the sea! I am not sure but I am definitely grateful for the changes. If it stays like this, I will be happy to not take any more meds!! All in all, the afternoon was absolutely delightful! And, maybe ... just maybe ... we are seeing some of the joys of ocean cruising.

    After our time with Lori and Swood, we took a lovely table outdoors where I took the old boy down again in Clever. The best part was not the win ... it was the weather! It was blissfully sunny and not windy ... and ... comfortably warm. The sun was setting as we finished up our game to get ready to head for our 'Mexican Menu' at the Chef's Table.

    Ooooops ...accidently hit the wrong button! I will try to add photos soon!    Read more

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