Panama Canal, Panama

Christmas in Panama. We awoke to see the jungle going by as we slipped into the first lock of the Gatun Locks on the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal. We were locked up beside a huge chemical tanker and had a local guide narrating the trip from the bridge. We took our morning walk around the deck while we rose 85 feet to the level of the Gatun Lake. The canal is 100 years old the year and it is amazing in it's efficiency and simplicity.
We anchored in the Lake for several hours while we waited to travel to the other side. We took advantage of that to open Christmas presents and rest up for the Christmas feast that awaited us at brunch.
Full from lunch and having opened all our presents we set sail across the peninsula toward the Pacific Ocean. Down the locks at Pedro Miguel and Miraflores and now in the Pacific. We have a day to travel to Puntarenas tomorrow in Costa Rica. Should be fun.
For now we have formal night and Christmas dinner so I will leave you here and pick up after I recover.Read more