Panama Canal, the Carribean & Cuba – Nov 27 – Dec 7, 2018

Capping off 2018 was a Norwegian Cruise from Miami to Cartagena, Columbia, the Panama Canal, Costa Rica, Grand Cayman and Havana, Cuba. This was our second cruise and we were attracted to the stops in an area that we’d never been as well as the invitation from our brother in-law, Dan, to join him, Dawn and their kids and spouses on the trip (Logan & Jamie Wahle, Brian & Sandy Vasecka).

I like cruises for what they are…a giant hotel moving from port to port with your luggage and a convenient way to see a number of ports in other-wise difficult areas to travel back-to-back in a few days. You can go on a cruise with very little planning or thought involved, which may sound mortifying to many, but great after you’ve spent the year planning and executing travel around the west in a 35′ RV. What I really love about cruises is lying in bed with the veranda curtain and door open and watching the sunrise and skyline of these ancient ports pass by as we slowly float to the pier.

Miami, Florida, the Views & the People:

Early Morning in Port of Miami

Carribean Sea

Dawn, Sandy, Jamie & Me

View from the Aft

Got to Love those Sea views

Rousing Sea Days of Games!

Cartagena, Columbia (Nov 29): Cartagena was more “cosmopolitan” than I expected. The early morning skyline of sky scrapers surprised me and then they were setting up for an Ironman Triathlon the next day. That being said, the electrical wiring was rather entertaining! We focused on the colonial area, but did tour through the much newer urban district.

The Panama Canal (Dec 1): Our cruise ship traveled through the first lock of the 3-lock system to get across from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. Once through the Gatun lock, we tendered over to a bus and then caught a ferry at the south end of Gatun Lake and went through the subsequent locks to the Pacific Ocean and Panama City.

Tom enjoying early morning tea from our balcony as we approach Gatun Lock

Ship coming into adjacent lock

Our company during the next lock passages!

The Map of the Adventure

Watching our progress from the front of the ship as we move into Gatun Lake

More company in the lock, but at least you can see around them and the lock doors in action

Panama City in background with Frank Ghery building in the foreground

Costa Rica Port Limon, the Atlantic side (Dec 2): We took the Veragua Rainforest tour and road down these funk little trams further into the rainforest and hiked to a local waterfall. Then we had a canal boat ride on the Rio Moin. Between the two outings, we saw 2 and 3 Toed Sloths, Howler Monkeys, butterflies, humming birds, frogs, birds and an alligator!

Grand Cayman (Dec 4): We spent most of our time in the water with this stop, so I didn’t take many pictures and none of note. We snorkeled the Kittiwake Ship wreck, had an amazing seafood lunch at The Plantation and found that we could snorkel right off the beach and did another round of close-up viewing.

Havana, Cuba (Dec 6): Havana was fascinating…our first and only communist country we’ve visited. In general, Havana seems to have a façade that has been kept in tact or is in the process of being updated from the 1950’s and before. As soon as you move a half a block off the main squares or venture out of Old Havana, you see the effect of years of neglect.

Havan Harbor Entrance

Havana Harbor Pier

Looking into Old Town Havana

Quintensenctial Havana, at least what they want to portray to the cruise ship visitors

School children having recess in the square

View of the square

Cuban flag

I guess this is not a stray dog as he has a tag!

One of mnay fortresses surrounding Havana Harbor

Random family enjoying a stop in front of a mural made purely of local ground up shells

Havana off the beaten path of tourists

Tom and Dan talking with Captain Kim from our ship. He was a true Cuban cigar officiando and we ran into him at his favorite place enjoying a cup of Cuban coffee and having a cigar