Cruising through the Panama Canal

 

I would have experienced cruising through the Panama Canal if things had gone as planned with the 3-year cruise I signed up for in March 2023, (was not to be). I learned about the canal in school, like most of us. I had a false impression of the scale and landscape of the area, however.

I thought there was a wide area of land that was carved out to create the canal. But I found in addition to the manmade canal, the area is full of lakes and rivers. Yes, there was a massive removal of soil to link them all together, so ships could pass between the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans. I was just surprised by the topography.

Our itinerary gave us only one day for Panama, and that was to traverse the canal. While thrilling, a real once-in-a-lifetime experience, it would have been nice to spend some time in Panama itself. 

One silly goal was to buy a Panama hat in Panama. Since that wouldn’t be possible, I would have bought it on our next stop, Colombia. Since the trip didn't happen, I could buy it on Amazon, CLICK HERE (ad). 

The climate is also stable. The lowest average temperature is in October, 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The high is 90 degrees in both March and April. It’s a tropical, meaning humid, climate with a long rainy season. For me personally, this would remove Panama, or any tropical location, from the running as far as a retirement destination. I admit to being a weather wimp. I prefer little change in temperature, mid-sixties to mid-seventies, sunny skies with a light ocean breeze and I’m a happy camper.

Although there’s lots of coastline in Panama, rivers and lakes, there are rainforests, modern skyscrapers, and a collection of colonial buildings in the Casco Viejo district. Again, if time was limited, I’d spend it in the older district. If, however, we had days there, I would have visited the more modern parts of Panama City. It would have been a great place to stock up on items at this point in our 3-year cruise. Shopping would have been a snap considering the lack of language barrier and use of the U.S. dollar.

One major caveat is the travel advisory. It’s listed on the “do not go there” list. Perhaps that’s why our cruise was a travel through the canal only plan and did not have us spending time there. The advisory is for all parts of the country. How sad. A good economy, English spoken widely, use of the U.S. currency, but unsafe for visitors. I’m afraid I would have to be satisfied with the fabular trip through the canal and buying a Panama hat in a gift shop in our next destination, Barranquilla, Colombia.

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Twelve Stops in Brazil

 

If things had gone as planned with the 3-year cruise I signed up for in March 2023 (long story, canceled), I would have spent the month of December in Brazil. We would have visited most of these towns and cities for only one day. This is not my favorite way of traveling. I prefer to savor a location. If it’s not worth spending several days, it’s probably not worth visiting at all. But that’s just me I guess. Others don’t mind rushing.

The last two weeks of December were in cities that seem quite similar to each other. They are very modern, with lots of Brazilian charm. Since they are located fairly close to the Equator, the temperature stays high. It was mostly in the high 80’s to low 90’s in December, with bright sun or brief intense storms. None of this is in my comfort zone, but the cities are lovely, and worth putting up with the heat and humidity.

In order to protect my fair skin, while not causing damage to the environment, I found this sun block, CLICK HERE (ad). I had already purchased some before my real world 3-year cruise was canceled. So I know it's good. 

Fortaleza is a big city, well known for its urban beaches. We would have visited this location in the second half of the month.

Natal is also on the coast, is very built up in a modern way. It’s well known for the sand dunes there. I saw many huge sand dunes when my cruise ship stopped in Peru in 2017. The ones in Natal are very different. They have lots of vegetation, even trees. In Peru, this is not the case. Both have their own type of charm.

Recife is another very modern, built-up city on the coast. There are fabulous beaches, and rain forests on the outskirts of the city. They’re really into sports there. For me, although it is lovely, and an interesting mixture of modern, beach and forest environments, it would have been too much of the same thing one stop after another.

Maceio is not as built-up as the last few cities we would have visited on our 3-year cruise. That would have been a relief for non-big city lovers, like me. It’s best known for the beaches, reefs, tide pools, and music. I would have enjoyed the topography there, lots of rocks along the coast, like in the photo below. I always carry a sun protective hat with me, even when not on a trip. I found this one for the cruise, CLICK HERE (ad). I especially like the tie, so it doesn't go flying in the wind. 

Salvador has more interesting architecture, at least from my perspective. I enjoy old towns, and the buildings they contain. Where I’m from, in Southern California, most old buildings have been torn down and replaced with sterile modern structures. Not a fan. It’s why I would be sure to spend time in every old section of town in our cruise destinations. Salvador is also Afro-Brazilian in culture. I would have enjoyed this as well. I lived in South Africa for two years. I liked it very much.

We would have stayed in Rio de Janeiro for three days. While that’s more than many other cities on our itinerary, it’s not enough time. Rio is in a natural setting, with beaches, hills, and lots of plants. But it’s huge. It would take several days to do it justice. My favorite activity there would be taking the cable car up to see the 98’ tall Christ the Redeemer stature on the top of the Corcovado Mountain. I’d probably do it more than once.

Sao Paulo would have been our last stop in Brazil. It’s a modern center of finance in Brazil. This is why it has a large population. It’s a place for movers and shakers. There are plenty of modern buildings and excursions that a visitor could take, but the old architecture in Centro would be my draw.

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Parintins, Brazil: Better in June

 

If things had gone as planned with the 3-year cruise I signed up for in March 2023 (The cruise was cancelled; I hear some people are stranded in Istanbul), I would be in Parintins, in the far eastern portion of Brazil. Since we would have traveled farther away from the Equator by now, the high temperature should be lower. It hit a high of 81 degrees today. That was lucky since the forecast for yesterday and tomorrow was for temperatures in the nineties. The humidity is still high, however, since this city lies in a tropical rainforest.

The city is on an island named Tupinambarana, which lies in the Amazon River. It’s known for a colorful folk festival held there each June, so it looks like we missed it by several months. It was hit hard by the recent pandemic. The festival went virtual for two years. It came back live in 2022. The city was given a facelift and street art was added. The festival is helping overcome the lack of infrastructure and isolation. Tourism is helping financially.

There isn’t much to do here, although it is rather pretty. I would have taken a pedi cab for a tour of the town. There’s a nearby Indian Village in Boca da Valeria. If I felt it was safe, and if there was time, I might go on a tour to visit it. Everything I read would make me want to take lots of dollar bills, to give as tips to those living there.

Overall, I’m not sure why our cruise had this port on our itinerary. Perhaps it was so passengers could participate in eco-tourism. I know that was a desire on the part of some passengers. My age and health conditions would keep me from participating in physical labor, especially in the heat and humidity. The humidity might even have kept me on the ship. Asthma cramps your style at times. This is why I made sure to pack my nebulizer and lots of medication. I even bought a portable nebulizer, CLICK HERE (ad) just in case. Life Lesson: Planning for all possibilities can stave off medical disasters.

Off to another small town on the Brazilian coast. Fingers crossed it's larger than Parintins. 

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Paramaribo, Suriname, What a Surprise

If things had gone as planned with the cruise I signed up for in March 2023 (The 3-year cruise was cancelled by the cruise line late last week), I would be in Paramaribo, Suriname right now. I was both surprised and delighted that their national language is Dutch. While I don't speak the language, I did teach German for most of my teaching career. It's fairly close to Dutch, so I can make out signs and menus pretty easily.

The climate is once again tropical, not my favorite. It's 90 degrees today, partly cloudy with a chance of rain and lightning late in the afternoon. Still, not too bad, considering it could have poured down rain all day, and ruined my plans. 

I'm a culture junky and enjoy seeing the architecture, food, music, and languages of the places we're visiting. I also adore nature, especially flowers, butterflies and birds. This location has all of my favorite things. 

My first goal is to take a tour of the Historic City. The architecture is Dutch Colonial. The buildings were mostly built of wood, and painted white. This works with the tropical climate here, of course, but is also very Dutch. 

Next on my to-do list is a visit to the Neotropical Butterfly Park, no surprise there. I go to every butterfly park, garden and conservatory I can find, both back in the U.S., and when traveling. Although there are organized tours, at about $90 (which includes Colakreek), I would do it myself. If we were staying longer, I might visit more areas, but on a short stay, nope. 

If there's time, I would like to visit Fort Zeelandia. Out front, there's a statue of Dutch Queen Wilhelmina, who was also the monarch of Suriname at the time of her reign. I enjoy seeing statues and paintings of historical figures. They bring history to life for me. I'd be surprise if I make this tour, however, with the stay in Paramaribo being short, and the weather threatening. 

No doubt I'd enjoy the Dutch architecture and the butterfly garden. That's enough for one day. No reason to push myself. After all, although this is now a "virtual" 3-year cruise, there's still lots to see elsewhere. 

For more information on traveling to Suriname, CLICK HERE (ad).

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Georgetown, Guyana, Virtual Cruise

If things had gone as planned with the cruise I signed up for in March 2023 (Sadly, the 3-year cruise was cancelled by the cruise line a few days ago), I would be in Georgetown, Guyana. It's hot and partly cloudy today, and may storm late in the day, but I can handle 81 degrees. 

Since the national language of Guyana is English, and during the last few stops I would have visited botanical gardens, my plan for this short stay would be shopping, or at least browsing the shops in the Stabroek Market.

There's lots of British colonial architecture in the city, so taking a short excursion by bus would be fun for me. I'm not into visiting jungle and savannahs due to my asthma, but for those who enjoy such pursuits, there is plenty of both to explore. I wouldn't suggest solo women set out by themselves here, however, as I've read warnings about abusive language and harassment.

After wandering in the shopping area, I might explore the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology. I find this subject fascinating, and it would be less physically taxing, since it would be cool inside.  

The next few stops on our virtual 3-year cruise will be short like this one. I'll pick and choose what to do selectively, and not try to cram in lots of activities. I might just stay onboard, and read a good book. Speaking of books, if you want to learn more about Guyana, CLICK HERE (ad).

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Trinidad and Tobago, Lots of Sunshine

If things had gone as planned with the 3-year cruise I signed up for in March 2023 (they still don’t have a ship), I would be arriving in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago today. As I mentioned when blogging about Puerto Rico, I’ve been to the southern Caribbean, but not the northern islands.

So, this is my first trip to Trinidad and Tobago. It rains a great deal in the tropics, and it’s usually rather hot for my taste. It rained on Thursday, and is forecast to rain again tomorrow, but we would be in luck. The temperature predicted for today is 89° and partly sunny.

I always take sun protection when I travel, especially when visiting the tropics. I have a few sun hats from which to choose. My favorites are wide brimmed hats made from ribbon, CLICK HERE (ad). The company I buy from the most is Coolibar, which makes sun protective gear. I also bring sunblock, but not just any brand. I use one that does not damage wildlife or coral reefs. It wasn’t easy to find, but this is what I bought, CLICK HERE (ad).

I looked over the large number of tours available. They range from about $50 - $100+, but most of them are far too long for a one-day stopover, which is what this was planned to be. There are plenty of excursions for athletic types, but that’s not me. I don’t have the level of fitness I once had, so I’m careful what I select. I decided I wouldn’t buy a tour or excursion but would go it alone.

I looked over Queens Park Savannah but ruled it out. It looks beautiful, which I enjoy, but may have far too many fine particles in the air for anyone with asthma. My lungs rarely limit what I do, but going where the humidity is already high means I must pick and choose wisely or pay the price.

The Royal Botanic Gardens ais a definite number one pick for me. I love seeing beautiful plants and flowers. I would take lots of photographs. Photography is a hobby of mine, and I bought the iPhone 14 Pro specifically for the camera.

If there was enough time and if I wasn't not too tired after visiting the gardens, I’d visit the Emperor Valley Zoo. I’m usually able to find a great deal of shade in zoos. They plant many trees to create the right ambiance for the animals, we humans benefit from them too. This is why I’d visit the gardens in the morning, and the zoo in the afternoon, even though I know I risk the animals napping. That’s why, weather permitting, visiting zoos in the morning is a far better idea. For me, however, weather trumps pretty much everything else. I admit it. I’m a weather wimp.

Back onboard the ship, there would be calypso music and tasty seafood. Great place to relax after a warm day exploring the island. 

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