Panama City

I'm sitting on the dock of the bay... no, I'm sitting on my balcony going through the Panama Canal! It is sunny and hot, and I can barely see the screen so excuse any typos.

We've already been through the first two (or is it three) that brought us up 85 feet. We've sailed the Gatun lake and are now approaching the final set of locks that will bring us back down to sea level. It has been interesting, but I've got to be honest, I've spent most of it in a fitful sleep. We had a late night and an early morning and another late night and another early morning, plus I've been coughing when I am in bed and my nose is running like a faucet... I'm beat and am seriously considering the wisdom of more crusies... (don't tell Carm). I am so tired that I could cry, or at least pull the covers over my head and disappear for another day or so.

Yesterday we woke up to the sight of a sunrise over Panama City. The skyline was nothing like we expected - a huge city with glowing skyscrapers was not at all what we thought we'd see. It was beautiful in a non-Nature sort of way. We met our excursion group at 7:25 and set off in a tender to land where we'd find our bus.

It was a newish bus with good airconditioning - a good thing as it was already hot at that early hour. The bus drove us around the new city, past impossible skyscrapers with hovels skirting their bases.

We've had lots of conversations about the poor conditions that people live in, but I wonder, perhaps the people are just as happy, or even happier, without our quest for consumer goods. Maybe a simple life is better. Regardless, I'm not going to judge based on my life circumstances, or what I perceive as my good fortune.

After zipping around the new city, the bus took us past the ruins of the old city. Crumbling walls were protected by a big fence, although apparently they do allow weddings there.

On our way again, we pulled into a parking spot near the Colonial city. The guide walked us around narrow cobble streets with even narrower sidewalks past colourful buildings packed together. Some were restored, others were in the process of being restored, and others lay in wait for their transformation. It reminded us of some of the European cities we visited 2 years ago.

As hard as it may sound - I didn't buy one souvineer!

It was a good tour and thankfully wasn't too long so I was able to crash for a few hours before supper. After we ate we went to the theatre to see a juggler - he was okay, but I didn't feel that he was up to the usual Princess standard. A wander around the ship followed by an evening of dancing at the Wheelhouse finished off our evening.

What will we do when we are at home and have no lounge with live music to go to? It is a very different life out here in the open seas.

Carm just got back from the pool which means it is time to get dressed for supper... have a good night everyone.