Jib Jab copycat

I was inspired by Angie's Jib Jab movie. Since I was out of practice, I played around a bit. Here are the four older cousins together, in a holiday mood:

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Ira for sure this time

Thanks, Ira, for your patience in waiting through the Panama City pictures before I featured your cousins in a blog entry. You'll see them this time!

We started our tour of Gatun Lake from this dock near 

Gamboa, Panama. The town of Gamboa was built to house 

Panama Canal workers in the early 1900's.

 The boat held 20 or so passengers and it moved at a fast clip across the lake. 

We were warned not to put our hands over the side or into the water because there are  crocodiles in the lake. We were disappointed not to see any crocs (except for John and Brenda), but apparently they aren't as likely to be cruising for food at the time of day we were on the water.

 Gatun Lake is dotted with jungly islands 

(for Hannah--"jungly" reminds me of "clingly"!).

On the boat ride we saw heavy equipment (snorks) scooping 

out sediment. It seems like futile work, but it slowly gets done. 

This area of the canal is being widened.

More jungly foilage

It was a trick to get a photo of this shy cousin of Ira--a howler monkey. 

The howlers like to curl up on branches and relax, like some babies 

in our family have done. We saw several that appeared to be sleeping, 

so it was exiting to see this guy sitting up and looking around... 

but he simply would not look our way.

Here is another of Ira's cousins--a capuchin monkey who lives on one of the islands in Gatun Lake. He was much friendlier than the howler, and came onto our little boat to get pieces of apple from the tour guide, who appeared to know these monkeys quite well. Only SEVEN monkeys live on each small island, and there is a clear hierarchy, including a lead monkey (alpha male). National Geographic scientists check regularly on the population of monkeys on the islands in the area. Ira, I think you're better off living in North Carolina.

I like this shot because it looks like Tarzan vines growing, 

but also you can see a rather large iguana on a branch on the left.

Here is is in all his spiny glory. I had to zoom, zoom, zoom to get a close-up using a camera that isn't used to focusing on something so far away. So, Iggie is a bit blurry, but you get the idea. He was HUGE!

After the ride around the lake and near the locks on the tour boat, we rode by bus to the Miraflores Locks visitor center, which we'd seen from our ship the day before. On this day we got to see ships going through the locks from a whole new vantage point.

Here's the building you can see part of in the previous picture.

Dad/Larry/Paco, the Kroks, and I enjoyed this tour a lot for the in-the-water view of the canal and locks, and the scenery and wildlife. The only disappointment is our expectation that we'd see tropical birds. For whatever reason, we didn't. Squawk!

Panama City

I spoke too soon about Ira's cousins. I promise you'll see pictures of them in the next blog about our trip.  These additional shots of Panama City are first. It bears repeating that the modern buildings, which seemed to come up out of the water, were a visual contrast to the green jungle and brown water we'd seen on the ride through the Panama Canal. These photos look better when bigger, so if your computer allows you to click to enlarge blog photos, take a look.

Magical floating city--or so it seemed--

Still floating

Two shots of Panama City and causeway

I promised a picture of Miles for Hannah

Larry/Dad/Grandpappy and I traveled to Otown today to be babysitters for Weston while Annie went to a holiday lunch/fiesta with her co-workers. Weston was a willing photography subject, but Miles wasn't (since when?!) until Annie suggested he let me take a picture of him for Hannah. The first picture is for you, Hannah! The others are a bonus for everyone else.

"Hi Hannah! Rosie and I are waiting 

for you and Ira to come to Minnesota!"

Weston reacts to the news that he'll be 

seeing all of his cousins in about a week!

Grandpappy and Miles relaxing together

Cheesy Miles, Rosie, Tanner, and Weston

 Weston snuggling with Grandma Jill

Annie, Miles, and Rosie

Annie & Weston

Next stop, Panama

The purpose of the cruise, or should I say the focal point destination, was a trip through the Panama Canal. Pictures don't tell the story very well, because the real story is the history of the canal. Politics, deals, lives lost, malaria, mudslides, and determination all played a part in the incredible feat. It took ten hours for the Island Princess (and therefore, for us) to make it through the Gatun and Miraflores Locks. Take a look at the live camera sometime to get an idea of what the trip is like.

View from our balcony--and the balconies of fellow passengers--early in the morning as we began moving through the Panama Canal

Larry says this proves we were at the Panama Canal. I say it only proves that we had our picture taken and someone used Photo Shop to put us in front of this background.

"Mules" are attached by cables to our ship to help pull it through the Canal.

New Millenium Bridge

Port of Balboa 

(5 points if you remember what the explorer Balboa is known for)

Bridge of the Americas spans the canal at the Pacific entrance. It was formerly named the Thatcher Ferry Bridge for those of you who recognize it.

Miraflores Locks visitor center was packed to capacity with locals and 
tourists greeting our ship and others as they floated through the canal. 
The following day, we stood on the same decks watching ships 

from the visitor center vantage point.

 The urban skyline of Panama City was a startling contrast 

to the heavy jungle we'd seen on the ride through the canal.

Stay tuned. The next set of photos will include

primate relatives of our dear friend, Ira.

Is it winter yet?

Larry/Dad/Paco/Grandpappy is clearing the snow from the driveway and sidewalk on this chilly winter day. By the time I got the camera, the big drifts had already been scattered into oblivion by the snow blower. Trust me, there's a lot of snow, and it's cold out there!

Belated birthday wishes to Annie

I need to interrupt the travel portion of this blog to wish Annie a belated Happy Birthday. My baby girl turned 30 on December 5. For the last several years (10 at least), Annie has made sure to thank me for birthing her. Every time I hear her say it-- "Thanks for birthin' me, Ma,"-- I swear I am in the Carol Burnett sketch of Gone with the Wind in which Vicki Lawrence shrieks that she knows everyting about birthin' babies. Watch the video, and find part 2 when you're done. Very funny, especially if you've read the novel or seen the movie.

Back to Annie's birthday...Happy #30, Annie. I'm glad I birthed you.