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.

Cartagena, Colombia

If someone had told me I'd get a chance to visit a South American country where drug cartels are rampant, I'd have scoffed at the idea. And then I would have had another drink. Well, I DID have the chance, and because a former student of mine (Linnea) spent two years teaching in Cartagena and lived to tell about it, I figured we could get off the "Big Boat" and take our chances on a walking tour of the Old City (as opposed to the modern part of Cartagena). Old buildings, narrow streets, and a feeling of a place that has seen a lot of history always offer intrigue, so despite the ungodly heat and humidity for the few hours we were docked at the Port of Cartagena, it was a fascinating place to visit.

If you ever go there and get the urge to take the Old City walking tour with a local man named Lee as your guide, DON'T---unless shopping for emeralds (Cartagena is known for its emeralds) in shops that appear to be run by Lee's relatives and closest friends is something you are eager to do. That aside, here are some photos from Cartagena. I have more, but here is a sampling.

San Felipe de Barajas fortification

Local color:  Fruit hat ladies are everywhere. 

For a buck, you can get them to pose for a picture. 

I just stole one.

 Former dungeon in the Old City. Now, the cells are filled with shops.

Lee's emerald-selling buddies work here. 

Many buildings are painted in jewel tones.

This brilliant blue building in a residential area caught my eye...

 as did this colorful balcony.

Julio Iglesias lives here some of the time. He's having his place 

renovated, so we didn't get to stop in to say "hola".

Julio is just down the street from 

Gabriel García Márquez (One Hundred Years of Solitude), 

who wasn't home, either.

Bicycles as taxis

 Vendors are everywhere on the street.

This lemonade vendor also sells "llamadas", or "minutos"-- the use of his cell phone to make calls. Very common sight in the streets of Cartagena.
(It is now a day after I first posted this entry and it just occurred to me that Krok and Brenda could make a living like this. They have lemons galore on their tree in Arizona, and they've been giving them away until now. Sound like a good retirement business venture, Krok??)

 Restaurante

Tourist-watchers

 What we couldn't capture on film was the heat and humidity. Who knew 
that the closer a person is the Equator, it got so dang hot? Ha ha!

Aruba

If you're interested, I'll be posting pictures of the ports and locales we visited while on the "Big Boat" trip. If you're not interested, check back in a few weeks. It will take me that long to get this done!

We left from Ft. Lauderdale. Really intriguing to watch a huge cruise ship maneuver its way out of the harbor. People who live by the water come outside to wave at cruise ship passengers, and the passengers oblige by waving back. 

The Island Princess, docked in Ft. Lauderdale

Krok (taking a photo), Brenda, some guy we don't know, 

and Paco as we shoved off.

 Here's our armed escort, speeding alongside the Island Princess,

protecting us from pirates (apparently!).

While we were in Aruba so were the media because of a refocusing of interest on the Natalee Holloway murder. All of that was going on several blocks from where we meandered, but it was on our minds.  I can't say I'd ever want to go back--it's a lot like going to the State Fair but on an island. Lots of color, food aromas, heat and humidity, and people selling things everywhere. Here are some of the sights...

 Aruba has beautiful Dutch-influenced 

buildings in Miami Beach colors.

 

A banana bus--we thought it would appeal to Ira.