We have been struggling with reception for the past few days.  In the canal and in Panama City, some of the TV channels didn’t even come through.  No CNN news, but ESPN and ESPN2 had no problems.  The internet was iffy.  Plus, we were able to send pictures with blog entries early in the cruise and suddenly, they won’t attach.  Perhaps it due to trying to attach while at sea and might work from a port while tied up to a dock.

The photo is of the high tech system that the canal uses to let the pilot know which lock to enter, right or left.  Seriously.

Yesterday, we were in the port of Fuerte Amador, but everyone refers to it as Panama City.  Once we got ashore, we crossed a filled area into Panama City.  A lot of digging debris from the canal construction was used as fill between several islands.

Our tour was scheduled to start at 8:30 but we received a letter in our stateroom stating that since we were an hour ahead of time, our group would meet at 6:45.  Bright and early, except that it was the first really rainy day we have had, even though we are in the middle of the rainy season here.  We took windbreaker type jackets with hoods, but were still drenched by the end of the first walking portion of the tour.

There is not a lot to see in the city, the canal transit the day before was the big event.  There is much poverty, lots of ruined areas, damaged buildings, etc.  But, there is a church with a huge altar of gold that is amazingly high.  When the Spaniards were sacking and looting the town, the people covered the gold with mud and grass and this actually fooled the Spanish and the altar stayed. 

Entertainment on the ship is really good.  There was a new musical show last night, ON THE BAYOU, which was excellent.  Tonight is Gaetano, an illusionist that we have seen before and like. 

The weather today is cooler and less muggy.  It has been hot, humid and cloudy most of the trip.  We are told that we have been lucky with the weather, that there is normally much more rain than we have seen.  Tomorrow we will be in Costa Rica, our last port before five days at sea and then LA.

Colleen and John