No Sweat

We went on an excursion BACK to the Miraflores locks.  They have a visitor and viewing center there as well as a museum.  Again, the weather was cooperative and my biggest news of the day is that I did not get sweaty!  Aren’t you glad I shared that?!  This is a big deal for me, because the last two times we were here, it was ungodly hot and humid and that kind of weather for someone who lives in the mild and cool Pacific Northwest in the summer and the dry desert in winter, leaves me absolutely drained; I have no tolerance for equatorial weather.  Besides, I dislike taking two or three showers a day; it really kills ones hair, not to mention how much time it takes to primp.  I could be writing interesting volumes for my blog!

This tour seemed to be a bit disorganized.  I wasted time texting while Michael was up on the 4^th floor watching a big cargo ship go through the locks.  We then saw a short but bizarre video on the canal that was more propaganda about how the Panamanians have made this so great (uh, they forgot to mention who built the darn thing – the United States) than about the canal itself.  It was also in 3D and the creators seemed to think that the more outlandish 3D effects the better.  We had a buffet lunch, and I think we set a record time to browse, eat, and drink – about 10 minutes.  I was heading to the museum, which Michael said was great, when the guide said we had to leave.  We then headed back to the ship.  This was quite a strange excursion, but it felt good to get off the ship for a bit.  I bought some of my favorite perfume, Euphoria, at the duty free shop at the tender landing. 

Administration Headquarters  -- there are 85 steps.  Marble column is monument to the canal.

Miraflores Lock

Panama City

The Panama Canal idea dates back to the 1880s, when the French first tried to build it, but finances and disease made that initiative fail.  After Panama’s independence from Columbia, they negotiated an agreement with the United States to build it.  The canal was finished on August 15, 1914.  On December 31, 1999, Jimmy Carter gave it away to Panama, which has administered, maintained and controlled it since.

Since its opening, over one million ships have used this 49 mile shortcut.  On the Atlantic side, the Gatun Locks (a series of three) raise the water to 86 feet to Gatun Lake and the Culebra Cut, and the the Pedro Miguel and Miraflores locks lower the water to the Pacific side.  Between 52 and 58 million gallons of fresh water empties into the ocean with each passage.

There is so much information on the canal – the history, how it was built, and what new changes are occurring now.  I highly recommend the book, The Path Between the Seas, written by David McCullough.  The Panamanians are currently in the process of building a third set of locks that will accommodate the supertankers.  They look for it to be completed in 2014.