Fuerte Amandor ( or Panama City by any other name)

Fuerte Amador is a tender port. What does that mean you ask? It means they transfer you from the ship to the shore in a much smaller boat because there is no pier large enough to dock the ship. The smaller boat was fun, but we had absolutely no idea that Fuerte Amador was hotter than the 3rd ring of hell. Trust me! It really was hotter than hell.

We wandered around the port for awhile before connecting with our excursion group. Duty free is always fun. Sonja and I did an aerial tram ride through the rain forest. It was lots of fun. The vegetation was amazing but, sadly for us, we did not see any birds or monkeys. Oh well. We did, however, see termite nests. Like all nests, they were actually quite fascinating. We also met up again with Gina and Claudio, our Italian friends from San Francisco. We shared our tram with them. Deanna, our tour guide, was quite informative and gave us lots of info about the rain forest while we travelled up through the rain forest jungle. Sonja started to sing the Guns and Roses song about the jungle. Well, Deanna was very impressed. Turns out, G and R is a major deal in Panama. Next thing we knew, we were surrounded by tour guides who also reveled in G and R. Who knew?





Sonja swinging from a monkey vine - seriously!

We also got to see cashew nuts growing on trees. Did you know that the fruit of the cashew tree is edible but the actually nut (what we eat) is not. Cashews are actually highly toxic until they are roasted. I had a couple of raw ones in my pocket but I couldn’t bring them home. Too bad.

As an aside, I have discovered how to add the pictures in so you may want to go back through the earlier posts for some pics.

Panama Canal - Going Through the Canal

The Locks
The Ship Ahead of Us
Locomotive

Well, today was the day. We went through the three sets of locks that make up the Panama Canal. It was an interesting experience. Imagine if you can, the Rideau Canal on steroids. Sonja went up to the deck early in the morning; I decided to stay closer to home and sit on the balcony. We entered the canal at 6 a.m. and were in the Pacific about 5 p.m. I didn’t realize that it was an all-day process. The distance (or lack of) between the ship and the side of the canal was amazing. We are so close to the concrete that I swear we left a layer of paint on the side of the concrete. They have little locomotives on the side of the canal that helps take the ship through. They attach wires to the big ship and assist in the process.
Did you know that in takes 52 million gallons of water to move one ship through the canal? I didn’t until today. One of the reasons they are building some new locks is to cut down on that amount of water. Apparently the water they use now is “lost”, the Panama Canal Authority wants to be able to change this. They are well on their way.
Tomorrow should prove to be another interesting day – a tram ride in the Panama Rain Forest – really looking forward to that.

Who wants to be a dirty girl?

Cartagena – what an interesting city. The architecture has a Spanish look to it. I have now achieved one more thing on my bucket list ( I want to visit all seven continents – now I have three out of the way) We also met some nice Brits. Turns out – they were from a town very near Skipton which is were my mother was from. Yet another example of how this is a very small world. We also met Gina and Claudio, some very nice people from San Francisco. They gave us some tips on what to do in San Francisco while we were there.

Our tour guide, Roosevelt, took us on a brief tour of the city before taking our group to the mud volcano. Mud volcano you say? Yes, and it was pretty much just like the link I posted earlier. Our initial viewing was a little disappointing. I expected to see mud oozing up and over the sides of the volcano just like a lava flow. Well, not exactly. The mud does bubble a little but not like a lava flow at all.

We climbed up a steep staircase to the top and jumped into a giant mud puddle. (Sonja said it was the first time she ever paid to play in the mud!) ( I can't believe I am posting a pic of me in a swimsuit!!) It was weird. You can’t swim in it. The mud is so thick that it literally suspends you in it. There is no bottom that you can feel. It is hard to maneuver your way around it in. While you are lying in the mud, some guy comes and gives you a massage with mud. The massage was nice but only made we want a real one. This guy also makes sure that you are covered in mud – literally covered in mud. I wish I could post a picture for you. So here is the funny part. I am trying to climb out of the mud. The bottom half of my swimsuit is so full of mud that it keeps falling off as I am trying to climb. So I have one hand on the ladder and one hand on the swimsuit. Well, gravity being what is it – yes, I mooned the entire pool of mud people. Granted, it didn’t make much of a sight – all you could see was mud. My “Demi Moore” moment if you will. Sonja had already made her way to the lake to wash off. Locals will take you down to the lake and wash off the mud. They will also take your swimsuit off! So there you are naked in a freshwater lake while the locals wash out your suit while you wash your wobbly bits. Wow!! A mud bath and a peep show all in one excursion! Would I recommend it? Absolutely – it was a chance of a lifetime. Would I do it again? No – but only because there are other things to explore. All in all, I liked being a dirty girl!

Aruba -- (Anybody for the Beach Boys)

Aruba is a pretty little island – only 30,000 people live on it. I think they make the majority of the income from tourists so Sonja and I left the boat to hopefully boost it somewhat - Me more so than Sonja (when have I ever turned down on opportunity to spend money). This is the view from our balcony.

We wandered around for a couple of hours and then headed back to the ship. I bought myself some new charms for my Pandora.
Of course, we had our traditional drink and backgammon match as we pulled out of port. It was a good morning. For those of you who are wondering why this blog is slowly being updated, Internet on the boat is very, very expensive. About .75 a minute and very, very slow.

Three for the Cost of One!

Ok so sue me! Apologies to our ardent fans but we have been quite busy! Doing what you ask? Absolutely nothing, nada, zip, zilch, zero, SFA or whatever else you want to call it. Also, Internet access is not quite as reliable as one would hope.
I have already read four books and Sonja is on her second. It is so nice just to sit and soak up the sun. We go from our balcony to the restaurant to the bar to the pool deck to the bar to our balcony to call Joaquin the cabin steward for ice to we can stay on our balcony before going to the restaurant to the bar to the pool deck. Ahh lovely monotony. It is so nice having your bed turned down at night and a chocolate on our pillow. I am saving mine, If you would like one, please comment and I will be sure to save one for you as well.
The weather is perfect - warm to hot but there is always a breeze on the balcony. Sunscreen is a must for me or I will end up like a well-prepared lobster. I hope you can keep a secret – Sonja and I have been moving a mattress outside on the deck so one of us can sleep under the stars. I am sure Princess would not approve; however, what they don’t know won’t hurt them! It is perfectly safe – the balcony is practically all enclosed so there is no way one can go anywhere. At least that way my snoring doesn’t keep Sonja awake. Apparently I can outdo a fleet (Yes, a fleet) of drunken sailors after a three-day binge! No, that is reality not an exaggeration!
Sonja and I are both amazed at how vast the ocean really truly is. Funny how a couple of inches on a map is nothing when compared to how much water is totally out there. We land in Aruba tomorrow. This will be our first time seeing land in over nearly 70 hours. We are both looking forward to getting off the ship and having a look around Aruba. Will let you know about our adventure there tomorrow. Hope everybody is well at home. Remind to me tell you all about the dolphin race Sonja and I had at Discovery Cove. I quite forgot to do that.

Discovery Cove -- OMG!~

I don't think I have the words to adequately describe today's adventure at Discovery Cove. We had the Trainer for a Day package and it was awesome - truly awesome! We had the opportunity to visit with beautiful birds in the aviary, swim with stingrays, and do excellent things with dolphins. I wish I could post pictures but blogspot seems to have the icon hidden and I can't undisappear it! If you ever get the opportunity to go, go! I can't recommend it any higher!
There is actually a dolphin behind Sonja pushing her through the water.
Christine riding on a dolphin
Because I booked a trainer for a day package for each of us, Sonja and I got to have a dolphin race. Here is proof!

Space Shuttles and Thunderstorms

Another perfect Florida day(except for the thunderstorms). The Kennedy Space Center was great. We had a bus tour around the entire site and saw pretty much everything related to space travel for the past 41 years. Some of it was impressive but the drive in that car (did I mention the car) was the most amazing thing. Two girls, one an expert driver and the other an expert passenger, had a great time with the wind whipping through our hair exploring uncharted territory. We even discovered a Target in the heart of downtown Titusville to pick up the last minute stuff we need for the cruise.


Tomorrow is Discovery Cove Day – the whole day at a water-based animal resort including a swim with dolphins. Tomorrow we will share our adventures there.

On The Way to FLA

After three years of planning and anticipation, the day finally arrived. While 4;30 a.m. is a horrible hour to get up, we did. Lou very nicely cooked us breakfast (thanks Lou) and off we went. The flights were totally uneventful and we were both amazed at the lack of a lineup at US customs.

The car – how to I describe the car? It is a perfect cherry red mustang convertible. The only drawback – according to Sonja is that it is an automatic and not a standard! Sweet ride either way. We made it to the hotel without getting lost. Next stop – the liquor store so we could meet goal one – sitting by the pool, cold drink in hand, playing backgammon. It was so nice to just relax and listen to the kids playing in the pool. Goal one- accomplished. Goal two – Kennedy Space Center. Stay tuned.

After three years of planning and anticipation, the day finally arrived. While 4;30 a.m. is a horrible hour to get up, we did. Lou very nicely cooked us breakfast (thanks Lou) and off we went. The flights were totally uneventful and we were both amazed at the lack of a lineup at US customs.

The car – how to I describe the car? It is a perfect cherry red mustang convertible. The only drawback – according to Sonja is that it is an automatic and not a standard! Sweet ride either way. We made it to the hotel without getting lost. Next stop – the liquor store so we could meet goal one – sitting by the pool, cold drink in hand, playing backgammon. It was so nice to just relax and listen to the kids playing in the pool. Goal one- accomplished. Goal two – Kennedy Space Center. Stay tuned.

On the way to FLA

After three years of planning and anticipation, the day finally arrived. While 4;30 a.m. is a horrible hour to get up, we did. Lou very nicely cooked us breakfast (thanks Lou) and off we went. The flights were totally uneventful and we were both amazed at the lack of a lineup at US customs.

The car – how to I describe the car? It is a perfect cherry red mustang convertible. The only drawback – according to Sonja is that it is an automatic and not a standard! Sweet ride either way. We made it to the hotel without getting lost. Next stop – the liquor store so we could meet goal one – sitting by the pool, cold drink in hand, playing backgammon. It was so nice to just relax and listen to the kids playing in the pool. Goal one- accomplished. Goal two – Kennedy Space Center. Stay tuned.

Trip Essentials (not in order of importance)

Key to Pet Sitter – check
Blog link sent to friends and family - check
Dog food and medication - check
Lawn mowed and house cleaned (well, sorta) – check
Suitcases being organized - check
Sunscreen and bug spray – check
Camera and video camera - check
Waterproof camera and water shoes - check
Swimsuits – check
Passports – check
Lots of excitement and anticipation – check
Sonja?? Sonja??, SONJA?? Phew! There she is! - check

Timing is running out!

Today is the 30th of April and we leave on the 4th – where did the time go? It seems like yesterday that we started to make plans for our cruise when it reality it was close to 2 ½ years. I know – I start early! You would think that starting that early would give me loads of time to get ready but I seem to be running out of time to get everything done before we leave.

We are so lucky to have a great pet sitter. I will miss the dogs but I know that Mel will take excellent care of them while I am away. Lou will pop by as well so I feel very secure in leaving them. 25 days is a long time.

Lists have been made and the last minute scramble is on to get everything we need before heading out. I am sure that the one thing we need I won’t think of until we are on the boat! Sunscreen is a must – we have two different SPFs and bug spray for the rainforest. There are lots of new books on my Kindle. Swimsuits are ready to go, and heck, I can always buy more undies! I am so looking forward to this adventure – Sonja and I are going to have an Absolutely Fabulous time!

Sun, Sand, and Shoes

Hi all – it is so hard to believe that it is nearly time to depart for Florida. 19 more sleeps to be precise. The past few weeks have been busy with school, both for Sonja and I. I have been busy marking and preparing final exams and Sonja has been busy working on her final project and studying for her finals. Sadly, Sonja’s father passed away earlier this week and that has added an addition stress load to her life. I know we will both need some down time, and the Caribbean certainly seems to me to be a good place to do that. Ahh, yes, I can feel that lovely ocean breeze and taste the tang of a frozen margarita now! That bright azure blue ocean and the taste of a frozen margarita. Warm sunlight after a long winter; and did I mention the tang of a frozen margarita? Hopefully, the Peter the Pool Man/boy will continue to supply them as I sit soaking up the sun. I feel pretty secure in saying that Miss Sonja will match me drink for drink although her choice will probably be different than my tangy frozen margaritas. (Yes, that proves I can spell Margarita).


Packing hasn’t started yet, but I have been busy making lists of what I think we will need. I am still trying to decide on binocs. Do we really need them or is that just taking up additional space in a suitcase that could be devoted to, well, hmmm, shoes? Or better still, the big scrabble game. My kindle is just waiting to be loaded, ( I have 25 books on an Amazon list) and I am sure Sonja will have a novel or two she wants to bring. There has to be room for a computer and I guess I am expected to wear clothes of some sort after the cruise. While I understand San Fran is pretty liberal in its tastes, I have a feeling that pubic , no, wait, public nudity is still highly frowned upon. I can’t figure out why Air Canada feels we have to be limited to only two checked bags each. For Sonja, that is travelling light, really, really light! After all, she brings two knapsacks, her computer, her school books, a duffle bag, a small suitcase and more shoes then I own when going to her girlfriend’s for the weekend. (Ok – the shoes may be a tad bit exaggerated, but the rest of it is true, I swear!)

San Francisco - Here We Come!

San Francisco is planned - at least to the extent that we want it to be.  Hopefully, we can arrange an early check-in at the hotel as the boat docks at 7:00 a.m. in San Fran.  Who knows what the day will bring but we do have tickets for the 6:30 p.m. Beach Blanket Babylon show.  It has come highly recommended from friends so we hope that it is as funny as Alane and Bob say it is.  Alcatraz tickets have been purchased so that will take care of part of Sunday.  As for the rest of it, who knows? 

We also managed to get tickets for one of the best Broadway shows on Thursday night -- Wicked!!  We have both seen it before - but, wow!! So worth seeing a second, third, fourth, etc. time.  At this point, only 65 days til we leave for Florida, and 68 days to the cruise!

Excursions are Booked!

Hi All!  One of the advantages of a 15-day cruise is that there are lots of "At Sea"days.  This simply means that there are no ports to visit - you simply sit back and enjoy the bright blue ocean, the warm tropical breezes, the competitive Scrabble or Backgammon games, and the Frozen Margaritas.

On those days where you visit a port, there are lots of fun excursions in which to partake.  They range from shopping trips to ziplining to white-water rafting.  Sonja and I had lots of fun discussing what we were going to do where.  This is what we decided on:

Aruba - just wandering around.  This is a short stop so I think we will just walk around the port a little.

Cartegna - Swimming in a Mud Volcano.  Can you imagine?  I couldn't so I found this link on YouTube.  Mud Volcano.  Now, how do you get all that mud off?  A mystery to solve later.  I'll update in a future post.

The Panama Canal - One of the nice things about this particular cruise is that we spend a whole day in the canal just exploring the mechanics of how it all works.  I found another YouTube video to show you all some of what we are going to see.  Panama Canal Tour

Panama - We found a great excursion here.  Sonja and I have a Rain Forest Tram Ride planned. We have both always wanted to see a rain forest so that will be fun.  Princess says that we will be driving to Gamboa Rain Forest Resort in Soberania National Park. Here is a picture from Princess of the tram car.

 

 Not sure if I will have my eyes open - but, life is an adventure so we will see.  I can handle the up-part no problem; down may be a slightly different story!

Costa Rica - Sonja and I are taking different excursions here. Zip lining isn't quite my thing; however, it is something that Sonja quite enjoys. I can't imagine hanging on a wire over a rain forest but apparently it is what the "cool people" do. While I am only slightly envious, I am also looking forward to my "old fogie" tour. I am taking a steam train ride through the same rain forest. Hopefully, lots of forest creatures will be in the trees, and neither one of us will come home with an awful case of bot fly.

Mexico - we have two stops scheduled in Mexico.  While I am half hoping that the ship get diverted to Equador or Guatmala, we have two excursions planned.  In Huatulco, we are going snorkelling in two different bays.  Huatulca actually has seven bays but I guess there isn't time to visit all seven!  I must remember to get an underwater camera just for this trip.

What is a trip to Mexico without a stop in Acapulco? Again, another short trip here, but enough time to explore several marketplaces - do you suppose we can find antique Mayan artifacts here?

Then, on to San Francisco!  We have things planned for there but I'll fill you in on those later.

The Title - An Explanation

Hi All!


I have been asked several time to explain the title of the blog - simple really.  First of all, let's discuss what it is not.  It has been suggested that we post before and after pictures of our abs.  Uhmm - no, so not going to happen!  It is not a trip for Sonja to define her existing and recognizable abs and me to discover where mine are. (However, for a few bucks, I may be able to sneak you a few pictures of Sonja's abs.)   The only exercise I am planning on doing involves upper arm exercises.  Yes, the one where you lift a drink to your mouth.  That is it. There may be a few walks around the ship involved, or walking around on excursions but to me, that doesn't exactly constitute exercise.


Anybody familiar with Absolutely Fabulous?  It is a very funny TV show about two female characters to find themselves in interesting situations.  So the blog title is a salute to them.

Our First Official Post

Hi All - It's hard to believe!  In 96 days, Sonja and I are off to mystical, magical places - to explore new worlds and new civilizations .. oh, wait -- I think most people call it Florida.  Getting a little carried away here.  In 94 days, we leave on what I hope will be a trip of a life time - the Panama Canal.  We start in Fort Lauderdale and end up in San Francisco with small side trip to Carmel-by-the-Sea.  Drop by as we prepare for 24 fun-filled days!