Tuesday 15^th January – Day at Sea.

Another day of interesting lectures – the flora and fauna of the Galapagos Islands and the peoples of the San Blas Islands.

Nesta has become an “honorary member” of the entertainment team and has organised a dance troupe of passengers to perform
at the “talent evening”. They are doing a choreographed Zumba routine to the choir’s rendition of La Bamba… (Surprisingly, Ian declined the invitation to join in!)

The swell got up overnight and Nesta was back up on deck 7 at 3, 4 and 5am.. Keep taking the tablets!

We’ve been invited to a secret birthday party on Saturday evening (in the Explorer’s again!) for Glynis – the wife of Kevin, who is Head of Security. Always pays to keep in with the right people!!

Wednesday 16^th January – Cartagena, Columbia.

Despite everyone telling us we would need to get a taxi because it was so far, we managed to walk to the “hop on, hop off" bus we booked on-line back in the UK.

We did the complete circuit of the new town and the old colonial town and then got off for the included walking tour with guide. The colonial town is beautiful and our guide spoke enough English to give us a private commentary. Cartagena is much nicer than Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic which we saw last week.

Typical street with cathedral

                                                             Colourful balconies of Cartagena 

                                                     Thankfully, Nesta still isn't like this -yet!


After the walk, we got back onto the next bus (in the air conditioned downstairs of course – as it was 34 degrees in the shade) and then walked back to the ship.

There was a “Latin Party Night” on the ship…. “Rhumba around Columbia”!!... but we wimped out and went to bed as we were so tired!

Thursday 17^th January – San Blas Islands, Panama.

The island we visited was not the pretty paradise island we were led to believe.  Ship at anchor and the island we tendered to had a runway and army building and a small hotel.  The women who were selling their wares obviously lived on a neighbouring island.  A bit of a tourist performance rather than seeing how they live.

 

                                                Local families rowed out to greet us

                                     The Kuna Nation (San Blas residents) national museum

                                      Sneaky way of photographing what the locals were wearing!

Back on the ship, we did have a nice meal in the Explorer restaurant and found a new wine we liked (Verdejo Viura Rueda, a Spanish white) and plan to have again.

Friday 18^th January – Gatun Lake, Panama Canal.

Well yet again it appears that Voyages of Discovery have chosen the cheaper option for the Canal transit which involves all the locks and travel being done in darkness.  A lot of unhappy bunnies on board.  We watched from our anchorage in the lake lots of big ships heading in to the Gatun locks to get to the Caribbean.

Call this a ship?

                                                                Ships going through Gatun Lock

 

Highlight of the day was burger and chips being served in our cabin courtesy of the executive chef, Bill!!

 

Saturday 19^th January – At Anchor off Panama City.

Well after the disappointment of the Canal transit, we managed to get on one of the shore trips which took us by bus through the canal zone to Gamboa, (General Noriega is in prison here!), where we boarded small boats.  We then motored out into the canal and travelled back to the Gatun Lake to see wildlife on the little islands.  We overtook a large container ship!!!

                                                                              What we saw!

                                              What we would have seen if it had been daylight!

                                                Hello! What are all these humans doing here?

                                         Might as well take a look - they may have food with them

                                                       This turtle couldn't come on board...

                                         Watch out there's a massive container ship right behind you!!

Sunday 20^th January – Day at Sea.

So far the Pacific has been calmer than the Caribbean!  Ship had a couple of engine problems resulting in loss of air conditioning for a couple of hours.  Seems ok now.  We went to both sessions of the captain’s farewell do - so drank more free wine than was good for us!  (Felt we needed to prove that it’s still us doing the blog!!)

 

Monday 21^st January – Manta, Ecuador.

We have received a certificate this morning to say we crossed the equator at 00.34 this morning.  No crossing the line party then.  Maybe we’ll get one when we go back over it in March.

Manta is a typical Port town so not very interesting to be here for 3 days.  Can’t even get free Wi-Fi anywhere near. 

New passengers tomorrow for cruise number 4!!