Our third port of call in as many days finds us in Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala. Most of the organized tours involve a visit to Antigua, another well preserved Spanish colonial town that I am sure is beautiful. But we have selected a tour called Mayan Cosmology and Ancient Ruins, which will take us to the ancient Mayan site of Iximche. For this, we have to get up at 5 am! It's another perfect day, weather wise. Only wisps of clouds in a brilliant blue sky. It's already quite warm when we board the bus at 7 am. Our guide is Alfredo, a personable young man with an engaging trick to keep our interest. He poses questions, lets us think about them for a while, then later gives us the answer. Example: The ancient Mayans practised simple ... read more

This morning we arrive in Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica. We have opted for a "Discover Costa Rica" bus tour, which quickly leaves Puerto Caldera behind and starts climbing. Costa Rico was reputedly named "Rich Coast" by Señor Columbus himself after the rich flora and fauna and after the hoped-for mineral riches. The natural beauty of this country is astonishing. The Pacific side, where we have landed, is extremely mountainous, with broad valleys cut by rivers where towns and cities are nestled. It is manifestly dry, though very hot, and many of the trees and plants we see are clearly waiting for the advent of rain, which will start in May. The flowers are fantastic: a hundred different shades wherever you look. Many of the most beautiful flowers are actually on trees, including magnolias and many others ... read more

Up at 6:45 am. We join the other passengers on the front bow of the ship to witness our entrance into the Panama Canal. An unseen narrator provides a blow-by-blow description of what we are seeing. The locks on the Atlantic side raise incoming boats 85 feet, the height of the inland Gatun Lake, in three stages. There are two separate channels that operate independently but in coordination, allowing two boats to move through at the same time. New, larger locks are under construction just to the left. They are supposed to open in a year or so. We patiently wait our turn, then enter the first lock. Four so-called "mules" have attached themselves to our vessel by wire cables. These are specialty vehicles that travel on tracks alongside the passage and guide us through the ... read more

Finally a port of call today! We make sure we have a good breakfast because we disembark at noon and are not expecting to eat again till supper. We have arrived in Cartagena (pronounced "Cartahena"), Colombia, a Unesco world heritage site. Founded in 1533, Cartagena was the first Spanish permanent settlement on mainland South America. For the early Spanish conquistadores, Cartagena was the gateway to South America and the fabled city of gold, El Dorado. It soon became a major centre of the slave trade as well. Its strategic location and wealth made it a target for French and English buccaneers, including Sir Francis Drake, who largely destroyed the city yet still received a huge ransom for handing it back to the Spanish. Its famous fortress and city walls were in large measure a reaction to ... read more

The Veendam's route is first due south from Florida to the coast of Cuba, then a leg eastward to gain the channel between Cuba and Hispanola, then south again across the Caribbean to the first port of call: Cartagena, Columbia. We receive some disappointing news: the ship's delayed arrival and departure means that one port of call has to be cut. We will not be visiting Ixatapa, Mexico. I was looking forward to a tour of the Mayan ruins there. Today is a totally relaxed day at sea. In the morning, we attend a presentation on Cartagena, focused on shopping. We spend the entire afternoon playing duplicate bridge, 10 tables. Vi is an old hand at this, but it is the first time for me. The structure of duplicate bridge is somewhat intimidating, and I don't ... read more