Blogs from Central America Caribbean - page 2100

November 3, 2005 (Miraflores Locks, Panama) Sean: Today we went to Miraflores Locks, the first (from the Pacific side) in a series of three sets of locks that enable ships to bypass sailing around South America in order to get commerce from the Pacific to the Atlantic (and vice versa). At Miraflores there are two locks and just a short distance away at Pedro Miguel is another lock. These three together raise the ships up to the level of Gatun Lake where they travel to the other side of the country to be lowered again through three locks at the Gatun Locks. Miraflores has the big visitor’s center where you can stand out on the viewing platform, then wander through the museum. The museum was nice, written in both Spanish and English, and it covered the ... read more

Today we arrived in St. Thomas. It was so beautiful there. We took a skyride to Paradise Point, which is 700 feet above sea level. There was a great view of the harbor from up there. After we rode back down, we decided to head out to the beach. We heard that the beach at Magens Bay was a really beautiful beach, so we took a cab there. The cab driver was not a very good driver. He was eating the same time he was driving. We thought for sure he was going to crash the car. The beach was really beautiful, and it wasn't crowded, which was nice. We decided to leave as the sun was starting to set because the bugs were starting to come out. We found a little shuttle bus that would ... read more

Guatemala...I love it... De sfeer is hier zo geweldig....mensen zijn vriendelijk, natuur is prachtig en de ruines van Tikal waren erg indrukwekkend!! Na Mexico 3 dagen Guatemala in geweest. Om de ruines van tikal te bekijken. Geweldige steile piramides in de jungle. Wat het nog mooier maakt is dat er apen boven je hoofd rondslingeren en de toekans die af en aan vliegen. Na 3 dagen Guatemala...was ik al verkocht. Via Belize naar de caribian coast van Guate gegaan. Daar heb ik 3 dagen in een jungle lodge gezeten vanwaar ik met medereizigers kanotochten heb gemaakt en een beetje gehiked. Vooral de kayuko (native kano) erg onstabiel, maar wel geweldig vervoermiddel om wat van de omgeving te zien. De dagen zien er wat anders uit...opstaan bij zonsopgang en je bed in voor 10! maar bevalt me ... read more

In honor of the fact that Nancy and I are now actively pursing higher education in the language of Patois, I thought it would only be fitting to share my enlightened view with everyone out there. Now, repeat after me: "Gwan a ya yaad" - Go home. Used repeatedly throughout the day, either to tell someone, literally, to go home, or as a joke between friends; ie - Nancy tells me I smell, I tell Nancy "Gwan a ya yaad." "Heveryting cris" - It's cool; it's all good. Usually used as a response to "How are you?" "A do a dem" - As in..."Me look affa Magon and Nancy, ave ya see a do a dem?" I'm looking for Meaghan and Nancy, have you seen the two of them? "Whey ya gwan?" - Where are you ... read more

Today was our first full day at sea. We didn't do much of anything, but just relax. It was so peaceful to just sit out on our balcony and look out at the incredibly blue water. ... read more