Monday, August 8, 2011

Day 72 Colon

Day 72 Colon, Panama

The ship arrived in Colon around 2pm for an overnight stay in preparation to transiting the Panama Canal. Colon is the second largest city in Panama with an unemployment rate of 80%. It is located at the Caribbean entrance of the Panama Canal. Colon and another nearby township called Cristobal are named by the local Hispanic Community, after Christopher Columbus. The Princess tours took in various points of interest in the area. The ruins of panama's early 16th century capital, Gatun Lake and Locks, an Indian Village, Panama Railway, Miraflorres Locks  and Soberania National Park where some of the tours available.

We decided not to go on any tours but to stay close to the ship and check out the duty free shopping complex located close to the dock. Well, you couldn't get into the alcohol isle in the local supermarket for our fellow passengers! Everyone had the same idea! I am sure the wine shelves were restocked several times whilst the ship was in.

I could smell an unusual aroma of rotting vegetation when we originally left the air conditioning of the ship to walk ashore. Once ashore my senses had adjusted to the smell. Of course the temperature was hot and humid which made any length of time spent outside air conditioning, uncomfortable.

 

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