Limon, Colón and the Panama Canal

Both Limon, Costa Rica and Colón, Panama are commercial ports, not surprising because of the proximity to the Panama Canal.  Traveling out of Limon through streets filled with garbage and a picturesque jumble of wires and multi-colored satellite dishes, 

we headed to Tortuguero Canals and some sloth scouting.

The next day we bused from Colón to Panama City, basically following the route that we'd travel the next day through the Panama Canal.  We had been here in 2011 when, on a Holland America cruise, we traveled some of the same ground.

2011

Our guide took us to the colonial city of Panama, juxtaposed against the modern city of Panama in the background, considered to be the Dubai of the Caribbean.  The colonial city is undergoing a resurgence with squatters being chased out of the old buildings, making way for renovation and conversion into private homes, condos, restaurants and nightclubs.

The next day was spent transiting the Panama Canal.

In 2011 we had only gone through the Gatun Lock into Gatun Lake, where we turned around and sailed back the way we came.  This time we continued on through the Pedro Miguel Locks and the Miraflores Locks and into the Pacific Ocean.  The entire trip took from around 7:30 AM, when the pilots boarded, to around 4 PM, when they disembarked.  We were told that, although the pilots were boarding as they're required to do, they would not be taking control of the ship during the transit.  We caught them sleeping in the control room.

Pilots Boarding

From the bow

Looking over at the expansion canal, where the really BIG ships go

Pilots dosing