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Relaxing in Puerto Escondido Mexico

December 17, 2021

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Location: Puerto Escondido Oaxaca Mexico

We really were looking for somewhere to relax and enjoy some quiet time, after a whirlwind week in Mexico City. I had heard good things about the state of Oaxaca but we had never visited. I didn’t want to go to another big city after being in Mexico City, so we settled on the small town of Puerto Escondido. Here is what we did during our 17 days relaxing in Puerto Escondido Mexico.

Sunset Puerto Escondido — The Beach near our Airbnb

Where is Puerto Escondido

Located on the Pacific Coast in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, it’s 246km from the city of Oaxaca and you can drive it in about four hours. However, a new highway will open soon and will cut that time in half. We flew from Mexico City on Viva Aerobus. The flight was about 50 minutes.

History of Puerto Escondido

Though pre-hispanic peoples lived in this region from time to time, the area was not really settled permanently until the 1930’s due to lack of fresh water. The word Escondido means hidden, and refers to an ancient story of a captive Mexican woman escaping and hiding in the jungle from her pirate captors.

Today it is one of the most popular beach and surfing destinations for both Mexicans and international travelers. But prior to tourism the mountains around the town were known for coffee growing and the port was used to ship coffee.

Mexican coffee — Coffee roasting in Puerto Escondido

Surfer’s Paradise

We found the area home to the surfer crowd, much younger than us. We had no interest in surfing or partying, but there is a lot of that going on. Since the crowd is young, there is plenty of inexpensive lodging and dining available too. Parts of the area are very rural…sometimes I felt like I was in Southeast Asia, and sometimes it even felt like third world Africa. But we always felt safe and finding our way on foot with Google maps always worked. There are plenty of taxis too.

We noticed a lot of construction of condos and mansions being built on rough dirt and nearly impassable roads. We learned Europeans are coming here in droves and buying or building second homes because it is so inexpensive. Like in so many places, this is displacing locals and causing them to move further from town.

Zicatela — Beautiful homes on horrible roads

Villa Tortuga

We found a beautiful villa through Airbnb called Villa Tortuga located several miles from the actual town of Puerto Escondido and 2 miles to the small surfing village of Zicatela. The villas were beautiful, comfortable and with a view. Our villa included daily housekeeping and our housekeeper Mary also did some shopping and cooking for us and did our laundry. However, we found on the weekend even Villa Tortuga attracted a younger (and noisier) crowd. Listening to other people’s loud music doesn’t fit into my fab fifties life. We really loved the lap pool and the larger pool at the beach about a five minute walk from our villa. The waves are really big so we didn’t swim in the ocean, but sitting ocean side by the pool was our favorite thing to do. Airbnb $150 USD before tax.

A Couple Things To Do

Since our goal was to just spend time relaxing in Puerto Escondido Mexico we really didn’t do much else. However we did take an informative and delicious Food Tour with Puerto Food Tours – cost $60 USD per person.

Our favorite activity was a Mezcal Distillery tour we took with Puerta Mezcal Tours. Owner Antoine was excellent and shared his enthusiasm for Puerto Escondido and Mezcal with our group of six at Ruu Piiil Distillery in Zicatela. I learned so much and we tasted eleven different Mezcals! $59 USD per person.

We found it safe to run in the morning although most of the time we were on dusty roads. One time I had to wait while the goats (and a very small goat herder) took up the entire road.

We also walked to lunch in Zicatela at Savanna one day (about 2 and half miles from our villa) and took a taxi to another popular restaurant called Agua Sala. We had great meals at each – neither have websites.

Enmoledas — Delicious Enmoleadas for Lunch at Savanna

We walked to tiny shops and tortilla stand close to our villa to get simple supplies for cooking at home. We walked one day to the Zicatella Mercado about 2.5 miles. We picked up some produce and had a nice coffee and croissant with a view.

Relaxing in Puerto Escondido Mexico

There is more to do here if you are so inclined…hiking, shopping, lots of street food and restaurants. There are cooking classes and surfing lessons and snorkeling tours, as well as whale watching. A popular activity is releasing baby turtles into the wild that have been hatched in a turtle nursery.

It’s a sweet place with a quaint vibe and awesome weather. We paid more than we needed to for our Airbnb, but generally everything else is dirt cheap. I can see why the young people love it…and it’s not too bad for us oldies either. There are many options to stay busy or pursue our goal of relaxing in Puerto Escondido Mexico.

Looking to chill? I recommend relaxing in Puerto Escondido Mexico. Muy Bien.

See last week’s blog post about Eating My Way Through Mexico City.

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South & Central America Travel

Seven Things to do in Punta Cana Dominican Republic

On a Budget

May 24, 2019

Laureen

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Location: Punta Cana Dominican Republic

We spent twelve days relaxing and mostly lounging around our Airbnb pool in Punta Cana Dominican Republic. Many days we never left the apartment…enjoying the sun, reading and just kicking back. That was really what we wanted to do.

We were staying in the wonderful residential community of Puntacana Village, a gated, friendly and

Playa Blanca

beautiful neighborhood. We loved the neighborhood for running (nice and flat and beautiful) and for the easy walk to restaurants and shopping. We didn’t need much more than that. But during our visit we also discovered some fun businesses to patronize and places see in the general area, both with and without a car.

So if you are thinking about visiting Punta Cana, and are considering the less expensive option of not staying in a beachfront resort, we can recommend Puntacana Village and the following;

Puntacana Village Shuttle – we used this shuttle several times from the Four Point Hotel at Puntacana Village. The shuttle goes into to the beachfront gated resort area with several stops including the Westin Resort and Playa Blanca. It’s free and runs every 30 minutes.
Playa Blanca – using the shuttle to arrive at this beachfront restaurant and bar is the perfect start
Altos de Chavon

to a great day at the beach. Playa Blanca has lounge chairs available for guests. Just order a drink or two, maybe lunch, and the lounge chairs are free. We enjoyed this beach three times and recommend it over the higher priced Westin.
Altos de Chavon – renting a car one day we drove the hour and a half to the La Ramana region and Altos de Chavon. Altos de Chavón is a re-creation of a Mediterranean style European village located atop the Chavón River in La Romana, Dominican Republic. It is the most popular attraction in the city and hosts a cultural center, an archeological museum, and an amphitheater. It was really beautiful and we enjoyed just walking around and having lunch.
La Yola Restaurant – hands down the best meal we had in the DR and actually in all of the time we were in Central America and the Caribbean. La Yola situated right on the water was superb in
La Yola

every way – beautiful waterside setting in a spectacularly designed open-air beach-themed building. The service was impeccable. The roving quartet a nice touch. The prices were reasonable. But the best part – the delicious, locally sourced and freshly prepared food. My red snapper was the best I have ever had.
La Casita de Yeya Restaurant – not fancy but oh so delicious, this locally owned restaurant in Punta Cana Village gave us the opportunity to taste several authentic Caribbean/Dominican Republic dishes including Mofo, pork, stew and plantains.
La Casita de Yeya
Nadia’s Bike Tour/ Garota Tours – we met Nadia in the village and spent two hours riding around on bikes she provided us for our tour. She showed us all over Punta Cana, giving us a peek into places, and resorts and neighborhoods we would not have even known were there. We enjoyed this activity very much.
Ananda Yoga – During our visit I took yoga classes on four morning at Ananada Yoga studio, right in Punta Cana Village. The classes were excellent andprofessionally led by a bi-lingual instructor. The tiny and very personal studio requires advance reservations.

We enjoyed the small part of the Dominican Republic we were able to see. I hope we can return again when we can travel farther afield on the island nation and enjoy a bit more diverse and authentic

Our bike tour with Nadia

Dominican Republic.

Muchos Gracias!

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South & Central America Travel

I Left My Heart in Guatemala

Dejé Mi Corazón en Guatemala

April 26, 2019

Laureen

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Location: Guatemala

Entirely unexpected. Completely beautiful. So much better than I imagined.

Dear Guatemala. You had me at Hola! I hated to say good-bye. I left my heart in Guatemala.

Once again, I approached another Central American country with apprehension, based solely on the information on the U.S. State Department website. I should know by now not to allow that to sway me totally. I should heed the warnings for sure, and carry on with caution.

Yes, Guatemala has some dangers just like every other country I have been too (and the USA too). Pick

Livingston

pockets are a problem, although we did not have an issue. Like always, whether in Central America, Europe or anywhere else in the world we are cautious. There are definitely some horrendous violent crimes, rarely against foreigners. Unless you go looking for trouble. Smart and cautious travel with guides when possible is the best way in this country. Guatemala is one of the poorest countries in the world, and yet there is a small population who hold extreme wealth while the rest suffer. There are some other issues in Guatemala, particularly government corruption. However this is not something the average visitor will see. The only thing we saw was one entry fee into the town of Panajachel that was illegal. We also ended up paying twice for our boat on Lake Atitlan because the first guy was a scam. This ended up costing us an additional $6.50. Small problems – other than that we found the

Semana Santa

country no more dangerous than anywhere we have been.

And the positives certainly outweighed the negatives. In fact, I would put Guatemala in my top list of favorite places I have been. And that is saying an awful lot. Yes I left my heart in Guatemala.

So Guatemala how do I love thee? Let me count the ways;

I love Antigua, one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been to. Being there for the beginning of Semana Santa (Holy Week) was an incredible experience. Although I am not Catholic, the Palm
Antigua

Sunday spectacle we witnessed was so full of tradition, majesty, history and faith I was incredibly moved. I think I became Catholic for a day. We have had similar experiences in other places around the world where faith is such an important part of everyday life. On the Camino de Santiago in Spain, in New Delhi India, in Istanbul Turkey, in Seoul South Korea. A few examples of the places where we felt privileged to witness how faith, history and community converge. Additionally Antigua offers gorgeous scenery, delicious food and incredible history. Seeing lava spewing from the active volcano Fuego was a definite highlight. We enjoyed two tours with Antigua Tours and my cooking class with La Tortilla was a highlight. I hope to visit again.
I love Lake Atitlan. Here we spent a week enjoying the beauty of Guatemala, and not doing much else. It was one of the more peaceful places I have been in the world; a crater lake surrounded by three beautiful extinct volcanoes. The small villages surrounding the lake are each named after one of the apostles. We spent our time in San Marcos, a teeny village known for its holistic
Our view Lake Atitlan

offerings, yoga, health food and hippies. Our airbnb was one of the most unique we have ever had…a cave dwelling nestled into the cliff. Memorable for sure. We hiked and swam and did yoga every day. Heaven on earth.
I love Flores. We went to Flores so we could visit the Mayan ruins of Tikal, about an hour and a half drive north. Tikal was amazing…but the tiny town of Flores was such a pleasant surprise. Situated on a tiny island in Lake Petenitza, the tiny town is colorful, historic, beautiful and yummy. The town dates back to the 1400’s. We enjoyed the very warm weather here and a highlight was a private boat tour of the very large and beautiful lake. Muy bien.
Flores
I love Rio Dulce. The region known as Rio Dulce encompasses Livingston on the Caribbean coast (Livingston is only accessible by boat) to the town of Rio Dulce on Lake Izabal. A gorgeous stretch of water known as the Rio Dulce connects the two. Our boat ride from Livingston to Rio Dulce was stunning as we
Lake Izabal, Rio Dulce

wound our way in an open boat through the narrow gorge, through which the Rio Dulce drains into the Caribbean. Although VERY rustic, our accommodations in Rio Dulce served us well, and had some of the BEST Mexican food we have ever had. From our tiny cabin in the marsh we took excursions to the ancient Castillo San Felipe de Lara, to the Agua Caliente waterfall known as El Paraiso and to the beautiful Boqueron Canyon, where we spent several solitary hours deep in the canyon on a beautiful sunny day. We also learned the very humble ways of the

El Parisio Rio Dulce

Guatemalan people and their use of the collectivos for transportation and saw our first manatee in the wild, although not as close up as we would have liked.
I love a challenge. It’s a challenge getting around Guatemala, as it is still a developing country. But some of those challenges made for memorable moments. As mentioned above the collectivo experience in Rio Dulce was certainly unforgettable, riding in a van made for 12 with 23 other people. During our time here we
Many boats

road in twelve different boats, mostly for transportation, but a couple for pleasure. We also hired a driver for a private shuttle three times, and through that experience met a wonderful Guatemalan man named Alejandro who we hope to see again some day. We felt safe in all of these situations and enjoyed the experience. My least enjoyable experience was the plane ride from Flores to Guatemala city in a small 20 seat plane. I got sick on this very bumpy and diesel-smelling ride. Ugh.
I love a bargain. Guatemala is cheap. Although we spent money on private shuttles, we could have gone with less expensive non-private shuttles or public transportation known as chicken busses. We used the kitchens in our airbnb’s when possible, but eating in restaurants was very inexpensive
Marsh cabin Rio Dulce

and all the food we ate was amazing, fresh and local. Our accommodations have ranged from $30 to $100 a night. We loved our Antigua Airbnb for $80 a night and our spectacular Airbnb in San Marcos with lake view was $75 a night. In Rio Dulce we paid $30 and Livingston was $70. We ended up spending $100 a night at a Ramada in Flores after the hotel we booked was CLOSED on arrival. That was something that had never happened before. But all in all Guatemala is one of the least expensive countries of our travels. The gorgeous textiles made by the indigenous Mayan people are so inexpensive, buying the same thing online would cost five times as much. Alas my suitcase it too small…
I love Guatemalan coffee. Guatemala is known for its coffee, and I have to agree…it is now possibly my favorite coffee of the world. Dark, rich and very flavorful, I am a convert. Guatemala is also
Coffee with Volcano view

known for its chocolate. Although I am not a big consumer of chocolate, the samples of chocolate I had were exceptional. The Maya used cacao as currency once upon a time. More valuable than gold.
I loved the people. Everyone we met (except for the one guy who ripped us off $6.50) was amazing. Few people spoke English and we actually enjoy being forced to expand our limited Spanish knowledge. Many people however also didn’t speak Spanish, as the Maya who are my generation mostly only spoke their native tongue. I loved the shy and traditional Maya, especially the beautiful women in their traditional dress. These are not costumes but how they dress everyday. The Guatemalan people
Mayan women, San Marcos

were all very private yet friendly, hard working and religious, welcoming and helpful. We enjoyed being a part of their culture and community.

So I left my heart in Guatemala. Possibly my favorite Central American country. Of course our time in Mal Pais in Costa Rica ranks VERY high. But Guatemala you are special. Unique. Beautiful. If you have

Mayan women selling palms

every considered visiting Guatemala you should do it. And do it soon. Supporting these developing countries through tourism is the least we can do, especially since America’s abandoning Guatemala after funding of guerrilla warfare during the civil war has caused much of the current economic situation Guatemala suffers.

Guatemala’s upcoming elections could be a turning point for the country…but perhaps things will stay the same, and the slow climb out of the devastation from a two-decade civil war will continue at a snail’s pace.

We hope for the best for this country and its beautiful people, where we have left our heart. We will be back.

God speed Guatemala.

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Learning About Mayan Cultures of Central America

April 14, 2019

Laureen

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Location: Central America

Cultural Travel

San Andres, El Salvador

Exploring and learning about ancient cultures is one of the most rewarding things about travel. Cultivating an understanding of the powerful communities that came before our own, helps us appreciate both historic and modern-day social structures.

Joya de Ceren, El Salvador

It’s one of the reasons I so often encourage travelers to seek out these experiences and adventures. Sure, go to the beach, enjoy that Margarita, go snorkeling. But don’t miss the opportunity when traveling to grasp something about the majesty of the ground you are standing on and the hundreds of generations of people who have walked it, worked it, became part of it in their end.

Cradle of Civilization

Caracol, Belize

Xunantunich, Belize

We have spent the last four months in Central America, where several amazing cultures played a significant role, long before the Spanish arrived. One of the most ancient of these was the Maya people. Considered one of the six “cradles of civilization” world-wide, the Central American countries of Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico and El Salvador were home to this fascinating civilization. To clarify the term Cradle of Civilization, here is Wikipedia’s explanation;

“The term cradle of civilization has frequently been applied to a variety of cultures and areas, in particular the Ancient Near Eastern Chalcolithic (Ubaid period) and Fertile Crescent, Ancient India and Ancient China. It has also been applied to ancient Anatolia, the Levant and Iranian plateau, and used to refer to culture predecessors—such as Ancient Greece as the predecessor of Western civilization.”

Altun Ha, Belize

Our travels have taken us to ancient lands of Egypt, Jordan, India and Bangladesh. We have also learned fascinating ancient history about Eastern Europe, Northern and Eastern Africa, China, Southeast Asia, and Greece. And so it was with great interest that I began to understand that right here in Central America another great civilization thrived.

The Maya People

But before I go on please understand that Maya is a living culture. More than half the population of present day Guatemala are Mayan. Though the ancient civilization communities are no more, the Mayan people continue their traditions.

Tikal, Guatemala

The oldest Mayan findings are in Belize, dating back to 2600 BC. Ruins of great civilizations are strewn all around this

Tikal Guatemala

region, some excavated, many not. Archeologists don’t all agree as to what caused the demise of the massive Maya communities in approximately 900 AD (well before the Spanish arrived). But warfare between cities, over production of the land and drought are all thought to have contributed.

Tikal, Guatemala

The Maya people, like many other ancient civilizations, had an advanced calendar, written language and hierarchical social structure. They were known as great architects (hence so many temples and entire cities still standing), artists, weapon developers and cultivators of the land. They used the local raw materials in remarkable ways. In Guatemala the cultivation of the cacao was (and is) important and cacao was used as currency.

In addition it is known that they believed cacao offered both a cure and a sacrifice, and drinking cacao mixed with blood was a common ritual as was bloodletting.

Visiting Mayan Ruins

Tikal, Guatemala

During our time in Central America we visited many interesting ruins; two in El Salvador, four in Belize and the granddaddy of all, Tikal (outside the town of Flores) in Guatemala. Each offered its own perspective on the rich and powerful Maya tribes.

Tikal, Guatemala

Today Maya people in these countries can trace their ancestry back to these ancient societies and be very proud. Many local Maya work hard to preserve the culture, arts and traditions and share them with visitors. However, the Maya, particularly in the poorest countries like Guatemala, struggle. During the Spanish occupation and more recent political unrest the Maya have been continually pushed out of their lands…many to the mountainous regions no one else wanted. Today you will find them subsisting in agricultural communities in the hard-scrabble rocky soil, or in the more populated cities such as Antigua selling crafts or food products.

Colorful Mayan women at market

I was particularly struck by the beauty of the Maya women, the colorful traditional clothing they still maintain today and the sense that family, hard work and religion is their life’s priority.

During my short time in beautiful Central America I have been intrigued and surprised by the beauty of the people and the geography and especially intrigued by the history of the ancient people. Muy Bien! A fabulous experience when visiting Central America.

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A Taste of Expat Life in Placencia, Belize

March 22, 2019

Laureen

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Location: Placencia Belize

It’s a refreshing change being in a place with people our own age. It’s unusual. We always find ourselves with younger people. But here in Placencia, Belize we fit right in; fabulous fifties, retired, North Americans, English speakers.

Placencia pier

Placencia is both a true expat village and a North American snow bird village, where Canadian and American retirees are in abundance.

I’m really enjoying this colorful little Caribbean village. My favorite town in Belize. It has a very local vibe

Colorful

despite the expat community. There are significantly more expats than short-term visitors, but still there are many options for lodging for short-term. Our Airbnb “Ally’s Guesthouse” is great.

It’s a perfect chance for us to get the feel for what it would be

The lagoon view at our Airbnb

like to settle somewhere for six months of the year or longer – something we see as possible in the future. I could spend half a year here. Not much to not like about this place.

Placencia has the best beaches we have seen in Belize; warm water, white sand and clean – despite the sargasso grass that seasonally washes on shore.

Says it all about Placencia

As usual we cook in our Airbnb, but Placencia has a nice variety of restaurants. Our favorites so far include Mr. Que for BBQ where we had a full meal for $5 USD, Barefoot for toes in the sand beers and De Tatch for seafood. Hands down the best meal has been Rumfish, where I unexpectedly had the most delicious beef short ribs. We also love the coffee at Above Grounds and Brewed Awakening, the ice cream at Tuttie Fruitie, and the cinnamon

Barefoot Restaurant

rolls at John the Bakerman.

Our Airbnb is about a mile from the farthest end of town, but the walk is easy and along the way are several excellent grocery stores, many other shops and all the restaurants mentioned above. Placencia is flat as a pancake, so it’s a great place for cycling, walking and a daily run. But on the other

Boardwalk

hand, not a great place during hurricane season.

There is a concrete boardwalk that runs the full length of town, set about 100 yards from the beach. The boardwalk runs through a colorful collection of beach cabanas, shops and restaurants. It’s my favorite place in Placencia.

Flat & easy for a run or ride

Though we have spent most of our time doing nothing more than

reading and swimming, Placencia has great options for sailing, snorkeling, diving, kayaking and more. We don’t have a car, and you

De Tatch Restaurant

don’t need one unless you want to get out-of-town to the Mayan ruins, waterfalls, hiking or other beaches. For us, our time here in Placencia is just to relax.

Yummy coffee and shakes

The locals are a mix of Garifuna, Maya,and Spanish descent. Placencia population is about 3600. Everyone is friendly and helpful. It’s a very laid back and casual culture. Not a day goes by that I have not been offered to buy marijuana. ‘Hey Mon – one love for da road, dis day? Sista like da weed?”

No thanks. I get high everyday just being on this Fab Fifties Life journey. Thanks for following.

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The World’s Greatest Shortcut – Crossing the Panama Canal

December 27, 2018

Laureen

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Location: Panama Canal

What a fascinating experience it was to cross through the Panama Canal on board the Norwegian Sun. I enjoyed it so much more than I thought I was going to. Absolutely a fascinating experience, in a life full of fascinating experiences. My Fab Fifties Life.

Approaching Gatun Locks

Incredibly we had a glorious sunny and hot day (the next day was cloudy, wet and stormy), so we felt lucky as we stumbled out of our stateroom a little after 6:00am, for what would be about an eleven hour excursion through the 80km canal – an engineering wonder of the world.

Inside Gatun Locks

The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans, cut through one of the narrowest saddles of the isthmus that joins North and South America. The Canal uses a system of locks with entrance and exit gates that function to raise the ships from sea level to the level of Gatun Lake (a man-made lake) 26 meters above sea level.

We began on the Atlantic side passing first through the Gatun Locks (named for the town located here) at 7:00am. It took about two hours to pass through this first set of three locks (see video).

Our ship, the Norwegian Sun, is a relatively small cruise ship, just under 900 feet long. The locks we passed through are the original locks – the longest ship that can pass through these locks is 1000 feet (304.8 meters). Curiously the Panama Transit Authority uses feet and inches rather than meters in all transit communication.

Panama Sunrise

A new set of locks (opened in 2016) now can accommodate larger vessels, up to 1200 feet long and 158 feet wide known as Neopanamax ships. Norwegian’s newest ship, Bliss, which is 1100 feet uses the new canal.

Our stateroom view when the water was lowered

The water used to raise and lower the ships in the locks comes from Gatun Lake by gravity; it comes into the locks through a system of main culverts that extend under the lock chambers from the sidewalls and center wall. The narrowest portion of the canal is the Culebra Cut, which extends from the north end of Pedro Migues Locks to the south edge of Gatun Lake. It is approximately 8.5 miles carved through the rock and shale of the Continental Divide.

Jockeying for a good view

The Panama Canal is a saga of human ingenuity and courage that dates back to the early 16th century when the Spaniards arrived to the Isthmus. Since then, the idea of building a route that would link the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans was discussed.

The French began the first effort in 1880, but abandoned the effort when financial problems as well as tropical diseases made it impossible to continue.

At the urging of the United States, Panama broke from Colombia and declared its independence in 1903, resulting in the partnership with the USA to begin construction once again on the passage. The canal was completed in August 1914 and as per the original agreement the USA administered the canal until December 31, 1999 when Panama assumed full operation.

The world’s greatest shortcut provided a boost to world trade and transit, by cutting transit time from the Atlantic to the Pacific (and vice versa) by approximately three weeks.

A private yacht may pay $2000 or less and a large commercial ship up to $150,000. The cost is still less than sailing around South America. Interesting fact: Panama Canal authorities used to charge swimmers 36 cents to pass through.

Culebra Cut

Toll for crossing through the canal for a ship the size of the Norwegian Sun is approximately $250,000 (1500 passengers). A giant cruise ship such as the Bliss, will pay $890,000 (4000 passengers). The tolls are calculated with numerous factors including size, revenue earnings and number of passengers. A universal measurement system is used, taxing every 100 cubic feet of passenger space (cabins, dining, entertainment areas) but not bridge or crew areas. Usually $5 per cubic foot.

The Norwegian Sun

Cruise operators will often include in the cost of the cruise approximately $140 per person as a surcharge.

Panama is now one of the fastest expanding countries in world trade. The canal generates 2 billion dollars for Panama annually. The canal is vital to the world’s prosperity and is clearly an enormous feat of humanity, linking the world.

As we exited the final locks on the Pacific side (Pedro Miguel) at 5:30pm we completed more than ten hours of transiting through one of the wonders of the world – the world’s greatest shortcut. As the world moves through the challenges of nationalism versus globalization, as well as the impending and potentially disastrous effects of climate change, new and expanded canals are being considered. The wildly successful Panama Canal has sparked interest in Nicaragua for possible construction of a new canal there. China is poised to capitalize as a world power in potential new canals around the world, with the construction knowhow and trade-savvy chops to lead in the building of such a canal.

Cruising through the Panama Canal was certainly the highlight of our 15 days onboard the Norwegian Sun. Fabulous !

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Follow us as we inspire you to live your best life now. Midlife is a fabulous time to find your inspiration whether it’s travel, writing, reading, or fitness. What inspires you? I am a retired Grey Goddess on the Go, here to empower and inspire you through your Fabulous middle years! Book review every Wednesday, travel and inspiration blogs every Friday, and other fun stuff here and there. Join our club and be fabulous too! You can find us on YouTube, Facebook, Insta and Twitter. My Fab Fifties Life!