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Valparaiso to Fort Lauderdale aboard the Celebrity Infinity: A Photo Review


polySeraph
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We managed to get a table by the window where we watched the Culebra Cut pass by. We thought about the many hundreds of lives that had been lost where we were now cruising. It was sobering.

 

Sorry for my ignorance and I tried to google this ... but what's the story behind the hundreds of lives lost?

 

Thank you

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Sorry for my ignorance and I tried to google this ... but what's the story behind the hundreds of lives lost? Thank you

 

Here is an overview of the horrendous death toll during the overall construction effort -- both French and American phases:

 

https://thesilverpeopleheritage.wordpress.com/2008/12/17/the-panama-canal-death-tolls/

 

 

John

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Sorry for my ignorance and I tried to google this ... but what's the story behind the hundreds of lives lost?

 

Hi, aSiAnRiCk, Most of the deaths in the Culebra Cut were caused by landslides and the mishandling of dynamite. J-D has provided a link to an article that provides more details about the terrible death toll during the Canal's construction.

 

Here is an overview of the horrendous death toll during the overall construction effort -- both French and American phases:

 

https://thesilverpeopleheritage.wordpress.com/2008/12/17/the-panama-canal-death-tolls/

 

Thanks for providing the link to this article. I found it to be interesting and sobering.

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Before I finish up my discussion on our two days in Panama, I thought it might be fun to pause and share a few photos from an earlier visit to the Canal in 2011. I’ll resume the discussion our 2015 transit with the next post.

 

These photos were taken during a shore excursion when we visited the Panama Canal during early December, 2011. After leaving the ship, we were transferred via tour bus to a small passenger ferry that entered the Canal at the north end of the Culebra Cut. We passed through the Culebra Cut, the Pedro Miguel locks, Miraflores Lake, and the Miraflores locks before reaching the Pacific Ocean. As you can see, transiting the locks in a small passenger ferry was an entirely different experience than it was on a Panamax-sized cruise ship.

 

Our small passenger ferry has just been lowered in the Pedro Miguel locks. This photo was taken from the stern looking back toward the Centennial Bridge.

 

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Another view of the wall.

 

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The lock gates have opened and we are preparing to exit the chamber.

 

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The next two photos show lock gates opening.

 

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A container ship towers over our little passenger ferry as it passes under the Bridge of the Americas.

 

2011-IMG_2505-r_zps0oy72gdy.jpg

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Some final thoughts on our two days in Panama. . . .

 

The Panama Canal, coupled with the port call in Colon the following day, made for two very interesting two days. We were able to see our oceangoing cruise ship lifted up and over a continent and then follow up the next day with a shore excursion that showed us lock operations from a different perspective.

 

There had been other private tours organized through our roll call. One roll call member said that he had really enjoyed his private excursion to the Embera Indian village.

 

Colon is another one of those ports where it would be best to have an organized activity planned ahead of time. The cruise terminal itself contains a nice assortment of shops and services but the neighborhood surrounding the terminal looked pretty rough.

 

The Path Between The Seas by David McCullough provides a thorough, detailed history of the building of the Panama Canal. (ComputerTravelGuy listened to the audio version on his daily commute.) The American Experience (a series on PBS) has a 90-minute episode on the Panama Canal that can be viewed online. There are also a lot of interesting resources and links on the PBS page. Click here to go to the American Experience's Panama Canal webpage.

 

We had originally chosen our cabin hoping that the window overlooking the bow would come in handy during our Panama Canal transit. As things turned out, it had been useful (and fun) to sit in air-conditioned comfort while watching the ship enter the locks, but most of the time, but we found that we spent most of that day moving around the ship as the scenery changed. The cabin had other attractions; it was roomy and very quiet. Being located on the bow, we felt the ship’s movement (which we enjoyed) in the cabin more than elsewhere on the ship. On the other hand, we felt a strong vibration whenever the bow thrusters were used. So if all of these characteristics together sound good, this cabin might be a good choice for a Panama Canal itinerary; if you don't like movement or you don't relish the thought of the bow thrusters as an early wake-up call, another cabin might be a better choice.

Edited by polySeraph
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The next morning we arrived in Cartagena. For this port I had chosen to sponsor a private tour for some of my fellow roll call members. Shortly before the Infinity arrived in port, I headed down to the usual spot in the Lounge on Deck 4 to meet our group. Everyone was on time and prepared for the day. We quickly disembarked the ship and after a short walk down the pier, located the representative for our tour company.

 

Our tour provider was Tour in Cartagena and my point of contact was Marelvy Peña-Hall. After contacting several companies, I had chosen Marelvy’s because she seemed to be the most willing to work with me to customize the tour to my preferences.

 

We followed the representative through the port terminal building and met our guide outside the port. Ester, our guide, was a native of Cartagena. It was easy to see that she loved her city and was proud of it. We climbed into the van. It was roomy and very clean, and the air-conditioning was heavenly. Ester introduced us to Edgar, our driver, and we were off.

 

Our first stop was the Castillo San Felipe Barajas, a fort built by the Spanish in the colonial period.

 

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I had arranged for our tour to enter the Castillo. Ester obtained our tickets and we started the climb up the hill.

 

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The uphill climb was not terribly difficult. We would walk up for several minutes and then Ester would stop us to point out something interesting in the fort’s construction or in the city below. When we reached the gate in the photo (below), Ester handed in our tickets and we continued to climb.

 

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Ester provided a very interesting commentary on the fort, including its construction, restoration, and status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I loved this view of the old fort walls with the new white skyscrapers in the distance.

 

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We began to see some very nice views, including the old city walls. If you’ll look along the street at the base of the hill, you’ll see several large tour buses lined up. Not all of the tours included entry into the fort; many just included a short stop with commentary at the foot of the hill.

 

3-26-IMG_1778-r_zpsjhxdg3g2.jpg

Edited by polySeraph
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We next visited La Candelaria Convent located on La Popa Hill, the highest point in the city. There was a very nice breeze blowing through the courtyard and the flowers were beautiful.

 

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We could see both the old Castillo (in the middle of the photo) and the new skyscrapers from the convent's outdoor terrace.

 

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We could also see Cartagena's busy commercial port. The Celebrity Infinity and a Princess ship (the Coral Princess, maybe?) are also visible. The Infinity is to the left of the Princess ship.

 

3-26-IMG_1801-r_zpsgtxjulv2.jpg

Edited by polySeraph
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Here is an overview of the horrendous death toll during the overall construction effort -- both French and American phases:

 

https://thesilverpeopleheritage.wordpress.com/2008/12/17/the-panama-canal-death-tolls/

 

 

John

 

Hi, aSiAnRiCk, Most of the deaths in the Culebra Cut were caused by landslides and the mishandling of dynamite. J-D has provided a link to an article that provides more details about the terrible death toll during the Canal's construction.

 

Thanks for providing the link to this article. I found it to be interesting and sobering.

Thank you for sharing the info. Truly made me appreciate the canal a whole lot more and the ultimate sacrifice made to build it.

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Loved your pictures & write up about your cruise. It brought back good memories of our own Panama crossing a few years back. Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

 

Allan

 

 

 

Thanks, Allan! I'm glad you've enjoyed my review. I've had fun selecting the photos and writing the commentary. It's helped me relive the experience.

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We emerged from the convent and descended La Popa hill toward our next stop in the old city. The unflappable Edgar easily navigated the narrow streets and parked cars before dropping us off near a small square. We entered Cartagena’s School of Fine Arts, located in an old convent building. The building had a nice courtyard which was being renovated while we were there. We enjoyed walking under the shady arches and meeting some of the best creative young minds in Cartagena.

 

When we emerged from the School of Fine Arts, Ester gathered us together to point out a few of the sights on the square. She told us that Cartagena was a city of great contrasts and that we could see examples of that right here on this square. She first pointed out one of the most expensive hotels in Cartagena. Next she pointed out an expensive restaurant located in a different direction. Then she pointed to a couple of empanada stands across the street from the school.

 

“See those men selling empanadas?” she asked. “Their customers are art students. You can get an empanada for one dollar.”

 

We crossed the street and bought some empanadas. They were delicious. ComputerTravelGuy and I shared a potato-and-cheese dish from one stand and a meat empanada from the other. Ester told us that meat empanadas made with corn flour were a traditional Colombian food. We bought bottled drinks at a nearby shop that took dollars.

 

After finishing our empanadas, Ester led us down the street, pointing out architectural features in the old Colonial buildings. We turned the corner and there was Edgar with our air-conditioned van.

 

3-26-IMG_1819_zpsqkdnixhj.jpg

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After a short ride, we were dropped off to continue our walk through the old city. We saw many buildings in the Colonial style with balconies full of beautiful flowers.

 

3-26-IMG_1834-r_zpsqlflmwdu.jpg

 

Ester explained that people still lived and worked in the old city. In the photo, the building with the flags is a government office.

 

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As we walked along, we were passed lots of vendors selling an assortment of products, including lots of hand-made handicrafts. Ester was more than willing to slow down while someone checked something out, and if necessary, to help ask questions or negotiate.

 

Our next stop was the Cartagena Gold Museum. This was a very small museum – only three rooms – but it contained an interesting collection of gold artifacts produced by the people who inhabited the region prior to the arrival of the Spanish.

 

Our last stop of the day was the San Pedro Claver Sanctuary. Ester told us that Pedro Claver was a Spanish Jesuit priest who was sent to Cartagena in the early 17th century . At that time Cartagena was a slave-trading hub in the New World. Claver was deeply disturbed by the treatment of the slaves and devoted his life to helping them.

 

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The sanctuary was cool and peaceful. I enjoyed learning about a man who had stood up to the great evil of his day and made a difference in the lives of so many.

 

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We left the sanctuary and resumed our walk through the old city. Before we knew it, we saw Edgar with our van. After a short ride, we were back at the port. We thanked Ester and Edgar for a wonderful experience and headed back to the ship.

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Some final thoughts on Cartagena. . . .

 

I would like to thank the members of my Cartagena shore excursion for making it easy for me to sponsor this tour. They were on time, well-prepared, and LOTS of fun. Best wishes on all your future travels. I hope our paths cross again in the future.

 

The cruise terminal building in Cartagena was super deluxe. There was a garden area with lots of tropical birds, a large, well-stocked store, a café, and fee-based wifi. The store stocked everything from personal toiletries (toothpaste, sunscreen, etc) to handicrafts to emeralds. The handicrafts at the store in the terminal were more expensive than similar ones we had seen in town.

 

As with our other ports, a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, and bottled water are essential for a tour in the Cartagena sun. A pair of sturdy, comfortable shoes is also important if your tour includes a walking tour or goes inside the fort.

 

Not all city highlights tours go inside the fort; some do and some don’t. If you want to tour the inside of the fort, make sure that admission into the fort is included on your tour; conversely, if you don’t want to make that climb, make sure that entry to the fort is not part of your tour.

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Disembarkation. . . . :(

 

Before we knew it, it was time to leave the ship. The two sea days between Cartagena and Fort Lauderdale had allowed me to pack slowly over two days instead of in one marathon packing session. We had said our goodbyes, attended the crew talent show, and checked over our bill. Now it was time to go.

 

We awakened early and headed up to the buffet for a quick, early breakfast. We looked around the port at the other ships and activity in the port. Then we went back to our cabin, checked our safe one last time, grabbed our hand luggage and left the cabin at 8 AM. By the time we had made it downstairs with our luggage, they had already called our number and it was time to depart. We disembarked the ship, found our luggage in the terminal, and got in the end of a long line to get through customs. We could see the line getting longer behind us.

 

By 8:40 we had left the terminal building and were waiting for our rental car shuttle. We were arriving in Florida during the peak of the Spring Break season, when travel bargains were likely to be scarce. Knowing this, we had reserved a one-way car rental back in July, 2014 for the drive home. Since then we had watched the prices go up and up until the rate for an economy car was more than twice the rate that we had reserved for our full-sized car back in July.

 

When the Budget shuttle arrived, the driver made sure that we were headed to Budget’s 17th Street location and not the airport. The driver told us that there were eight cruise ships disembarking in Fort Lauderdale that day. A short while later, we had loaded our bags in our rental car, made a quick stop at Starbucks, and were on our way home.

Edited by polySeraph
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The formal part of my review is now finished. I hope I've provided you with some useful information on some of the lesser-known ports on the west coast of South America and some good ideas on ways to spend those few precious hours in port. Thank you for your attention and kind words.

 

Fair winds and following seas!:)

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... I hope I've provided you with some useful information ...

Fair winds and following seas!:)

 

We'll be doing the reverse of your trip this December and have found your review to be quite useful as well as fun to read. Thanks for the time and effort you put into this!

 

Stan

Edited by GottaKnowWhen
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  • 1 month later...
Seems like such a wonderful trip, and again, allow me to thank you for the review.

 

 

 

For the wonderful write up & those great pictures.

 

 

 

You are welcome! I enjoyed reliving the memories as I wrote it.

Edited by polySeraph
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Thank you again for a wonderful review. You have whetted my appetite even more for my B2B on the Infinity in 2017 for SA.

 

Looking forward to this same cruise but in the opposite direction. We travel in Dec '15 from Fl to Chili. Thanks for posting this review.

 

We'll be doing the reverse of your trip this December and have found your review to be quite useful as well as fun to read. Thanks for the time and effort you put into this!

 

I'm glad you enjoyed it. Please let me know if I can answer any questions. I fully intend on more travel to/through South America. There's something mesmerizing about that continent.

Edited by polySeraph
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A few more thoughts on Manta. . . .

 

A hearty "Thank You" goes to my tour members for their support and cooperation. One member volunteered to help me manage the tour (which allowed me to expand its size) and gave me several excellent suggestions. Everyone on the tour arrived at our meeting place on time and well-prepared, resulting in a smooth start to a great day.

 

Manta is located at 0.95° South Latitude. Being so close to the Equator means that protection from the sun is essential. In addition to a hat and sunscreen, I brought a travel parasol for some instant shade. Others in our party wore lightweight, long-sleeved cotton garments.

 

The price of a Montechristi hat can vary greatly, depending on quality. Hats that are finely woven (the number of rows of weave per inch), have a consistent, even weave, and a consistent, even color command higher prices. We saw some hats in the vendor area of the museum for $20; hats in the sombrero shop started at $40 and went up to several hundred dollars. Hats of the highest quality can cost thousands.

 

My new hat does a great job protecting me from the Florida sun and since it breathes, it keeps me a little cooler.

 

Several hours after leaving Manta, we crossed the Equator and entered the Northern Hemisphere.

 

Hi polySeraph - Enjoying reading your review of our cruise. Hope you are both well and I'm so happy I bought a hat! Maybe we'll meet again on another cruise.

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Hi polySeraph - Enjoying reading your review of our cruise. Hope you are both well and I'm so happy I bought a hat! Maybe we'll meet again on another cruise.

 

Hi, 2ndsailing! It's good to hear from you! I hope you enjoyed the last leg of your adventure. I truly love my hat and I wear it for my morning walks in the hot Florida sun. I hope our paths cross in the future!

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