Spirit departing LA on March 27 to Ft Lauderdale

[spinnaker2]

Arrived in Puerto Quetzal. Hot and humid. Beautiful sunrise as we came into the port. Could see a line of volcanoes on shore, one spitting some smoke.

Tours left early. I have no idea about the level of security on the tours and haven't heard anything about them.

The place where we tied up in Puero Queztal was a compound which had been landscaped and had winding paths leading to an outdoor restaurant, open stalls with handcrafts and a "jade museum". There was also a stage and small amphitheater.

Pax and crew went ashore to this enclave which was surrounded by fence and the entrance and egress was guarded.

This morning I did see what looked like a bunch of huge leaves floating in the water, as I looked closer I realized it was not leaves, but Rays! They were swimming close to the surface. I managed to get a photo or two before they vanished.

[colonelretwes]

Candy/spinnaker2; continue to enjoy your very well written posts. Thanks for sharing your voyage with us Regards to larryo

 

 

Sent from my iPad mini using Tapatalk

[spinnaker2]

The Easter bunny has been to our cabin....we found a basket filled with goodies.

The crew are amazing!

[duct tape]

Is that true? Candy is spinnaker2? Love it!

[spinnaker2]

I can neither confirm nor deny who I am...but seems pretty obvious by now.

:)

Another gorgeous sea day.

Somewhat rougher than what we have experienced so far, lots of whitecaps.

Flying fish leap from the water, looking like small silver birds. However they are being closely followed by a small flock of brown birds, yet to be identified ( unlike me) who are waiting to pounce and eat them for lunch.

Pax seem very happy today, maybe because it's Easter and festive. Cute chocolate bunnies in la Terrazza with a formal egg sculpture also of chocolate.

Tonight is formal night and the operatic performance of the new artistes.

Happy Spring all!

[mysty]

You have the voice of a poetess spinnaker2! So much fun to read your posts! Enjoy the rest of your cruise and thanks for entertaining us!

[spinnaker2]

Thanks msty and Wes...and duct tape.

I have been to the library and identified the white birds flying in front of the bow and near deck 11, which they have splattered with their guano.

They are masked boobies. Amazing to watch them soar and plunge to the sea. So far have not identified the brown caramel colored bird.

Also saw huge five foot across sting ray this morning.

No time for camera, just have a picture in my minds eye.

We also, that's mostly DH, saw other kinds of exposed boobies. They will remain unidentified, but likely on a human species. Some should have been left very covered.

Still windy and no land in sight.

Just loving every moment of this remarkable cruise and the remarkable crew.

I believe there are a little over 200 pax aboard, according to crew reports.

Our butler quotes TS Eliot!

[Ithaca]

Oh my! Some ladies sneaked in from Carnival...

[spinnaker2]

Last night was the Venetian Society. Of the 200 plus pax on board, 168 are Venetians. The theatre was packed with all in their finery, and awards were given out. One pax had over 800 days!

Dinner in the restaurant with lovely dining companions, after the wine flowed, many ribald jokes were told.

We made it to the last half of the show, the Voices were spectacular. We enjoyed it as did the audience who gave a standing ovation. This is a tough crowd for that to happen, especially since many of them know the prior performers.

We are moving quickly to the next port of Puntarenas and it will be crowded as we have been told the Princess is there.

Sun is shining and the water is calm, mountains in the distance covered in clouds. HOT!

Mas tarde!

[Emtbsam]

Oh my! Some ladies sneaked in from Carnival...

 

"Ladies"???

[spinnaker2]

Hello all. Post from yesterday has evaporated into the ether of Internet. I will have to recreate.

Right now we are traversing the Panama Canal.

We have been thru two of the locks.

The shores are jungle like, with vibrant yellow flowered trees here and there.

Some of the pax up at 5 am, but many more trickled up to deck 11 at six am, and thereafter. Sandwiches of croissant and ham and cheese served, as well as bagels and salmon.

Champagnes were offered along with your beverage of choice.

We all wanted to get our spot for the first set of locks.

At this moment the water of gatun lake is green, but 30 minutes ago it was muddy brown.

The palms and other trees are dense and right up to the water line, it looks impenetrable from here onboard.

Today as well the pub crawl sing along. Well attended and melodious voices of pax carried to many decks of the ship.

[Ithaca]

"Ladies"???

Well, prior winners of the wet t-shirt contests...

[TLCOhio]

Hello all. Post from yesterday has evaporated into the ether of Internet. I will have to recreate.

Right now we are traversing the Panama Canal.

We have been thru two of the locks.

The shores are jungle like, with vibrant yellow flowered trees here and there.

Some of the pax up at 5 am, but many more trickled up to deck 11 at six am, and thereafter. Sandwiches of croissant and ham and cheese served, as well as bagels and salmon.

Champagnes were offered along with your beverage of choice.

We all wanted to get our spot for the first set of locks.

At this moment the water of gatun lake is green, but 30 minutes ago it was muddy brown.

The palms and other trees are dense and right up to the water line, it looks impenetrable from here onboard.

Today as well the pub crawl sing along. Well attended and melodious voices of pax carried to many decks of the ship.

 

Appreciate this super wonderful summary from our South Florida reporter, Candy!! Great details and background. Feels like we are really there. Just need pictures to better experience a sampling for your fun and excitement.

 

Yesterday, I got the below this picture from my "secret source" who was traveling in Costa Rica. As I understand, it is a white-faced capuchin monkey that is native to the forests of Central America and the extreme north-western portion of South America. Understand this picture was taken in the rainforest at Garabito.

 

I get more pictures from my source, will post more here.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 21,296 views for these postings.

 

 

From Costa Rica, here is a picture of white-faced capuchin monkey that is native to the forests of Central America in their rainforest area.:

 

[spinnaker2]

Ok, I fess up.

I took the photo of the monkey when we were in the mangrove area.

Terry has graciously posted it. I sent him some others to post.

Internet is dreadfully slow and eats up message and photos with a voracious appetite.

We just left Cartagena Columbia at about noon. As soon as we hit the open ocean, the water began to get quite rough.

Huge rollers hitting the ship on the windward side, starboard.

Stabilizers out, but we are still pitching and either the vessel is smacking the ocean or vice versa.

The wind has picked up and is howling through the verandah doors, which are closed.

We were to eat at the grill tonight on deck ten, but doubt that will happen.

El Larro has put on a patch and is resting.

[tripperva]

How was the stop in Cartegena? We've been there a few times and will be there again on the Spirit next year. Any interesting tours? Did any pax play golf? Thanks.

[TLCOhio]

Ok, I fess up. I took the photo of the monkey when we were in the mangrove area. Terry has graciously posted it. I sent him some others to post. Internet is dreadfully slow and eats up message and photos with a voracious appetite. We just left Cartagena Columbia at about noon.

 

Appreciate the lead-in from spinnaker2/Candy, our friend from south Florida. Have a couple of groups of colorful pictures from this cruise that she e-mailed to me. We will start with a couple from the Panama Canal, plus others to sample their adventure in these historic areas.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 105,692 views for this posting.

 

 

Starting with the Panama Canal, then a variety of from the "old town", then a blending to Cartegena, etc.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

Sorry that I have not, yet, been in these areas of the world. So I cannot offer as detailed of descriptions for each of these various sights and sites in the below pictures from Candy. BUT, to do the Panama Canal and these parts of Columbia are on our future "to-do" list.

 

For our Silver Cloud sailing earlier this year over 26-days, our Internet service worked reasonably well under the limited at-sea conditions and given all of the many pictures and postings that I uploaded. But, much of the Internet "work" was done earlier in the mornings when connections from the ship might have been a little lighter.

 

Will share more as I receive them from Candy.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 176,141 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

Here is more, including from Cartagena, Columbia.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Emtbsam]

Spinnaker - Did you know about pancanal.com - the live video from the Canal? We watched Wellseasoned go through in the opposite direction last January.

[WesW]

Spinnaker2/Candy, Thanks again for your terrific Spirit posts.

 

Is one of the entertainers now on board, Shirley Dominguez (Harpist)? If so, please pass Ida and my warmest regards along--we sailed with Shirley and her husband for two weeks in French Polynesia ten years ago on the Paul Gauguin.

[spinnaker2]

Good Sunday morning.

It's the last day aboard and a glorious sea day.

We skipped the formal festivities last night and enjoyed our dinner in our suite.

Today the suitcases were put out for us to pack while we were at breakfast.

there is only one word to describe this task of packing. UGH.

This truly has been a marvelous cruise.

The crew are smiling, gracious and friendly. I can't remember such a personable group.

We will miss them.

I will post photos and identify them when I have some time and a reliable internet connection, and a laptop. The iPad is great but just not enough for my needs.

Carpe diem!

[TLCOhio]

Today the suitcases were put out for us to pack while we were at breakfast.

there is only one word to describe this task of packing. UGH.

This truly has been a marvelous cruise.

 

Sorry to hear that your "adventure" is ending. That packing up and putting your suitcases out in the hallway can be a bit "depressing". While it's been a great cruise, it is challenging to have the "party" be over.

 

Look forward to hearing and seeing more.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 21,505 views for these postings.

[spinnaker2]

Interim report.

Lunch at the pool deck is over. Buffet today included fish curry, prawns, chicken tandoori, calamari stir fry and various salads.

I did not check out the desserts other than to see the homemade cookies( which are always in our suite).

Music accompanied lunch. We have following seas, so quite calm. Cold refreshing towels passed around, as is hot on deck.

Not as many sun worshippers, but still a few looking for their last drop of vitamin d and other Rays.

Breakfast this morning was on la Terrazza, outside. We were pleased to see and chat with a couple we met on a TA awhile back. They are lovely!

We hope to see them again on the crossing in November.

Packing is NOT done.

Did I mention I hate packing? I may be redundant.

It signifies the end of the cruise.

But one of the crew suggested that I am just going home briefly to rest, and then will be back aboard. I like that thinking.

[TLCOhio]

As Candy/spinnaker2 speeds her way back to south Florida, here are a couple more of her Spirit cruise visuals that she forwarded to me this morning to share here as her "photo agent". Both good looking pictures!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 197,396 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

First is the sunset as they were departing Guatemala. Second is one of the birds accompanying them while they were in the Pacific Ocean. Great photo work by Candy! Congrats!!:

 

 

 

[spinnaker2]

Play by play, without photos or instant replay.

Packing 99% done.

All along I have wondered if there are any other cruise critic passengers aboard.

There was no meet and mingle group.

As I mentioned before, many of the pax are venetian society with many many days.

[spinnaker2]

Arrived in port Everglades.

Ahead of schedule.

Beautiful day here.

We are almost home.

A short car ride and we will be back a la casita.

It's been a terrific cruise.

As we left la Terrazza last night lots of hugs from crew.