Our first port was Puerto Limon in Costa Rica and my first visit to Costa Rica. Yes, Rachael, I did get your key chain. Those of you who were with me on the QE2 will recall from time to time my going crazy looking for that elusive key chain. I did take a tour to the tropical rain forest. I have been to the rain forests in Washington and Alaska but this was my first tropical rain forest.

We saw some very interesting creatures including an inch long bullet ant and apparently it was just a baby. We also saw leaf cutter ants on the march, howler monkeys, sloth, many birds and two interesting frogs. A red one is called the strawberry dart frog and the other the turquoise dart frog. Both are very poisonous and their venom was placed on the natives arrows to kill their prey.


The next day we entered the Panama Canal and it was quite pleasant. We didn’t run into the 100 degree heat with 100% humidity like the last time I was here. Very pleasant weather. The narration was good but our narrator on the QE2 was even better. I lazed on the shady side of the deck and visited with everyone who stopped by.

I was not much interested in a tour nor was I interested in going into Panama City. I walked around Fuerte Amador watching the locals and looking at the sights. Our wonderful weather has changed and it was about 90 degrees and 100% humidity so I came back to the ship and decided it was a great time to work on my next post. I am going to attempt including some photos. The turquoise frog, the bullet ant, my cabin and table mates. The cabin is spacious, clean and lots of closet , drawer and shelf apace and as you all know, this is an absolute must for me.

The reason I said I was going to attempt the photos is that my first attempt was an abject failure and apparently I didn’t read my instructions well. I also intend to get into more of the personalities on board but I am reserving judgment on some. Mostly, the people I have met are just great with one exception. I met a most disagreeable man (notice I did not say gentleman). As always I said hello and made the statement “that I hoped it would not get real hot outside while transiting through the canal. “ Just making conversation. His answer was well if you don’t like it stay inside. I was a little taken back so I indicated that I would do both, inside and out. He became quite fierce in his seemingly denunciation of me with another louder utterance of stay inside if you don’t like it. Thankfully the elevator doors opened and he left, before me I might add. As I followed him I noticed a couple out of the corner of my eye and the wife was pointing at him. I got the distinct impression she was at one time also a brunt of his nasty behavior.