Panama Day 8 - James' bday on the M/S Discovery

Saturday October 6 = James’s birthday

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Official itinerary:

After breakfast and morning at leisure, you'll depart for Panama City. Your Trip Leader can offer you suggestions of where to explore. You'll enjoy lunch on your own in the marina before boarding the M/S Discovery, the 24-passenger catamaran that will be your private home throughout your three-night Panama Canal cruise. After a short onboard orientation, your ship sets sail later this afternoon.

Your first port of call is Taboga Island, known as the “Island of Flowers,” a befitting title given the abundance of birds of paradise, orchids, and other tropical species that blanket the island.

It's a colorful island with an equally colorful history. The birthplace of Santa Rosa de Lima, the Southern Hemisphere's first saint and a role model to Mother Teresa, the island also beckoned artist Paul Gauguin, who began incorporating bright colors into his work more often after his stay here. The island also played an important role in the construction of the canal, serving for more than three decades as a retreat for canal builders, first French and then American. Here you'll have time to either kayak in the bay or disembark to explore the island, a mostly pedestrian haven, with your Trip Leader.

This evening, enjoy dinner onboard the ship and after-dinner activities on the Top Deck. Our overnight stay here allows us to be in prime position for tomorrow, when the Discovery commences its transit of the Panama Canal, the vital link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

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Octavio had suggested to take those who wanted to for a little hike starting at 7:30 am. We had a very quick breakfast and left. Of course we had to make sure that our suitcases were mostly packed already.

We drove for about 20 minutes when Daniel suddenly stopped. He had spied an 3-toed sloth ... high up in a tree. We all enjoyed seeing it. Octavio explained that it was a female because males have a yellow strip on the back. He said they only eat once a week and that lots of other creatures live in their fur. Sometimes they have to go into the sun to dry or moss grows in their fur. They do have enemies like the ocelot and the national bird harpie (eagle).

(shared by Octavio)

(shared by Octavio - much better)

In Gamboa we have to go over a bridge. It’s a railroad bridge which has a one lane for cars on the side. The bridge is from about 1930s and goes over the Chagres River which feeds into the canal. We are driving along the canal and see a huge floating crane. There were three of these in Hitler’s time in Germany and were the largest in the world. After the war they went to different allies and the USA one ended up here. It was called “Herman the German”.

Shortly after 8 am we had left the bus and were on the trail in the Panama rainforest. Today is an important world-wide science day. Birdwatchers all over the world are out to count how many birds from which different species they can see and report it to one central place. That way they can find out whether a certain bird is getting more rare or closer to getting extinct. We definitely saw birdwatchers out and about.

We had a very interesting walk, probably 45 minutes and then back again. We saw lots of things. I don't know the name of most of the birds, animals or plants/trees. I tried to take photos but I realize most don't mean anything to somebody who has not been there.

Do you see the red dot in the middle of the photo? It is a female slaty-tailed trogon.

Octavio picked up a nest from a weaver bird (actually I also had seen one on the floor next to the trail a little earlier).

On the left side of the path is actually a coati with a long tail. And he came closer but I don't have a good photo.

Howler monkey.

This tree has self-defense it doesn't need any longer. A gigantic sloth is long extinct but it used to be so strong that it would bend the tree to the ground. There were thorns on the ends of this things.

The broad-billed motmot with its rusty colored head.

(shared by Octavio)

(shared by Octavio)

I took this photo, James wanted to take another one, it flew off. It had been sitting on the mirror of this car. On the trail we had seen many of those large bright blue butterflies but I didn't manage to record one.

Very near to were the bus was parked there was another sloth. This time a three-toed sloth. And it was much easier to see.

After that walk we drove back and over the one-way bridge again. You can see part of the canal.

At 10 am we were in the Parque Municipal Summit. It used to be a botanical garden but was now used mainly as a sanctuary for injured animals. Octavia was adamant to show us the national bird of Panama, the harpia eagle. Of course that exhibition was clear to the other side of the park and we walked without looking at anything else.

But I had to stop briefly to look at this wild agouti.

The harpia had an exhibition house for himself. First we saw a video. Quick look around to see two stuffed eagles and other animals. There is a huge cage outside with a live female one but we could not see it. It was hidden. From then on the group talked about the "invisible harpia".

We did go a little further to see the leopard but then we had to leave. 

Back to the hotel. We said good-by to our driver Daniel for a few days. A quick shower. Suitcases out at 12 noon. Down in the lobby at 12:30 pm.

While waiting in the lobby PJ showed me her photo of the bird which I just could not capture properly on my camera. Remember the red spot in the middle of all the leaves?

A bus from the cruise company picked us up to bring us to the Flamenco Marina and the MV Discovery. The suitcases were all labeled with our room names. James and I are going to be in the “Miraflores”. When we were at the harbor our luggage was taken care of while we went for lunch. Octavio had suggestions but we didn’t mind much and just went into “Alberto’s”. We sat outside under a shady roof and it was very nice. We ordered a pizza to share and had some red wine. 

Happy Birthday, my dear husband James. Briefly we even had WiFi from the restaurant and James got some birthday greetings. Nice!

At 2:30 pm we saw Octavio and followed the leader to the catamaran. The first thing we were told was that we could not go to Taboga Island because the ocean was too rough for the catamaran.

At 3 pm we were welcomed by Ian. He is the guide on this vessel. We asked whether this catamaran was a ship or a boat. Neither. MS stands for motor vessel. He introduced the crew of the MS Discovery to us. We were in the middle floor which has the big social/ dining/bar area with the kitchen behind closed doors of course. Then we were called one room at a time to our rooms one story lower. We were shown whbeex iur43ere things were especially the life jackets. At about 3:45 the safety drill was announced.

(shared by Octavio)

At 5 pm we assembled again in the sitting area. Ian gave us a talk about the canal and how the different locks work. I must say it is more interesting then I thought it would be = the technical stuff.

Dinner was at 6:30 pm. The napkins were folded to look like a rose. Unfortunately you can't see it in the photo because the napkins were black.

The center table runners were all appliquéd and so pretty.

The salad was very tasty. And so was the main course. And look at the presentation of the dessert.

Ha-ha, we had dessert twice. Happy Birthday, James. Octavio's wife had brought the cake. How nice was that?

VIDEO!     (0:40)

(shared by Octavio)

Two days before Roseanne had sent a card around in the bus and everybody had signed it. James was very happy.

(shared by Octavio)

Later, when everybody had disappeared into their cabins but the evening was so nice. A warm breeze made it so pleasant so James and I had a nightcap sitting at the table on the back deck. Unfortunately we kept Octavio from doing his homework on the computer but we had a nice conversation.

Steps? 11275

Night night.