7 hour layover in Panama.

Copa Airlines fly from Montreal, Canada to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with a layover in Panama City, Panama---the airlines' headquarters.

I started to check if it is possible to squeeze in a quick tour of the Panama Canal.

Google gave a lot of choices on private tours and transfers to take from Tocumen International Airport to the Panama Canal. Another choice is to hire a taxi outside the airport. Whether one opt for private transfer or taxi, make sure to haggle!

It took a good hour and 15 minutes from when the plane landed and when we exited the airport. An hour to travel from the airport to the canal, with no traffic. We spent two hours around the visitor's area and witnessed two big ships pass by the canal. We headed back to the airport and again took an hour without traffic. All those added to 5 hours and 15 minutes. Plus the time at the airport before we fly to Brazil.

 Panama City

http://visitcanaldepanama.com/en/

 





 

The passing process was explained in a speaker. This ship, Meridian Ace delivered 500 Toyota cars in Europe and headed towards the Pacific Ocean then Japan. 

 



Locks closing.

On its way to the Pacific Ocean.

 This container ship arriving from the Atlantic Ocean.

The locks about to open.

 

The canal (1914) shortcut greatly reduced the time for the ships to travel between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. One of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken.

It was cool to witness to ships complete the passing. What a way to spend a layover!

 

 



 







 

My heart says...

I cast all my anxieties on YOU, because YOU care for me.




What I liked the most on our first cruise...

Cruises did not appeal to me at first because I was mainly worried that I would be seasick the whole time on the ship. I also did not like the idea that I would feel stuck in a floating city with two thousand plus people I don't know. I wondered if I'd be bored for seven long days at sea!

I am surrounded by people at work who seem to like cruising---some take 1-2 cruises per year! My co-workers tell their stories about food on the cruise and the places they visited. They also shared their pictures through email and social media. They also gave tips on how to cope with sea sickness.

One day I just found myself googling: first-time cruisers. After research, research and research---I found a thrilling itinerary by Costa Deliziosa! Venice and Barri, Italy. Corfu, Athens and Santorini, Greece. Then Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Aside from our passports and our carry-ons, I made sure I packed ginger lozenges and off we went cruising...



Cruise starts. View of Venice from our balcony cabin.

 



Here's what I liked the most:

1. Waking up in the middle of the blue sea.



 Blue sea.

 

For our first cruise, I chose a cabin with a balcony. I liked the idea that I can have a breath of fresh air as soon as I wake up, and step outside the cabin and hear the waves of the blue sea.

2. Being in different ports or places each day.

On our first cruise, we docked in five ports:  Venice, Bari, Corfu, Piraeus/Athens and Dubrovnik. We tendered in Santorini. Tendering is when the water is too shallow for ships to get closer to shore. The ships drop anchor and use small boats, called tenders, to bring passengers to terra firma!



Costa Deliziosa tendered in Santorini's lagoon.



Lovers in Santorini.

Stairways to the sea. Corfu, Greece.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

 



3. Not having to ask myself and my husband what's for supper!

I felt really spoiled each supper time on the cruise. There was someone who prepared and cooked food for us. And also brought food to our table! Of course, it was extra special when Filipino waiters took care of us and made sure Alain and I enjoyed our food and the dining experience.

I also enjoyed the gala nights! A chance for us to dress up a little bit which is a very rare occasion. Costa Deliziosa cruise held two gala nights.

Cheers!



Love.

4. Going to a nightly entertainment show.

Dance...dance..dance!

Circus.

We both looked forward to this each night after supper. There were very good nightly entertainment on this Costa Deliziosa cruise.

5. Not having to ''carry-on'' to different places.

We travel light, even for this cruise. It was just so convenient to travel and with your clothes hanged and neatly folded in the cabin's closet.





Overall, it was very good first cruise experience for us. It was quite a discovery that cruises can be a cheap way of traveling if you do your research.

Lurhen and Alain: cruise virgins no more!

 "The Sphere" Costa Deliziosa

 



Happy Canada Day!

Today, also marks the 16th year of  my arrival here in beautiful Canada.

Alberta, Canada's iconic Lake Louise.



Serene.





 Lake Morraine

Alberta, Canada

 Ottawa Locks, Ontario

The Parliament

Ottawa, Ontario

 CN Tower

1,815.4 ft. high

Toronto, Ontario

 Toronto skyline

 Taken at CN Tower

 

Niagara Falls

Ontario

 Mont-Tremblant, Quebec

 

Montreal, Quebec

                                             Outside our home in winter.                                        

 

I am grateful for the blessing to be living here and I hope to take more photos and create more memories all around Canada.

 

 

 





 











Lavender love.

There is one addition to my carry on essentials---pure lavender oil.

I brought this with me in my recent trips and it actually helps me relax and sleep on the plane.

Lavender oil is also a bug repellent! I use a few drops and rub it on my neck, arms and legs before I go outside for a little gardening.

Egypt in 30 images.

Egypt...oh memorable Egypt!

I grew up reading and watching interesting stories from the Old Testament. So when I was still a little girl, I wished to climb the Pyramids and also see if I could do what Moses did---split the Red Sea in two! Haha!

We flew to Cairo from Montréal the day after Christmas of 2010. I convinced myself that we only needed one full day to visit Cairo's main attraction, the Great Pyramid of Giza. I decided to spend most of our time to rest and relax near the beach in Sharm el-Shiek, a city along the coast of the Red Sea.

The pyramid blocks.





 

 

 

 

Egypt was memorable because of a few incoveniences during this trip.

I felt very uncomfortable when vendors, mostly men, pushed us to buy their souvenirs. I politely say "No, shukran". They give me this look as if saying "I am not dealing with you but with that man"---Alain, my husband.

After a short photo session with a donkey, the owner did not want to give us our camera unless we pay him $20! My husband had a few bills in his hands, and this Egyptian grabbed the money from my husband! Alain had to put his foot down.

We were in a hurry to leave Cairo.

 

 One of the beaches along the Red Sea.

I love these boots, made it Egypt!

 New Year's Gala

 Amazing dancer, he was spinning for almost an hour, non-stop!

 Saudi Arabia just across the Red Sea!

 Egyptian desert. On our way to St. Catherine's Monastery.

 St. Catherine's Monastery

 

Believed to be the location of the burning bush.

 Mount Sinai in the background. A possible location of the biblical Mount Sinai where Moses received the Ten Commandments.

With the American-Egyptian family in this tour of the Sinai Peninsula.

 

On our way back from a 26-hour tour of Petra, Jordan---our tour bus started to emit smoke from the inside. A mother of young children yelled and asked the driver to stop the bus. All of us passengers came out of the bus and now stranded in the middle of the pitch-dark Egyptian desert! The driver and his assistant spoke very little English. I have to admit that that moment was one of the scariest I have experienced during my travel. Luckily, there were other tour buses that passed by and one bus brought us back to Sharm el Shiekh.

 

We were thankful for our experiences in Egypt despite of the inconveniences, those will serve as a lesson.

 

And what a sight! What a marvel to be standing in front of the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World!