Pigs Have Wings...

...or at least Swine Flu apparently does. All on board are keenly interested in how this will play out the next several days. Rumors are rife that we will not be docking in one or more of the Mexican ports on the Pacific. Alonzo, my favourite steward in the Crow’s Nest is hoping for a couple of days in San Diego and/or a couple of days in Los Angeles. I’m sure HAL’s legal department is considering all options.

Yesterday, there was some question whether or not we would be allowed to go ashore in Cartegena, Columbia since we were arriving from a Mexican port. In the end, the Captain and the ship’s Medical Officer convinced the authorities that all passengers were hale and hearty – or at least free of influenza. In the end the Columbians relented and we were allowed to take our shore excursions.

I took the basic city tour. It was quite fun – but really hot and humid. The temperature at 8 AM was about 80 degrees with a relative humidity around 75%. By noon we were in the low 90’s as was the humidity. You’re constantly dripping and I had to keep clearing my camera lens of moisture.

Cartegena is today a modern metropolis and huge seaport. It’s been a major port since it was founded by the Spanish in 1533. The old colonial city is beautiful and is ringed by a massive stone wall. There are several huge forts dating back to the 16th century. Way cool.

Cartegena was constantly under threat by pirates, privateers, and various European powers and was sacked on numerous occasions. The imperial skirmishes of the 18th century included the War of Jenkin’s Ear when British regulars along with American colonists from Virginia (George Washington’s brother, Lawrence, participated) failed to take the city due, principally, to the devastation wrought by various tropical diseases on the invading troops.

Last night I attended the sommeliers’ dinner in the Pinnacle Grill. A very good meal served with a half dozen excellent wines. As a singleton, I was seated with four other singles – although I was unique insofar as my single status is the result of civil process as opposed to the attentions of the Grim Reaper. The bachelorette to my left was a sprightly 90 or so gal from Florida. She was still in mourning from the loss of her husband last year – he being a mogul in the drive-in movie business in Ohio in the late 50’s and 60’s. They traveled for 6 months of the year for 60 years or so and had a villa in St. Croix.

My other companions were poor fish by comparison – a widow and widower who also lived in Florida and a boorish gentleman from the interior of B.C. There was much discussion of disease and infirmity and I excused myself as soon as it was polite to do so after the dessert course.

This morning I was up at 6 AM as we approached the Gatun Locks at the eastern end of the Panama Canal. It was really neat going through the locks and into Gatun Lake. The Mimosas were flowing freely along with coffee and fresh baked goods. It was incredibly muggy; but the temperature was bearable as we went through the locks. We are now slowly cruising through Gatun Lake and will enter the Culebra Cut in about three hours. The temperature has now risen considerably and my little verandah is like an oven.

Well, time for a workout and then back to the Observation Deck for our transit of the narrowest part of the canal. We will go through two sets of locks on the western end of the canal before we enter the Pacific and turn the prow north along the Central American coast. Two days at sea and then Mexico – maybe.