Flower arrangements that could be bought.
Our itinerary:
Lost another hour!
Another lecture by Ray Rychnovsky about the engineering marvel - Panama Canal.
The king of Spain studied the possibility of building a canal in 1534. A railroad was built in 1855 across the isthmus. Theodore Roosevelt involved the US in building a canal. They favored the Nicaraguan route. See the Nicaraguan blog.
The French started to build a canal in 1882. It was Ferdinand de Lesseps, who built the sea level Suez Canal, who started the project. He wanted to build a sea level canal here too. 22.500 workers died from malaria and yellow fever before they gave up in 1880.
After the US Congress decided to build the canal in Panama (part of Columbia) and not in Nicaragua, the US entered negotiations with the Colombian government but the Colombian Senate refused to approve the treaty. Within a short time, the Panamanians revolted against the Colombians in 1903). When Colombian troops tried to intervene, the United States Navy prevented their intervention. Within 15 days, the US signed an agreement with the Panamanian government almost identical to the one which Columbia had refused.
The engineers realized that the Pacific Ocean was 19 feet higher than the Atlantic Ocean so a sea level canal would not work. Therefore, locks were built. The three Gatun locks raised the water level from the Atlantic to Gatun Lake by 85 feet. Then ships travel 40 miles on Gatun Lake, that fills up from all the rain that falls, to the Pedro Miguel locks where the water level decreases 30 feet, then to Miraflores locks for 52 more feet to reach the Pacific Ocean.
Ray actually stated that the oceans are at the same level but the Pacific ocean has bigger tide differences. The previous info was found on Internet.
The canal was built between 1904 and 1914. Fifty thousand men worked and 5,609 workers died. The mosquitoes were eradicated which minimized yellow fever and malaria. Dr.William Gorga, a US Army physician, known for his work in Florida, Havana, and Panama. He conquered yellow fever and malaria by controlling the mosquitoes. This was met with considerable scepticism and opposition. The canal is 53 miles long and 45 ships/day travel through it.
The US controlled the Canal Zone until it was returned to Panama on December 31, 1999. The Panamanians are doing a great job running the canal. The canal is now a neutral international waterway. Any vessel is guaranteed safe passage even in time of war but US ships go first by treaty..
In 2007 work began on an expansion of the canal. It will allow ships twice the size of current Panamax ships (maximum size to travel through the canal) - increasing the amount of goods that can pass through the canal. The new locks are to be finished in 2014.
The canal was built between 1904 and 1914. Fifty thousand men worked and 5,609 workers died. The mosquitoes were eradicated which minimized yellow fever and malaria. Dr.William Gorga, a US Army physician, known for his work in Florida, Havana, and Panama. He conquered yellow fever and malaria by controlling the mosquitoes. This was met with considerable scepticism and opposition. The canal is 53 miles long and 45 ships/day travel through it.
The US controlled the Canal Zone until it was returned to Panama on December 31, 1999. The Panamanians are doing a great job running the canal. The canal is now a neutral international waterway. Any vessel is guaranteed safe passage even in time of war but US ships go first by treaty..
In 2007 work began on an expansion of the canal. It will allow ships twice the size of current Panamax ships (maximum size to travel through the canal) - increasing the amount of goods that can pass through the canal. The new locks are to be finished in 2014.
That evening we had our second formal dinner. This is how I looked. Jalil had the same suit on. We were invited to the Captain's Reception in the Vista Lounge with a formally written invitation. This was for passengers who had traveled with Princess before and we had taken a cruise to Alaska three years ago. We found Christine there with lots of other passengers. Princess must be popular.After dinner, there was - guess what - baseball!!! I went to a piano concert.
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