The weather station predicted rain here, but the morning dawned bright and sunny, with just a few wisps of clouds above. I know that because B and I were up at 5:30 to watch the ship enter the Canal. It was different than I remember from 2012 - the river was not lined with ships awaiting their turn; instead it was a clear sail way. My guess was confirmed by the commentator later when he noted that the new lock (though only one lane, so ships have to alternate directions) has doubled the transit capacity. We never saw an accumulation of ships until we came into the harbor at Colon, which was when we learned that it is significantly cheaper to transit the Canal at night....no one explained why.
The size of each lock is evident when a cargo ship, tugboat and catamaran enter ahead of Zuiderdam in the same lock. I wonder if each pays the same fee, not the tug, of course. 
Unlike 2012 when Mom and I stayed on our balcony and watched the process from there, Barbara and I went out on deck to catch the lock doors opening and experience the transit. I was amazed by the road in front of the initial lock at Gatun Lake. The engineering behind this place still flabbergasts me. Stephens was a genius!!!! 
It’s like the Grand Canyon - you have to experience it to appreciate the end result. One day, I’d like to transit the entire Canal just to see Culebra Cut and the Miraflores locks… that’s for a future cruise. 
Like last time, the silence of this place is so relaxing and surprising as these massive ships slide through with no sound. Well, almost no sound. The mechanical donkey engines rumbled, and the line of 15 men walking abreast with raspy buzzing weed whackers “cutting” the grass disturb my bliss, momentarily.
Unlike my previous Canal experience, this ship dropped anchor and let off tenders to transport several hundred passengers to a variety of Panama excursions. Neither B nor I wanted to go as each one entailed hours on a bus. We were delighted to stay on board, listen to the commentary and take pictures of some of the ships, especially as we were anchored just north of the Gatun Lake end of the northern new lock, so got to watch those enormous container ships transit. Barbara watched this GIANT crane go through the original locks on a barge...the Zuiderdam was dwarfed by it! 
But the coolest sight was this small yellow tugboat transiting the canal, the Elsbeth II from (drumroll, please!) Palatka, FL. Barbara and I speculated for minutes of where she could be bound and why she was so far from the St. Johns River!
We upped anchor and headed for Colon to pick up our excursion passengers. B and I had a chance to go ashore in Colon. We wandered around the small terminal shop for a few minutes then returned aboard. I learned a REAL Panama hat is made in Honduras!
Despite no tour, the day went by quickly. B rested her ankle which has been bothering her and we walked decks and gaped.
I had the Asian menu (Korean) for lunch. I just pointed and nodded at the chef, Sato. The only thing I recognized was Ramen Noodles! All was excellent especially some pork dish. I really do need to bring my camera with me when I come to eat so I can record the menu!!!
I did give Denise, Lido maître de, a bit of a scare when I found a whole peanut in my dish and asked why not nut warning was posted on the menu? She called someone, went into the kitchen and returned worried I’d eaten some and needed to go to Medical. I assured I had not and was just concerned about others. She did come by to check on me a couple of times as we ate. This is what I miss.
We have thoroughly enjoyed the remarkable Bushnell Legend L Series binoculars which were part of our cabin accoutrements. They have come in very handy and B thinks she might find some for herself. I have put my old Bushnell ones on my pre-trip packing list.
Canal Facts I learned:
· The most expensive passenger vessel to transit is NCL Bliss which is charged $900,000 per canal transit.
· The transit fee is determined based on Revenue Creating Space of a ship, so no crew quarters or kitchens or engine rooms are charged but the entire stargaze part of a car carrier or all the cabins, bars and shops. I wonder if the restaurants that are included in my cruise cost would be considered chargeable? a question for another time.
· The first four passenger ships to transit the Canal in 1914 were all White Star liners!!!!!!
B wanted to watch something light and non-thought requiring, so I introduced her to Dwayne Johnson in Jumanji...I love Barbara, but how could she be completely ignorant of Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black and Kevin Hart???? I really need to up her media education!!!! Regardless, she enjoyed the film and chuckled throughout it.
I’m not certain how I have such a great friend who thinks 9:00 PM is bed time!!!! I feel bad reading with a light on but she assures me it’s not a problem. I find the evening activity very limited on this ship as I neither drink nor gamble nor play games.
One personal irk - the woman next door, Diana from Washington, smokes and I HATE that my balcony is redolent with her cigarette stench! B assures me she will probably be fined as the odor is obvious when she opens her cabin door, but DAMN!!! B also feels some sympathy for someone who is so addicted to a substance! (She is a MUCH nicer person than I am.)
While we waited in Colon Harbor for the excursions to return, Barbara and I used those fabulous binoculars to spy on the buildings across the harbor and conjecture if the really, really fit looking gentleman in the penthouse left his floor-to-ceiling drapes open on purpose while he ran through his exercise routine. We had no doubt the karate class in the other building didn’t care a lick if anyone was watching, they were so focused on each other. I never knew I was a closet busy-body.
I can check Panama off my list of visited countries as this time I actually put feet on Panama soil.
Random thought for this day: I wish some airline would resurrect the China Clipper!!!
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