Costa Rica - last port before Miami + Panama Canal

Update: I tried to publish this yesterday, but the internet was so slow, it wouldn't publish, so I'll try again. It is convocation evening with seniors graduating in the Union in life vests and bamboo hats from Viet Nam. Crazy times!

I had a wonderful experience in Costa Rica -- have you heard that enough from me? Twelve of us went to the Manuel Antonio Beach and National Park (3 hours from where the ship docked). The park was a combination of rain forest and beaches -- I love having trees near the beach! We went swimming in the afternoon and the water was warm . . just my style. We had a great guide who showed us sloths, iguanas, monkeys, a myriad of birds that the bird watchers really enjoyed and colorful red crabs. We stayed at a small hotel which reminded me of Roatan; it had the outdoor restaurants & bars and a great swimming pool. In addition, 4 of us went on a boat tour of the mangroves on the second day of the trip -- really interesting. There are 4 kinds and mangroves and we got to see them all + many kinds of flora in the area.

We passed through the Panama Canal yesterday -- an all-day process. It was a beautiful day so most of the passengers spent the day out on the deck, but I had to work part of the day, so I saw the beginning of the canal, the first lock and the end of the canal -- as much as we could see after dark.
Great feat of engineering.

We're on count-down to Miami and everyone is packing -- what a chore. My roommate is currently sleeping in another room because she had problems with the location of our room -- again, the squeaky wheel gets "the oil" so she was able to sleep in a room on the 5th deck. Now, as she packs she can leave her suitcases on her bed so that gives me a little more room to get my things packed.

One more day of work on the ship -- YEAH! I've been able to work mid-day and publish the Dean's Memo. I can sleep in for a while in the mornings and have a little more time late afternoons, but now that means packing. Anyway, plans are made: I'll arrive in Orange County on Saturday and see my children and grandchildren on Sunday for Mother's Day. Monday I will start the search for a place to live, and I'll go back to work on the 19th.

So I'll be seeing some of you soon.