Panama Canal Day
Let me say up front that I hate tourist activities. I hate them. In the United States, I avoid all tourist stuff like the plague. I have been forced to endure the Hollywood Walk of Fame, The World of Coke Musuem, The Gateway Arch, etc. I think the hatred comes from my total fear of looking out of place. Let's be honest, people, you can spot the tourists at 100 feet. That is not my thing. Since opposities attract, Tony LOVES toursity stuff. The man likes nothing more than to visit every tourist trap in every new location.
So it was with my normal level of enthusiasm that I agreed to go to the Panama Canal. My one condition- we go on a Sunday postchurch so we are well dressed. Nothing worse than doing tourist activities looking like a tourist. **shudder** So, Sunday, also known as How-Far-Can-Lisa-Step-Out-Of-Her-Comfort-Zone Day, we all went to the Canal.
We had decided that we would have lunch at the restaurant there because church ended at 12 noon. With all the traffic, we concluded that the time saved by not going to a seperate restaurant would be worth the increased cost of the Canal buffet. So, we get into the facility and are immediately escorted into the theatre because the English-version of the movie is starting. Carson immediately bursts into tears convinced that starvation will take him before the movie ends. After assurances that he has enough fat supply to last an additional 10 minutes, we settle in to watch the film. Since photography wasn't allowed in the movie, I'll summarize the plot. French tried to build canal. It didn't work. American government decided to do it on the back of people from Barbados. Mean Americans wouldn't give canal back to (cue deep voice and thundery music) the Republic of Panama. Eventually, nice Americans agree to give it back. (cue picture of Jimmy Carter) End of movie. (Cue Carson fighting hunger pains.)
So it was with my normal level of enthusiasm that I agreed to go to the Panama Canal. My one condition- we go on a Sunday postchurch so we are well dressed. Nothing worse than doing tourist activities looking like a tourist. **shudder** So, Sunday, also known as How-Far-Can-Lisa-Step-Out-Of-Her-Comfort-Zone Day, we all went to the Canal.
We had decided that we would have lunch at the restaurant there because church ended at 12 noon. With all the traffic, we concluded that the time saved by not going to a seperate restaurant would be worth the increased cost of the Canal buffet. So, we get into the facility and are immediately escorted into the theatre because the English-version of the movie is starting. Carson immediately bursts into tears convinced that starvation will take him before the movie ends. After assurances that he has enough fat supply to last an additional 10 minutes, we settle in to watch the film. Since photography wasn't allowed in the movie, I'll summarize the plot. French tried to build canal. It didn't work. American government decided to do it on the back of people from Barbados. Mean Americans wouldn't give canal back to (cue deep voice and thundery music) the Republic of Panama. Eventually, nice Americans agree to give it back. (cue picture of Jimmy Carter) End of movie. (Cue Carson fighting hunger pains.)
We make it up to the restaurant, and it isn't exactly what anyone is pictuing. White linen table clothes, silver-trayed buffet, servers in suits. Carson is in full terror that he will never eat again. Tony talks to the hostess about the price. $30 a person, BUT Coralynn will be free. Tony looks nervous, and the hostess is waxing eloquent- in Spanish- about the merits of the buffet. The manager comes over, takes one look at our pathetic starving selves, and agrees to let Carson and Camilla eat for free which is mighty generous considering they aren't going to eat anything anyway.
The kids after they discovered the dessert table.
Coralynn having a bigtime at the Champagne Buffet!
After eating, and the food was fabulous, we headed to the musuem and to see the locks. All things being equal, it was pretty cool. And those ships are HUGE!
One of the cargo ships. It is amazing how packed those containers are on the boat!
The lock with the water being held back to move the ships up and down.
The "big" girls in the museum.
The guys out by the Canal.
Coralynn Mae enjoying the musuem.
As some of you more astute observers may notice, Coralynn is in a different outfit. Yes, she has on a souvenier t-shirt from the Canal gift shop. Did my hatred for tourism subside long enough for me to allow the baby a special gift? No. She peed all over her dress so she had to wear something! :)
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