Traveling around the world: April 2015

Final Stage Lima Peru

We arrived in Callao Peru. We had such a nice trip. We moved so little. We walked circa 1200 meters per day. That is 3 times, ida y vuelta, going to the front deck and back to our cabin. We had no bad weather, only steady seas. We saw beautiful fish and birds (pelicans, frigate birds, boobies and other we don't know). Lots of laughs with the Chileans. Later we found out that the captain is not very fond of passengers. He only greeted us on the ultimate day. Henk had probably built up credit when he had helped him with a problem on his PC. The processes in each port were very interesting to watch. We were not bored at all, because then we just went to sleep.

Now, in Peru, we are back on our own. The cook and steward didn't take care of us anymore. After the first evening we had really bad stomach problems which kept us awake all night long. It was the ceviche, which we loved to eat after a while.

Please click on the pictures below to enlarge them.

Guayaquil, Ecuador

Pistachio ice cream with Ballentines, Luis is a great cook. The cook is normally honoured by the captain with a present. In this case the cook couldn't wait share his gift.

sharing pistachio ice cream with Ballentines with the crew

Callao Lima

Tugged away

At the river at Guayaquil, Ecuador

Cathedral of Lima Peru at the plaza major

Shoe polisher

Lima

Panama Channel Buenaventura Guayaquil

Panama Canel Buenaventura Guayaquil

Buenaventura, another port city in Colombia, was serious business. An hour before we reached the harbor we were with four security guards on board with loaded guns. Each had its own "corner". Of course we started talking and the words: seguridad, tiro (ball) and revolver (yes) were learned. Once docked there were still eight men with bulletproof vests aboard and another walked with a dog on the quay. A heavily armed boat was lying alongside. Everyone advised us not to disembark at this harbour. It was just too dangerous! So, we ended the evening again at the Luises for a new drink. For lovers: condensed milk, red wine and fine crushed peaches. In Guayaquil Ecuador we were also well guarded and in Peru the Seguridad came aboard again.

We said goodbye with a case of beer. From 'los Cuatros Luises', there were four aboard, we received a home made 'diploma de honor', very nice! We made nice friends.

Please click at the pictures below to enlarge them or click to play the video below.

Panama Channel

Rain forest along Panama Channel

The Panama docks

Video about the dolphins in the bow wave

Dolphins in the Pacific in front of bow

Cartagena Colombia Panama

In Cartagena, Colombia, we have gone on board and we went step by Luises. It really is a beautiful city with very nice people and a lot of monitoring. And mafia, says the Luises. This was confirmed when we wanted to settle; instead of the agreed $ 23 turned out to be 36. Without batting an eyelid, or sat 't in the extra ice we asked for? The Panama Canal was something special. After a day of anchor located (peacefully) we left at 5 o'clock in the morning towards the locks. In the distance we saw the lights It smelled delightfully fresh and the sounds were unknown to us and very mystical.; the sounds of the rainforest. With small silver locomotives we were revoked the locks, we on both sides but a foot space held. 3 locks on, the more and four hours later three locks down and the Pacific was there. Very nice, not just 'our' forecastle (we found 't been our land), but also from the bridge. The pilot (pilot) we still have 't know one another and to tell us and pointed to a real crocodile. In the moonlight we are on the "wings" of the bridge under the Puente (Bridge) de las Americanas by dangers and we left Panama behind us.

Sunset at Cartagena Columbia

Frigate

A canal for the new millenium

Gatun Locks Panama Canal 1913

Busy traffic at the Panama Canal

Cargo Ship Entertainment

While the crew (Chileans) revamped the deck and repairs performed we hung around, read a lot and some napped on the sleepy sweet swell of the waves. Derrick the image of (glasses and long raincoat and epailletten, so for us now Derrick) has given us, in his role as chief engineer showing the impressive engine room (three floors and very hot). During the trip we were there every day for an hour due to the crossing of time zones. We now live seven hours later than you. In the evening we sometimes watched a video and we were often at our neighbors, the cook and the steward, both Chileans and both Luis, "the Luises. We have improved our Spanish language skills together and our liver deteriorated considerably. Time after time they came up with something new that we had to taste. Cola mono (milk, coffee, cognac, cold drink) to mulled wine & whiskey with pistachio ice cream. And many Chilean wines. We were really spoiled by the Chileans, also we got cookies, chocolates, a rose (for mothers, because Sarah is the only woman on board, was for all mothers), and even 2x parfummetjes (Sarah would have stunk so or is it just 'mimar' (= the spoil of the Chilean men of women, this does not necessarily mean their own woman)). Meanwhile it was getting warmer. The stay in the port will depend on the amount of cargo. Unfortunately, this was not much in Puerto Rico and we left quickly.