Limon-Costa Rica Part 1

Panama Canal – 3rd June

Today we returned through the Panama Canal. No need for any more photographs as it was exactly the same as last time we passed through the Panama Canal. Second time round it was a bit like watching paint dry.

Limon, 4^th June – Veragua Rainforest

Today we arrived in Costa Rica, this time the other side of the country to Puntarenas. The temperatures again were high as was the humidity. We had a long tour booked today visiting the Veragua Rainforest and the Tortuguera Canals . There was a slight delay in departing on our tour as due to problems with the gangway we were prevented from leaving the ship and when we arrived on the quayside our coach had already left without us. However, they quickly arranged a minibus to chase out of the port and catch up the coach which had been instructed to stop.

We had a pleasant hours drive inland through the Costa Rican countryside, over unmade roads before we arrived at the Veragua Rainforest, which was a part tourist and part research establishment. Here we walked through various enclosures with lizards, frogs, spiders, snakes and butterflies, which are native to Costa Rica.

Afterwards we ventured along a broadwalk into the Rainforest, where we boarded an aerial tramway, which took you deep down into the rainforest. We then had an hours walk through the rainforest to a hidden waterfall via 350 steps. En route we saw some of the wildlife that we had seen in enclosures in the Centre.

After our walk through the forest we returned to the Centre for a well earned lunch before boarding our coach to the Tortuguera Canals.

Wildlife Photo's Part 2

Wildlife Photo's Part 1

Activities at Sea Part 3

Dressing for Dinner

On board the Arcadia they have strict dressing codes for dining in the evening, as you can see below.

Formal Nights

Semi Formal Nights

Smart Casual Nights

Needless to say Doreen enjoys selecting her outfits for the various evenings and I am pleased to say that she hasn’t had to resort to the shops to top up her extensive wardrobe.

Activities at Sea Part 2

Art and Camera Club.

As you can see from our early blogs, we have joined the Art Class and even submitted two of our paintings into a mid cruise competition. Needless to say we did not win. However, now we have left Alaska we are able to paint daily, whilst we are at sea. Although, we say so ourselves, we think we are steadily improving from very bad to less bad.

Geoffrey is also continuing with his Camera Club and has submitted six pictures towards the mid cruise competition and had two photographs displayed for special mention in the final. However he was disappointed not to win.

Activities at Sea Part 1

Sea Days – Los Angeles to Limon

After our hectic time in Alaska and Canada we have seven more leisurely sea days. We don’t think you would be interested in our views – mainly sea, so we have decided to do three separate blogs. One showing our attempts at art, one showing Doreen’s attempts at Crafts and one showing us dressing up for dinner. We have also been able to catch-up on some domestic chores like washing !!!

Doreen’s Crafts

This is mainly knitting using unusual yarns. Here I also learned how to French Knit – see the necklaces I made.

Also I made some Snuggles, which were useful during the cold weather in Alaska.

Unfortunately the Arts and Craft lady, Angela and her husband Nick, disembarked the ship in Los Angeles. We now have a new lady on board doing mainly cross stitch – which does not interest me at all, so I will continue with my knitting.