Continuing my trip report of my 25-day back-to-back cruise in January 2025 aboard the NCL Jade in the Caribbean, including passage through the Panama Canal:
Day 11 – at sea
A sharing table for breakfast, as there was more demand for seated breakfast on a day at sea. Originally scheduled for Santa Marta, Columbia, the itinerary change left me disappointed. (Two cathedrals in Santa Marta.) So with two Canadian couples and a woman from Green Bay, I had my usual of fruit platter and oatmeal, although I noted it was difficult getting a cup of decaf. There was a presentation in the theater for B2B (back-to-back, or continuing) passengers which left me confused. The staff presenter had PowerPoint slides prepared, but didn’t follow the script, continuously taking questions from the audience of about 200. I left none the wiser.
Once I’d climbed to the Library, I went to Spinnaker where officers took questions for about 45 minutes. Information regarding our canal passage seemed most needed, however, the captain hadn’t received it yet. Seated with (passenger) Jay in the Pacific, I had a full lunch: chicken noodle soup, wedge salad, risotto primavera with pesto (and extra pesto and cheese), followed by five spice mango tapioca pudding.
My notes skip to dinner, which was pea soup, lamb kofta, baked ziti and sherbet. Tempranillo and sangiovese to accompany. Tablemates were Jay, Bill, Patrick and a German whose name I didn’t capture.
Up and down to Tankards (passage on Deck 6 is blocked by the kitchens) I skipped the magician show as feedback from earlier viewers wasn’t favorable. Three doubles with (bartender) Jay never letting me pause, I noted I thought I might be getting “cruise crud”, a respiratory cough due to nasal drip. Best avoided by getting out on deck daily!
Day 12 – Cartegena (Barranquilla), Columbia
With a scheduled arrival at 8 and a pickup planned for 8:30, I was at breakfast for shashuka, English muffin, juice, crispy bacon and coffee at 7:45. However, the ship had an issue with the first pier we were assigned to, causing us to be delayed 90 minutes. I WhatsApp’d my driver and contact, and all was still go! Leaving the ship as one of the first off, I wended my way through the displays and shops to the outer gate, met Yuliza who called my driver to come and pick me up.
Our destination was the coastal city of Barranquilla, 130km to the northeast where the Magdelena River joins the Caribbean. Initially, before the NCL itinerary change, I’d planned the visit from Santa Marta, taking the causeway. Yuliza and Orlando suggested that I swap my booking for my return to Cartagena, but I felt we would be able to accomplish visits to the two buildings in Barranquilla. Orlando and I left the port about 10 and we were in parked parallel to the Catedral Metropolitana de María Reina by 12:30.
Unfortunately, it was closed on that Wednesday midday. A huge, imposing modern structure, the bowed front façade faces east across the street to the Plaza de la Paz John Paul II. Between Carrera 45 and 46, streets which really didn’t allow for any good sightlines, I hoofed it back and forth looking for the street-level view that might represent my visit. (Even the photos shared on Google Maps don’t really show the building’s size and layout.) I was quite surprised that nowhere did I see a cross or the name of the cathedral on or near the façade. And the 2-meter tall iron fencing prevented any access at all.
Frustrated, we were back in the car and I got a few shots of the sides of the cathedral – tall, multi-story slabs filled with panels of concrete and stained glass. I wondered at how splendid it would appear from the inside, planning to revisit. Our route then took us through the people’s street market. Pressing closely into the one-lane of traffic, just about every portable commodity seemed to be for sale. Coming down Carrera 41, we soon reached the Plaza San Nicolas, with the east-facing (former Pro-Catedral) Parroquia de San Nicolás de Tolentino. It had been the bishop’s temporary seat until the cathedral had been completed in 1997.
Also closed, the eraser-pink and white exterior was a striking juxtaposition to the new cathedral. Almost Baroque, it looked like a confection with its gold trim around and above the tall arched windows. Small trees had been planted in the plaza, but the majority of folks in the area were sitting on shaded benches under the established trees along the southern side of the plaza.
Having accomplished my objectives, we began making our return, again passing through the marketing district, particularly the produce stalls. Following Via 40, we soon were seaside, in an extensive park area – an urban development project of mixed use. Monuments to famous Columbians, including a shark fin honoring “El Junior” soccer team, Shakira, several colorful and complex freestanding towers, beaches, and children’s and exercise parks.
Back on the highway, we sped smoothly back to Cartagena and the port. Once within the urban boundary, the traffic came to a near standstill, so Orlando turned off into the barrio, wending his way down neighborhood streets and a few alleys. Two hours after leaving the Gran Malecón, I was dropped at the port entrance about 20 minutes before the adjusted “all aboard” time. Not wanting to be a “pier runner” (not that I can run any more), I moved smartly through the lingering crowd, past the exotic birds (parrots, flamingos, peacocks) and boarded the ship.
Heading to my cabin, I relaxed with “a bit of France”, without wine. After a shower, I climbed to the solo meeting, where Emily, a Swede, had the group playing Celebrity Heads. I had a Specialty Dinner reservation at La Cucina solo, so I headed across the top of the ship to the venue. Pasta carbonara, a gorgonzola salad, Osso Bucco with my pairing of sangiovese and tempranillo. For dessert, three cannoli.
Post dinner, I stopped for a club soda with bitters and entered the theater. The show was Flamingo Express, with a pair of dancers in Andalusian costume. I felt there was too much hand and arm movement, rather than footwork. The music was uncomfortably loud. I returned to Tankard intent on a single drink, but Jay had another in front of me as I neared the bottom of my glass. Halfway through the second, I took my glass back to the cabin.
Day 13 – Colon, Panama
Back in 2018 when I’d visited this second city of Panama, I had been severely unimpressed. To get out of the city, I booked a ship excursion, Zipline Rainforest Adventure, which had a meet time of 9am. So when I rose at 7:30 to a voice message relating that the excursion had been cancelled, I leisurely showered, and went for breakfast at the Pacific. I joined a group of older Philadelphians for the fruit plate and oatmeal.
Leaving the ship at 9:45, Google Maps directed me to the local cathedral. I had seen it on my first visit, getting a twilight shot of the nave filled for Sunday evening Mass, so this would be an opportunity to return for daylight pictures and possibly get inside. As I stepped my way through the rectilinear blocks, I came upon the local mosque, white, with a pair of tall thin minarets, all sitting behind a closed iron fence.
Colon, at least the part that I saw, was an interesting study in contrasts. There were high-rises of poured, reinforced concrete, seemingly unfinished, but occupied with laundry handing out the balconies. And there were new, spiffy apartment complexes, painted and pristine several feet away. The roads were pitted, but the greenways down the center of the boulevards were well kept. It was indeed perplexing.
Coming south along the Avenida Amador Guerrero, the Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción was backlit by the morning sun. Both of the flanking towers were wrapped in khaki-colored netting, as cleaning was planned. Entering the main door off Calle 5ta, the tall white vault of the nave pleased me. The bright sunlight allowed the stained-glass windows in the clerestory to shine above the side aisle columns. As I walked the west aisle, I viewed shrines through each pointed arch. The dark pews sat on a marble floor laid out with a diamond pattern, contrasting with the white of the walls. For me, it’s become a personal challenge to identify each of the statues, as most represent saints, many of whom have particular symbols associated with them. Here, more modern saints and I had to check more times than not.
At the front, the altar was set up a step, in front of a curved apse where the traditional high altar was up three more steps with the bishop’s cathedral placed in front of the old tabernacle. A statue of the crowned Immaculate Conception rises above, with ornately decorated segments filling the apse walls. Looking back to the entrance, a small loft houses two arched windows and a colorful abstract rose window. Through a small single door to the west of the altar is the Presence chapel, two kneelers placed in front of a silver tabernacle, a pair of worshiping angel statues on either side.
Curious, I began to study the clerestory windows. There were twelve, so I assumed they represented the apostles, but two were more modern saints. The one depicting Santiago Major (James the Greater) depicting him mounted on a horse, wielding a sword – I wondered after the legend of his presence in Spain in the battles against the Moors. I climbed to the loft, getting a better view of the windows for the apostles celebrated on my birthday, Sts Simon and Jude Thaddeus. Both were depicted with books, while I expected Jude to be holding the large medallion at his chest. Back to the main floor, I found the Stations, each affixed to a stake, stacked in a corner. I left feeling much better about my new pictures of this cathedral than those from 2018.
Taking a slightly different route back to the port, the third-world character of the city was reinforced. While I saw a couple of bodegas, none prompted me to enter and browse. The guards at the port gate waved me through, and I left the taxi drivers behind, as they hustled for passengers. By 11:15 I was back aboard, dropping my camera in the cabin and climbing to the library for the puzzle. Out onto the shaded deck, I read email until I went into the buffet for a salad at 1:30. After lunch I spent my time reading.
From the solo gathering, I joined Andy (from Cleveland) and Beverly for dinner in the main dining room. Carrot and ginger bisque, corn fritters, General Tso chicken and carrot cake. By 9:20 I was back in my cabin, fatigued and coughing. Crashing once I’d backed up my photos, I welcomed the extra hour we’d gain that night.
Day 14 – Puerto Limon, Costa Rica
Feeling better, I had oatmeal and then headed to the pier to join my ship excursion: Rainforest Ziplining. Only to discover that it was the excursion that had been cancelled the day before, so I wound up missing two opportunities to do more ziplining. Somewhat bummed out, I “made lemonade” and headed to the local cathedral. On the same trip in 2018, I’d been able to visit and liked my photo, but here was an opportunity to reacquaint myself.
The Catedral Sagrado Corazón de Jesús is a relatively modern structure, with a tall belltower rising to the north of the building’s peak. The main entrance, a pair of doors under an overhang, which has a large stained-glass window below the statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Bracketing those doors are bronze bas-reliefs of depictions of Mary and Jesus’s with welcoming hearts.
As I remembered, the south wall has very large, brilliant stained-glass windows, 4 sets of 2-panels depicting biblical scenes. Ahead, down a wide center aisle, the white marble altar table sits up a handful of steps, with the cathedra below three figures – a sunken outline (death), an emerging Christ (resurrection), and Christ the Light. The darker wood of the vault contrasts with the warmer wood of the pews; the side walls, where not windows, is unfinished concrete. To the right of the altar is the Presence chapel, with the tabernacle set in a coral rock. Similarly, the cathedra is carved from a piece of coral.
Exiting, I made my way around the building, looking for the office. I wanted to understand the symbolism of figures above the altar. Working through our language challenges, I was given an English-language flyer with the explanation above. The priest and clerk seemed pleased to meet me, a curious pilgrim.
Walking back towards the ship, I stopped at an ATM and withdrew some local currency. As I passed stores, I poked in, snagging t-shirts and skivvies (like I need more of either). At the market outside duty free I collected a bag of coffee, using the last of my local currency. I boarded the ship to change out of mosquito-unfriendly long pants and rash guard shirt, had a shower and headed to fetch the puzzle. Unfortunately, a repeat, so I left the library without, and headed to the buffet where I had samples from the Asian food counter.
After relaxing in the shade, reading email, at 3:30 I headed to my cabin and finished my “little bits of France”. I changed for dinner, headed to Spinnaker. There I invited a woman from Edmonton to join me for my specialty dine at Cagney’s Steak House. Three large shrimp, onion soup, prime rib with risotto and creamed spinach. My “free” bottle of wine was the Altos Ibéricos Crianza 2019 from Rioja. For dessert, the “OMG cheesecake” which I felt was a failure, but the accompanying stracciatella was superb.
We went down to Tankard for a snort, then into the theater for the Express show. Full house, the show is a trip finale and features most of the performers. We split, I had a last whiskey and headed to bed.
Day 15 – Panama Canal Crossing
A shashuka breakfast (with bacon and muffin) seated at a sharing table with Steve, Steve and Eric. Retrieved my camera and just before 10 I found space along the rear rail as the ship slipped into the Gatun locks. From that location I was able to observe how the cables over to the “mules” kept the ship centered, with about a meter on each side. Back to the mouth of the canal, the Puenta Atlántico crossed between North and South America. Slowly the gates closed, and the lock began to fill, raising the ship up 21 feet. This process repeated twice more until we reached the level of the Gatun Lake, where we gradually cross the Isthmus of Panama. The next ship, queued up in the Caribbean, then moved to the canal, slipped into the lock we vacated.
Once we’d reached lake-level, off in the distance was the Emerald Princess, the ship I’d crossed the Atlantic on in October. At 11 I headed up to collect the puzzle (duplicate) and then sat in Spinnaker with Frank until the Q&A with the local authorities concluded. One of the questions regarded the black lighthouse. Apparently, when white, it reflected the radio signals carrying critical maneuvering data, and had to be darkened. Lunch was served in the dining room, so I had three appetizers (bistro salad, bay scallop gratin, and a loaded baked potato) followed by the stracciatella which I’d had the night before at Cucina.
By 1 we had moved past the lake and were approaching the Chagras River, which would allow us to continue our passage. As we approached the Autopista Panamá - La Chorrera, the Transamerican Highway about 3, it was another photo opportunity for me. Tugs continued to jockey, ready to nudge the ship should the pilot need some assistance. Into the Miraflores Lake and its pair of locks, we passed the Visitor Center where a crowd sweltered in the shaded dual-level amphitheater to watch us descend to ocean level. The cables were hauled aboard to the rear of Deck 7, which prohibited me from returning to my earlier observation point.
So I watched from the starboard side, getting a bird’s eye view of the mules. Initially, one was right at deck level, and we observed the operator. By 6pm we were approaching the older Pan American Highway bridge, also known as the Bridge of the Americas. The ship would continue out into the Pacific Ocean for the evening to await a pier at the port in the morning.
Down for dinner with five solos, I started with mac & cheese, the corn bisque and the cucumber salad. My main was ribs and shrimp, and my waiter was able to get me my favorite gelato. Although I was an “in transit” passenger, I would be moving cabins, and thus had to get my gear packed and the suitcase ready for transfer. After a snort, I went to my room and filled the large roller, holding out for one or two items. Back to Tankards, I helped close the bar, and finished my packing at midnight.
You can purchase your own copy of
(or have me send it as a gift)
Cathedrals to the Glory of God
by clicking this link:
Volume II has been released
You can order your personal copy
(Print on Demand)
Cathedrals to the Glory of God
Volume II
by clicking this link:
コメント