Category: Central America

Living Like Royalty on a Princess Cruise – A Complete Ruby Princess Review With Photos

In this Ruby Princess review I share detailed information with lots of photos from my recent cruise including a review of my cabin, public spaces and food options.

Some days, I wish I had a maid. And a cook. And since I am dreaming, let’s add a chauffeur and a gardener to the list. I’ve probably watched Downton Abbey one too many times and read too many books set in Britain’s golden age, where the hired help does all the work and the Lord and Lady of the manor get to have fun.

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Reflections From 2022

My annual review in words and photos from an incredible year of travel.

Wow! I have been so very fortunate to have had the most incredibly memorable year for travel! And what a difference 12 months can make!

It’s taken me a while to write this up as it was a very, very busy year, but I am continuing my annual end of the year post tradition by reflecting on where I’ve been in 2022 – and sharing some of my reflection photos in the process.

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A Costa Rica Cooking Class – Forging Local Connections On An Atypical Cruise Excursion

A traditional Costa Rica cooking class showed me that I could still make local connections in a meaningful way on a cruise ship excursion.

I love cruising, but I am very picky about my cruise excursions. Typical ship excursion involve big busses and large tour groups that take passengers to the most popular sights. This may let you check off one more item on the “bucket list” but does nothing to provide a true connective experience to the local culture or the environment.

However, on my recent Princess Cruise through the Panama Canal, a ship excursion in Costa Rica billed as one of their “Local Connections” program had me intrigued. The tour promised to take us to the Macaw ecolodge high in the rainforest where we would take part in a cooking experience using locally grown ingredients. This sounded quite appealing and would not be something I could easily do on my own, so I signed up and hoped for unique glimpse into Costa Rican culture.

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A Full Transit Panama Canal Cruise – Passing Through an Engineering Marvel

A full transit Panama Canal cruise was on my travel wish list for a long time. I finally had the chance to experience it and was not disappointed.

There are some places on this planet that are easiest to experience from the deck of a ship – the Panama Canal is one of those sights. This “Engineering Marvel” was built to aid in the faster transport of goods between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, thus bypassing the long and hazardous journey around South America and Cape Horn.

But transiting through the Panama Canal has also become a very popular cruise ship destination. I recently took a  16 day full transit Panama Canal cruise from Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco on the Ruby Princess and going through the canal was the highlight of my cruise.

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One Day in Cartagena, Columbia – A Colorful, Independent Cruise Excursion

I had only one day in Cartagena, Columbia on my Panama Canal cruise and I made the most of it by exploring the city’s UNESCO listed sights on my own.

2022 NATJA awardThis story was recognized by the North American Travel Journalists Association with a Silver award in the Photography – Cover or Feature Photo/Illustration category in the 2022 annual media travel awards competition .

The first stop on my Ruby Princess full transit Panama Canal cruise was Cartagena, Columbia. This was my first visit to Columbia, and I would only have six hours in port so I was going to make the most of it. My focus for my one day in Cartagena was on the UNESCO listed Old Town and the nearby Fort Castillo de San Filipe de Barajas.

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PhotoPOSTcard: Trying to Make a Living

A crippled beggar hopes for a few coins at the entrance to a church in Cartagena, Columbia. Across the street, a street vendor eats his lunch as he waits for passers-by to purchase a painting. It’s just another day for the locals in Cartagena, trying to make a living.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose

PhotoPOSTcard: Pollys Want a Cracker

At the port of Cartagena, you have to pass through an Eco Park on the way back to boarding the cruise ship. After walking all morning with the hot sun beating down on me, it was a lovely, shaded, stroll that was not very long. The park has lots of peacocks, macaws and flamingos, along with shops and eateries.  Even if you do not plan on going into the city, getting off the ship and exploring this area is a pleasant distraction.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose

PhotoPOSTcard: Waiting to Make a Dollar in Cartagena

2022 NATJA awardThis story was recognized by the North American Travel Journalists Association with a Silver award in the Portrait Photography category in the 2022 annual media travel awards competition .

The palenqueras of Cartagena  – black women in bright costumes with baskets of fruit on their head – have become a colorful national symbol for their country. All around the old town of Cartagena, I saw these women waiting to have their photos taken in exchange for a tip. Once they saw a potential opportunity, they would put the bowls of fruit on their head, flare their skirts and give a huge smile – and then reach out for the expected dollars.

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