Wednesday January 22, 2025 – At Sea between Miami, FL and Cartagena Colombia
Another gorgeous day at sea with calm seas and warm weather. Anne and Diana did Chair Aerobics, Nelson was still a bit under the weather with a cold and Roger attended the Panama Canal Lecture by Graham Howell. It was very interesting with lots of facts and figures not only about the “Old” (Original) canal, but also about the “New” canal. They both follow basically the same trajectory through Gatun Lake, but the new one which is 1.5 times larger than the old one, thus increasing the Panamax ship size to deal with the modern size of ships. Also there is only one loch at each end as opposed to one and two (total three) in the old one. Also, the old one is taken through the canal by 4 trains (mules) working in synch (each at a cost of $500,000 built by Mitsubishi in Japan). The new one uses tug boats in front and behind to move into the locks. Also the gates slide back and forth as opposed to opening and the water is re-used (as opposed to lost in the old canal) through a series of 3 gravitationally fed pools along side that hold the water. 60% of the water is re-cycled. We are not sure whether we will be going through the new or the old one, but we will find out very soon.
The second lecture was by the Art Historian from Rutgers Dr. Seth Gopin who spoke of Art through the ages and specifically about the wealthy young gentlemen of the 19th century who would embark on their “Grand Tour” going from England to Paris, Venice, Florence, Rome and to the boot of Italy and back, sometimes directly and other times through alternate routes. This was a way of the gentlemen being educated in the ways of the world, brining back “souvenirs” of ceramics, art etc. This was considered the early travelers. Thomas Cook in England was a printer by profession in the Leicester, Loughbouro, Nottingham area who started running travel tours, publicizing them through his print journals on exploration. This grew rapidly allowing the middle class to get a flavor of what the rich called “The Grand Tour”. This expanded from England to Europe, where Thomas Cook started setting up offices and eventually to the Americas and beyond. He also created the pre-cursor to Travelers checks to assist his customers. This became the largest travel company until it’s closing only a couple of years ago due to mis-management after trying to set up a Thomas Cook Airline. Another interesting point he made was the fact that Leonardo Da Vinci was actually only called Leonardo as most people of his day. However, when he travelled from his native town he has to add “da Vinci” (literally “From Vinci” – a small town near Florence). The “da Vinci” was NOT his surname. Also The “Mona Lisa” was just another painting in the Louvre in Paris which was at the time being “attacked” by “terrorists” who would go into the Louvre and throw paint at the paintings as a way of protesting. To protect them, a man was hired to put glass on the painting to protect them. He “stole” the Mona Lisa and it became world news that it had disappeared and no-one knew where it was. The glass man was caught when he tried to sell it to the head of the Uffizi Museum in Florence. Upon being returned to the Louvre, Jaqueline Kennedy convinced the Minister of Culture of France to allow it to be shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It was transported by ship in a box in the presidential suite on the ship. President Kennedy gave it a full Secrete Service Detail and two Marines stood guarding it at all times in the Museum. Crowds waited patiently in line to see this painting and thus when it was returned – in 5 suites on another ship with its entourage, it became one of the most famous paintings in the world!
Meanwhile Diana went to a class on how to create felt art, which Roger attended in the afternoon. Lunch at the Pavilion and a lazy afternoon. After dinner, Nelson retired and the three of us went to the 1 1/4 hour show – Pride and Prejudice (Sort of) – which was modified front the award winning West End show for the Queen Anne.
Roger & Anne Travels 