Saturday, January 7, 2012

Day 4




Hola! Our fourth day consisted of a guided tour of the world-renowned Panama Canal! It was everything that we expected and more. We were served a delicious breakfast and lunch and were able to enjoy the sun. In addition to Panama’s beautiful scenery, the canal’s engineering and structure was truly incredible. The canal was completed in 1914 and cuts across the Isthmus of Panama, creating a faster and shorter route for ships. We experienced the complex process of how ships pass through the two oceans, The Atlantic and The Pacific. This process includes a series of locks, which solve the problem of the difference of sea level between the two oceans. The gates, which separate the chambers, hold an unbelievable amount of water weight. We also had the opportunity to watch a larger ship pass through the canal in front of us, which was guided by mules, electric locomotives. These mules run along the walls of the canal and prevent the ship from altering from its course. After enduring this procedure, it was obvious why the Panama Canal is one of the seven wonders of the modern world. After the tour, we were able to go to The Miraflores Visitor Center, with a gift shop and museum, and where we had an interesting exterior view of the canal. Overall, it was an incredible experience and we are glad we were able to see the original canal before the completion of its expansion, which we also hope to return to see. Now, we are all excited for our dinner with a cultural dance show! Adios.

Meghan Connolly and Michaela Cheevers Class of 2014

No comments:

Post a Comment