The Intriging Countries of...Belize...Costa Rica...Panama...Canal Zone...

Canyon Suite is the music...


My cruise aboard the new Spirit liner to these beautiful Central America Countries in late December 2001 for New Year's Eve was memorable. Big were each mountain range...
many waterfalls and trails and rivers...Canal Locks included!.
Some photos have arrived here ! ! !










Belize City, Belize


View at Altun Ha Plaza, Belize City, Belize...(250AD). Two plazas and thirteen structures mark the epicenter of this very important ceremonial site of the ancient Mayan civilization. A famous nine pound jade head of the sun god Kinich Ahau was found here.


.

Limon, Costa Rica

The historical town of Limon, is the gateway to Costa Rica's Caribbean, and retains much of its historical and culture past....from the seawall you can see where Columbus anchored during his fourth voyage...black sand beaches abound...

The red mangroves are certainly impressive, some reaching upwards of 40-50 feet, and a wide variety of wild life can be seen, including monkeys.


Colon, Panama

Colon is the Caribbean entrance to the Canal Zone and the a major seaport center. A taxi trip was made to see local folk culture along with all the old beautiful buildings and churches. (left)

Then it was off by taxi to see Portobelo, the place of storage for all the gold originating from the Spanish colonies in South America. It was stored at Fort San Loreno from where it was shipped to Spain.

British pirates William Parker, Sir Henry Morgan and Sir Francis Drake were raiders ahead of me so I found no gold...




Canal Zone, Panama

The Panama Canal is considered by many to be the 8th wonder of the world. Conceived by Charles I of Spain in 1534, it was finally completed by the United States on January 7th, 1914 when the Alexander La Valley made the first complete transit of the canal.

Had our Cruise Liner Spirit gone thru the canal the toll would have been $200,000. The Captain saved the money and we headed back to Miami, Florida, USA.
.


fmille@unf.edu