2025_26 Oosterdam, Fuerte Amador, Panama...

Well, keeping true to my word, I continue to remain onboard the Oosterdam for this final, 17-day voyage,taking a relaxing vacation in the sun…  I did get up in the wee hours to capture photos of Panama City as we sailed into Fuerte Amador, Panama.  Fuerte Amador is a scenic causeway built from material excavated during the construction of the Panama Canal, linking four small islands—Naos, Perico, Culebra, and Flamenco—at the Pacific entrance. It serves as a vibrant waterfront area with marinas, shops, and restaurants, offering panoramic views of Panama City and the surrounding ocean. Historically, it functioned mainly as an anchorage port where cruise passengers were tendered ashore rather than docking directly.  But many things have changed since my last visit in 2018…  In recent years, the new Amador Cruise Terminal has transformed the area into a modern cruise hub capable of accommodating large vessels. The terminal project, initiated in 2017 and inaugurated in stages with a major opening in 2024, includes berths for two ships and the capacity to handle up to 10,000 passengers.  It features expanded infrastructure such as docking piers, terminal buildings, and visitor facilities designed to improve passenger experience and tourism flow.  Pretty cool, even though I had no intention of getting off today.  The sailing this morning, passing the magnificent skyline of Panama City was well worth the loss of sleep.  I spent the morning until early afternoon enjoying the sun until it just became too oppressive.  That changed shortly after I went in when the rain came pouring down.  Tomorrow, will be something really different for me, we sail through the Panama Canal and other that the occasional photo on FaceBook, I don’t plan on doing a Blog…  I can’t believe that I’m writing this…  I’m normally good for close to 1000 photos every time I transit the canal.  This will be my last blogpost for this adventure onboard the Oosterdam.  I will continue to relax and fit in some packing.  The time I’ve spent with my friends Ann & Cathy since September has been nothing less than magnificent!  We have seen and experienced so many incredible things…  The Mediterranean, Antarctica, Torres del Paine and the Falklands are just a few of the highlights… We’ll be heading home soon and begin preparing for the next Grand Adventure…  Let me give you a clue, 8 months on the Volendam beginning in September…  I will post a bit of an overview very soon…