Bridge of the Americas, Panama

Under this 1962 bridge and into the first lock of the 80km Panama Canal linking the cold Pacific to the warmer Caribbean Sea. This canal finally completed in 1914 and claiming thousands of lives during its building removes the need for ships to go around the notorious Cape Horn is one of the Engineering wonders of the world. We stayed on deck all day and wondered at the ingenuity that made this development possible. I also got a sore head because of the intensity of the sun in this area. We were 14th ship and last ship going north through the canal today. Sadly the picture doesn't do justice this magnificent waterway which is being virtually doubled in capacity by 2014, on it's 100th birthday!