Jan 14th - Calgary to Miami

Dave and I left Calgary on the day after the -35 degree C weather to hot, warm +28 degree C at Miami, Florida on Jan 14th. We arrived Miami before supper and check-in to the Homewood Suite Airport West. Turn out we started our trip kinda in an adventure - there are must be over 100 shuttles going around, and around at the airport but we don't seemed to be able to locate the right one! After an hour or two waiting, we decided to take a cab to the hotel instead. It turn out the shuttle van has a large sign of Hilton Garden Inn on it but a very small "green Duck" for the Homewood Suite - Sigh.  We went across the street of the hotel to a small Plaza and there is a great Cuban Eatery - I had the seafood soup, it was great!  Most people speak Spanish and English is a second language here. It took a while in using hand signs and nodding heads to convey the message about Dave is allergic to nuts. Wow, definitely we are on an adventure.

Jan 15th, Embark the Azamara Quest on our 11 days Panama Canal Transit Cuise

After a good night rest, we took the shuttle transfer from our hotel to the Miami Cruise Terminal - I was excited in anticipation to board the Azamara Quest - A beautiful small Ship - around 700 Guests. While the transfer bus approaching the cruise terminal, I saw many other ships at the pier as well. Some one yell in the shuttle say - Look at the that little ship! I knew he was pointing out the Quest as other piers have a numbers huge ships around - the Disney Ship, The Royal Caribbean Ship and a Norwegian ship to name a few.   

The check in was very fast and smooth, no line up and rush, there are plenty of water, juices at the terminal area for anyone before going on board. I was impressed.  Soon we are on board and welcomed by a glass of champagne and our cruise director, captain and the team! Looking forward to be pampered and explore at sea (the ship) and its ports in the next little bit....

The Quest set sail around 4:30 PM.  See picture below while we sail away from the Miami Harbor:

Jan 16, 17 - Sea Day

The ship sailed in about 14-17 knots to Cartageana, Columbia, directly across the caribbean sea. The Caribbean sea filled around us to the horizons... A lot of water! Due to the white caps of the ocean swell, many people on our ship feel a bit quasi but Dave and I are ok. The activities on board are at full swing - we did lectures, crafts, bridge games and visited the Mosaic Cafe for Latte every now and then. We missed the casinos and the singles party and the evening show but enjoyed our dinners at the two specialty restaurants - The Steak House and the Aqualina - Italian Seafood Restaurant... The foods are great, the Coconut Souffle is to die for!

Jan 18 - Cartageana

We slept in late and got up in time when the ship docked at Cartageana, Columbia.  We decided not to joint any busy shore excursions,  just to take the ship provided shuttle to town and walk around in leisure. What a little Gem, Cartageana - we walk around the old city area and enjoyed the colonial architecture buildings and cobble stone streets very much. It was very hot though, +34 degree C.

Cartageana, Columbia - Old Town Cartageana, Columbia - Old Town Cartageana, Columbia - Old Town Cartageana, Columbia - Old Town Cartageana, Columbia - Old Town Cartageana, Columbia - Old Town

At the evening - We went out with the Quest's Azamazing evening - a Piano Concert at the Cartageana Theater:

Jan 19, 20 - Panama Canal Transit

We attended number of lectures on board with Dr Dave about the Panama Canal. They are very funny and informative. What a Engineering project!

The Panamaians now rip the benefits from the canal after the French then the Americans and economy is booming. Do you know? It cause at least $750,000 USD for each cruise ship for the transit and much more for the container ships. The new locks are now open and we watch big ships using the new locks and the Quest sailing using the old locks.

Jan 21, 2017 - Fuerte Amador

After about 7 minutes tender ride to the pier at Flamingo Island at Fuerte Amador, which has a causeway connecting to the main island - very clean and beautiful. From the ship, we can see beautiful skyline of Panama City. The city is about 20 minutes away by car. But no problem, the ship runs shuttles at every port from time to time to take guests into the city. Today Dave and I sign up for the Monkey watching tour and saw many cute Monkeys and birds.

 Jan 22, 2017 - Sea Day

We welcome the time to relax on board, enjoy the self serve laundry as we travel very light leaving room for our photography equipment. 

Jan 23, 2917 - Golfito, Costa Rica

We arrived and docked at the old banana plantation shipping pier. A very small town with minimum infrastructure. There is an internet cafe though, but it was queued with at least 8 people at all time. We sighed up for another ship shore excursion tour to visit the Rescue Center and a Puda Vida butterfly Garden. 

The Rescue Center owner Carol came to the beach to meet us and guided our tour to her place. Home to over 90 rescue/injured wildlife - what an inspiring individual - I gave all my cash on hand to her to support her effort. Dave got to see an real Ocelot who suffered vitamin deficiency on birth and made her not able to survive in the wild. Picture is not allowed to be shared to public so we enjoyed the time with Carol and her wild family and only took limited photography.

On the way back, seeing a pod of dolphins, so cool.

Jan 24, 2017 - Quepos, Costa Rica

We are on another long ship shore excursion today - visit the Carara Park for a walk in the cloud forest. The tour is a bit disappointing, should take the Manual Antonio tour instead. We walk through the bottom of a cloud forest and not seen much of the wild critters - a Iguana and lots trees and fauna. the drive is a killer - took about 1 1/2 hours each way. Then visited the Tacole River bridge and see some Crocs, then we saw the Scarlet Macaw fly by...

Jan 25th, 2017 - Punta Arenas, Costa Rica

We are on a full day shore excursions again - When for a walk at San Luis Private Reserve - see a water fall in distance. Last day of ship shore excursions and our cruise are almost came to a end. We visited a butterfly garden also. In the garden, there is a blue morph decided to cling on me and not wanted to let go. A very pretty place. on the way back to the ship, I also spotted a howling Monkey on a tree!

Jan 26th, 2016 - Caldera, Costa Rica

We said good bye to the great team of the Quest and disembarked the ship at the Caldera shipyard. A shuttle took us out to the gate and met by the Travel Excellence private transfer driver.  He told us that to avoid the traffic jam at San Jose, the transfer will take about 5 hours for us to get to the Savegre Lodge Resort and Spa in the Talamanca Mountain range. I am so looking forward to this, on my next quest to see the allusive Quetzal bird for the next two days. The drive was interesting, some beach scenes, pass numerous palm plantations and Jaco beach - great waves attracted many surfers, then the car went up, and up to about 3000 meters through the mountains then down to a small valley with beautiful water falls - source of the Savegre River and an oasis village. What a lovely place. The resort layout is like a farm on the hillside with many hiking trails. The place is rustic but made up for by the services and food! I see their herb garden and the farm next door of cows, chickens, fruit orchard and vegetable garden! There is a small garden along with the rooms also which have many of the cloud forest birds! I can easily stay a day at the garden to take pictures of the humming birds or others coming by! 

 Jan 27, 28th  2017 - Savegre, Costa Rica

We hiked 10 hours each day, got up 5:00 AM the first morning went out with our guide Melvin to find the Quetzal. What a graceful bird and very shy. After many hours of hiking, finally Melvin saw the Female and then the male. We had some good time with the pair and they finally fly away. What a experience!  It Wow me for sure! We then spotted and photograph many other birds as well - I just learn from Melvin that the Quetzal belongs to the Trogon bird family, we are happy to find the Trogons also on Jan 28th.

Jan 29th, 2017 Savegre - San Jose

After last minutes of more pictures of Humming birds at the garden of the Savegre lodge, we checkout the resort and picked up by our Travel Excellence transfer driver to take us back to San Jose - the Bouganvillea Hotel and Resort. I heard many good things about this hotel and couldn't wait to check it out. It took us just about 2 and 1/2 hours car ride as it was a sunday morning and almost no traffic. We made it just in time for lunch at the Bouganvillea.

After lunch, we explore the garden of the hotel - a 10 acre manicured garden with beautiful plants, flowers, butterflies and birds, of course. We love it. We have a room over looking the garden and it was just beautiful.

Jan 30th, 2017 - Bouganvillea Hotel, San Jose

A nice relax day at the hotel to prepare for our return flight home. Stroll a few times around the garden, taking pictures of birds and butterflies, then notice a flock of Parakeets staging at sunset on a big tree in front of the hotel. They are so comical and loud!

 Jan 31st , 2017 - Leaving San Jose for a long flight home via Houston! We are sad to go, and look forward to return to explore more. Love Costa Rica!  But then the Pappadeaux Seafood Restaurant at Terminal E of Houston International Airport awaits - We can smell the mouth watering Crawfish Etoffe! So, Houston here we come!

Safe and sound home just after midnight of Jan 31, 2017 - Check out my picture gallery for this trip at http://www.dkjphotos.com/p356346469