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Panama Cruises - Radisson Seven Seas
It has been called "the big ditch," "the bridge between two continents,"
"the greatest shortcut in the world." When it was finally completed in
1914, the 51-mile waterway shaved nearly 8,000 miles off the distance
between New York and San Francisco and changed the face of the
industrialized world. In 1882, the Frenchman Ferdinand de Lesseps with a
labor force of 10,000 men set out to blast his way through the jungles
of Colombia.
The
project ended seven years later in disease, bankruptcy and disaster, and
it is President Theodore Roosevelt who is largely credited with the
completion of the Canal. Still, much of the credit belongs to this
masterful visionary who convinced a skeptical world to attempt the
impossible.
But while the history of the Panama Canal is fascinating, it is the
natural beauty that surprises most of all - an ever-changing panorama of
jungle-clad hills, shimmering Lake Gatún, the high-arched span of the
Americas Bridge and the intricate workings of the locks and gates,
themselves.
Drinking in the vibrant sun-saturated colors of a Mexican market, or
having a drink on your private balcony as Old Sol makes its fiery finish
in a purple tinged sea. Exploring ancient Mayan monuments, or
experiencing the more modern but equally monumental engineering wonders
of the Panama Canal.
Savoring the timeless serenity of lazy days at sea in a leisurely
transatlantic crossing, or taking part in an action-packed,
thrill-a-minute rafting adventure down a rushing river, or gliding
through the treetops in a Costa Rica nature reserve. Come with us as we
explore a wealth of enticing suggestions. Because there's no point in
simply dreaming when there's a tropical reality for your great winter
escape.
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