Homeless Dis'ers set sail *sound* on some posts

[ilovepcot]

While I was being tied up, I overhead talk among some of the men. Best I could piece together (don't speak enough Spanish) was that Carlos and his men are drug smugglers AND gun runners!!! They seem to REALLY want this particular ship and we're obviously in the way!!! I can only hope that TINK knows how to get help to us and FAST! Or, is she now tied up as we all are? TINK????!!!!!

I just can't believe that ED has made no attempt to get in touch with us. I can picture him now......merrily frolicking about the MK wearing mouse ears and playing with Goofy! He should "sense" that something is wrong!

 

[goofy4tink]

Phew....chewed thru the rope and found some unused duct tape. Thank heaven we didn't use it all!!! I have two of them tied up in the engine room. They are kinda cute but still dangerous!!! Haven't seen Carlos tho. He must be someplace, watching us. Hmmm...how to smoke him out....I know...ladies...get out those thongs!!! That should send him screaming from the boat.

I have called the federales for help. Don't speak Spanish either, so who knows who will show up when!!! Ooops...hear some footsteps..taking cover. Good luck you guys. Where'e Ed when you need him....sucking down Dole Whips most likely.

 

[ilovepcot]

OOOhhhh......I wonder what's gonna happen next? Afraid I won't be able to find out.......IRL computer is in a mess and is being sent out of state for repairs. Have no idea when I'll get it back! Will be missing all of you and wondering what's happening. Hope it won't be too long before I can return! So long for now.

P.S.

Had no idea that CARLOS was a bad guy. So, so sorry everyone!

 

[suzannen]

Hey guys,
GOOD NEWS - I just heard some federales come on board. Uh-oh BAD NEWS - they are apparently corrupt federales and are on Carlos' payroll.

We may not be saved until Ed comes home. Everyone try to stay undercover, safe and out of sight......SHHHHH

 

[castlegazer]

the door slowly opens into the closet where castlegazer was being held

 

[castlegazer]

castlegazer opens her eyes and sees Sydney from Alias - she tries to clear her eyes because she doesn't believe what she is seeing but her hands are tied behind her back

Oh My God, Sydney Bristow came on board and pretended to be a cabin steward!

OK - Here we go to take back this ship!

Oh, if Ed could only see us now! I think I will upgrade the application for all cabin stewards to ensure that they all have martial arts skills and know how to shoot a gun.

 

[castlegazer]

OK - the real Federales and the CIA have taken our captors off of the ship and they are headed back to Nicaragua. Thanks to Goofy4Tink for her work with the nun·cha·kus combined with duct tape - that really made a lethal weapon. We found Suzannen under the cabinets in the kitchen, and after she appologized for the stab wound to Sydney's leg (she was stabbing anyone who came near her cabinet) she helped to find MOMTOMOOTOO and disable - she won't reveal how to me yet saying it is protected under state's secrets laws - ten of our captors. MOMTOMOOTOO has a story for us when she finishes setting up the espresso machine again - I have no idea what those guys had against coffee but they did a number to our coffee bar. MOM gave a final hug to her new friend as he was also taken of the ship for questioning, but as he served a vital role in capturing our asailants, he will be also only questioned and not detained for long. Hey, MOM, you may have him back in no time.

ILovepcot will be off the ship for a while as she needs to brought in with the captors for questioning - questioning only this time - they have assured me that she will not be locked up. She took the scarab from the ship to be able to return after questioning.


We are now off - next stop, after a complete overhaul of several of the decks due to bullet holes, Panama.

 

[castlegazer]

OK - good as new

For everyone as geographically challenged as I am, here is a map of Central America. After traveling through the Panama Canal we will be stopping in Brazil.

 

[suzannen]

YEAH - We're finally saved! Good work everyone. I knew all of my earlier FBI training (whoops - I don't think I was supposed to let that slip] would eventually come in handy. Special thanks to Sydney Bristow and all of my fellow crew for great work during the overthrow! I could NOT believe that was castlegazer doing handstand martial arts' spins to our abductors. And, Goofy4tink was unparalleled in her quick work with the duct tape tying up those guys. MOMTOMOOTOO, good job to you also and your new boy toy should be back among us soon (unless you were planning on getting a new one in Brazil anyway?)

Now that the coffee machine is finally up and working, I'm off to restock the bar and buy a new blender. Ours was destroyed in the melee so no margharitas until we get the new one. Luckily, they didn't find the wine cellar or liquor cabinet, so drinks will still flow....actually I think I'm do one right about now.

And, Ed thinks he's going to have a story to tell us about his vacation with the Mouse!

 

[goofy4tink]

Glad all that's over!!! So, do you think they have duct tape in Brazil?? We are going to need a new supply. Either that or higher standards for our employees!!! Looks like maybe we should be checking the refs. not Ed!!!

castlegazer...good course. Looks like a ton of fun. suzannen...we are a force to be reckoned with!!

 

[castlegazer]

Goodmorning everyone. This is the first mate speaking. We are currently staging to enter the Panama Canal. Our first vista will be the city of Panama

.
We will then travel through the Miraflores Locks

Please come to the Aft Decks for a Mimosa Party to celebrate our entering this beautifully panoramic canal

This afternoon we will pass the beautiful city of Balboa

 

[goofy4tink]

Yummmm, mimosa's. So, any chance of picking up some new crew members?? Haven't seen Carlos around. Don't think they ever released him. Or maybe he and iloveepcot just took off together. Naw.

 

[castlegazer]

Hey guys, after Mimosas our new Cruise Director set up a tour of Bocas del Toro for me - its where they filmed Survivor. We have some time prior to entering the canal today to go and explore. It sounds spectacular. Here is the printout from the Cruise Director:

Where have 12 countries filmed their Survivor series including France, Spain, Italy and Russia? The answer is the exotic Bocas del Toro Archipelago de Bocas in the Caribbean of West Panama near the border with Costa Rica. Classic Caribbean aqua blue water fringed beaches washing up against nature dense rainforest and a low key friendly town- these are some of the unique attractions of the islands of Panama's Bocas del Toro archipelago. .

Bocas is one of Panama's top tourist attractions and with good reason. Where else can you enjoy beautiful beaches with scarcely a soul in sight and rainforests so fine Lonely Planet Guide calls them "a biologists fantasy". Bocas town itself has a rich history, a lively nightlife and a friendly, mostly English speaking population.Like the rest of Panama Bocas is even blessed by nature- no hurricanes ever touch these shores, as they do the Central American neighbors. Add to that relatively low prices and you've got the "Boca's Boom".

The first person to anchor in these peaceful waters was Christopher Columbus in 1502. He repaired his boats onCarinero Island, named by him. Later, English pirates found Bocas the perfect safe haven and later in the 1800's it it became a dynamic commercial center for trade in cacao and bananas. Immigrants, mainly from Jamaica, made Bocas an English speaking province in a Spanish speaking nation. Even today, most adults speak English.

At the turn of the century, the town of Bocas del Toro was the first headquarters of the United Fruit Company. Boasting of 25,000 inhabitants, it had six consuls and five newspapers. A banana blight in the l920's put an end to this vibrant commercial center, but historical buildings and a stately park still stand.

 

[castlegazer]

Oh, and while he left the special tour info under my door, I haven't been able to actually meet our new Cruise Director in person [IRL I can't do web searches for hot guys so feel free to fill in the blanks for what he looks like]- has anyone else been able to meet him in person?

 

[suzannen]

Wonderful and beautiful itinerary for us, castlegazer. I have not actually met the new Cruise Director either, but am definitely on the lookout.

It's nice to have a few days to relax with the beautiful water with mimosas in hand after our last few days. I'm just going to lay right here on this lounge chair for a bit....zzzzzzzzzz.

 

[castlegazer]

BRWOOOONNNNNNNNGGGGGGG BRRRROOOOOOOOOONNNNNGG This is the first mate speaking. We have begun our canal trip and have gone through the Miaflores Locks.
You will also note coming up on the aft side of the ship the Canopy Tower. The Canopy Tower, located at the heart of the Soberanía National Park and just 30-minutes away from Panama City is a paradise for bird-watchers. This facility provides visitors a unique aerial view of the forests of central Panama. Hundreds of bird species, howler monkeys, and royal blue butterflies, can easily be viewed from this vantage point.

We have arranged for our two tenders from the ship to take passengers to the Canopy Tower to watch the sunset tonight and to view the wildlife as the night descends. You will be greeted with a champagne toast and a decadent arrangement of appetizers.

Here is some further information about the sites we have just passed by:
Panama City

Located near the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal this spectacular city has a vibrant, cosmopolitan life and hosts one of the most important U.S. dollar based banking centers in the world. Since the city is located at the crossroads of the world, it is a shoppers paradise with goods available from every corner the world. Visitors to Panama City can also see historic Spanish ruins in Panama Viejo. Founded in 1519, it was the first Spanish settlement on the Pacific Coast and one of the most magnificent cities of the New World until it was completely destroyed by the pirate Henry Morgan in 1671.

In the southwest of the city, on a small peninsula jutting south into the bay, is the Casco Viejo, or the historical district, with its delightful mix of colonial architecture and renovated luxury homes. Built by the Spaniards in the 1670s, to relocate the city destroyed by Henry Morgan, the Casco Viejo was surrounded by walls to provide protection from pirates. Some remnants of the Spanish fortifications can still be seen, including Las Bovedas (the Vaults), a sea wall containing dungeons. The Casco Viejo features several notable buildings, including the colonial Catholic cathedral built in 1673, the Presidential Palace, the Golden Altar of the Church of San José (made of pure gold), and the National Theater.

Miraflores Visitors Center.
Located on the East side of Miraflores Locks is the Miraflores Visitors Center, the perfect place to observe Canal operations. This newly inaugurated facility has large balconies, where tourists can see the opening and closing of the locks miter gates as ships begin or finish their voyage through one of the Canal's three sets of locks. Four exhibition halls, organized by themes, constitute the heart of the Miraflores Visitors Center. The exhibitions are dedicated to the history of the Canal, the importance of water as a source of life, the Canal's operation, and its crucial role in world trade. Historical objects of Canal operations, interactive modules, video presentations, and models of the Panama Canal are exhibited in the Center. Some of the exhibits replicate the feeling of being inside a navigation simulator or in one of the lock culverts. Nature lovers will enjoy watching displays of the different species of flora and fauna that inhabit the Canal's watershed, and learning about the role of water in Canal operations and its preservation.

 

[goofy4tink]

All I can say is Wow!!! Thanks castlegazer for that great Canopy Tour. What a gorgeous sunset. Unfortunatly, you all didn't see me curled up asleep. It was sooo comfy there, with the birds chirping and the dew dripping, butterflies fluttering...well, I just dozed off. Thank heavens I woke up in time for the champagne. Very nice touch. Maybe too nice a touch. Feeling a little off this morning. Looks like maybe a day spent on deck, with mimosas, soaking up some sun. Yep, it's a plan. Anyone want to join me up on deck in a bit??

 

[castlegazer]

Goodmorning. This is the Ships First Mate Speaking. We are
still in the Panama Canal - you will have the opportunity today to go under The Bridge of the Americas

Soaring 384 feet above the ocean at average tide and measuring 5425 feet from end to end, the Bridge of the Americas reaches across Panama Bay at the Pacific Canal entrance, reuniting the land divided during the construction of the Canal and forming another link in the Panamerican Highway. The bridge occupies the same approximate location as the ferry crossing it replaced. For 30 years the ferry was the principal means of transport between the east and west Canal banks. Remnants of its docks can still be seen on the shore. Construction of the basically cantilever, tied-arch or suspended span bridge began on December 23, 1958. Work proceeded from both shores, and on May 16, 1962, the first 70-foot, 98 ton steel beam was placed joining the two sections at the center. Constructed by the United States at a cost US$20 million, the bridge was inaugurated on Columbus Day, October 12, 1962. The bridge as appreciated for its beauty as well as its utility. Visitors and residents alike enjoy viewing this gracefully elegant structure in its various moods against a backdrop of rainy season cumulus clouds; or mirrored in the still, reflective waters of the Canal entrance; or with trusses and cables rose-tinged by tropical sunset.

Today we will be visiting, with help of the tenders again, the Barro Colorado National Monument and the Smithsonian Research Facility.

The island was formed during the construction of the Panama Canal when the dam on the Chagres river was built and the water level rose, flooding the area that is now Lake Gatun and a small hill of 171 meters. Was separated from the land and surround by the water, thus creating Barro Colorado. In 1,923 on the request of a group of scientists the island was declared a Biological Reserve and a research laboratory was built there, which became the first Tropical Rainforest Biological Reserve of the new world. In 1,946 the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) was given the responsibility of administrating and managing this reserve and in 1,979 more areas on the mainland were added and it was then declared a Natural Monument. On the island of Barro Colorado there are trails since 1986, which have been designed to promote a respect for ecological interactions and to offer the opportunity to experiment and participate in the forest's natural history. The main trail through the forest is a 45-minute hike that takes you to 53 stations of interest and the Giant Tree, while the guide gives you all the information you want.


On a separate note, word has traveled to the ship that Ilovepcot has been spoted attempting to cross from Columbia into Panama to catch up with the ship - we have dispatched a team to try and locate her. However, I would like to provide you with the warnings about the region:
Warning
The area of Darién Province between Yaviza and the Colombian border along the upper Tuira River is unsafe due to the presence of smugglers, bandits and Colombian guerrillas and paramilitary forces. However, the vast majority of Darién National Park is relatively safe, although there is risk of contracting dengue and malaria so take appropriate pre-travel precautions and cover up as much as possible while you're there.

It's highly advisable to visit the park with a guide, if only due to the inherent risks of travel in remote jungle with ill-defined trails. Keep your ear close to the ground when traveling close to the Colombian border, where the rule is the closer you are to the border, the higher your security risk.

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

Good Morning all. castlegazer you sure have been busy keeping us entertained while ed is away. Thanks.:thewave:

Lets just hope ilovepot can make it safely back to the ship. I hear she loves emeralds. Could be the reason?

 

[castlegazer]

Oooh, Diane I am with you for a little sun on deck as we pass these beautiful rain forest vistas. I need a java pick me up this morning too. I had a few too many toasts to give last night thanking everyone for getting us out of that awful mess.

IRL what are you all up to this weekend? We have the standard birthday parties and cookouts to go to.