If you're considering this trip but you're not quite sure . . . it's everything these participants say it is PLUS this year and next you get to see history in the making. Since 2007, the Panamanians have been working hard to expand the Canal so that ships double the size of the current Panamax vessels can pass through the Canal. A trip to the new Colon visitor center on the final day gives a great view of the enormity of this expansion project. What a bonus to actually witness the construction of this expansion and bring home pictures to share with future generations! Would add that reading David McCullough's book added a LOT to my understanding of "one of the world's greatest engineering accomplishments". If time doesn't allow you to read the entire book, concentrate on the American section (1904 - 1914).

It was a Panama Hat trick because we saw the canal by road, by boat and by train - all in the space of 4 days! The program was a thorough investigation of the canal in all its glory and grit, including the new locks under construction. Our days were packed with little downtime except for a couple hours in Colon when we jumped in the glorious pool at the Melia Hotel, once home to the infamous School of the Americas. Our group was the largest I've ever known in more than 10 years of Road Scholar travel. We were 52, joined by another 8 going on to Costa Rica. They had their own bus and guide, so we saw them only during meals and lectures, as well as on the canal transit boat and train ride. In retrospect, it probably is good that we were so many since that enabled us to have an exclusive charter boat to transit the canal which took an entire day. We were lucky to do it in 8 hours, about the minimum possible. We did not wait at any of the locks, but were squired right in along with a container ship, moored in front of us on the way up, and then with another ship, moored in the back on the way down. We also were joined by a small family sailboat in the last set of locks. It was fascinating to watch all they had to do to keep from being tail-spun in our wash after untying from our vessel. The bus trips took us to both visitor centers, the old one at Miraflores, and the brand new one at Gatun locks. The hour-long train ride was a relaxing way to see our path along the canal one last time from the sightseeing dome car. My only regret was the lack of cultural and colonial history of Panama covered. It was all about the canal. I would like to see the program extended by a day or two to see something of the country outside the Canal Zone. I was fortunate to stay an extra day to visit Panama Viejo and learn all its history and drama. But I never did get that Panama Hat. I'll just have to go back!