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october odyssey

Palm Beach to the Panama Canal,
​the West Coast, Chicago, DC and Back

By GERRY and PAMELA BARKER
North Palm Beach Life
Published April, 2020.


We call it  "October Odyssey." And odyssey it was: An almost month-long journey, starting in September, 2019, that would take us from Florida to the Panama Canal, over to California's West Coast and back across the country to Florida. It all started when we boarded Amtrak to go from West Palm Beach to Tampa. At Tampa, we boarded Carnival Miracle for the 13-day cruise that would make stops at Cartagena, Columbia, the Panama Canal, Guatemala and Cabo San Lucas before docking in Long Beach, Ca.

After a visit to the Queen Mary there, we spent two days in Los Angeles before boarding Amtrak's iconic Coast Starlight for the trip to San Francisco. We spent three days there, including a day-long excursion to the Napa wine country.

From San Francisco, we took Amtrak's California Zephyr on a two-and-a-half day trip to Chicago through some of the most scenic country in America. We met up with friends in Chicago, where we spent the night at the historic Palmer House, before getting back on the train and take the Capitol Limited to Washington DC.

Article Index


​Cartagena, Columbia
​
​The Panama Canal
Antigua, Guatemala
Cabo San Lucas
The Queen Mary in Long Beach
Los Angeles
Napa Valley
Amtrak's Coast Starlight
Amtrak's California Zephyr
Chicago
Amtrak's Capitol Limited
​Washington DC

​

 After a day in the nation's capital, we took Amtrak's Silver Meteor back to West Palm. What an adventure!

​Please join us we re-trace the trip through photo and video. Ready? Let's go!!

Our starting point - West Palm to Tampa...

Picture
Our trip started at the
​West Palm Beach Amtrak station
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The next stop was Tampa, where we had an overnight stay before boarding Carnival Miracle at the Port of Tampa.
Photos/Video by
North Palm Beach Life

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Carnival Miracle would be our home for the next 13 days, departing Tampa bound for the Panama Canal and then the West Coast of California.

Sailing under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge...

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It seemed like Carnival Miracle barely made it under the iconic Sunshine Skyway Bridge as we left Tampa, but it was probably just an illusion. Thank goodness.
Picture
Picture
Picture

Days at sea aboard Carnival Miracle ...

Picture
Pam strikes a pose with Cruise Director Chloe Loddo, whose energy and enthusiasm sparkled throughout the voyage.
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Pam gets her groove on in the Frankenstein night club
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The deck hallways featured colorful panels depicting famous figures and detectives.
Picture
Picture
The steakhouse on Miracle featured a very special dessert -- "The Art of the Table." A chef literally prepares sweet treats into a work of art tableside to cap your meal. Too pretty to eat -- but we did!

After two days at sea, we reach Cartagena....

Picture

Click here to explore this historic South American city

NORTH PALM BEACH LIFE

Contact us: northpalmlife@gmail.com

Picture
© COPYRIGHT  2021,  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
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    • Eats >
      • Belle's Bar and Grill
      • Elisabetta's
      • Oliv Pit Athenian Grille
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    • News >
      • 2019 North Palm Beach Fireworks Show
      • 2018 Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade
      • Brightline >
        • Brightline Dino Train
        • Polar Express 2019
        • Breezin' on Brickell
        • Brightline Day Trips: Frost Science Museum
        • A Trip on Brightline
        • Brightline Select Service
        • Brightline Tasting Train
        • Brightline Train Unveiling
        • Brightline Topping Out
        • The Polar Express Train Ride
        • Richard Branson at Brightline
      • David Drebin
      • Downton Abbey Exhibit
      • The Lubben Brothers
      • History >
        • 25th Anniversary
        • 50th Anniversary
      • North Palm Beach Country Club
    • Weather >
      • Hurricane Readiness
  • Cruise News
    • Cruise Compete
    • Azamara Quest
    • Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line >
      • Grand Celebration Cruise
      • Grand Classica Inaugural Cruise
    • Carnival Cruise Line Stories >
      • Carnival Cuba Cruises
      • Carnival Horizon >
        • Carnival Horizon Pig and Anchor
      • Carnival Liberty
      • Carnival Sunrise >
        • Carnival Sunrise Cruise to Bermuda
        • The Chef's Table on Carnival Sunrise
      • Carnival Studios >
        • Carnival Studios - Behind the Scenes Tour
      • Carnival Victory
      • Carnival Vista >
        • Carnival Vista Craft Beer
    • Crystal Serenity Holiday Cruise - The Beginning >
      • Crystal Serenity - Grand Turk
      • Crystal Serenity - St. Maarten
      • Crystal Serenity - Antigua Donkey Sanctuary
      • Crystal Serenity - St. Lucia
      • Crystal Serenity - Barbados
      • Crystal Serenity - Virgin Gorda
      • Crystal Serenity - Wrap Up
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      • Harmony of the Seas - Wonderland
      • Harmony of the Seas - The Ultimate Abyss
      • Harmony of the Seas - The Fine Line
      • Harmony of the Seas - 1887
      • Harmony of the Seas - Bionic Bar
      • Harmony of the Seas - Pre-Cruise Coverage
    • Cunard's Jackie Chase >
      • History of Cunard
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      • MasterChef at Sea
    • Oceania Riviera
    • Queen Mary in Long Beach
    • River Cruising in Germany - The Ms. River Splendor >
      • River Cruise in Germany -- Mainz and Koblenz
      • River Cruising in Germany - The Romantic Rhine
      • River Cruise in Germany - Heidelberg
      • River Cruising in Germany - Wurzburg
      • River Cruising in Germany - Bamberg
      • River Cruising in Germany - Nuremberg
      • River Cruising in Germany - Regensburg
    • SeaTrade Cruise Global 2019
    • Symphony of the Seas - Miami Inaugural Voyage >
      • Symphony of the Seas - Ultimate Family Suite
      • Symphony of the Seas - Showtime
      • Symphony of the Seas - Perfect Day at Coco Cay
      • Symphony of the Seas - Photo Gallery
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    • My Father's Tales >
      • My Father's Tales - Photo Album
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      • GX2
    • Rock and Roll Rewind
    • Susan Goldfein -- Blog >
      • Susan Goldfein
    • Travel Bistro
    • The Lady Reggie
    • Because, Cate
  • Video
  • Travel
    • Travel News from Business Wire
    • Snaps >
      • Snaps - Page 2
    • Fun >
      • Events >
        • La Bella Macchina 2017
      • AtmosFX Digital Decorations
      • Calypso Cruise
      • Pumpkin Patch 2017
      • Reindeer Games
      • River Paddle Event
    • Brian Wilson: Life in the UK >
      • Life in the UK - Bath, England
      • Life in the UK - Croquet
      • Life in the UK - Music in Russia
      • Life in the UK - Sri Lanka
      • Life in the UK - Sri Lanka - Sigiriya
      • Life in the UK - US Embassy
    • The Florida Keys >
      • Key West
      • The Hemingway House and Museum
    • Joe Cartwright - Travel Writer >
      • Beartooth Highway
      • North Cascades National Park
      • A Visit to the Philippines
      • Grand Canyon National Park
      • Glacier National Park
      • Yellowstone National Park
      • Hiking in Bear Country
      • Crater Lake National Park
      • Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta
      • The Kerrville Folk Festival
      • Building Hope in the Rio Grande Valley
    • Island Destinations
    • Lake Okeechobee Picnic
    • October Odyssey >
      • Cartagena, Columbia
      • Panama Canal
      • Antigua, Guatemala
      • Cabo San Lucas
      • Birds and Bees Speakeasy in Los Angeles
      • We Love LA
      • Coast Starlight
      • Napa Wine Tour
      • California Zephyr
      • California Zephyr Part Two
      • Chicago
      • Amtrak Capitol Limited
      • Washington DC
    • Pam - Traveling in Style
    • Road Trip! >
      • Road Trip! -- Tucumcari, New Mexico
      • Road Trip! -- The Painted Desert
      • Road Trip! - Sedona, Arizona
      • Road Trip! - Sedona Wineries
      • Road Trip! Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
      • Road Trip! - Mogollon Rim
      • Road Trip! - Verde Canyon Railroad
      • Road Trip! - Jerome, Arizona
      • Road Trip! - California
      • Road Trip! - Palm Springs Celebrity Tour
      • Road Trip! - Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
      • Road Trip! - Festival in Palm Springs
      • Road Trip! - Willcox, Arizona and Apple Annie's Orchard
      • Road Trip! Willcox Wineries
      • Road Trip! Chiricahua National Monument
      • Road Trip! Tombstone, Arizona
      • Tombstone, Part Two
      • Road Trip! - Epilogue
    • Unknown Yellowstone >
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Heart Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Summit Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Shoshone Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Grizzly Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Riddle Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Pelican Cone
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Mt. Washburn
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Specimen Ridge
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Avalanche Peak
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Divide Creek
    • U.S. Virgin Islands >
      • Coral World - U.S. Virgin Islands
      • St. Thomas Food Tour
      • St. Thomas Tour
    • Vizcaya
  • Contact
    • Gigi in the 561 - Pete Menefee
    • Smoothie Me Please
    • Pamela Barker - Author
    • The Story of StarText
  • Search