At one time or another everyone has made lists of their favorite places to visit. For some the bulk will be made from places that they have already been to, while for others it will be places that they want to go to. It seems as though such things are known as bucket lists. Something curious is noted when these people are asked about their lists, one destination is often repeated in various different lists. Who would have realized that so many people have Panama Canal travel plans.
With it being such a popular destination its fortunate that there are numerous trips on offer, and they are of varying lengths. So no matter how busy you are you will always be able to find a suitable trip. Yet despite its popularity, there are still some who know nothing about the place, and therefore wouldn't know what to expect.
The ideal place to begin is with an atlas . Look for Central America, that will be the narrow areas of land which unite North and South America. For millions of years it has acted as a land bridge helping with migration routes, and prior to that it was under the sea. Now it also physically separates the Caribbean and North Atlantic Ocean from the Pacific Ocean.
For as long as man has sailed the oceans it was often thought how convenient a short cut to join the two great oceans would be. Up until the successful completion, the sea journey was many thousands of miles longer and it involved the stormy seas at the tip of South America. Even today it is one of the world's busiest shipping routes.
The first real attempt to complete a path joining the oceans was started by the French in the late 19th century. Their attempt was overseen by a man called Ferdinand de Lesseps. You might have heard of him as he was instrumental in building a similar project linking the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.
With this new project the French managed to dig approximately 11 miles of the required 51 miles. They had to abandon the project due to a combination of engineering problems, disease and financial difficulties. The next to pick up the project were the Americans in 1904, who also bought the existing equipment from the French.
The Americans literally employed 1000's of people during their involvement. Finally ten years later they finished the whole project. It was possibly the decision to use lock gates which enabled them to successfully finish the task. Now it only takes 9 hours to go from one ocean to the other, and takes in all 3 sets of locks. If you do only a partial transit then you will only see a single set of locks.
The American involvement starting in 1904 and taking ten years to finish, must mean it was 1914 when it was completed. So you will have already discerned that next year is the centenary for this feat of engineering. For many there will be no better time to enjoy their Panama Canal travel plans. With so many different types of trips to choose from sometimes it is difficult to come to a decision, but this eighth wonder of the world should not be missed.
With it being such a popular destination its fortunate that there are numerous trips on offer, and they are of varying lengths. So no matter how busy you are you will always be able to find a suitable trip. Yet despite its popularity, there are still some who know nothing about the place, and therefore wouldn't know what to expect.
The ideal place to begin is with an atlas . Look for Central America, that will be the narrow areas of land which unite North and South America. For millions of years it has acted as a land bridge helping with migration routes, and prior to that it was under the sea. Now it also physically separates the Caribbean and North Atlantic Ocean from the Pacific Ocean.
For as long as man has sailed the oceans it was often thought how convenient a short cut to join the two great oceans would be. Up until the successful completion, the sea journey was many thousands of miles longer and it involved the stormy seas at the tip of South America. Even today it is one of the world's busiest shipping routes.
The first real attempt to complete a path joining the oceans was started by the French in the late 19th century. Their attempt was overseen by a man called Ferdinand de Lesseps. You might have heard of him as he was instrumental in building a similar project linking the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.
With this new project the French managed to dig approximately 11 miles of the required 51 miles. They had to abandon the project due to a combination of engineering problems, disease and financial difficulties. The next to pick up the project were the Americans in 1904, who also bought the existing equipment from the French.
The Americans literally employed 1000's of people during their involvement. Finally ten years later they finished the whole project. It was possibly the decision to use lock gates which enabled them to successfully finish the task. Now it only takes 9 hours to go from one ocean to the other, and takes in all 3 sets of locks. If you do only a partial transit then you will only see a single set of locks.
The American involvement starting in 1904 and taking ten years to finish, must mean it was 1914 when it was completed. So you will have already discerned that next year is the centenary for this feat of engineering. For many there will be no better time to enjoy their Panama Canal travel plans. With so many different types of trips to choose from sometimes it is difficult to come to a decision, but this eighth wonder of the world should not be missed.
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