267: A Man, A Plan, A Canal, Panama

Warning: History Lesson Ahead

I decided that since we were going to be taking a shore excursion through the Panama Canal I should probably read up on it a bit. I remembered that David McCullough had written a book about it and was pleased to find out that our local library's copy was available. I checked out The Path Between The Seas and have read about 200 of the 617 pages. It has been more interesting that I thought it would be. It is truly amazing that the canal was ever completed given the lack of initial organization, the complete underestimation of the money or labor it would take and the terrible health conditions the workers endured. I've been sharing fun facts from the book with Eddie so I figured I'd share some here too:

-Prior to the building of the canal the Panama Railroad was put in. During that time malaria and yellow fever killed countless laborers. Because of the swampy land there was no place to bury the dead. "And so many of those who died were without identity, other than a first name, without known address or next of kin, that a rather ghoulish but thriving trade developed in the shipping of cadavers, pickled in large barrels, to medical schools and hospitals all over the world. for years the Panama Railroad Company was a steady supplier of such merchandise, and the proceeds were enough to pay for the company's own small hospital at Colon." (pg. 37)

-The book also covers some basic information about the Suez Canal as there is a connection with one of its main men. When the canal opened they had inaugural ceremonies. "A Cairo opera house had been built for the occasion and Verdi had been commissioned to write a spectacular new work, Aida." Footnote: "The opera was not ready in time, so the performance was put off until 1871." (pg 54)

-One thing that keeps popping up in this book is descriptions of mustaches, which I guess were in fashion at the time. My favorite so far is about King Victor Emmanuel II : "With his long, elegant figure, his long, handsome face and spectacular Victor Emmanuel mustache-it mast have been the largest mustache in all Paris in the 1870's..." (pg. 60) David McCullough was NOT joking about the mustache. See for yourself:

I could go on and on with fun facts but will leave it at three. I am really looking forward to reading more of the book and even more excited to actually see the area and the canal in a few days! The cruise leaves tomorrow so I will be away from internet for 8 days so the photoblog will be on hiatus. I will (clearly) take a million photos on the trip and will have my Photos of the Day to update when I'm back to an internet connection.