Panda at Rótulo de Puntarenas Whoops! (Original)

Panda was excited to finally get off the ship and explore Costa Rica. Earlier in the day there had been a jungle cruise shore excursion, but Panda had heard one particular word associated with it: alligators.

That was enough!

She decided she would be staying safely aboard the ship. Fortunately, there was still plenty of time later in the day to wander around Puntarenas and enjoy a different kind of adventure.

One of Panda's goals was to have her picture taken on top of the large Puntarenas sign. There was only one problem: the wind.

The gusts were so strong that Panda could barely stay upright. To get the photo, I had to hold Panda in place while waiting for a calm moment. As soon as the wind eased, I would quickly step back, frame the shot, and press the shutter.

In this case, just as I pressed the shutter button, a sudden gust of wind swept across the sign. Panda lost her balance and toppled over the edge. The camera captured the exact moment of disaster, freezing Panda in mid-tumble.

Fortunately, Panda was not hurt too badly and remained in good spirits. After all, a little falling was a small price to pay for a good adventure.

Determined to succeed, Panda continued the photo session. She posed for additional photos, including one with the cruise ship visible in the background. She also discovered a clever hiding place inside the opening of the letter "A," where she could tuck herself safely away from the wind.

By the time the adventure was over, Panda had collected several excellent photos and a memorable story to tell. Back aboard the ship, she enjoyed an afternoon coffee while recovering from a few bumps and bruises earned during her battle with the Costa Rican wind.

The photos were shared along with several views of the sign, including Panda perched on top, sheltered inside the "A," and the ship parked in the background. The response was a simple "Wow!" which Panda felt was entirely appropriate given the dramatic circumstances.