Stopover in Panama City

Wednesday 30th March

The flight was as good as any flight departing at 3.40 am can be. Immigration and customs were quick and easy although the immigration officer seemed to be in a bad mood. The taxi crawled for nearly two hours through heavy traffic, for the most part along a six lane expressway, to reach the hotel. It was too early to check in but got another taxi to go to Miraflores locks on the Panama canal. Just as I arrived at the visitor centre a ship was going through the locks, heading from Pacific to Caribbean. I remember reading about the Panama canal as a child in an old book that had been my dad's. Modern Engineering Marvels or something similar. After watching the ship go through had a coffee and a brownie at the cafe and went round the ground floor exhibition. There was a 3D film but almost as soon as the lights went down my lack of sleep caught up with me and I nodded off almost as soon as it started. Almost by accident I found another exhibition on the upper floors which had more information on the canal its history and operation. Built and operated by the US for nearly 100 years it was transferred to Panama in 1999. The fees for using it are based on size and nature of the vessel but for big commercial ships can be upwards of $250 000. New locks and a deeper channels are being constructed to accommodate bigger ships. Later watched a Maersk container ship and an LPG ship going through in the Caribbean to Pacific direction. The Maersk ship was accompanied by three yachts. For the big ships the locks are tight. I guess many ships are designed so that they just fit. 

Miraflores Locks on the Panama Canal

"Mule" used to Guide Ships

"Mules" used to Guide Ships

Three Yachts in the Lock

Looks like a Tight Fit

By now I was feeling the lack of sleep badly so was happy to get taxi back. Checked into the room. The Principe is much more upmarket than I expected. The room looks good,  is large, and the bed very comfortable. The room has a safe but, strangely, no fridge. Went to bed soon after 4pm and slept almost continuously until  7.30 am.

Thursday 31 March

Had breakfast of apple strudel and coffee at little place near the hotel and headed out down Avenida Argentina. Quite curious to see at close quarters the green  "spiral" tower I had seen from the taxi. Looks even more impressive up close. The area is a strange mix of modest, mainly two storey, older buildings interspersed with modern towers. 

View from the Hotel Window. Tower Blocks and Corrugated Iron Roofs

Green Spiral Tower

Whether Singapore, London, Dubai or Panama I always wonder where the money comes from. Even at $250 000 a ship, the canal can't be supporting it all. There are a suspiciously large number of banks so maybe it is money laundering? Panama City isn't pedestrian friendly; the roads are too fast and crossing points few and far between.  Stopped off at a shopping mall full of luxury brands. Made my way towards the coast where there is a footpath and cycle path, obviously built at great expense but almost empty. Think I saw less than a dozen pedestrians on it in over half an hour and NO cyclists. The planning doesn't seem to have been thought through. Nothing wrong with the path itself but it is separated from the rest of the city by an eight lane road with only a few inconvenient overhead bridges across it. Plus there is no shade on the footpath in a very HOT sunny city.

At the shore there are lots of birds, which I found out were “Magnificent” Frigate birds over the sea and several pelicans in it. I was feeling very hot by the time I reached the old city and, as with Rio, found that the churches, of which there were several, were the coolest places. Eventually found a bar where I was happy to sit down and enjoy a cold Coke. Many buildings have been beautifully restored but others are either extremely run down or totally gutted, presumably with the intention of restoring at least the outside appearance. 

City Skyline

“Magnificent” Frigate Bird

Panama Hats

Quaint parts of the Old City

After taking in my fill of the quaint area at the tip of the peninsula I headed away from the sea into a commercial area that was neither quaint nor upmarket. Lots of shops selling electrical appliances, cheap clothes etc. Found myself in Plaza 5 Mayo and close to a metro station from where I took a train back to Via Argentina close to the hotel. The metro seemed efficient and pleasantly cool. The line is shown as "Linea 1" although at present there is only one line. Back at the hotel, cooled down, drank lots of water and had another Coke.

In the evening went out to El Caribe nearby which gets good reviews and had their fish soup, more of a stew really,  which was tasty and filling. Since it is a Caribbean restaurant had a Jamaican Red Stripe beer. Then went up the road to La Rana Dorada a microbrew pub where I had their pale ale. $5 The Principe is brilliantly located close to lots of restaurants.

Things I hadn't known about Panama

Balbao was the first European to see the Pacific after he crossed the Panama Isthmus

Panama City was the first European settlement n the Pacific Coast of the Americas

Long before the canal was built, the Spanish were using the isthmus of Panama to transport gold from Peru back to Spain.

The Catholic Diocese of Panama is thought to be the oldest in the Americas, founded in 1514.

"A man, a plan, a canal – Panama!" first appeared in the November 13 1948 issue of Notes & Queries. 

Friday 1st April

Lazy morning, had a "Panamanian" breakfast of sliced sausage in tomato and onion sauce, fried egg and some sort of bright yellow potato cake, at Bora cafe close to the hotel. $10 Checked  out at midday and car to the airport.