Panama

It must been a while since I wrote here the last time because they have changed they layout for me (when I log in, hopefully not for everybody els that just want to read my nonsense) and it took a while to figure out how to get started this time. I’m blaming the late report on a bad cold, including some fever. But here I am, healthy again and ready to deliver a little update.

Last time I wrote were I in rainy Costa Rica, trying not to drown. I guess my non-drowning efforts was successful since I’m in Panama now. The trip pick up a bit in speed though because of all the rain and floods. My plan was to continue down the Caribbean coast to a group of islands in Panama called Bocas del Toro, but after spending the last two days in Costa Rica just waiting for the rain to stop (which it never did), did I change my plan. Instead of the east coast sat I my sights for the west coast, and Panama City. This was supposed to be my stop after Bocas so all that really changed was that my time in Central America is shortened by about a week (from what I heard and read is Bocas a paradise on earth where I would love to stay for a week).

The View From The Hostel

Panama City is a great city to stay in. The best really big city I’ve been to in Central America and the fact that it’s by the sea makes it very pleasant. Because of the Panama Canal, and bank secrecy, is Panama City a wealthy city and a centre of trade and banking. The skyline is dotted by skyscrapers and they are building several more. Even if there is a lot of modern skyscrapers and shopping malls, so have they preserved the old town, Casco Viejo, where I’m staying. It’s really pretty to just stroll around here and look at the old houses and all the churches. In a few years will they probably be finished with all the renovations they are making in Casco Viejo, and then will it be even prettier.

Miraflores Locks

I’ve been to Panama City for four days now, and no one can stay here this long without seeing the obvious, the Panama Canal. The place where most people are viewing the canal is at Miraflores Locks, which is the first lock (of three) that the boats pass through on there way from the Pacific to the Carribean. At Miraflores Locks is a visitor centre with a little movie theater, a museum and a viewing platform. The viewing platform is the main attraction (and of coarse tightly packed with tourists) and from there you have good view of the ships that are lowered and raised in the locks. It was interesting to see and the canal is a amazing construction, which they even are planning to expand since the largest ships still have to sail around Cape Horn.

So finally, a little look into the future. On Wednesday, the 10th of December, will I travel back to the Caribbean coast and catch a ride with a sailboat heading for Colombia. Since there is no land crossing between the two countries, is flying or sailing the only two alternatives. Sailing takes longer time (five days for sailing, one hour for flying), and is more expensive (even if I don’t think it will be such a big difference since the boat fare include accommodation, food and activities for five days), but sailing is also a bigger adventure and the boat will stop at some paradise islands in the San Blas archipelago for two or three days. As part of a school project will I start a new blog only about the sailing adventure. I’ll try to give you the address to the new blog before I get on the boat.

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