Welcolme to Central America! Paname we come!
Trip Start
Nov 24, 2007
1
37
49
Trip End
May 15, 2008
Panama City,
Panama
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Panama City, Panama
Gateway of the Americas!
So here we are. Finally in Central America. More than 10 months ago when we first began throwing around ideas for our Latin America trip we never really considered Central America into the equation of where our travels would take us. Our first idea was to spend six months living and working in one place with only small travels mixed in intermittently. That idea changed rather quickly when we couldn't come to a decision on where that would be. Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile? Over time, (I think my desire to see a few more places rubbed off on Maya a little ) the plan changed from one country to two, then to three, four and probably will end up at five as we want to dip in to Nicaragua for a bit of time before we return home. Looking back, it has been the perfect route. Not only did we live in our own apartment in Cuenca for a while and done a few things separately, but we have spent multiple months thoroughly traveling in both Ecuador and Colombia and feel like we have done more than the average speed run of each countries highlights
Casco Viejo with view of skyrises
. A more intimate experience if you will. Though we left South America with so much left unseen I do foresee a return trip at some point in the future. Three just doesn't seem to be enough...I'm really not in the creative writing mood today, quite possibly because it is hot as hell here in PCity and despite being accustomed to the heat by now, it is different here for some reason and so I am trying my best to shut everything down, mind included, to conserve energy so that I have enough power to just be able to sweat. Aside from the that, it's been a great time here so far. Right now we are staying in Casco Viejo, the older, historical section of the city which is a far distance away from the pana-'mania' (get it) that resides in the big city-big building part of town. Without a doubt, anyone coming to Panama City should stay in in CViejo. It's an astounding contrast of beautifully renovated colonial mansions that take you all the way back to the colonial days of wealth and prosperity standing aside from the same such grandiose architectural masterpieces crumbling apart almost as you stand and stare that have yet to receive the same TLC as their counterparts. A pretty cool sight to see indeed. Thanks to the tropical weather, trees and bushes have slowly begun to reclaim the dilapidated mansions - growing up from the cement floors, through the walls and even up through the chimneys. Kid you not. I think pictures would do more justice to what it is that I'm trying to explain.
Anyway, Casco Viejo is where it's at
Casco Viejo dilapidated apts
. However, if you do come, be alert and stay on your toes because Maya and I decided to go wash our clothes and headed six or so blocks away from where we are staying to a laundry mat and were unexpectedly flagged down by the police. First we thought we had done something wrong but that feeling quickly left when the officers proceeded to explain to us that we should never have stepped foot in this distinctly rundown area of Casco Viejo because 'juvenile delinquents' as they coined them in spanish would see us, come down from the balconies above and hold us at gunpoint for all of our belongings and possibly worse. Sounds like a whole heck of a lot of fun doesn't it? I didn't really see much harm, afterall, we've seen some rougher areas but since we had just arrived it's probably best to err on the side of caution. We had just put our clothes into the wash and were heading to the grocery store so the two bike cops paitently waited with us in the scortching sun for the next hour and twenty minutes before escorting us back to the 'safe' part of town, watching over while we bought eggs, fruit and noodles at a sidestore upon there insistance that we do it now. We thanked them fondly and since then have been overly gracious to the soldiers standing guard at various blocks throughout the area. Nice to know now I guess. They wouldn't be there if it wasn't a problem already...and it's nice to know we are looked out for.As for some Panama City history because I can't think on my own right now....
Founded in 1517, Panama City was the first city built on the Pacific Coast of the Americas
C. Viejo apts
. It was first founded to facilitate the transfer of riches the Spanish plundered from the Inca Empire to Spain via the Isthmus of Panama. The route became known as the Camino Real or Royal Road, although it was more commonly known as the Camino de Cruces or Road of Crosses because of the abundance of grave sites along the way. In 1671, the original city was destroyed and burnt down as a result of an attack by English Pirate Henry Morgan (Captain Morgan Eh?). The city was rebuilt two years later in what is known today as Casco Viejo. The cosmopolitan business area of the city back near the original city across the bay.Random Facts
- Panama is an indigenous word meaning 'abundance of fish'
- A ship traveling from the eastern to western hemisphere through the canal ends up further east upon exiting the canal. Ponder that one...
- Panama City currently has more than 110 sky rise projects being constructed, with 127 high-rise buildings already built.
- Panama is one of the youngest lands on earth. Until about 5 million years ago, North and South America were not connected.
- Spell "a man a plan a canal panama' backwards and tell me what you get...
- Between 1905 and 1912 more than 60 million pounds of dynamite were used to construct the Panama Canal. Do the math, I weigh around 165 pounds.
60,000,000/165 = 363,636.36. Craigs-worth of dynamite. Damn son!
- With all of the drilling performed, a hole could have been bored straight through our planet and 560+ miles beyond.
Off to drink 'una fria' (a cold one) as they call them here. Much americanized definitely. They even have bud light although the Panamanian beer is quite tastey. Guiness is in a can for 49 cents. Not bad...I think it must be made here.
