Paradise in Panama

As I was planning my itinerary between Los Angeles and Quito, Ecuador, I noticed that my flight was routed through Panama City, Panama. Since my airfare was fully funded through the Earthwatch Institute, I decided to ask how much money it would cost to extend my layover in Panama City from 3 hours, to 6 days. The answer I received was astonishing:

$150.

In other words, all of my airfare between LA, Ecuador, and Panama would cost a grand total of $150. Needless to say, I quickly added a 6 day layover in Panama to my itinerary! Luckily for me, both Ecaudor and Panama use the US dollar, so I didn't have to worry about currency exchange.



I landed in Panama City, exhausted after a week of trekking through the Ecuadorian jungle in search of caterpillars. Anticipating this fatigue, I booked a few nights in the northern beach town of Bocas del Toro for some much needed R & R. Located in an archipelago on the northeast corner of the country, this 4,600 square kilometer province is a popular destination for surfers, water sports and  sailing enthusiasts.

The Province's capital, Bocas Town, sits on the water. Most hostels, restaurants and shops have docks that lead out to the ocean

I booked my stay at the Selina hostel, which has a wonderful deck that looks out over the ocean.  photo courtesy of Hostel World.

While in Bocas, I decided to explore the neighboring islands via lancha, (water taxi in Spanish):

The caribbean water was the warmest I've ever experienced. It was absolutely amazing!

Isla Bastimientos, a protected habitat for a variety of aquatic life

I stumbled upon this bar and restaurant on Red Frog Beach during my adventures. Unfortunately, the next boat back to my hostel didn't leave for another four hours, and mixed drinks were $3 US. It was absolutely awful being stuck there! 

One of the most memorable experiences I had during my time in Bocas was an unplanned adventure to Polo Beach. After speaking with some locals about cheap, authentic places to grab lunch, they informed me of an eclectic hermit named Polo and his delectable lunches. After a 40 minute walk along a secluded trail on a sparsely populated island, I finally found Polo and his beach. Polo speaks Wari Wari, a dialect of Creole English. According to him, he's been living on the beach for 50 years, and I can attest that he cooks up a mean chicken and rice! If you find yourself in Bocas, I highly suggest visiting Polo and his beach.

After a few nights in Bocas, I hopped a flight back south to Panama City. I booked a hostel in the historic neighborhood of Casco Viejo, located on the Pacific side of the Panamanian Isthmus. The Casco Viejo is the second oldest neighborhood in Panama City, dating back to 1673. In 1997, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site: 

The ruins of the Church of Santo Domingo, which suffered a devastating fire in 1756.

A typical street scene in Casco Viejo

The Church of La merced 

It's centuries-old streets are punctuated with colorful, modern street art

The Catedral Metropolitana 

Casco Viejo comes alive at night, as the streets fill with locals and tourists alike patronizing restaurants, bars and clubs

A typical narrow street in Casco Viejo, designed long before and without any consideration for the automobile

Cassco Viejo as seen from Ancon Hill

The Palacio de las Garzas, where the president of Panama lives. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

One of my favorite destinations in Panama City was the Panama Viejo.  Constructed in 1519, Panama Viejo is the first European settlement on the Pacific Ocean. By 1670, the settlement had over 10,000 permanent residents, making it one of the largest settlements in the Americas. In 1671, pirate Henry Morgan and 1,500 soldiers sacked and burned this coastal Spanish city to the ground.  This illegal display of aggression  violated a peace treaty between Spain and England, resulting in Morgan's expatriation back to England for punishment. In a cruel twist of irony, Morgan feigned ignorance of the treaty, and was instead knighted by King Charles the II. Morgan was then given the position of Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica.  He has since been immortalized through the Captain Morgan brand of rum, whose mascot bears his likeness.

This diorama shows an approximation of 17th century Panama City

The bell tower, which can be seen in the diorama photo on the right side. In order to build the tower, experienced stonemasons needed to be hired and transported from Spain to Panama. Apparently, after the first convoy sunk, (resulting in the deaths of all aboard,) a second convoy was sent. This convoy sunk also, which delayed construction even longer, ultimately resulting in the hiring of local stone masons instead.

A view from inside the bell tower, towards the modern Panama City skyline. A stark juxtaposition of antiquity and modernity

As I wandered around the Panama Viejo site, I tried to imagine the horror that must have unfolded as Henry Morgan sacked the city. I think it must have been quite similar to Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland: you know, the scene where the pirate ship is floating outside the Spanish town, barraging it with cannon balls? Eventually, the pirates over run the town's defenses, and proceed to sack, loot and burn the place to the ground.

I'm pretty sure that Morgan's sacking of Panama City in 1671 looked exactly like this scene from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland. Minus Jack Sparrow, of course. 

A few miles from Panama Viejo is the Panama City skyline, an example of modernity at it's finest: 

According to my taxi driver, a condo with an ocean view sells for 250-300,000 USD

A view towards the skyline with the Panama flag in the foreground 

Any trip to Panama would be incomplete without visiting it's most famous tourist attraction, the Panama Canal. Built over a span of ten years, and finally completed in 1914, the Panama Canal stands as a testament to modern engineering. I traveled to the Panama Canal Visitors center and took in this modern marvel in person: 

A view of the Miraflores Locks

Construction of the canal was incredibly expensive: Not only did it cost $375,000,000, it also resulted  nearly 20,000 French and 6,000 American worker's deaths during  it's construction. However, those lives were not lost in vain: nearly 14,000 ships pass through the canal every year, making it one of the busiest canals in the world. 

Panama is a hot tourist destination, and rightfully so. This place is awesome! 

Overall, my trip to Panama was incredible. If you find yourself with a layover in Panama City, I highly recommend the trip!

Until next time...