Panama City

MONDAY 2/11  My head is spinning with all the great things that we've experienced since landing in Panama City 24 hours ago.  After spending a delightful two nights with daughter Meg and family in Denver (including another bon voyage party) we had an smooth flight to Panama.  All of our four duffel bags arrived with us and we experienced an eye-popping :40min taxi ride through Panama City (PC) at night.  We'd heard that Panama has been thriving economically since the new president was elected 10 years ago, but to experience something close to the Miami waterfront down here was surprising.  

After a quick dinner we happened to walk in to the just-opened Royal Sonesta Hotel across the street from our inexpensive (but just refurbished and very nice) mid-town VRBO studio at Panama Studio Apartments.  We were treated like royalty at Sonesta and even escorted to the 27th floor where there is a large dining room overlooking the city.  Upstairs there will be a disco, partially outdoors on the deck.  What a spectacular view.

Tuesday and Wednesday below...

TUESDAY 2/12  The next day we strolled around Casco Viejo, the old town which was a thriving seaport back in the days of Spanish Conquistadors stealing Aztec gold, much of which then landed in the hands of pirates like Henry Morgan who is famous here for ransacking and completely destroying the original city.  After the 'discovery' of the Pacific Ocean in 1526 it had been the first city established by Europeans on the Pacific side of the Americas.  Amazing to walk among these old streets and relive the rich history of this area.

After an afternoon nap we walked the two miles down and along the beautiful waterfront park to the heart of the city-funded Carnival celebration.  Unbelievable!  There were tens of thousands of people as far as the eye could see, celebrating and gyrating to latin music emanating from three live concert stages spread many blocks apart.  We happened across a little canopy staffed by the Panama Tourist Bureau and a very nice Eleanor, who spoke perfect English, took us under her wing and invited us up to the press/dignitary stage from where we watched the amazing hour-long parade after dark.

WEDNESDAY 2/13  Today, Ash Wednesday, we found a large Catholic cathedral near our hotel and went to experience this very serious holy day celebration.  We didn't understand a word of it, and the liturgy and chanting was all different so it was interesting!  

At 2:00 we took a cab to the must-see Miraflores Locks and Museum, adjoining the southern-most set of locks closest to the Pacific side of the Canal.  It's only about :30min from downtown PC.  What a mind-blowing experience, from the 10-year construction of the Canal (after it was first envisioned in the 1500's, then unsuccessfully attempted for 20 years by the French), with it numbing numbers (there were enough holes drilled in rock for dynamite to equate to drilling through the earth, and enough earth moved to ...).  Learning about the history and engineering brilliance was fun, but then to go out on the 4th floor observation deck and see these gigantic ocean-going tankers being 'effortlessly' being lifted and lowered and towed through the locks just feet from our eyes was, OK, I'm out of superlatives!!  Very keen.  Be sure to see the pictures!

Tomorrow we're off to join Quester at the north end of the Canal, 50 miles away.