Diversity is the Pride of Panama

What most showcases each country we visit is always on our travel agenda. The Panama Canal is indeed on Panama’s pedestal – considered “One of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.”

While figuring out our approach to seeing this marvel of engineering, my husband Rick and I spend our days wandering around central Panama City with its uber-international vibes. Ex-pats from all over the world make their home here (to work or retire) resulting in restaurants with a dozen different cuisines on the same street, ethnic foods in supermarcados, huge malls, skyscrapers, mucho condos and a mini-Vegas of casinos.

The stunning waterfront promenade becomes a favoured spot to wile an afternoon away. A statue of Vasco Balboa towers with a raised sword in one hand, a Spanish flag in the other. In 1513, this explorer, starting from the Atlantic side, is credited with being the first European to cross the isthmus. “Discovering” a body of water on the opposite side, he waded in knee deep and pierced the sandy bottom with a flag claiming it for Spain – a claim which of course did not stick being that it was the Pacific Ocean.

The “City Sightseeing Panama – Canal Tour” hop-on/hop-off bus proves to be a great way to navigate about. It’s a given that the Panama Canal’s Miraflores Locks, just outside the city, will be our first “hop-off.” We arrive at the Visitors Centre in time to watch a freighter loaded down with containers make its way through the canal with guiding electronic locomotives, called mules, tethered to the freighter to keep it centred. Quite a sight!

The canal’s history unfolds in a small museum on the main floor. The idea to join the two major oceans was hatched soon after Balboa came and went. But it was not until 1881 that the first firm effort to build the canal was undertaken by the French, which did not end well with 22,000 workers dying from accidents/tropical diseases before the company declared bankruptcy a dozen years later.

In 1904, Panama negotiated an agreement with the United States and the canal was successfully completed; officially opening under US control on August 15, 1914. The Torrijos-Carter Treaties of 1977 gave a time of joint control, with Panama taking over fully in 1999. The three locks, Miraflores and Pedro Miguel on the Pacific side and Gatun Lock on the Atlantic side, use a system consisting of two lanes that operate as water elevators, which raise ships from sea level to the 26m above sea level of Gatun Lake (manmade for this purpose), and then lowers the ships back to sea level on the opposite side of the isthmus. This introduction has us planning to see more!

On the bus again, the route takes us past the highest point in the city, Cerro Ancon at 199m, then down the long narrow Amador Causeway. Our next “hop-off” is the historic old city of Casco Viejo (a.k.a. Casco Antiguo). As Panama City grew and sprawled, its colonial buildings were neglected for decades. Some are restored as restaurants/cafés/shops, while others remain in a crumbling state with wind whispering tales from the past through hollows where windows once were.

The many churches call forth the faithful and spectators alike. Most impressive is the Catedral Metropolitana with its stone façade, wooden doors and mother-of-pearl encrusted bell towers. My front-runner is Iglesia de San Jose (Saint Joseph’s Church), so plain on the outside, we almost missed it. But oh, the inside is divine! Our eyes glue to the glorious altar veneered in gold – the subject of legend, which an English speaking local shares with us. “This altar was covered with a coat of black paint to appear worthless when pirate Henry Morgan plundered the very first settlement east of here in 1671; it was later brought to this church.” We concur if Morgan had seen what we stand before today – he wouldn’t have left without it.

The old city streets lead to the Pacific Ocean where a brisk market is underway along the water’s edge. I am excited to see many of the sellers in the small stalls are Cuna (Kuna), the indigenous peoples who first migrated to Panama from Colombia centuries ago. Although the men have succumbed to western clothing, the women are exquisite in their traditional dress of gold ear and nose rings, forearms and calves bound in rows of coloured beads – and their famed molas – the panels on the front and back of their blouses. These panels are of different coloured cloth that is cut and basted to form designs, which are now incorporated into sale items for tourists – like my purse with a snake in gold and black on a background of green!

The Cuna, who mostly live along Panama’s northern mainland and the islands of San Blas Archipelago, have been in the medical limelight recently as they do not suffer from high blood pressure, ever – not even with advanced age. Their basic daily diet consists of plantain, coconut, fish and fruit, and a quart of Flavanol-rich cocoa. Rick is quick to say, “See, I told you we should be eating tons more dark chocolate!”

It is high time for us to see more of the Panama Canal, specifically, the less frequented Gatun Locks on the Atlantic side; a two-hour-drive from Panama City. We are also keenly interested in seeing this side’s Canal Expansion, and book a private tour.

Okay – this is where it’s at! From our Gatun viewing deck, a ship in the lock furthest from us begins its journey from the Atlantic side; in eight or nine hours will exit to the Pacific. At the same time, in the lock nearest us, we are in for a mega-thrill! Sizable vessels that started out on the Pacific side are now entering the Gatun Locks from Gatun Lake AND we are chatting distance away! We call out to the crew who wave and call back!

Leslie, a lock attendant, is on hand with details on the ships passing right under our noses. “This is the Hanze Groningen, from the Netherlands – 590ft long, 98ft wide, so,” she chuckles, “with the canal being 110ft wide, with a maximum allowable boat width of 106ft – it’s a tight squeeze.” She continues, “This Netherlander’s weight is 20,200 tons – the cost to go through the canal is $93,292.85 US.”

Pointing out a ship anchored on Gatun Lake, Leslie says, “That’s the Coral Princess cruise ship from Fort Lauderdale in partial transit. After coming through Gatun Locks, its 2,400 passengers spend the day in Panama City, before leaving through Gatun Locks again.” She checks her ledger, “At 78,800 tons the canal charge is $321,600 US.” We leave WOWED by these close encounters!

A short distance away we arrive at the viewing area for the Canal Expansion Project of mind-boggling complexity to accommodate today’s super-sized vessels. Beginning in 2007, the original targeted completion date was 2014 to commemorate 100 years of the Canal’s operation, but due to money issues and labour disputes the operational date is set for January of 2016.

Back in Panama City, we take in more sites and meetings with gracious Panamanians… and can see the expat appeal!

More Info:

Panama uses US currency.

Details on the Panama “Pensionado” Program for retirees/foreigners – one of the best in the world today.
www.globaltrekkers.ca/panama-retiree-pensionado/

Panama Tourism Official Website –
http://www.visitpanama.com/?lang=en

Official site for Panama Canal Expansion Project –
micanaldepanama.com/expansion/

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