Panama City

Panama… been there, done that, and I have the hat to prove it!

In February we had a blessed 5-day weekend which left Molly, Sharon, and me with no choice except to jet off to a new country: Panama! As usual, no weekend is long enough (normal or with extra days) so the trip felt like really quick, but I would highly recommend the city to anyone and would love to return again someday. Even though it was a short trip, the three of us packed in as much touring as possible.

The Island of Tobago: Off the coast of Panama there are a series of little islands where you can escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a day and feel like you are in a tropical dream. We decided to spend a day at Tobago – in reality we did not have a choice of how much time we wanted to spend there because the ferry takes you in the morning, and then does not come back until late afternoon. With rented beach chairs and a big umbrella for shade, we found a perfect spot on the beach to park for the day. Sharon and I took a few kayaks out for a while to explore around the island. We went out early enough to avoid any waves or strong winds, and just floated through the water effortlessly. The water was such a beautiful blue in some parts, but unable to mask a sad reality in others. We learned that there is a lot of illegal oil trafficking through these islands and people are often careless with minor oil spills that are ruining the marine life. If you looked close enough, you could see a thin layer of oil sitting on top of the water. Unfortunately, because of this, the water was not ideal for soaking in, but we would dip in every once in a while to cool off from the hot, hot sun. Even still, for a little bit we played volleyball with a few other beach-goers in the water to avoid becoming total beach bums! (Warning: nerdy Spanish moment) I loved meeting other tourists on the island because we were coming from all corners of the world, and yet able to communicate with each other via a language that was not native to any of us.

The rest of the day was spent dozing in and out of siestas in our beach chairs, reading books, eating fresh fish, and exploring the beach. Some people discovered a turtle nest on a busy patch of the beach; sadly, since it was in a high-traffic area, the majority of the baby turtles had already died, but they managed to save a few! Have you ever seen a turtle so little? We babysat this little one for a while to keep hungry birds away while he got used to the water, and now we can only hope he is still swimming somewhere out in there in that big ocean. I also thought it would be fun to get all my little ones a souvenir from the beach (since in reality, most of them may never see the beach or the ocean in their lifetimes). I hunted all along the beach for the most beautiful shells and collected them to bring back to my students. I would like to boast and say that I successfully protected my white skin from the sun’s rays all day, but too much fun in the sun left me with my own souvenir: a sunburn. 

The Canal: What is Panama City better known for than the Panama Canal? It was inevitable that we would make time to visit this historically famous site. Coincidentally we visited during the 100^th year anniversary and celebration of the canal! We inquired about the best time to visit – we wanted to see the canal in action – so we went in the morning to watch boats go through. At the Miraflores Locks there are two chambers for boats to pass through and each one has two holding areas. When coming from the Pacific Ocean, the boats enter into the first holding area and wait for the water level to rise, then they pass into the second where they again wait for the water to rise more. Once the water is at the same level as the river that leads into the country, the boats are released to continue on their journey. While in the chambers, boats are hooked up to little moving cars along the side to help pass them through the canal and not bang into the sides. It is a slow process, taking about 45 minutes for each boat to move through the canal, but it is entirely fascinating to watch.

At the site of the canal you can wander through a museum dedicated to Panama and its world-famous canal. There was no need for us to hire a tour guide because we had acquired a regular taxi driver for the weekend and he volunteered to guide us through the museum. We learned all about the history of the canal and what the future holds for it. I found it interesting that the United States had complete control over the canal for so many years before finally handing over power to Panama. As well, the canal is man-made but I did not realize how drastically the land area changed in order to accommodate it. The river that connects one side of the country to the other, allowing boats to travel from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean, was not always a continuous river. La Corte de la Culebra, “the Snake’s Cut,” is rightfully named because the original builders had to literally cut through the hillside to extend the river towards the Pacific Ocean. The rock they blasted was used to build a highway that connects Panama City to a few of the islands along the coast. We also learned the future plans for the canal: they are in the process of building additional chambers to allow more boats to pass through in a day and to introduce a more efficient and economically-friendly process of doing so. However, plans have been halted as the engineers in charge of the project have changed. It truly is a historical marvel! 

Old Town: I absolutely fell in love with this part of the City. In the heart of a city that is very modern and westernized, there is a beautiful colonial neighborhood that has been well-preserved and offers a lot of history to the country. The streets are lined with old buildings that are intricately designed with bricks and columns, and vibrant with brightly colored doors and plants. This part of the city embodies so much history and culture to give insight to what Panama City was like before the modern world shaped into a metropolis. It is an area that is very much alive with Panamanian heritage and pride. We dined here one night at a traditional restaurant, Monola Caracol, that offers a 9-course meal. Each plate was served like tapas and we feasted on fresh seafood, colorful vegetables, homemade bread, and intriguing sauces. The most daring plate involved me eating whole-calamaris (tentacles intact), while the most delicious one included grilled fish, maize puree, and tomato jam. We thought we had died and gone to culinary heaven after this meal! 

We came back another day to see this part in the sun. We wandered through an artisanal market to shop for souvenirs and soak in the beautiful, hand-made crafts. I could not resist and bought the trademark Panama hat! (There is certainly not a shortage of them in that city.) Then we made our way through the streets to awe at the historical buildings. We were on a bit of a time crunch so we power-walked through the main parts, but took plenty of time to stop and snap photos. There were many churches, governmental buildings, and old homes to admire. I just cannot emphasize enough how much culture and character there was to be admired in this neighborhood! As well, there were some spots where you could see the contrast of what the city was and what it has turned into. Between alleys and around corners you could easily catch a glimpse of the city skyline as a backdrop. It was a harmonious mixture of the past way of life and the present reality.

The Amador Causeway: Remember when I mentioned that some of the rock that had been blasted away to build the canal was relocated to create a highway from Panama City to some of the nearby islands? That highway is called the Amador Causeway. We had two main reasons for going out there: alternative transportation and the biodiversity museum. After fueling up with another delicious, fresh seafood meal, we rented a bicycle to cruise around on. Have you seen one of these? It has always been Molly’s dream to ride in one, and she finally got to live it. There were plenty of bikes to choose from, giving the illusion that this was a popular activity to do on the Causeway, but we were the only ones taking advantage of this fun. We rented one for a couple of hours to help us get around the Causeway and see the different islands it connects. To be honest, the Causeway would be more or less not worth the time visiting if it weren’t for the hilarious fun we had on the bicycle. We caused quite the scene pedaling around and laughing hysterically (people who witnessed it were definitely laughing with us). We took turns pedaling (and simultaneously sweating), and driving or criticizing each other for almost running into oncoming traffic or inanimate objects. 

There is a biodiversity museum that is being built on the Causeway and while it is not ready to be officially open to the public, you can arrange a tour to see the progress on the inside. We walked through 4 exhibits. The first one displayed all of the diverse species of animals and plants that Panama has to offer. You could see which ones were more commonly found to the ones that are becoming extinct, if not already; as well, there was a list of all the causes for the disappearance of species. The second exhibit was my favorite! It was a 360 degree, panoramic video of the biodiversity found in Panama. There were just so many places to look and different things happening on each screen; it was a very engaging and intense exhibit. The third one displayed the geographical history of Panama via all the rocks and fossils found in the country. It was interesting to learn about how the land of Panama came together to connect two continents. The fourth, and last, display featured the history of Panama broken into categories: the people (natives and conquerors), the food (indigenous and evolved), the plants and animals, and the modern-day culture. The whole museum was beautifully done and you can feel the Panamanian pride soaked into each display. When the museum is finished and open for the public (a few years from now) it will surely be a spectacle and main tourist attraction. 

That sums up the majority of our time in Panama City! Other than all the touristy places we visited some highlights included our hotel (well-equipped with a high powered shower, dreamy beds, and a scrumptious breakfast buffet, our taxi driver turned best friend who eagerly escorted us around town, and a night out dancing on the 62^nd floor of the Hard Rock Café to welcome the start of Carnaval weekend. We turned every moment into a blast and made the absolute most of our trip!

Please be praying for the teachers who have decided to stay for another year! Jake (of course), Rachel (soon to be married to Jake), and Sharon have all decided to stay in La Union for another year, and that is great news! I know the students are thrilled to have them staying and it makes leaving easier too knowing that good people are staying behind. Pray that they prepare themselves for the year ahead while still finishing out this year with strength. Send up praises that God has called them to stay and continues to use them in marvelous ways here. They are huge blessings!