Panamá

Panama: David, Panama Canal, Panama City

06.04

T: David Panama  City $18.5 

S: Panama canal, Puente de las Americas
S: Cerro Ancon
S: Avenida Balboa

H: Siriri

07.04

T: Taxi to Albrook Airport $8

T: Flight Panama Air Albrook - Armenia $153
F: Colombia

Panama Canal

The night bus from David to Panama City was uneventful and I could get some sleep on the way. It was my second night bus after the one from Tulum to Belize City, and I had planned several more in South America to gain time. The bus arrived at Albrook terminal rather early, it was still dark and I sipped a coffee for an hour or so. Anyway I could not check into the hostel till 2PM so there was plenty of time. Then I started towards the Panama Canal. The canal took many years and lives to build, started by France in 1881 and finished by the USA in 1914. When the canal started, Panama was still part of Colombia, it only separated in 1903 as part of US gun boat diplomacy. Read Joseph Conrad's Nostromo for details. The US retained some control over the canal until 1977, when Panama took over, following a treaty between General Omar Torrijos and Jimmy Carter.
There are locks on both sides, lifting ships into a lake that is 26 m above sea level. The most interesting fact is that when you enter from the Atlantic you go out into the Pacific ocean to a point EAST of the entry point, contrary to what you would expect. On the Pacific side there is the Puente de las Americas, part of the Pan American Highway. So I made it to a small fishing port close to the bridge.

Puente de las Americas

Morning catch

I talked to the fishermen a bit - where do I come from, where I started and where I'm heading to. I was showing my map and it was earning me some friends and respect. A guy that had come to buy some fresh lobsters gave me a lift to the foothill of Cerro Ancon which was very welcome as it was getting hot and in fact it was the hottest day of my whole trip. 

Cerro Ancon is maybe the best viewpoint,  overlooking  the Panama Canal, the Pacific Ocean and Panama City. Panama City skyline is like so many american cities with many skyscrapers. Well, they have to keep the Panama files somewhere. But there was a smog or mist obscuring the view.

Panama City from Cerro Ancon

Plate commemorating the return of the canal to Panama

I rested a bit on top of the hill and changed into shorts, then started toward the city. Inevitably, whether I am in Panama, Kuwait, Santiago de Compostela  or Colombo, I end up being into a fish market without really looking for one. Maybe the fish in me.

Finally I gained the coast, all along runs the Avenida de Balboa with a nice park between the avenida and the ocean. Vasco Nunez de Balboa was the first European to set eyes on the Pacific in 1513.

Vasco Nunez de Balboa Monument

It will take some time though for the trees planted in the park to offer some shadow, and I badly needed it. Fortunately I could buy some water and ice creams in the park.

Finally I gained the Siriri hostel, a house among the city skyscrapers which offered even a swimming pool. My room was still not ready, the beds were yet to be assembled but after a shower and lunch nearby I could enjoy the pool and the local beer. Behind the pool you can also see my clothes on the rope. When you travel light, you have to do some washing nearly every day whenever there is time to dry. 

Siriri Hostel swimming pool

So I was lazying around the pool and then slept some and in the evening took a stroll in the park again. Next morning a taxi took me to the airport. As I mentioned, there are daily flights to Bogota and Medelin, but the flight to Medelin only lands at 9 PM and the airport is far from the city. There is a flight to Armenia, a town between Medelin and Kali, which lands at noon, but you need to take it on Friday, and this more or less dictated my schedule. 

There was a bad surprise waiting for me at the Panama Air counter - a lady told me I must absolutely have a flight ticket out of Colombia or else they cannot allow me to board the plane. Then she offered me to buy a ticket back to Panama. I argued in vain I am going out of Colombia by bus to Ecuador, finally she let me use a PC and see how I can produce a ticket. I came upon a site that was not really selling bus tickets online, but instead you make a reservation and pickup your ticket at the bus terminal. So I could produce an itinerary without really doing even the reservation, there is a bus line Bogota - Medelin - Kali - Ipiales and Ipiales was my planned exit point in Colombia.  I printed the itinerary with my name on it and was finally accepted and on my way to South America. I need to say that no such ticket was required at Armenia airport border control, maybe Air Panama were just trying to sell me an extra ticket. Whatever, be prepared to produce something outbound to avoid all the confusion.

I happened to sit next to a doctor waiting to board the plane, he was so kind to even recommend some medecine for my dog wound. It was still oozing, not blood but lymph and would take many more days to heal. I guess also the swims I took in Ometepe and Siriri did not help. 

At last we boarded and I was gratified by the site of this lady on the stairs, a photo worth zooming in.

Hey hombre, mira adelante!

So, on the 15th day of my journey, hasta la vista Panamá and on to América del Sur!