Panama

So…my wife grew up in the Canal Zone from 1964 to 1976…her dad was a canal pilot and later the harbor master. Her childhood friend , who was born in the Canal Zone, decided to bring her mother’s ashes back to Panama to rest with her father that was buried there. Initially, this was supposed to be a “ladies only” trip with all the friends that grew up there…but by the time the trip was formed, several of them had dropped out, leaving only my wife, her friend and her daughter. This is when they asked me to accompany them…after some thought, I agreed to go…but I was going to bring a couple fly rods with me.

 

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Wheels down heading into Panama City…I could see the ships waiting to transit the canal in the Pacific Ocean

 

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Driving into Panama City…

 

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Getting to our hotel room (and the view from our balcony) in the original old part of the city in Castco Viejo, on the Plaza Herrera.

 

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Got some lunch around the corner from our hotel…a Peruvian joint…excellent corvina ceviche, pulpo (octopus) and a couple cold ones…to be continued…

 

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There are several good choices for beverages to have in Panamá…good coffee…and good beer (well, in this hot & humid climate)

 

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From here you can see Panama City…we chose to stay in Casco Viejo, which was the original part of the city…those tall buildings didn’t exist when my wife was growing up here

 

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Casco Viejo is undergoing a restoration to save and preserve the old original buildings of the city

 

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A view of our hotel, the American Trade Hotel at the Plaza Herrera in Casco Viejo

 

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We drove out to see my wife and her friend’s old neighborhood in Ancon…and walk up Ancon Hill. This used to be a train station where they would take it to Colon on the Caribbean side…it’s now a McDonald's

 

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These were the original building that were residences in the Canal Zone…they didn’t have bars on the windows then.

 

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The entrance to Ancon Hill…we would have to walk from here…in 94 degree & 100% humidity

 

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Guinea Fowl…I have several packets of these feathers on my bench…

 

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The top of Ancon Hill

 

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Geoffroy’s Tamarin…they are only found in Panama. Ancon Hill is now a wildlife preserve

 

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Capybara…they looked like giant rats

 

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Termite nests…they were present about every thirty yards…my wife said everyone had holes in their floors

 

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A view of Panama City