Panama 2024

Panama, a small country roughly the size of South Carolina (US) or New Brunswick (Canada) or Denmark (EU) and with a population of about five million people, has a lot to offer, especially if you like a tropical climate. The country runs west to east in a gentle S shape; the Panama Canal runs mostly north to south across the middle of the country. Spent time in Panama City, a couple of National Parks, a few rivers, the Panama Canal, and found some jungle wildlife along the way.

Here's a few highlights from this part of the trip; there's more depth (and links) in Google photoblogs about specific destinations at the end of this post. Hope you enjoy!

The Panama Sign, near my temporary home in Panama City

I found a fabulous little AirBnB on the 25th floor of this building for my week-long stay in Panama City. The Sands Apartments and Mall is a very new building in a great location along the Pacific Ocean and was near many wonderful places in the city

On my first full day here, I participated in a city tour on foot and by bike, and got to know one of the oldest parts of town, sometimes called "Old Town," also known as Casco Viejo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Casco Viejo is included in UNESCO's list because of its "Outstanding Universal Value" as a well preserved example of the earliest European (Spanish) settlement in the Americas as well as its subsequent development into a globally important commercial center thanks to the Panama Canal

On the second full day here I joined a Damselfly Tour to explore the Soberania National Park near Gamboa. We looked for wildlife by foot and by boat. We were nicely rewarded for our effort with sloths, monkeys, butterflies, birds, frogs, and a wide variety of jungle plants and trees. Pictured is a howler monkey, one of three species of monkeys we found along the way

On the third day, I stayed in the city and started my day by visiting the Miraflores Locks and visitor center at the Panama City end of the canal. Ship traffic has been reduced by about 40% compared to a year ago because of alarmingly low water levels in Gatun Lake, the source of water for canal traffic in both directions

Next, I headed over to the Biomuseo, a wonderful museum about Panama's Natural History and Biodiversity. The building itself is a real treat. It was designed by Canadian born architect Frank Gehry as a tribute to his Panamanian wife and the country he grew to love. The museum has eight galleries that depicts everything from the volcanic emergence of Panama as a land bridge between the Americas to the migration of animals, plants, and people because of this land bridge to reflections about the biodiversity crisis worldwide and in Panama. A wonderful museum; my favorite in my visit here

Later on the third day I took the very modern metro to the commercial center of town, where I walked around and got pictures of some dramatic and interesting modern buildings

On the fourth day, I signed up for a trip to the Colon area along the Atlantic coast, where we visited the Agua Clara Locks, the northern terminus of the Panama Canal (above). Then we headed on to a UNESCO site, and at the end of our trip we did a short jungle hike in search of wildlife

The San Lorenzo Fort is a World Heritage Site because it is a well preserved example of the fortifications used by the Spanish to protect their plundered goods and to repel pirates and other seafarers who might use the Rio Chagres to attack and dominate Panama City. Although the fortress eventually did fall to Henry Morgan and his pirates, it withstood many other attacks before it fell

Armed with machetes, we made our way through a dense section of jungle. Although they proved to be unnecessary, the machetes helped us feel prepared for anything!

The Agouti is a raccoon sized relative of the raccoon family. We spotted this one near our jungle hike

On the fifth day, I headed up to the Metropolitan Natural Park, aka "The Lungs of Panama City." This large urban park features four hiking trails that can be completed in two to three hours. It has a jungle-like, hilly terrain and is noted for being a home for many birds and other animals

After exploring the Metropolitan Park, I headed down to the historic section of Panama City, where I joined travelers from Brazil, Russia, and Colombia and Jose, our Venezuelan guide for a 4 mile / 7 km stroll from the Old Town through the Financial District to Punta Pacifica.

It was a wonderful cultural tour of the city, who showed us street scenes, buildings, and neighborhoods that represented three major standards of living and welfare in Panama City. First we walked through several poor and lower middle class living conditions, homes with low rents and cheap stores, bars, and cafes in the historic district (Casco Viejo). Then we went by Metro to the upscale residential neighborhoods in the financial district. We ended our tour with a walk through Punta Pacifica, one of the wealthiest parts of Panama City along the shoreline, with a 66th floor view of the city at a bar in the Marriott

On the sixth day, I joined travelers from Denmark, Germany, Montreal, Canada, and our guide Saul on a visit to Embera, an indigenous village located within the Chagres National Park, due north of Panama City. After a van ride to a dock on the Chagres River, we boarded a motorized dugout canoe and headed upstream to the village, populated by about 50 members of an extended family. They greeted us warmly, explained their lifestyle and social organization, treated us to a wonderful lunch with fried tilapia, plantains, and as much fresh fruit as you could eat. After lunch, the villagers demonstrated several traditional dances and invited us to join them. We explored the village, bought a few handicrafts, and lounged in the Chagres River. After about three hours of visiting, we bade them farewell, hopped back into our dugout canoe, and worked our way back to Panama City

On the last (seventh) full day in Panama, I headed over to the site of the original Panama City, now called the Panama Viejo Archeological Site. This site, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, features remnants and ruins that date back to 1519, when the city was first founded. The city suffered rebellions, fires, an earthquake, and enemy attacks; it eventually was mostly destroyed by Henry Morgan and his band of privateers on behalf of the English crown. The city was relocated to a more defensible location in what is now Old Town Panama City

The most popular things to do here are to climb the cathedral tower and to visit the very nicely done Museum of Old Panama

And finally, it was Carnival time (like Mardi Gras in the US) in Panama City (and in the whole country, apparently) for most of my time here. There was plenty of partying going on in town, and it seems the epicenter of the festivities was pretty much right in front of my Airbnb! Good Times into the wee hours!

All in all, a very interesting and fun visit to the central region of Panama, with its diverse and wealthy capitol city, its world famous canal, its amazing biodiversity, its warm and friendly people, and with some wonderful guides and fellow travelers I met along the way!

More pictures and details about each of the places I visited are here. If you'd like more info, just click on any of these links:

Old Town Panama City (Casco Viejo), a UNESCO World Heritage Site:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/L3msBtyiCcLpTrb49

Soberania National Park:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/7eBTzkx8NfC8b7eu6

Frank Gehry's Biomuseo:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/eoNxCU95eMVdUsz6A

https://en.wikiarquitectura.com/building/biomuseum-museum-biodiversity-panama/

Bridge of the Americas:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/CUWi9v3nLA57Lijq6

Panama City Modern Architecture:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/eD7Eeu8Q8qv8vm9d7