Instead of transiting in Panama City en route to Cuba we decided to spend a couple of days there: any excuse to explore a new place.
After the laid-back tranquillity of Costa Rica, Panama was a slap in the face. Straight up we were expected to tip the taxi stand attendant, there goes $5 USD. Then 100 metres down the road the taxi driver starts trying to renegotiate our agreed fixed price. We arrived at the hotel and paid him his $30 USD and not a cent more. There’s one thing we both struggle with and that’s the expectations of tipping. Taxi drivers almost always own their own vehicles so as business owners they should be setting fares that cover their costs and provide an income, not rely on tips. I understand in low wage economies people need tips to bolster their pay, but not business owners who have just given you the basic of service they agreed on. It seems the American influence in Panama runs deep.
Our hotel was in Punta Paitilla, a newer part of Panama with lots of high-rise buildings including a Trump Tower. It’s easy to see why it’s often referred to as the Dubai of Central America. Our hotel was not one of these sparkling giants, it was circa 1985 and the tropical weather had got the better of the exterior, and inside it was tired with dated décor, but comfortable all the same.
We were both struggling with bad colds so took the opportunity to rest for what remained of the afternoon. The next day we were feeling much better and were ready to explore.
Panama City sits at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal and is home to over 1.5 million people. 2019 is a big year with Panama marking 500 years since it was founded by the Spanish, as the base for them to explore and conquer the Inca Empire in Peru. For half a millennium this has been an important trade route. Most of the gold that the Spanish took from the Americas passed through here and today a large portion of the world’s cargo passes through the canal that links the Atlantic to the Pacific.
The oldest part of Panama is Panama Viejo, the original city. It was destroyed by fire in 1671 and the remains are now a World Heritage site and museum. Instead of rebuilding on the same site, the city was re-established two years later on a peninsula 8kms away. The “new” old city is Casco Antiguo and it is the perfect place to while away a few hours. It’s fascinating wandering through the narrow streets, admiring the mix of architectural styles that reflect the country’s cultural diversity: Caribbean, Republican, art deco, French, and colonial architecture all combined on a site comprising of around 800 unique buildings. Cafes, bars, galleries and souvenir shops stuffed with Panama hats and traditional crafts line the narrow streets. It was just a shame it wasn’t pedestrian only, as there was a steady stream of cars blocking the narrow lanes.
Plazas are dotted through Casco Antiguo, each hosting monuments and all overlooked by impressive buildings like the Metropolitan Cathedral, National Theatre, La Merced Church, San Francisco de Assisi Church, and Salon Bolivar. The churches were a welcome escape from the intense heat of the day. It was surprisingly quiet, and we were often the only people walking along a street.
On the point overlooking the sea is a monument dedicated to the first attempt to build a canal joining the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. This attempt by the French failed miserably and many thousands of people lost their lives in the process.
In a handsome historic building on the edge of La Plaza de la Independencia is the Interoceanic Canal Museum. The museum tells the story of the Panama Canal from the first days of dreaming to what it is now, and the arduous journey between. Work started on this 48-mile waterway in 1880 and by the time it was completed in 1914, some 25,000 people had died, mostly owing to tropical disease. Today, however, this feat of engineering is the country’s star attraction. Seeing it up close was on our agenda for the next day.
It was late afternoon and the clouds were rolling in, making the temperature more bearable. We could see the cluster of high-rises at the other end of the bay where our hotel was. Linking Casco Antiguo to our hotel is the Cinta Costera, a coastal greenspace and walkway running 5kms along the bay. We started off, walking past the row of flags representing every country of the world flying out along the causeway, before crossing the highway to Cintera Costera. Colourful old fishing boats lolled in the waters near the popular eateries of the Mercado de Mariscos (seafood markets). We brushed off the hawkers trying to entice us in for ceviche. On through flower trellis tunnels, past the Panama sign, an outdoor gym, tennis courts, a Yacht Club and the monument to Vasco Nuñez de Balboa, who, after trudging through the rain forests of the Darien in 1501, became the first European to set eyes on the Pacific Ocean, and then we eventually arrived back at our hotel. It had been a big day.
The next day we took an Uber out to the canal visitor centre overlooking the Miraflores Locks. Uber is very popular in Panama City and much cheaper than the taxis. As we pulled up a huge container ship was passing through the lock, towering storeys above us. We made our way to the viewing platform on the fourth floor, Andrew’s eyes grew wider. He was in heaven. He loves canals and this is the canal to beat all canals. A four-lane highway taking behemoth freighters from one ocean to another. We were watching the process intently and admiring this incredible engineering marvel when we noticed three yachts were sharing the lock with the container ship. The were tiny compared and were tied together. When the gates opened, they quickly moved on and were almost out of site by the time the container ship had moved out. When my aunt and uncle sailed the world in their yacht, they came through the Panama Canal, we wondered if they’d been in this lane with scores of tourists waving them through.
There’s another museum at the visitor centre. This one is interactive and modern and tells the story of the canal since it’s opening in 1914 and how it operates today. Before going in we sat through a rather odd arty movie that looked at the life around the canal through the eyes of children living at different times in its history. In the museum itself is a simulator that had us experiencing what it would be like to pilot a super freighter through the canal.
Much of Panama’s economy is based around the canal and the many associated businesses. The toll to pass through the canal is anything from $2,000 USD for a small yacht to $800,000 USD for a super freighter. Originally the Panama Canal Zone was controlled by America which was the cause of tension between the two nations and 1989 after a particularly tense time George H.W Bush ordered the invasion of the country to oust the dictator General Noriega. It was only in 1999 when the canal was finally transferred back to the control of Panama.
Being in existence for 500 years it’s no wonder Panama City is so diverse and colourful. On the surface, it’s a super-modern bustling city but look deeper and there’s a rich history to explore. But, for us, the canal was definitely the highlight. Time to move on to Cuba.
