Arrived in Panama (my last North American country to visit) after a very quick break between the Egypt trip- looks like the main city is booming – cranes and towering skyscrapers (some in progress) are lined up all along the shoreline. We are staying in an upscale International chain hotel but with a twist. There is large color photo that spans the length of the wall of semi nude women. Ummm yea.
Panama has their own currency, the Balboa – but here in Panama City at least the main unit of currency is the US Dollar. It is used everywhere and is what you receive when you use the ATM machines.
We visited the great Panama Canal today at the Miraflores Locks which anchor the canal’s entrance to the Pacific Ocean side of the country. This has been a major shipping channel since it opened in 1914. Today thousands of boats pass through its locks each year – the cost of passage is dependent on weight, ranging from a few dollars for the person who swam through the canal to $250,000 for the largest of the boats which pass through daily. Small boats such as sailboats are supposed to pass through at night. The Panamanian flag must fly from every ship which passes through the channel.
A play by play was called out in both English and Spanish as the large cargo ships passed through the locks. At one point a Chinese ship came by and we waived to the sailors on the top deck. The Panamanian announcer shouted out greetings in Chinese.
Some years after the Panamanians took control of the canal the country voted to expand the canal. Today several new locks are being built on both the Pacific and Atlantic side to accommodate wider and larger ships. This project is supposed to be completed in 2014 (century mark after the canal opened) and will be an additional source of revenue for Panama.
Here are a few photos of the trip so far – not much sunshine 🙁
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- Miraflores Locks Panama Canal
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- Panama Viejo – original site of Panama City
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- Welcome to the Panama Canal
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- Panama Canal before emptying into the Pacific
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- Wine waiting to be consumed Amador Causeway
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- Large ship going through the Miraflores Locks
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- Dave along the Amador Causeway
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- Some of the many buildings, Panama City
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- Large ship going through the Panama Canal
Hey there. i read your blog and i found it quite interesting so i added it on my blogroll. Have a nice day 🙂
Sounds like a good trip for you!! How about Panama food?
Hey,
We have wanted to do the Panamanian travel gig for some time. Any pointers? We would be coming from Florida, US.
I would love to be on a boat to lock through… $$$$?
What do you say about the food? Sites, hikes? Bird spotting?
Lisa
Hi Jason – we have eaten a mix of Panama food and western style food. We were recommended to go to the Restaurant Barcko at the end of the Causeway in Amador (15 mins from Panama City) – they have Panama food but its very pricy and very touristy. Downtown/Financial area mostly has large hotel restaurants – if you get out of the large city area you can find local restaurants.
I found some nice “corvina” – or sea bass. Its pretty mild tasting but the Panama recipes have some good sauce to go with this sometimes. Lots of seafood 🙂
Hi Lisa – yea Panama is pretty cool, I’ve had some bad trips to Central America in the past but this is not one of them 🙂
Miraflores is the closest “locks” to Panama City – about 20-25 mins by taxi. They open at 9am.
The MultiCentro is Central America’s largest mall (across from the Radisson Decapolis) – http://www.multicentropanama.com.pa/
Within the MultiCentro Mall – I saw boat rides through the canal offered for 10 to 15 us dollars/person. The boats typically leave at 7am.
You can also try in Amador (a section connecting 3 islands by roadway) – passenger ships leave from there around 7am each morning and are usually back by 3pm. We saw them going through the Miraflores Locks when we were at the canal.
Food is decent – especially seafood. I’ve been birding in Costa Rica (the rain and cloud forests) but didn’t have much of a chance to do that this trip. We have seen a number of birds in and around the bays. I suspect birding is quite good when you get outside of the big Panama City.
From Florida you flight won’t be too long.
Panama City is def more expensive than the rest of the country and most expensive then the rest of Central America. Similar prices in the city to USA.
Have a great trip 🙂
I love the pictures..what a beautiful place:)
Seha hecho seguidor de mi blog de cocina, Cocinar sin miedo, lo cual le agradezco, y espero que mi cocina le guste, y se quede, y disfrute de olores, sabores y sensaciones.
Le invito a que conozca este blog de viajes, donde encontrará, principalmente, rincones de España, pueblecitos, playas, etc…
Espero que le guste.
esta tarde visitaré con más tiempo sus blogs, que seguro que me interesan.
Saludos desde Málaga (España)
Leyendote y diciendote que Panamá esta en América Central.
Espero hayas estado en las esclusas de Gatun impresionan porque son más inclinadas.
Saludos