Hola desde Panamá! Hello from Panama! I came to this Central American country for a short trip even though I will be leaving Bogota in only about a week. Why the need for a quick vacation? Well, as responsible and organized as I generally feel I am (brushing off my shoulders nonchalantly), I made a grievous mistake when I purchased my plane tickets for travel into other countries, departing Colombia on March 29th.
Come to find out, upon inspecting my visa post-plane-ticket-purchase, the expiration date read March 19th. This 10-day difference is not a small deal. I mean, I considered taking the Immigration officer aside and politely explaining to him that I just wanted to stay a week and a half more, to continue teaching my dear students for a few final classes. It’s good for the country, I’d explain. And I’m really a nice person- I use my Spanish all the time to talk to people here and help ladies across the street in the rain (See Blogpost “Here, let me hug you across the street”)
But when I spoke to a few other people here, other foreigners and my Colombian-angel friend Raul (who always has answers for me), I was highly advised against over-staying my visa. This threw me into a bit of a panic, but after some research and phone calls I decided the easiest and ”most enjoyable“ course of action would be to leave the country and return with a tourist visa (and no, it’s not possible to make the switch while you’re still in the country). At least I would benefit from seeing a new country!
So, here I am in a Panamanian coffeeshop writing to you, dear readers. I arrived early last Sunday morning and went directly to the station where the Hop-on-Hop-off bus picks up. I had read about this online, and if you want a recommendation I would say it’s really worth it! It was too early to check into my hostel, so I schlepped my bag along like a good tourist and hopped on and off the bus, getting a great overview of the city in one fell swoop. My favorite was the Panama Canal. There’s an entry fee of $20 and to me it was worth it. If there is one thing Panamá is known for…
This blogger does a great job describing ways to see and learn about the Canal: pty.life. Thanks, Joey!
The Canal’s history with the US is long and a bit tumultuous (doesn’t that sound familiar). Now having traveled into a few countries with lip-biting pasts connected to the US, I really appreciate learning histories while in the particular country, and comparing them to what I have read or heard back on our soil. The tone, if not the entire story, can be pretty different. This happened to me in Cuba, and I walked away with a much broader perspective that I had had before. In my opinion it’s one of the greatest gifts of travel: mind-opening.
The Canal entry fee at the Miraflores locks included a 20 minute movie, entrance to a really well-done museum with some interactive exhibits, and a viewing deck where you can see ships pass through some of the locks- if you’re lucky to hit the timing right. I would have had to wait 2 hours and though it’d be cool to actually see the process, I didn‘t wait.
One stop on on the tour is the Albrook Mall, which is famous because it’s huge and boasts many well-known brands and stores. The Panamanians seem quite proud of it, but honestly I am not here to shop and the mall is not unlike many malls in the US. So I’m happy for the people of Panama that they have this resource but it was not intriguing for me. Also, just imagine that I have one small carry-on bag for this trip due to the cheap flight I bought. There is no possibility of me doing shopping while I’m here!
A few other stops are along the Amador Causeway, which is actually a breakwater to ease the chop for ships entering the Canal (so interesting!), and it’s been made into a nice wide 2-way traffic road with a pedestrian & bike path on either side. There are two museums, one which is Smithsonian, and some attractive shops and restaurants. After seeing this, I decided to return the next day, rent a bike and ride up and down the causeway for hours!
My final stop in the tour loop was Casco Viejo, a historic area of the city, because this is where my lodging was located. I had booked a hostel here, having read that the area is great for walking around with a nice selection of restaurants, cafes, and historical sites. And it did not disappoint.
If you ever come to Panama and take the Hop-on-Hop-off bus tour, I recommend paying for the two-day option. Currently, you can pay $31 for 24 hours (funny, because the bus doesn’t run 24 hours, but that’s how they call the tour), or $33 for 48 hours. For $2 more, I had access to transportation the 2nd day so I didn’t have to use taxis, just figure out the times of the bus stops/pick-ups and coordinate with where I wanted to go. The second day I re-listened to the tour in Spanish, and learned even more. If that makes me a nerd, so be it; I had fun!
The second day of my trip, I walked around the Casco Viejo neighborhood to visit some of the squares, churches, and take photos. This area of Panama reminds me of parts of Havana, Cuba but more of it has been restored nicely. There is interesting architecture combined with bright colors, and plenty of buildings in bad shape yet still intriguing to look at. The downtown area of Panama is totally different. It gives the impression of an affluent city with really cool architecture that actually reminded me of Chicago. This city boasts the 2nd-largest skyscraper in Central & South America. (The first is in San Paolo, Brazil. Yes, I learned this fact on the bus tour 🙂
Panama has many resources and don’t forget the Canal which, in 1977, was turned back over to the people of Panama to manage and thereby benefit from (rightly so, in my opinion). There’s been plenty of turmoil in it’s past , but in 2016 an addition to the Canal made it so that it can accommodate 90% of the world’s commercial carrier ships and barges, which have continued to grow in size and capacity, therefore demanding improved technology. So Panama’s in a good spot, literally, to gain from the constantly-increasing worldwide trade and traffic.
There is so much more to say about this topic, but my purpose here is not to repeat the Miraflores locks tour. You should take it yourself someday!
In the afternoon on the third day, I went for a run along the Cinta Costera a stretch of highway built in a huge arc, out over the ocean, to ease traffic congestion in the city. A well-maintained pedestrian and bike path runs along its entirety. I enjoyed being outdoors, seeing some more great views of the downtown and Casco Viejo, and getting some exercise to boot.
While writing this, I had to switch coffee shops because the really cute one closed – they had to almost shove me out the door (kindly, in Spanish), and now I shall finish up this post as I glance out the window at the darkening sky, as the lights of the buildings pop on. I love this time of day- no matter where in the world I am, dusk is special. It’s so short, so precious. It happens every day but you have to take advantage of it because it passes quickly; the light changing momentarily…it reminds me to appreciate the little things, the moments, and not to rush so much. I am still a rush-er, but I’m learning to slow down, at least at times, to catch the gifts that this world offers — if we are paying attention.
And though I wasn’t paying attention when I booked my flights to leave Colombia, I’m actually really glad about how it’s played out. I have 9 more days to wrap things up in Bogotá, teach a few more classes, see a few more friends. And I got to experience a few days in Panamá, which served me well. Gracias, Panamá.
