Panama Archives - Wandering North

Central America / Caribbean Panama

El Chorrillo

On my third and final full day in Panama City began with a good walk. Had I not scheduled a walking tour for 1pm I would have gone to the Metropolitan Park, which looks amazing – a big rainforest just north of the city centre with wildlife and hiking trails. But I didn’t have time, so while I was having coffee at the hostel one of the workers suggested I hike up the Ancon hill. It turned out to be an excellent idea.

I left the hotel and walked up Avenue Central outside the Casco Viejo into another neighbourhood. A few blocks and the area changed utterly. Casco Viejo is beautiful, but it is quiet and a little sanitized. The locals were basically relocated when the restoration occurred and so it all feels a bit artificial. Old Havana is similar in that it is colourful, touristy, and has been restored, but Old Havana still has locals living there so it is lively. Casco Viejo is not. But this new area was totally alive. People selling bananas and onions, lottery tickets and newspapers. Shops and restaurants busy with local people. None of them fancy, but busy. In the square that I passed people were hanging out, kids running around, music loudly playing.

The buildings in this area are mostly not so attractive as they were (I learned later that day) bombed and rebuilt, or bombed and left as shells during the American invasion of 20 December 1989, which is a date still spray painted around the area for remembrance.

There was still lots of street art, including one painted of two women painted on the shell of a former church.

I walked down Avenue Central until I saw the McDonalds on the right and took a left, walking about a block until I saw a small monument to the riots of 1964 wherein some high school students tried to take down the American flag and erect the Panamanian flag. A riot broke out and American soldiers killed a number of students. On the concrete walls along the highway that I crossed were murals honouring the event, including portraits of some of those killed.

From there I followed a snaking street past a hospital and fancy gated houses until the path up the mountain revealed itself. (If you are making this walk, just follow the road. It will seem like you’ve missed a turn off, but it will come. The signage just is not great until you have arrived.) Climbing up gave good views over the city with glimpses of skyline and tiled roofs, cemetery and harbour. Lots of families and ambitious cyclists were making the same ascent.

Half way back down it started to rain. Tropical, aggressive rain. Fortunately, I had an umbrella. Unfortunately it dod nothing but keep the water off my face and by the time I got back to town I was soaked. I spent the spent 30 minutes or so haggling to buy dry shoes.

Later that day I met with Victor who runs walking tours through his company PTY Local. This particular walk was through the El Chorrillo neighbourhood, known for being dangerous and poor. Indeed, my taxi driver had told me firmly never to walk there. I had already walked there a little bit and it seemed fine, but I wanted to see a bit more and learn a bit about the neighbourhood so I took this walking tour. I am so glad I did.

The tour was great. Victor was great company and explained about the history of El Chorrillo, Casco Viejo, and other neighbourhoods through dictators, invasion, gangs, and tourists. We walked around seeing murals and markets and meeting local people.

Victor also took us to the police station to learn about a program he started to keep kids off the streets and out of gangs. We chatted with people paying passionate games of dominos, playing music, and just hanging around, listening to music and having a drink. I was great. At the end Victor and I had dinner at the Coca Cola cafe, which had a pleasant diner feel and was cheap.

It was nice to have the company, but I really appreciated seeing other areas and knowing there is more beyond the boundaries of Casco Viejo.

I didn’t do much that evening. Went for dinner, read my book, had a cigar. And the next day I was home (via a super brief visit to Mexico City).

Panama City was a great weekend break. There wasn’t too much I wanted to do, so I left feeling satisfied, but also rested.

I like these little city breaks between longer vacations. It’s such a good way to see places that I have only a passing curiosity in or that only take a few days to see. And what would I do if I stayed home? Work? I’ll take Panama.

Central America / Caribbean Panama

Panama Canal

On my second day in Panama City I was met at my hostel at 8am by Ana, the taxi driver I met the day before. We were heading to the Panama Canal. Honestly, I was not excited to see the canal. I figured it would be boring – an engineering marvel no doubt, but not an interesting sight. But I also felt like I couldn’t go to Panama and not see the Canal. Surely they will ask me when I leave the country if I saw the Canal, and if I say no, I will not be allowed to leave.

The Miraflores locks are not far from Panama City. It costs $20 to go to the observation area and visit the museum. (You used to be able to go to a bar and get a drink and watch for free but they put an end to that.) Fortunately, just when I got there there was a large ship and a small boat passing through. Had there been no vessels to see, I do think it would have been dull. Like, really dull. But seeing ships pass through was actually, surprisingly, interesting. Really.

The museum is pretty good too, as it explains how the locks work and about the history, which I previously knew nothing about. So it was good.

From there I asked Ana just to drive me around. There really aren’t many sites in Panama City I was interested in, at least not enough to make an effort to get to or the time to explore, but I was happy to see some areas. We stopped at a market selling crafts.

We drove out to an area of cafes and whatnot to take in the view of the new city and have some shaved ice.

We took obligatory pictures in front of the Panama sign.

We drove through the new city to look at the high rises where the rich people live.

Along the way, Ana told me about some history and different areas. She played me local salsa music and sang along. It was a good time. I didn’t see anything amazing, but it was pleasant.

I was back at my hostel a little after noon. For the rest of the day I walked around and found a few new areas, but ultimately I ended up having a cigar in a square before dinner and a cigar on a plaza, listening to jazz music and relaxing. As I often do, I had ideas of going out to a bar or a night spot, but I was tired and asleep by 10pm.

Central America / Caribbean Panama

Panama Bound

It was a super cheap flight that inspired me to go to Panama. That sounds crass, but it’s true. I’ve not thought much about Panama as a destination, but a $273 round trip ticket was inspirational. I left Thursday right afterwork, changed planes in Mexico City, and by Friday afternoon I had landed in Panama City.

I stayed in Casco Viejo. The old city, reborn. There seemed no other options really. The new city of Panama just looks like a jumble of skinny high rises, malls and traffic. Casco Viejo is a pretty grid of revitalized colonial buildings jutting out into the sea, painted with striking colours.

There are several lovely looking hotels, but I opted for the Hospedaje Casco Viejo; a functional hostel with little in the way of services or amenities but a some private rooms and great location at a cheap price.

I took a taxi from the airport. My driver was a woman of a grandmotherly age named Ana. She spoke a little English and I enjoyed chatting with her so we made plans for her to drive me around a bit the next day. But in the meantime, I had wandering to do.

Casco Viejo is small. I walked nearly every street in a few hours, but it is lovely. About 16 years ago it was crumbling, broken, unsafe. But now, through the magic of capitalism and gentrification (about which I have mixed feelings – and so do the locals, judging by some signs and grafitti I saw), it is pretty and safe. On that first evening it was just what I wanted.

I visited the many churches, paused in the squares and photographed many of the colourful buildings.

I finally settled on a place to eat, which wasn’t as easy as it should have been. There are tons of restaurants in Casco Viejo, but they are mostly either too touristy or too fancy and none of them seemed just right. I finally settled on a cafe (yes, touristy, but not cheezy) with a leafy courtyard.

Of course, then it was time for a cigar. There is a La Casa Del Habano with a good selection. I bought a cigar and was going to settle into one of their inviting leather chairs when they broke the news: no smoking. I think I audibly gasped and clutched my non-existent pearls. They had cigar ashtrays out, lighters, and cozy comfy chairs. But no. Smoking is not allowed indoors. Period. I don’t know exactly what the law is here on smoking, but many patios are also non-smoking. Fortunately, I found a seafood restaurant down the street from the La Casa with a generous patio and virgin piña coladas. I settled in with a Bolivar (always the right cigar to start a holiday in Latin America – if you don’t know why, check your history) and a book and stayed until it started to rain.

Had that been my only time in Casco Viejo, that would have been fine. In a few hours you can see it, eat, stroll, and hang out. It would be rushed though. The next day I had other sites to see.

Tag: Panama