Personal Blogs

A long flight with a 5 hour lay over in Newark, New Jersey. No problems but I think the US Department of Homeland Security takes the prize for the most bureaucratic transfer! I queued up with everyone else to pass through immigration, had my fingerprints taken and a photo, then through bag search security and customs. Next re-check the bag with United, another bag search and passport check before I was in departures at last.

That apart, an uneventful flight, the trans-Atlantic leg pretty much full, the Panamanian half empty. Food on both flights was good, the latter leg was advertised as a "snack" but it was better than many meals I've had - a hot beef wrap, tomato salad, bag of carrots to nibble, brownie plus drinks. First time I've flown United and I was impressed.

As we landed I have never seen so many ships, waiting to enter the canal, there must have been hundreds, it was very pretty with the ship's lights and the skyscrapers of Panama City, twinkling in the dark.

I had booked my hotel on the strength of their offer of free transport. As I arrived at 21.30, that was appealing - however as they didn't require a deposit I was slightly but needlessly, concerned. Upon clearing customs there was a man waiting with a board  clearly displaying my name. I was the only person he collected but we had a 16 seater minibus.

The hotel is fine although maybe not in the best of areas, when I went to buy some water I was warmly greeted by two ladies standing on a street corner!

Friday, I caught a taxi to Flamenco Island at the start of the canal - about 30 minutes ride for $5, I am not sure if the taxi driver had ever been there before, but he found it eventually!

The boat left at 9.30. We went round the bay which seemed full of pelicans and ocean going ships and entered the canal. About an hour into our trip we reached the first of the Miaflores locks. I hadn't realised but they are currently twin locks (they have started building a third set which will take most of the larger modern ships agreed after a 2006 referendum!). We went in the right side, whilst a gigantic grain carrier was in the left hand one. In our lock was another tour boat and three cruisers, we were lost in the 1000 foot long lock!

The grain carrier, and all large ships, don't go through using their own power. As well as tugs which accompany them through the whole trip, there are donkey railway engines which hall them through the locks, like the horses on the canals in days gone by.

The pelicans had been replaced by frigate birds who circled over head and occasionally dived onto the canal - it reminded me of Jurassic Park with the surrounding jungle and their pterodactyl look!

We went through a total of three locks and then along a man made lake to Gamboa at the continental divide. The whole trip took about three hours - a lovely lunch plus soft drinks and coffee/tea was included. We then returned by coach. I caught a local bus back to the centre - a very rickety US School bus, quite an experience, when I got on I had to wait while the driver chose a new CD to blast us with Spanish rock music. The end of pleasant day.

I spent Saturday exploring Panama City, it's an interesting place, full of contrasts. Modern skyscrapers that would put London's Onion to shame, vast shopping malls, secluded housing in places like Clayton - as it's name suggests former US Officer's housing and the Casa Viejo - old town - which has contrasts of its own. In one part there are derelict houses surrounded by rubbish and a large number of vultures, well over a hundred on one skip! The Presidential Palace is in another part, quite tucked away. They seem to be gradually restoring it, some of the building dates back some 400 years to the first days of the Spanish.

The Pacific Ocean was ever present, old fishing boats bobbing in front of the modern office blocks with cormorants and pelicans circling over the fish market hoping for some free food.

A pleasant day in a pleasant city.

On my final Panamanian day (I leave for Costa Rica in the morning) I went the Baha'i House of Worship. I had been recommended to take a taxi and I'm glad I did. The driver knew about the temple and pointed it out to me from the trans-Isthmus road but he still had to ask directions twice. It is situated on the top of Cerro Sonsonate at a height of 30 metres, seven miles north of Panama City in the the locality of Ojo de Agua. It is a beautiful site, but not so the entrance which is squeezed between two factories - I wondered where we were going. The industry was soon left behind as we drove up a narrow track flanked by large palm trees which eventually arrived at the top of the hill.

The base of the temple is in the form of a nine pointed star, symbolising unity and this is crowned by a white parabolic dome. What I really loved was that there were no glass windows, just wrought iron covered openings containing huge gates, none of which appeared to be locked. Despite the heat of the day it was beautifully cool inside, with a constant breeze. I was the first person to enter and found several small birds flying around inside. From the hill you look out to Panama City with the Pacific Ocean clearly in sight beyond.

A devotional meeting is held ever Sunday, so I was privileged to join over 40 local Baha'is and friends for this, it was especially moving to hear a Persian chant which echoed around the building. Following the meeting refreshments were served in the nearby Baha'i Centre and I then decided to walk back down to the road - despite several offers of lifts. I am glad I didn't walk up! but it was a lovely 30 minute walk, with absolutely no one around until I reached the factories and the factories and the busy main road, back in the outside world again!

I caught the local bus half way back to town, another ex bus school bus, crowded to the gunwales - I spent the first part of the journey sitting on the dashboard! To get back into the city I then caught a metro-bus, plush modern, air conditioned, but almost as crowded. However I hadn't realised you needed to buy a pass to pay the exorbitant fare of a quarter - the currency is basically the US Dollar, so it's about 16p. I needn't have worried, the woman ahead of me just turned round, smiled and swiped her card a second time to let me on - I had to chase after her to give her my quarter! A lovely example of the friendliness of the locals to conclude my visit.