September 10-13, 2009

Panama

So in January 1984, Van Halen (with original line-up) released “1984.” The album’s title track had nothing to do with George Orwell, and while the year was a leap year “Jump” seemed to be just a pop song, and finally the third track on the album was “Panama” which reached #13 on the billboard charts. While I remember the song, it was only after reading the lyrics on the internet that I realized that the song has nothing to do with anything outside of David Lee Roth’s libido. I was in the 4th grade and didn’t know what libido is or where Panama is. My friend Derek, however managed to meet a woman of Panamanian descent and 25 years later organize a wedding in Panama City.

I flew down on Thursday morning, very early, and landed at Tocumen airport. There was a shuttle waiting for us at the airport and we were wisked away to the recently remodeled Sheraton Hotel and Conference center (and attached 24hr casino). Because I forgot my toothbrush I ventured out to the grocery store, but my only other adventure was a nap at the pool before dinner (La Posta) and a cocktails at a nightclub (Pure).

Friday I participated in a group tour – 13 of us took a minibus inland to the Gamboa Reserve Rainforest. We were split into groups of five and there was a sky-ride / airtram ride up a mountain with a guide who explained the flora & fauna of the area (127 different snake species and only 24 of them are poisonous). There was a great vista of where the Chagres River dumps into Gatun Lake and the “culebra (snake) cut.” There was an indigenous people exhibit and some nature and a lunch before the boat ride to “monkey island.” It was a nice covered boat ride onto the lake and up close to the large ships transiting the canal. Not a resort or anything, the guide just took the boat to some islands in the lake where they were able to call Capuchin monkeys into climbing on the boat and checking the people out. The total boat ride was 1hr but it was a great mix of riding in the air, seeing boats, and nature.

By Saturday, all the friends that I never get to see were in town, so the day was spent talking, drinking, eating, and drinking just in time for the wedding. After which there was more eating and drinking and talking and drinking. Sunday was a recovery, redskins fiasco, and travel day.


Pics: a) the tram up the mountain; b) vista of the Chagres River running under that bridge and into the Culebra Cut & Gatun Lake; c) the boat with lettering (it wasn't that bad); d) crocodiles that inhibit the urge to swim and urge life preservers; e) more friendly residents of the canal zone; f) it is the rainy season - at the top of the hill on the right you can see the tower we took pics from earlier; g) jive one lane bridge over the Chagres River... you can engineer an amazing canal but a bridge?



Facts
In Panama City one can watch the sunrise over the pacific ocean thanks to the interesting curve in geography;
The city was sacked by the pirate Henry Morgan in 1671 – Pirates of the Caribbean in the pacific style. As a result, the city was moved to the southwest (but up the pacific coast) to the peninsula;
You can still get a “captain & coke” in bars;
If you want a rum & coke… you can order it by name and be understood. if you order a “cuba libre” you get a rum & coke with a lime wedge;
The boats in the canal go west to east in the morning, and east to west in the afternoon;
It takes 52 million gallons of water to pass a boat through the 3 sets of locks;
The Panama Canal operates by gravity only – there are no pumps;
"Pump" was released by Aerosmith in 1989.