March 28, 2013
We had a free day in Colon, Panama, and the Number One activity in Colon is to get out of Colon. So, we booked a tour back through the Canal Zone to Panama City.
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| The dock area in Colon--the only nice part of town |
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| Another view of central Colon |
We drove directly from Colon to Panama City, passing over the Centennial Bridge during the ride.
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| Going across the Centennial Bridge |
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| Estadio Rod Carew, the main baseball stadium in Panama City (and in the country) |
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Our first stop in Panama City was "Old Panama", location of the original Western settlements in the 1500's. Old Panama was destroyed in the 1600's and the city was relocated about 8 miles away. All that remains of Old Panama are ruins.
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| Ruins of Old Panama |
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| Ruins of Old Panama with part of modern Panama City in the background |
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| More of Old Panama |
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| Yet more of Old Panama |
A short distance away from Old Panama is the resort section of Panama City, filled with condo towers and subdivisions that look like they are transplanted from south Florida. A lot of American retirees live here.
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| Some condo towers |
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| Shopping center and condo towers |
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| Inside the supermarket at the shopping center |
We then drove to the central part of Panama City.
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| Typical middle class house in Panama City. |
We paid a visit to Manuel Noreiga (the former dictator of Panama), but he wasn't home.
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| At Noriega's House |
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| Looking from Noreiga's house across the street |
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| Inside the gates at Noriega's house. He appears not to be home. |
We then drove through "downtown" Panama City, home to lots of skyscrapers.
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| A large downtown mall, with office buildings and hotels in the background |
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| Revolution Tower, an office building also known as "The Screw" |
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| A better picture of The Screw, which I stole off the internet |
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| Part of downtown Panama City |
Next we headed for the "Old Quarter", not to be confused with the "Old Town", which we saw earlier. The Old Quarter is where the city was rebuilt, starting in the late 1600's, after the Old Town was destroyed. Much of it has been preserved or is being restored, and it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site (as is the Old Town). Below are a few views of the Old Quarter.
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| Plaza de la Independencia |
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| View of downtown Panama City from the Old Quarter |
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| Local crafts (mola) in the Old Quarter |
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| Old musician in the Old Quarter |
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| Panama hats, likely made in Ecuador |
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| San Francisco Church (I think) |
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| National Theater, in the Old Quarter |
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| View of Old Quarter with downtown Panama City in the background |
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| A plaza on the edge of the Old Quarter |
From the Old Quarter, we drove back through the Canal Zone to Colon, stopping at the Miraflores Locks to view some canal action. We also saw a number of old U.S. military buildings that are now used by the Panamanian government for other purposes.
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| A former U.S. Military building |
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| View of the locks from the viewing stand at Miraflores |
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| Another view of the locks at Miraflores |
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| The viewing stand |
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| Ships passing through the canal at Miraflores |
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| Returning to Colon |
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| Another view of beautiful Colon |
Next:
Cartagena, Colombia
