Day 2 - Exploring Panama City

Elliot and I were up first this morning. While the girlies slept in a little, we played card games and then he decided playing his DS was better than Go Fish with me. Outside, on the street below our hotel, there were people setting up stalls getting ready to sell food and inflatable mylar balloons.

Once Mom and Tegan were up, we went to get some breakfast downstairs in the café, where we had some delicious food. Grabbing our bags from our room, we set out for the day. Opting out of overpriced tours, we did it our way. A stroll around the corner of the hotel and we were on the Diablos Rojos, the local buses that carry the everyday people around Panama City. When we were near our destination, Casco Viejo, we jumped off the bus, it only cost $1 for the 4 of us. Then we did a short walk until we hailed a cab, and the driver dropped us off in front of Inglesia San José, which was constructed between 1671-1677.

We walked around the old city, stopped into a café for some drinks and ice cream before continue on. We strolled through an open market , where people were selling many different touristy items. Tegan was lured in by a man with a bunch of reptiles. She was given the opportunity to hold a little lizard and then she wanted photo with it, which ended up costing her $3. But then she was allowed to have her photo take with 2 lizards, a boa constrictor and a ball python. She really enjoyed the experience.

We learned how the pirates of old, used the tunnels under the city to wage an attack on the city. Construction in the old city is everywhere and yet there are still so many buildings queued for rebuilding. It would really wonderful to come back here when the restoration is complete.

The next taxi we used to get to Miraflores locks on the Panama Canal. Our driver was really nice and explained his city to us as we drove through the different districts. Correen pointed out a truck that was full of bananas and the sign that read 10/$1.

Once we were at the Miraflores locks we weaved through the 4 floors of the museum. There were many exhibits explaining the bredth of construction efforts for the building of the Panama Canal. Tegan and Elliot enjoyed the cago ship simulator, where you experience the journey of a large ship making its way through the canal. The view from the observation deck is exceptional. In the distant were the Pedro Miguel locks and they were just beginning the process of lowering a group of ships that would eventually make their way to the Miraflores locks.

We searched out some food and settled on perros caliente and drinks. The dogs came loaded with shopped cabbage and chopped pickles and it wasn't as bad as it sounds actually. I convinced Tegan to shoot an Irish Dance video in front of the Panama Canal and then we went back up to the observation deck, so I could snap a few hundred photos of the ships running through the locks.

It was very impressive watching the action at Miraflores, but we had to get back to our hotel for some dinner and swimming. Tegan and Elliot were so anxious to get into the pool and Elliot lasted until he was hovering and Tegan you just can't get her out of water. She loves to swim!

We really had a great time in Panama City and there is probably a month's worth of activities that we could still do. I guess we will leave that for the next time around.