The Serious City on the Panama Canal
Thanks to the final job I held at US Airways and all the amazing sales people I worked with in the region, Central America became one of my favorite areas of the world to travel. Unfortunately, I rarely made it much further south in the Americas and my South America travel is quite limited. Panama is the latest of the Central American countries to check off my list and the first country to check off for South America (Panama is part of both Central and South America). My very good friend, Matt, planned the trip and we were lucky enough to sit in first class on our flight down south (not so lucky on the way home where we had to purchase $1000 ticket on Copa to get back to the states). Thanks to the price of the plane ticket and the high end hotel we stayed, we joke that this was our 2k weekend trip (to a region of the world that is generally pretty economical). Oh well, it was worth it! We loved Panama City.
Highlights of our weekend in Panama City including a hike up Cerro Ancon, seafood at Mercado de Marisco, a walking tour of old Panama City, and of course, the Panama Canal. The architecture is always one of my favorite parts of an old city and Panama City did not disappoint.
A hike up Ancon Hill starts at the Avenue of Martyrs and takes about half an hour to walk. Stop to take pictures like we did, and the hike can take much longer. We didn't realize we'd be hiking so please excuse my jeans on a 85 degree day. The views from the top are absolutely beautiful, as it's the highest point in the entire city. You can see the city skyline, the ocean, and the Panama Canal! The hill is what was left over from an ancient volcano but is now completely covered by rain forest.
After all that walking, it was time for some food and there was no question as to what we were eating in this amazing seafood town. We made a quick loop around Calzada de Amador (The Amador Causeway) wishing we had rented bikes for the day and then headed to Mercado de Mariscos. The area is essentially a food court of seafood and we tried the famous ceviche, that came highly recommended. We washed it all down with a local beer and then were off walking again, along the harbor. This was another perfect spot for skyline views and cool place to dip our hot toes in the ocean.
We had visted two unbelievable vantage points to see the city but hadn't actually been into the city so spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the charming streets of Casco Viejo, or the Old Quarter. I was in love with the cobblestone streets, the historic government buildings, the time-honored churches, and the energy of the people.
Known as one of the most beautiful buildings in Panama City, we spent extra time exploring The Metropolitan Cathedral. The cathedral is the biggest in the country and is home to the Catholic archdiocese. It's full name is The Metropolitan Arch Cathedral Basilica of Santa Maria la Antigua and is a perfect example of the religious colonial architecture of the country.
Another beloved church was Iglesia San Francisco de Asis, which is along the waterfront in the Old Quarter. The yellow hue and ornate detail made this one a personal favorite. The bell tower was visible through out the city, which made it all the more exciting when we finally arrived.
Also regarded as one of the most beautiful buildings in the city, The National Theater, El Teatro Nacional, is located in the heart of the old city, across from Iglesia San Francisco de Asis. The neoclassic architecture and pink & yellow coloring, add to the beauty of this historic building. But the fact that it is connected to the National Palace really amps up the sensational factor.
Lastly, we made the hop over to the financial district to gaze at the F&F Tower (aka El Tornilla or The Screw). The skyscraper won an award in 2011 for outstanding function and design. The building is 52 floors twisted around a concrete core. Quite a marvel and one of the top 20 tallest building in Latin America.
Last, but definitely not least on our tour of Panama City, we visited the influential Panama Canal. While we'd both learned of the canal often throughout our schooling, we were still blown away with the in depth process of the miraflores locks, the small diameter of the canal, and how long everything took, despite being the major waterway between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Visiting the locks and having lunch along the canal was one of the most amazing things I have done on my travels.
For nightlife, restaurants, and picture-perfect hotel recommendations, check out the beautiful blog of WanderLulu and her four perfect days in Panama City. We spent a majority of our happy hour and meal time at the hotel/resort as they had numerous restaurants and a rooftop pool & bar. Airline people tend to do quick weekend trips and therefore our restaurant recommendations are not considerable. We stayed at a hotel that shall not be named, which was extremely beautiful at the time, but I'll never frequent again, thanks to the 2016 US Presidential election :) So many of out Central America travels occurred pre-digital cameras so I hope to be able to dig up the film photos and get them on this site eventually. I have also been to Nicaragua, Guatemala, Cost Rica, and Belize but hope to visit each country in the region some day.
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