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The beautiful San Blas Islands with our sailing Stahlratte (meaning steel rat)
Panama Overland
Hi to all our friends around the world as we continue our life on the road.
We left Colombia what seems like years ago now but in fact it was only the 19th of September 2014. So that is the end of South America for us, for now, Brazil, Venezuala, Paraquay and Uraguay will just have to wait. So another day, another country, another Continent, On to Central America starting with Panama.
It was necessary to take a boat of some description from Colombia to Panama because flying was as expensive and they could and would not accommodate the bikes and all the baggage. So with many boats of all sizes acting as a cartel and hence all keeping the prices at around $500 per person plus $50 for a bicycle for a 5 day voyage via the San Blas Islands, it was just a matter of which one we choose. With a bit of research and certainly no regrets, we chose the largest and we think, the best. So off we went with Stalratte, an early 20th century fishing ship which ran under sail as well as having a large old retrofitted diesel engine. The trip was fantastic with great food, good company and a couple of days on and around the most idyllic paradise island chain.
Carti was the mainland place we were dropped off to by a small dinghy. It was just a small port on the Caribbean side of Panama. Another $50 each for a 4WD to take us over an impossible road to Panama City which in this country they simply refer to as Panama. So off to an overpriced unfriendly Hostel located between the glitzy high rise area and the slummy Balboa area for a couple of nights. Definitely a city of contrast. The high rises, they say, are built with drug and corruption money and a lot are sitting empty, the area around them is no where nearly as glitzy although the promenade is lovely but the sea is filthy and smells bad, possibly due to the vast amount of shipping hanging around the entrance to the canal and of course a large quantity exiting as well. The other half of the city was very Latino and although we have no problems with it, some do. The transport system was good, the shops were plentiful and full of stock and there were almost every Amercian franchise operating in quantity like McDonalds, KFC etc. Of course with Colon being the 2nd largest free port in the World behind Dubai, and the distribution centre for so much of what South America receives it is no wonder Panamanians benefit with quite low cost shopping and the best range of everything that we had seen in all our Latin American travels to date. It is the same story though, if you want something in particular you cannot beat the USA or Europe for the supply. Anyway we spent twelve days in Panama City, nine of which we stayed with a lovely retired African American man called Fred, in his nice apartment in Balboa, above the McDonalds where we met. He retired there many years ago. We still keep in touch.
We cycled out of Panama City early one morning and found the road that follows the canal to a huge new bridge half way up the canal because although we could have gone over the one nearest the city, we wanted to experience the canal and its workings as it was a place I always dreamt of visiting. We were not disappointed as we had a few opportunities to view the sites. It is all very dramatic seeing such large ships slither through a narrow canal. It was not as awe inspiring as viewing the Suez from the sand banks of a desert, but great all the same.
We cycled about 60kms to the next built up area, this was after three months of no serious cycling so it was a day of cramps and pains but we always know the consequences of not maintaining our fitness but we also know it only takes three days of pain to get back to normal. There was only one place to stay that night so of course we were ripped off at $35 but we had no choice however by this stage we were not really liking Panama that much but all would change.
We then took off heading through the country, passing large built up sprawling US style strip malls and shopping centres in what otherwise look like rather small cities like La Chorerra. We we were getting near the coast and hoping to enjoy some nice beaches and sure enough we did. We passed a very American style resort town called Coronado but too expensive so we carried on until we found our type of place, off the main road and down a hill to a small village by the sea and finally finding a guy who ran a small hostel with a swimming pool. Lovely!
Onwards to Playa Santa Clara and we met a woman at her restaurant on the main Pan Americano highway who said we could camp near her beach side cafe and parking area. Here goes another few days as we swam during the day and sheltered in the open air restaurant after closing time, projecting movies and music videos onto the large white wall at one end. We met a French backpacking couple who spent a couple of nights chilling out with us.
So as everyone knows, Panama is not a large country. Just 4 million and only 850kms long and more east west than north south, so with our standard six month visa we were not in any hurry as is our way these days. If we like it we stay, if we don't, we go.
We reached Santiago after a couple of extremely hot days cycling but this time it was only about 2pm and there were the golden arches ahead which for us means a cool room and cold drinks and some dependable food and without the mandatory rice and chicken (Arroz con Pollo). We met a Bolivian couple who were motorcycling the world so we had a good chat to them then started looking for a place to stay. Oh dear, a few dumps on the side of the highway, not much in the centre so back to the cheapest dump at $18 a night but it was horrible even by our standards. It was dark, small and had a filthy bed. It reminded us of Aleppo in Syria where we stayed in a room with blood stained sheets, anyway after a few drinks who cares. So onward the next day but now the road was deteriorating. Classic US style concrete roads but broken and bent, it was hell and we were worried about our stiff aluminium bikes but alas we and they survived so finally we reached David which is Panama's 2nd largest city of 130,000 inhabitants. By this time we were only 53kms from the Costa Rican border. We were going too fast as we still had five months left on our visa.
We fell in love with David possibly because it was easy to get around, it had really good supermarkets and all the western food which we first cast our eyes on in Panama (city). No one will appreciate any of this if living in the Anglo West but after two years of other food it was just fun to be able to have everything we like (It is all about what one is used to we think). So we decided to make David our home for as long we liked it.
We found a nice apartment attached to a lovely large house. It was run by another retired American, Jerry. It had a lovely large garden and we had a private part of that. All the windows in our apartment were a shutter type so we could open up the whole place but we still had to have the fan on (it had AC but we are determined never to weaken to that extent and besides that is an extra $50 a month) At $400 USD it was all OK. On new Years Eve the whole City lit up as everyone had bought their own fireworks so the whole sky was a blaze with light.
We went on the search for a favourite supermarket and swimming pools. We cycled all around the city and suburbs and to the coast so we left no stone unturned. Plenty of swimming and in the evenings, with our fast internet we could stream all the UK TV channels on our wall which gave us an eight foot screen so all was good. It is bizarre how the whole city and maybe country, exists with almost no street names or house numbers, maybe that's for later. Also noted were the bicycles with number plates bolted to the front axle. Yes, all cyclists must pay $5 for a number plate. Also interesting is how the people say there are two seasons, summer and winter, well to us it is rain season and dry season but both are still very hot all the time. It's time to leave Panama now so we are cycling to Costa Rica and beyond starting this coming Sunday the 1st of February 2015
The photos tell the story really, oldest first so scroll down to view.
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The Videos & Slideshows of Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador Colombia and Panama (in HD) along with the movie Stahlratte which I made just after the trip: Here
Description of the Photos are below.....
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Leaving Tolu, Colombia after a lovely three months living like a couple of retirees
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Leaving Cartagena on our sailing ship heading for The San Blas Islands then Panama
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Our last view of South America and the night sky of the modern part of Cartagena
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Two and a half days of beautiful Island bliss. This morning was clean up an Island day. All six bags of it
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Walking the promenade of Panama City. The nicest part but the shore line area was less than pleasant
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An amazing skyline which all happened over the past twenty years. Not quite sure how it all came about
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Downtown Balboa, the western part of the city. With Mas me Dan (cash converters) in the distance
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Markets and stalls line the mall. It is all about shopping but average monthly wages are only about $600
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They are doing up the old town and there are some expensive places already up and running
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The famous Panama Hats which originated in Ecuador but exported from Panama so hence the name
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A fine example of a renovated dilapidated colonial building which attracts very high rents nowadays
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Arriving at the entrance to the Panama Canal Visitor Centre, too expensive to actually enter the displays
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The Panama Canal Railway runs from the City to Colon at the other end of the canal with containers
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Overlooking one of the larger of the six locks raising the ships up 26 metres then down again
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Mary cycling across the 2nd and new Panama Canal Suspension Bridge. 16km's from the City
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The Centennial Bridge opened in 2004 to reduce the traffic on the original one
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The view from the Centennial Bridge looking towards Panama City
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Not a common thing to do, cycling along beside a moving container ship
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Entering La Corerra, the city 20kms west of the canal
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We think we can tell that there is a slight American influence in Panama. Note all the franchises
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A few days by the sea in a large private house where our friend rents out a room or two
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Arriving in Coronado which is on the Pan Americano Highway but stretches to the sea. Mostly for expats
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Aaaah! by the sea so off the chair and into it, at Santa Clara beach on the Pacific Ocean coast
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It was so hot early afternoon, we had to huddle into our tent when not swimming
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On to Aguadulce townand yet another pool in a hotel beside the highway
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Leaving Santiago for David on the broken concrete road which they are slowly replacing with ashphalt
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This is more like the real Panama. It is the size and type of house Mary & I would like to finish up in
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Our new apartment in David (Pronounced Dab eede) for a stay of three months at $400 a month
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Our lovely huge walled in garden out the back. Star Fruit, Coconut, Orange and Cashew trees abound and many birds
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Our Olympic swimming pool passes after presenting our Certificado de Medico for free entry Mon-Fri
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Yes too many so called selfies but look at the pool not at me, ummm yummy swimming on hot days
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David Estrella Country Club, A cold beer, Free entry for us on another sunny day in Summer
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With the waterfall and Mary in the background at Cascada pools and bar, 8kms north of David
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The Frontera (border) 50kms west of David where a 1.75L Finlandia is only $15 and Jack is only $28
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