September 12, 2017 – September 14, 2017
My dad and I left Medellin and arrived in Panama City on September 12. Since Panama and Colombia used to be one country, stopping at Panama City seemed to be good second location to visit on this trip. We learned about the history of Panama and the US and the US’s role in creating the Panama Canal. We also learned about preservation endeavors for the natural wildlife and the impact of a US presence had actually preserved much of the wildlife. Although I found Panama to be a little underwhelming, especially after enjoying Medellin so much, we still found interesting things to see and do.
On our first day there, we mostly walked along Cinta Costera and at night, we took the metro and walked to Casco Viejo. I found our first night in the city to be a bit difficult because public transportation is not easily accessible and it is difficult to get to the tourist attractions unless you go by car. Even more so, while walking to Casco Viejo, both my dad and I felt a little unsafe in the surrounding areas. We found our way safely and enjoyed a beer while looking at the city nightscape from the restaurant.
We enjoyed the next two days more so than the previous evening. After eating breakfast at our hotel and planning our next few days, we went to the Panama Canal. We arrived too early or too late to see any large boats going through the Miraflores locks, but we did see a little maintenance boat taking people along the Panama Canal. The next day, we went to Panama Viejo, the oldest European settlement in the Americas and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I enjoyed this visit more so than the Canal, probably because it reminded me of my childhood dreams of becoming an archaeologist. After going for another walk along Cinta Costera and eating some lunch, we spent the rest of September 14, 2017 resting and enjoying the rooftop pool of our hotel.
Until next time,
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