The easiest way to reach Colombian from Panama is by plane, but as much as possible I want to travel by surface, so I started looking for boats. There are sailboats that take regular trips from the Caribbean side of Panama through the San Blas islands to Cartagena, Colombia, but apparently I arrived at the worst time of year when the seas are very rough. There were no boats going to Cartagena since the open sea was too rough, but there was a sailboat leaving on a trip through the San Blas islands down the coast to the border of Colombia. In the end this is the boat that I took, but I tried my best to actually find work on a boat that would cross the canal and stop in either Ecuador or Colombia. For four days I bussed from one side of the canal to the other to look for opportunities, but nothing turned up. Most of my Experience in Panama City was actually hanging around the docks and going from one side of the canal to the other, but I saw plenty of the city and saw two sections of the canal.
The city itself was vibrant with a unique mix of tall sky scrapers, old colonial buildings, pedestrian markets, Indigenous people, creatively painted city buses, and even the ruins of the original city that Henry Morgan sacked and burned to the ground hundreds of years ago. It wasn’t a particularly safe city, but the police presence was reassuring. The police were so friendly and approachable that one even jumped into my cab to show the driver the way. The old part of the city in particular was an interesting mix of rich and poor. Some places were so decrepit that they were unlivable and other buildings were fabulously restored. The hostel I stayed in, Luna’s Castle, was located in this mixed area. It was a cool place with architectural character, a great social scene, good location, and an all you could eat pancake breakfast. Yum.
Of course the canal was impressive. At the Miraflores Locks a new 4-story museum and observation deck was created to take in the whole process. On the other side of the canal I saw the Gatun Locks which were also interesting. After seeing all of the work that went into creating the Canal it is easy to see how it is one of the world’s greatest engineering feats.
Kuna Indigenous women waiting for a bus
Panama City has it's poverty but it is by all means a cosmopolitan city. While I was here I was even able to see the "Body World" exhibit that I had missed when it was on tour in the states.
Police officer helping out my cabbie to find his way around
Moon from Luna's Castle balcony
The Canal was an impressive sight. While we were there we saw a couple of huge frieghters pass. The largest freighters pay up to 300,000 dollars to pass through the canal.
On the other side of the canal two and a half hours away is the dodgey city of Colon where you are advised to take a cab everywhere, even if it is only for a block or two. Some areas are safer than others, but it seemed to be a pretty dangerous place. There were a number of people I had met who had traveled the world and said that Colon was about the most dangerous place they had seen. I travel there four times to look for boats and check out the second largest "Free Zone" in the world. The Free Zone was huge, it was it's own city and a shoppers paradise, once you get past the muck of Colon. My camera was starting to fail so I took advantage of my trip and replaced it for a hundred bucks less than I paided for it in the States.
I spent a lot of time around the yacht clubs in Colon trying to work something out. In the end it was several long trip to have beers and learn something about sailing.
One of the "yachtes" carrying around her pet sloth
Remanant bunker near Shelter Bay Marina. At one point the US opertaed a strip on either side of the Panama Canal and this is one of the many relics left behind.
On my last trip to Colon on the other side of the Canal I went with my Isreal buddy, Nir, to see if we could catch a cargo ship to Colombia. There were some possiblities, but nothing that worked out very well. Still it was a fun day trip.
Rusted boat hull
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