Well, we made it to Panama City, and I am now closer to South America than I’ve ever been. It’s killing me, knowing that a new continent is so close and I can’t go! Thankfully, the rain has stopped and it’s been a beautiful two days.
After Corey finally arrived on Sunday night, we set out in search of food–but since it was an election day and a Sunday, the only thing we found was a little restaurant in the casino/tourist district (in other words, the most expensive area of the city). After sampling the local fish, corvina, we headed back to our slightly dank hostel for a much needed sleep. Nothing like spending the night in a room filled with other stinky travelers. 
Panama City reminds me a bit of Dubai…very westernized, with just a few hints that you’re in another culture. It’s a small city, and easily the most comfortable I’ve seen in Central America. Lots of American and European products available to satisfy the huge expat population, and the poverty seems to be significantly lower than in the rest of the region. Granted, I’ve only seen parts of the city, so this may or may not be true.
We had the full tourist experience yesterday, from overpriced cab rides to the Panama Canal to the biggest mall ever. After work, our friendly cab driver, Rafael, drove us out to the Miraflores Locks, which are on the Pacific side of the canal. (There’s another set on the other side.) After watching a 15 minute film (a cinematic delight), we wandered through the on site museum and headed back outside to watch a huge ship come through. When it entered the lock, the first doors closed, and water was pumped into the next channel to even out the water levels. Then, the second set of doors opened and the ship floated through. The entire process took less than a half hour, and was interesting to watch…though I must say, one visit is probably enough! The video we watched put special focus on Panama’s regaining control of the Canal Zone, and rather pointedly showed crowds of Panamanians cheering as the US relinquished control and the Panama president hugged Carter.
Rafael had mentioned the Albrook Mall, which is apparently one of the largest in Central America, so we decided to check it out and have a quick dinner. He wasn’t kidding–it’s enormous! The people-watching was great, and we spotted many, many ill-conceived outfits that involved skin-tight jeans. It was an interesting cross-section of Panama City’s cultural makeup, which is considerably more diverse than neighboring countries. The relative wealth of the people is striking in comparison with countries like Nicaragua, where there’s an almost palpable sense of poverty. According to a man I met on the plane from Miami, Panama City has low prices and relatively high incomes, which make it a comfortable place for expats. (He also made me guess how much his manicure was–$2.50, in case you’re wondering.) And with the jobs generated by the canal–even more now that it’s expanding–the number of foreigners is likely to increase. As a tourist, it’s nice to be able to wander around without being harassed continuously, though I can’t shake the feeling that it’s TOO easy. I like my travel with a bit of an edge.
This evening, we’re going to wander around the old colonial part of the city before hopping on an overnight bus to Almirante. From there, we’ll take a water taxi to the island of Bocas del Toro, where the beaches are supposed to be lovely.
Photos–and video!–of the first few days in Panama:
http://picasaweb.google.com/eekauppi/ChicagoPanama?feat=directlink
