The Nomads

No Travel Day
Panama City, Panama Province, Panama
Temp: 32 degrees C
Cloudy, rainy

Today we decided to park the bikes and travel by taxi (much safer and cheaper) to go to the Miraflores Locks, and then on to the Amador Causeway and Isla Flamenco. The streets are an unorganized mish-mash and cross- jumble, with many one-ways and a very serious lack of street names or signs. Even with two different maps of the city we could hardly navigate our way. I’m not exaggerating when I say that the people don’t even know the name of the street they are standing on. And in one instance, a local merchant when asked the location of the hotel we were searching for shrugged and shook his head, said he didn’t know of any such hotel. We were about to give up when we noticed the hotel sign not ten doors up from him on the opposite side of the street! This is a large six storey hotel that has been there for about twenty years!

At almost every corner we would inquire what the street names at the intersection were, and never once did the people know the names! Apparently they navigate by old landmarks in the area, some of which no longer exist. For instance there is landmark they refer to as “the old fig tree” where you either take a left or a right, but the ancient giant tree has long since died and been removed.

Driving across Amador Causeway

We toured the shops and stayed for dinner and cocktails, ended up waiting out a long rain squall. Then back to the hotel with a really nice bottle of German Riesling we bought at the duty free and a quiet evening of reading and relaxation.

View of Panama City from Isla Flamenco

Kilometers - Daytrip: 0 km total: 13,943
Gas: $ 0
Lodging: Hotel Parador $ 85

# posted by Richard and Susie @ 5:13 AM