From our temporary loft apartment, we ventured out to the Panama Metropolitan National Park, a steep hillside of tropical rainforest supposedly populated by monkeys, sloaths, et al. The park is immediately to the rear of the city, so a bit strange to come across such wildlife with cars hurtling past. At the top there are stunning views over the city and the canal.
We only found al: fantastic flutterbys, some terrapins, agoutis (look like large rats), beautiful bird singing, lizards, leaf cutting ant parades, and one young sloath found by one young boy. Couldn’t tell you if if was the two or three toed variety. Sloath, that is. Or maybe both.
The next day we visited Panama Viejo, the old town ransacked by bad Welsh boy pirate Henry Morgan in 17th century. The museum is quite cute. We did the wide-mouthed bullfrog thing. Until Indoors found special umbrellas, Ella’s, Ella’s. Now ours, ours.
The Spanish weren’t best pleased with Sir Henry, who’d been knighted by King Charles II, having been recalled home in chains because the English and the Spanish had signed a peace treaty. Sounds like a typical 114 old farts communication. Anyway, the Spanish then built a new town some eight kms to the west. This is Casco Viejo, a, mostly, beautiful district, full of grand colonial buildings and now a World Heritage Site. And until some bright Alec started building to the sky, this was the centre of Panama City. Now it has all the problems of gentrification, including a multi-tented square occupied by anti-gentrificationers
Went to the CocaCola Cafe for a sandwich. This is the only so named cafe in the world. Official. Full of weird talking-to-themselves locals. Obviously too much coke.
Watched last night The Bourne Ultimatum on the flat’s tv, which is the same size as me. Was reminded Matt Damon said he liked the series because he didn’t have to remember any lines. In dubbed Spanish it doesn’t lose much.
And now it’s time to go to Tocumen airport. TTFN.
Chris & Kath's Travel Time 