10 19 2010 Fuerto Amador, Panama

Cloudy, showers and sunny spells - 28C/82F-23C/73F

We woke up just outside Panama City. The sun rises over the Pacific Ocean due to the angle of the Panamanian isthmus. 

There were many ships just waiting for their turn to enter the canal.  One slot per day goes to the highest bidder.

This day was for exploring the country Panama. There were many choices. We chose a bus trip up into the higher mountains - Elle Valle - where the Panamanians go to cool off two hours from Panama City. The wealthy have built large homes in the verdant area. This is an ancient volcano with steep slopes 2,000 feet above the sea.

There are thermal springs, spas, waterfalls.

First we had to transfer to a tender that transported us to Fuerto Amador. This is chain of three small islands connected by bridges. It was planned             as a tourist site.  A bus and a  guide were waiting for  us there to drive up towards the mountains. Again, we started on the Pan-American highway going north.

Bus stop

Fruit and ceramics for sale

We passed many homes along the way.

 A most interesting fence. It looks as if sticks have been stuck in the ground and some of them have grown into trees. I saw many fences like this.

                                                                    A school   

Selling cashew nuts with the honor system.

View towards the Pacific coast

 Several mountain peaks ring the valley floor.

We stopped at a Mineral Bath. An employee covered my face with mud. Then he offered to take my picture. Jalil did not care for the mud but he enjoyed the soak in the mineral bath.

Click on the picture to see  to see the content of the water.

                Jalil is done

Clay treatment 

 

                                                              

 Does anybody know what these are? It has to do with birds, I think,  but I do not remember.    

 

  

The next stop was at a wildlife refuge where we hiked down a steep trail and crossed the river on a hanging bridge to a waterfall. It was swinging quite a bit.

   Only five persons could cross at the same time.

On the way to have lunch at a restaurant our bus driver had a very difficult time negotiating the drive way. He tried back and forth for a long time. I thought we should just get off but he never stopped trying until he got through. The bus was scratched quite a bit.

Lunch at La Casa de Lourdes. Had Arroz con pollo which was quite plain. I asked for Salsa Lizano but was told that was Costa Rican and they did not have it. The sky opened and it rained forcefully for a while.

Our guide stopped the bus and bought cashews for one dollar for anybody who wanted some.

Our guide showed some of us how to call US on a pay phone for 10 cents.

      

The bus arrived in Fuereto Amador late but the tender was waiting for us and  we were the last passengers to return.  That is the good thing with Princess tours -  the ship will wait for us. The tender was moving up and down  so the picture of the ship is zigzagging. 

We rushed to dinner at the Rigoletto where we ended up sitting with eight persons from the UK. They were from different parts of  the UK and we had quite a bit of trouble  understand them. It took quite a bit of time for them to warm up except the 81 year old man next to me.  He told me about his travel by car through the US - almost got caught in the Katrina storm. He told me not to say boat when I should say ship.  Ulla already pointed that out but I still feel that they are boats first, then the big ones become ships.

Jalil then hurried to catch the end of some game with his California buddies. I went to the Wheelhouse Bar where Christine was sitting, visited for a short while with her before going to the theater for the International Crew Show. Before the show started, balloons were let loose the the audience kept hitting them so that the whole place was full of bouncing balloons. It was quite lively!   The staff performers were introduced with name, where they worked, where they were from and how they were going to perform - sing, tap dance, etc. The show was OK.

I found Jalil outside, exited about being in Panama. You could see Panama City with all its high rises and all the ships and small boats waiting to go through the canal. It can take a eek without a reservation.  Jalil wanted to walk around and enjoy the warm night and then he anted jello! So we headed for the cafeteria (never closed). Then it was time for bed!