canal

Oops! Slept until 1:30. Or, "Nadiv let me sleep until 1:30 because he is so considerate." Either way, we had planned to see the Panama Canal today and after much back-and-forth about how much we wanted to be lazy and how much we wanted to see the Canal out of everything else in this country, we decided to make a run for it. (First we asked the hotel people to fix our toilet, which they did, and kindly informed us that Nadiv had turned off the cold water when he employed the spa shower and various other knobs in the bathroom the night before.)

It was a good thing, too, because the Canal was awesome. It is just a half-hour away from the city, and besides the quick monsoon that occured on the way, this was the easiest taxi ride we´ve had. The driver, Julio, only charged us seven dollars, and we quickly realized that we were overcharged with gringo tax on our two taxis yesterday.

Miraflores Locks and visitor museum were brilliant. We watched an incredibly uplifting film about the origins of the Canal, made even more exciting by the overeager background score. We got to visit a simulation ship cabin with some fake steering, saw a bunch of bugs on display (native species), and read about all sorts of machines and technology that the Canal employs. The Miraflores museum made very little mention of the thousands of workers who died while working on the Canal. It did explain several times how many countries in the world depend on the Canal. The most interesting thing I learned, not from the museum but from Lonely Planet, is that engineers design new ships based on the Canal´s dimensions. The museum did talk a lot about how they are in the process of digging a new set of locks, ones that are bigger and deeper, and how ecologically responsible they are being as they dynamite through the rainforest. The museum really was great, especially for eight dollars, but the best part was the observation deck upon which we could watch the boats passing through the locks.

It all boils down to water being raised up and down in each section of the locks, not unlike filling and emptying a huge bathtub, but the effect is so much cooler because these ships going through are simply gigantic. They move very slowly, being pulled on both sides by a tug-train "mule," and you can watch the crew all hanging out on the deck or count the number of containers on board, or simply enjoy the breeze. The water in the locks fills very slowly, but it is such a radical change between one level and the next that it´s hard to believe it happened while you were watching and not noticing. The breeze was lovely and it was overcast enough to be the perfect temperature. We watched two ships pass through and took some pictures and then called it a day.

On our way out to catch a bus, we stopped to admire water passing through the Miraflores Lake dam, and spotted A CROCODILE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Basking in the sun!!

While waiting for our bus, we chatted with Alan and Christina, two doctors in training. Alan is doing his residency in opthomology in San Francisco and actually remembered reading Tova´s application recently. For a quick minute we also though that he knew Ravi (Nadiv´s former roommate), but it turned out to be a different Ravi. Christina is studying psychiatry at Stanford and didn´t know anyone we knew.

We took the bus to the Allbrook mall, which was simply humungous. There we walked around and ate some "American churros," which were filled with dolce de leche but tasted kind of gross. I bought some super cool watches and then we taxied back to our hotel. Turns out the taxi rule is that Adina should not try to talk or even be seen-- there is too much gringa in me and it makes the drivers want to overcharge.

Back at the hotel, I peeked into our room and saw that Nadiv had lined up his shoes according to color next to the wall. I thought that was kind of cute until I walked into the room further and discovered that the cleaning staff had had a field day reorganizing our belongings. In the morning, our packs were laying on the couch and on the floor, clothing strewn about and tables full of books, snacks, and various electronic do-dads. (As you do when backpacking.) In the evening, our packs were stacked neatly against the wall, the floor was conspicuously clear, the tables arranged, and Nadiv´s clothes were folded and placed on shelves in the closet.

Mañana we go to El Valle for some forest relaxation and a happy new year!

ciudad de panama

Coughing dude next to us on the plane totally offered us a ride to the city, which was awesome. We learned his name was Andre and his job and personal history and that he really likes Panamanian cocain because it is pure. Andre and his personal assistant driver lady (totally forgot her name but she was cool) tell us all about the city and country and gave us some tips for traveling. Nice!

Once at the swanky Panam´s Hotel in Bella Vista, we take a mucho needed nap. In our king sized bed. The room is sweeeeet with a flat screen TV, jacuzzi tub, modern furniture, spa shower, and a/c. The nap, obviously, was amazing.

In the afternoon, we tried to walk to Casca Viejo, UNESCO Heritage site of much praise, but the embarcado along the ocean was gross and strewn with trash and frankly, ugly. We took a taxi instead. Casca Viejo boasts of fine colonial architecture and swinging nightlife. We found it to be deserted, unkempt, and dissapointed. I kept thinking that the next intersection would be beautiful or filled with young backpackers, but no. I DID get to eat a piña rasádo and we DID view several "funador" statue busts, Nadiv DID buy some colorful bracelets and I DID pose for some faux sexy shots of the ocean/city skyline, and last but not least, we DID view a gun hand-off between a pedestrian and a guy on a motorcycle, neither of which seemed the least bit concerned that we were standing within arms reach. There was seriously no stealth involved.

Dinner was unmemorable. It cost too much and didn´t taste great. I got a bug bite on my right leg.

Back at the hotel, our faucets only ran hot water, which was great for the jacuzzi but terrible for the commode. It wouldn´t flush. I could not fall asleep due to headache and so I drank a bottle of water in case I was dehydrated, but then I had to pee three times after midnight in our broken toilet. Finally I fell asleep just as some construction sites began their morning jackhammers. Thank goodness I brought ear plugs.

aeropuerte

So we got off to a super awesome start by standing in the world´s longest security line, and then after not moving for approximately ten minutes, Nadiv suggested that maybe we were in the wrong line. I went up and checked and sure enough, we were in Continental´s check in line. (Sucks for them.) Twenty seconds later we were bypassing the line and taking off our shoes for the metal detectors. We neither got patted-down nor radiation scattered. That was sort of a let-down.

Once through, we went searching for Dramamine and power-aid. We went into a candy shop that was selling orange, grape, and other various fruit flavors of lollipops with crickets in them. The clear flavor featured a tequila worm. Nadiv decided that he would most enjoy the grape flavored cricket but I think I would go for the cherry cricket. I almost vomited just writing that sentence. The sign for these delicious candies read, "Sugar-free Candy" but that,s such a non-issue since the second ingredient in all the flavors was, "cricket." Here, I´ll read you the ingredients because I copied them down: hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, cricket, artificial coloring and flavor. Three ingredients. I guess that would satisfy Michael Pollan.

After Nadiv got his hydration needs taken care of, I was blabbing about how much I like the Sobe drink that he gets me from the hospital and how I can´t find it anywhere else in Los Angeles and LOW AND BEHOLD we pass a fast food place and I see a guy holding a Sobe bottle. We stop and get my delicious drink.

You´re probably thinking to yourself how exciting this airport adventure is so far, and guess what, the next segment is a nail-biter. Nadiv lost his plane ticket.

He had to walk back to the cricket candy shop and apparently they paged him over the intercom and he got his ticket back, no problem. I was really nervous for like ninety seconds.

Overall, I would rate our aeropuerto experience a six out of ten, on account of how all of the stores were closed, even the gum and Dramamine kiosk. The flight itself was pretty sucky. We got decent seats next to the window fairly close up, but it was a red-eye and neither of us were able to sleep. The dude in the aisle seat kept coughing and I was freezing and it just sucked. Whatevs. We made it to Panama!

We have landed!

We have landed! Panama is lush and green and warm and wet. We are both exhausted after a red-eye flight with pretty much no sleep. We´re at the chic Panam´s hotel which has a free computer in the lobby, so maybe after a nap or dinner, I can recount our misadventures in LAX.

map of panama

(click to see it larger)

itinerary!!!

DEC 28: flight lands at 10:30 am. Panama City

DEC 29: Panama Canal day

DEC 30: around Panama City and drive to El Valle

DEC 31: El Valle

JAN 1: El Valle

JAN 2: drive to David/Boquete

JAN 3: David/Boquete

JAN 4: David/Boquete, drive to Bocas del Toro

JAN 5: Bocas del Toro

JAN 6: Bocas del Toro

JAN 7: Bocas del Toro, drive to Panama City

JAN 8: Panama City, flight leaves at noon