Pana-ma-na

Part three of our big adventure brings us to Central America. Making it through the security checks at Newark we arrived late at night in Panama City, on the Pacific (south) side of Panama. Staying in a hostel in the Casco Viejo, we had a weekend to explore the city before getting stuck into our five-day Spanish course.

Casco Viejo is the old town of Panama City, although not the oldest town which is in ruins. A district once the grand home of the embassies and the wealthy but located next to the infamous Chorillo area it was invaded and overrun with crime, gangs and squatters. In recent years there has been extensive restoration and regeneration in the area with many of the dilapidated old buildings now restored to their original glory. Now beautifully restored buildings and very swanky hotels sit alongside those still run-down and artistic grafiti decorates the walls. Our hostel, Panamericana, whilst basic, was well located on the Plaza Herraro and benefited from a large roof top terrace which panaramic views of the town and Pacific Ocean. We visited the Miraflores locks on the Panama Canal and several museums all with slightly different explanations of the history of the Canal.

In stark contrast to Casco Viejo, Panama City also has a huge commercial centre with hundreds of sky scrapers and large shopping malls. Thanks to the Panama Canal which runs across the country, connecting the Pacific ocean to the Atlantic and the Caribbean sea, as well as the country's location between North and South America there is significant wealth in the country and is currently growing at a rapid rate. Our stoll into the city was tough in the stifling heat and we sampled a shaved ice drink served by a street vendor with fruit syrup and condensed milk. We found a local Olympic-sized swimming pool which was provided respite in the heat as well as some regular exercise over the next week. Although it was free, Leila did have to hire an attractive red swimming cap.

The five day Spanish course seems to have been a good idea. Leila's beginners course with Fernando was considerably more fun than Ali's though, with teaching techniques that included compulsory singing and watching the Exorcist in Spanish! We joined some of our classmates in a bicycle trip along the Amadaor Causeway, a long breakwater for the Canal and which joins the mainland to islands where all sizes of boats were moored. We were lucky enough to spot a sloth along the way and the trip whetted our appetite for some sailing.