Panama City - the Old, the New Old, the Dull and the Dangerous...

   
The skyline of the Modern Panama City - Banking Capitol to corporations and crooks worldwide!
     

The Old City Ruins (Panama la Vieja)

In 1671 Panama City was the richest Spanish City in the New World. All its guns were pointed to the sea to protect against asualt. The pirate Henry Morgan took some 60 men and marched them from the Atlantic across the isthmus of Panama (many of them died in the march) to sack the city from behind.

This was my favorite place in Panama.

 

This is the view of the sight looking inland from the top of the tower. Below is the Tower.

 

 

More Panama la Vieja

 

 

That's me with a manequin warrior. How did they wear this full suit? You can see I was sweating in the 95 degree heat and the 98 per cent humidity.

While in Panama, you have to see the Panama Canal Locks. (What else is there to do?)

 

More Locks Pictures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

all rights reserved by Kimberly and Joe Meyer

 

 

  

News: American Couple Saved by Tourist Police!

Following some bad advice from Moon's Panama handbook, which said we might enjoy the lively shops, we found ourselves walking on the crumbling sidewalks near the "Meat Market " area.

Just as some men began to follow us, a Tourist Police Sentra pulled up with four large Tourist Policemen stuffed into it. The driver signaled us to stop and one Officer jumped out. In broken English, he explained this was a very bad neighborhood and that he was the Tourist Police.

The local boys who were following us, now walked past us and yelled at the Tourist Poilce but moved on. Then the second officer in the back seat got out of the tiny Tourist Police car.

Our officer tried to explain how common it was to have someone rip off our back packs and run with them. He repeated the warning to Kimberly and I several times. We got it. We were in a bad area. He flagged down an oncoming taxi, but the driver waived him off and sped past us on the narrow street. Frustrated, the Officer again flagged down a taxi which did not even slow.

The driver of the Tourist Police Sentra pulled his car forward a little to slow the next car. It was a taxi with a passenger and the driver waived off theTourist Cop, but our officer stepped infront of the taxi and it stopped. He then told the driver he had no choice, but to take us.

Our Officer hustled us in and we were off. Up the hill, back to the "Casco Viejo" area.

Wev'e been to Cairo, Narobi, Mexico City and Los Angeles and have never needed to be saved by the Tourist Police.

Were we "inches" from getting mugged? That Tourist Cop sure thought so.

This is an abondoned house just outside the "Casco Viejo" area.

Where's the Beach?

The view from the French Plaza (above and below).

"Old Pan," which is what the locals call Casco Viejo, looked like N.O.'s French Quarter. All the down to having one rebuilt house standing next to an abondoned one.

Below is the "New" cathedral where the "gold altar" (which was painted black to fool Morgan) was relocated, along with the rest of the town.

The end of the French Plaza.

The city from the French Plaza in Casco Viejo.