Let's start with a geography lesson. Even though Panama is smaller than South Carolina, it is as geographically confusing as a country can be. The country is shaped like a horizontal "S," stretching from the northwest to the southeast. Ships transiting the Panama Canal from the Pacific Ocean actually travel northwest to reach the Atlantic Ocean. Being so close to the equator and due to the curved shape of the country, the sun rises in the east over the Pacific Ocean in Panama City. Only 50 miles wide at its narrowest, the country can be crossed by a one-hour train ride, offering the rare opportunity to dip your toes in two oceans in one day. Still with me?
Panama is an eco-friendly haven, rivaling its more popular neighbor to the north, Costa Rica. The largest difference between the two is that Panama's tourism infrastructure is about 10 years behind Costa Rica's. This means that while it might be a little rough around the edges, the payoff is the chance to visit a relatively unexplored country that is still inexpensive. Many people come to Panama to vacation in the San Blas Islands, canoe the Rio Griges, visit the Embera, cruise the Panama Canal, or go birding in the Gamboa Rainforest. But visitors who don't spend a few days exploring Panama City are missing out on this intriguing area.
Panama City is a bustling Central American capital, where passing glimpses of life imprint memories in the mind as strongly (if not more) than a photograph of a monument. I remember stacked crates of squawking parakeets and canaries outside the airport exit; small buildings with neon ceviche signs; colorful painted buses belching thick diesel smoke across the highway; and a tented restaurant in a parking lot where a couple and their dog enjoyed hamburguesas and a soda for one U.S. dollar. And lastly, my personal favorite: a black cat sitting in front of the Church of Santo Domingo, who not only stared me down but intimidated me into running away. But beyond my personal specific memories, the city has much to offer for visitors.
The Neighborhood of Many Names
Casco Viejo. Casco Antiguo. San Felipe. Whichever name you use, this neighborhood of Panama City, a photographer's delight, is in a period of transition. The original stone walls of the city are nestled among the narrow brick streets lined by an architectural mix of French, Spanish, and American buildings. The Church of Santo Domingo, mostly destroyed by fire in 1761, is famous for the Flat Arch--an architectural remnant that is still standing. The survival of the arch convinced early developers that Panama was safe from earthquakes and the right place to build the canal.
After a long period of decay, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (U.N.E.S.C.O.) declared Casco Viejo an historic site, which has led to a rejuvenation of the neighborhood. The Presidential Palace, National Theatre, and the Interoceanic Canal Museum of Panama are highlights when walking among the streets and plazas.
Visitors must be careful in certain areas of Casco Viejo, especially at night. Crime, although dropping, is still fairly high in this area. However, due to recent influx of investment and interest in revitalizing the area, new restaurants and bars are moving into the renovated buildings. Manolo Caracol (Avenida Central y Calle Tercera) is a modern restaurant in a French-styled building dating to the 1800s, featuring an open kitchen, local art on the walls, and very tasty wine. The food is served tapas-style, with dishes like pulpo al roja (octopus in red sauce), langostinos al ajillo (jumbo prawns in garlic sauce), hongos silvestres (mushrooms in butter-garlic sauce), and arroz tay (rice with plantains).
I Want to Get Baha'i, So Baha'i
Perched on top of a forested hill with a 360-degree view of Panama City and the local mountains, is the gigantic egg-shaped Baha'i House of Worship, one of only seven in the world. This spiritual oasis is quiet and peaceful, and offers a chance for some introspection within its open-air structure. There are no sermons, no clergy, and, most of the time, no one else in the vicinity. Although the building can be seen for miles around, especially at night when it is lit up like a space ship, the road leading to it from the main highway is marked by a small, nondescript sign pointing behind a scrap-metal yard. A good thing to know before you go: Don't step on the grass. It's sacred.
If You Build It…
Hundreds of millions of tons of earth were excavated during the construction of the Panama Canal and used to build the Amador Causeway, a palm-tree lined jetty stretching out into the Bahia de Panama at the Pacific entrance to the Canal, connecting the mainland to four small islands. Locals and tourists alike enjoy the benches along the water with views of the Bridge of the Americas on one side and the city on the other.
Aside from being home to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and Marine Exhibition Center, a new cruise port is being built on the Causeway. The port is still a few years from opening but a number of restaurants and bars have quickly made the tip a hot spot for Panamanian nightlife, including Karnak, an Egyptian-styled, candle-lit club with young Panamanians dancing salsa everywhere you turn.•
The number-two villa was once one of Manuel Noriega's houses, complete with swimming pool in the front. Besides a family of monkeys, there are numerous varieties of birds, butterflies, squirrels, geckos, snakes, and spiders (some as big as your hand) on the premises. The country's largest water park is on-site, making this a fun place for the whole family. The hotel also works closely with tour operators, offering many outings around the country.