Panama (Panama City and Bocas del Toro)

---

On Saturday we arrived on the mainland of Panama in Corti, from where it is another 2hrs 4WD-taxi-ride to Panama City.

Panama City is quite interesting. Especially the Old town has a very certain flair with all its run-down colonial buildings. The contrast to the historic part of the town is situated right on the other side of the bay with numerous skyscrapers shimmering in the water like the sky in their modern glass fronts.
Of course a visit of Panama City mostly goes along with an excursion to the Panama Canal. Quite impressive how the ships are levered in the water, but the whole visit appears more like an advertising for the canal...

The presence of the United States in Panama over all the years left significant marks. A couple of moments one might be sure to be in the States rather than in Panama. Historically impacted by cultures from all over the world, nowadays it seems that Panama's own albeit hybrid culture is hiding between fast food restaurants, overstuffed shops and skyscrapers of banks and insurance companies.

On Monday evening I left in an anything else than comfortable busride for Bocas del Toro - a group of Islands on the Carribean Coast close to the boarder to Costa Rica. The islands in the Bocas archipelago are really beautiful and gives picturebook views of carribean landscapes similar to the San Blas islands. Especially the fauna and flora there is really interesting and could keep one busy in exploring if there wasn't the everlasting laid-back caribbean ambience around everywhere. So with a little scuba diving (to escape the rainy weather 😊, a little cycling and a nice boat trip from one beautiful beach to the other I had three fulfilling but still relaxing days in Bocas del Toro.

Greets!

---

Photos

Panama Viejo View from the Hostel
(Luna's castle)