Made It To Panama

Central America Caribbean » Panama » Panamá » Panama City
January 31st 2007

Published: February 13th 2007

Hello everyone

Once again, thanks for keeping the messages coming. It´s been a few days since the last blog entry so I´d better crack on.

I set a new trip record with my final central American bus trip from Costa Rica to Panama. A meaty 18 hours. Not all of those hours were spent moving though. For some unknown reason, the bus arrived at the border at 3am in the morning. All fine and dandy for the 24 hour Panama immigration office but less good for completing the Costa Rican exit formalities as their office did not open until 6am! We did finally make it through the border and Panama wins the award for the most interesting passport stamp so far.

It was a long old way but we finally started to approach Panama City. We crossed the Bridge of the Americas over the Panama Canal. Panama has often been considered part of South America by many people but these days it seems to be leaning towards being part of Central America. Wherever it is, it is amazing to think that such a tiny strip of a country holds together two of the world´s mightiest continents. I sat back in my chair for the final few miles into the city and realised that I had achieved one of the objectives of the trip. It may not be the most glamourous journey and many many people have done it before me but I can now say that I have travelled over land and a little bit of sea all the way from Mexico City to Panama City through the strip of land that ties together North and South America. There were a couple of moments when I wasn´t sure whether I would make it the whole way without flying but I did. So, how did I celebrate? By going to sleep for a few hours in the afternoon - it had been a long journey.

I woke up starving. I reckon I was suffering a little bit from buslag - I had crossed a time zone for the first time in a couple of months. Opposite the hotel was a nice looking Argentinian restaurant. Good meat I thought and headed over. I ordered a mixed grill. Not the biggest mixed grill on the menu but still a decent one. Shortly afterwards, the waiter appeared out of the kitchen with a large grill containing a meat selection for a table of four people behind me. Only he accidentally placed it on my table. No, no mistake he assured me. It was mine. Wa-hey. There was fine grilled meat of every kind. It was like the finest and best meats of the year had been invited to my table - it was the Meat Oscars. Hey, looking good pork chop, there are the sausage brothers - beef and blood, sirloin steak was definitely up for the occasion, chicken breast was well turned out and I reckon prime rib steak was the winner. Thankfully, there was no sign of any lettue. I ate the lot. Then went back to the hotel and slept forever.

Well, not forever or I wouldn´t be writing this now. Those who know my hair will know it´s useless when it grows. It´s so thin that it just frizzes out into a cross between the Incredible Hulk´s hair (from old 80s TV show, not the recent CGI film Hulk) and a white man´s afro. It had been 10 weeks since a haircut and I could put it off no longer. I was starting to challenge my Yorkshire friend Phil (some may know him as Emlyn) in the hair length department - that´s not good. I found a decent barber´s shop that seemed to have things in all the right places. I explained in basic Spanish that all I wanted was a haircut and made the international hand sign for a pair of scissors. I´m pleased to say it all went well. Clipper numbers must exist the world over and the barber understood straight away what a numero dos was on the clippers.

So, I had a spring in my step as I explored Panama City cos obviously I was looking a million dollars. Or a million Costa Rican colones at least. There´s not too much to report from Panama City. It was blindingly hot the whole time. It´s another typical Latin city with the obligatory traffic chaos and crowded streets and markets. There is a more international feel to Panama City as the international banks have buily a mini-city of office tower blocks. There´s also more immigrants from outside of Latin America here. Not many backpackers though.

Which is why it´s time to leave Central America behind. I can´t pretend to know all of the countries in depth as I only visited some of them for a few days. I´ve had a taster and it´s been very enjoyable. The modern culture in all of the countries continues to be dominated by the USA. The clothing, sports and music of the young are all from the US. (Enter Jerry Springer mode) I just hope some of the older traditions maintained by the older generation can survive into the next century. It will be a shame if they don´t. (Exit Jerry Springer mode).

Coming next time - I hit central America´s bigger, badder cousin, South America. I set sail again and have an unforgettable week. Don´t miss the next blog.

Take care all

Joff

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