HOW TO MISS THE HOP ON - HOP OFF BUS, TWICE

Central America Caribbean
December 30th 2016

Published: January 27th 2017

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Never too old

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All I had to go on.

HOW TO MISS

THE HOP ON HOP OFF BUS

TWICE

My first question in English, to a Spanish speaking hotel desk clerk, was, “When do the buses stop running?” I asked this again and again; I posed it to the bus attendants and to the ticket agents. The answer was always the same, 6 p.m.

The last item on my list of things to do in Panama was to take the Hop on/Hop off bus. There were really only two places I had to see: The City of Knowledge and The Old Quarter (Casco Antiguo/Casco Viejo/San Felipe).

I cannot remember what the cause of delay was, I got a taxi from my hotel around 1:30 p.m. but my ticket was for the 3 p.m. bus. The young man at the counter was a diver and we got to talking diving. He said to me…ride the whole route once and then on the way back around you will have a better idea of where you want to go. Just after passing the last stop, The Old Town, I heard the guide’s voice say, “…last bus of the day.” The bus shuddered to a stop and everyone got

CLEAN STREETS

Everything was well groomed.

out. I was flabbergasted! I was so frustrated. I was maybe a little bit, “Ugly American.” I had just paid $30 to ride a bus for an hour staring at the sites I wanted to see through glass windows.

The young man from the bus, a different guide, was very understanding. He signed my wrist band and assured me I could use it again on my last day in Panama, after my dive excursion. I was mollified. And grateful. And now I had the answer to my original question. The last bus is at 3 p.m. It leaves Old Town at 5:30 p.m.

After my dive excursion, on my last day in Panama, I arrived at the bus at noon. My first stop was The City of Knowledge. The bus driver announced my stop and I “hopped off.” The first thing I saw was the bus station for regular local buses and a small coffee shop for those who were waiting, before and after work. I went in and ordered a sweet and a cup of tea. I relaxed, watched people coming and going, and tried to get a feel for this place, Cuidad del Saber. After my

BOOK STORE REQUIRED

You know school is out when the campus bookstore is empty.

second cup of tea I realized, “time’s a-wastin’”and I started walking. There was no information center.

I don’t know what I expected to see or find, really. I just felt a connection with this community. (My grandparents, it is whispered, were members, for a short time, of a commune. Gasp! Could that be true? I wish I knew more.) The goals of the City of Knowledge were the arts, academics, sciences, and technology with a strong focus on a green, sustainable environment, using bicycles instead of cars, walking for health, etc.

I read about the City of Knowledge in a small tourist publication in my hotel in Panama. I was intrigued. I read on line that it is non-profit and government sponsored. It is located on the old US army military area of Fort Clayton. It is a center for knowledge exchange and provides facilities and support to programs in education, research, technological development and innovation.

I didn’t see a soul so I just checked signs and walked. The lawns were green, the streets clean, and the buildings well-kept. There was a pre-school…closed. I saw a meeting hall, it was open; when I peaked in I saw

HOUSING

it was undergoing a major reconstruction. Outside I saw a well-dressed professional woman and her friend (mother) and spoke with her for fifteen minutes or so. She said she was a high school teacher and everyone was gone for vacation. It was Christmas break. She said there was an elementary school, high school and university, as well as a campus for Florida State University. No other staff was on campus now; her mother was visiting so she was just showing her around. Her own daughter went to the on-site elementary school. She pointed…stores were open at the mall and I was welcome to continue looking around. I started in that direction.

I saw a construction worker and stopped to chat with him. His father was a professor of carpentry and had been on the maintenance staff for years. We had a pleasant conversation.

By the time I found the mall, which I realized was probably the HUB for college students, I had room for another snack so I ordered a smoothie. I sat and watched the people mill around and imagined the place full of students with their boundless energy and myriad plans. No cafeteria-style facility...there were green

CASCO ANTIGUO

San Pedro, with all its history. Completely destroyed by the pirate Henry Morgan. Later rebuilt in its present location.

smoothies, sushi, frozen yogurt, Asian food. The list went on.

The City of Knowledge is built on an old military installation, but it doesn’t cover all of it. One of my informants told me that beyond the gates there was jungle, and there was a greensward that was worth seeing. So I walked toward the fountains in the distance, past dormitories and office buildings. Then I saw a sign…Peace Corps. Although it seemed awkward I decided to approach the office and introduce myself. I was a returned Peace Corps volunteer. I spent three years in Bulgaria beginning in 2000. I followed some men into an elevator and found the office. I explained that I was just traveling, and checking out the City, thinking of my granddaughter, Willow, who has roots in Panama. The receptionist took my passport and signed me in. A staff member came through the door and said she was very busy as they were closing the office for several days for New Year’s. If I would just take a seat she would have a very few minutes to spare, soon. I read a periodical and then she was back. She outlined the Peace Corps focus in

THE GOLDEN ALTAR

The story goes that a priest had it painted with tar...it is not solid gold.

Panama, helping the poor, and working with the government to improve living conditions for them. She mentioned there were openings for short term workers, if I was interested. I soon excused myself so she could go home and thanked her for showing me around. It was interesting and something to think about.

On the property were International programs for Mc Gill University, the University of Pennsylvania, Florida State University, St Louis University and Iowa State University. That certainly offers my granddaughter a lot of possibilities.

Then I went to the fountains. The area was a bit swampy and I took a photo of the sign saying the area was home to a resident caiman, Sylvester. I circled back to the entrance to catch the bus. It arrived shortly and I went on to Casco Antiguo, Old Town.

When I stepped off the bus I realized that this was a place I could enjoy. The architecture was ornate and in good repair…except for that which was under large suspended covers, being renovated. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1997; there is a lot of repair work being done, and much more not yet started. I wandered

WORLD HERITAGE SITE

Renovations will go on for years.

up and down the streets trying to match edifices to my map. I never did get a real handle on directions. I went in a small shop and found prices very reasonable. I bought a few souvenirs to take home, but the ones I really wanted were too large or too fragile to carry around in my luggage for another month or more. At 4:30, (plenty of time, right?) I started back to the main street to catch the bus. Good Luck!! I was so confused. I asked several people, including two policemen, for help and each told me to go in a different direction. As the time crept inexorably toward 5:30, and past, I grew more and more frustrated... and finally resigned. Missed it again. I asked a couple of men for help and got a taxi back to my hotel.

The Casco Antiguo is a beautiful area, and one where I could imagine coming every Sunday if I lived in Panama. I’d like to just wander a few blocks, then sit in a café, drink tea, nibble a sweet, enjoy the weather, relax and watch the tourists.

I got back to my hotel with enough time