Fenlason - Pineda: Panama and Guatemala 2023

Not a sunRISE, but as close as I wanted to get to an actual sunrise.

The host family's house.

A little panorama of the entire island.

Delicious island breakfast.

Heading to the gas station in the boat.

Drive thru service.

On our way again.

Many miles of this. Back to Panama City. And an adorable three year old-ish kid in the backseat who kept yelling vaca-ito and caball-ito EVERY time we passed a cow or a horse, respectively.

A little luxury after roughing it overnight on a paradise island.

Glass art installation in the lobby.

Hoped it was coral, but it's really just tree roots.

The BAR.

The patio and pool for later.

Zipping along, past the skyline.

Another visit to the canal to actually see it WORKING.

Panama hats!! I already have one, so we didn't buy one.

Construction on the canal began on January 1, 1882, although excavations in the Culebra cut did not begin until January 22, 1182. In 1888 a huge work force of 20,000 people was hired, nine-tenths of this group were workers from the West Indies. French engineers were well paid and the prestige of the project attracted the best of the French engineering school, but the huge number of deaths from illnesses made it difficult for them to be retained, and many left after a short period of service or died.

Prepped for the IMAX 3D movie experience.

Big transport ship, going through the Miraflores locks.

See it getting lower?

Used to be U.S. Navy Base buildings.

We're gonna climb this.

Ancón Hill (Spanish: Cerro Ancón) is a 653 foot high hill that overlooks Panama City, Panama, adjacent to the township of Ancón. It once housed the administration center of the Panama Canal. It was under U.S. jurisdiction as part of the Panama Canal Zone until being returned to Panama in 1977. Largely undeveloped, the area is now a reserve and includes the highest point in Panama City.

Amelia Denis de Icaza was a Panamanian romantic poet. She was the first Panamanian woman to publish her poetry.

"I no longer keep the traces of my steps / you are no longer mine."

"Ya no guardo las huellas de mis pasos / ya no eres mío".

View toward the Canal.

Somehow got an "R" shaped injury.

Roads always make me think of Robert Frost and of Gramp (Robert L. Dunphy.)

And a return to Amador Causeway (Calzada de Amador.) The Causeway Islands (Spanish: Islas Calzada de Amador) are four small islands by the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. They are linked to the mainland by way of the Causeway. The causeway is man-made and was created with rock that was extracted during the excavations for the Panama Canal. The Causeway also serves as a breakwater for the entrance to the Canal.

The four islands are: Naos, Culebra, Perico and Flamenco.

We seem to be regulars now.

A view of downtown.

A view of Rafa.

The causeway and the surrounding neighborhood were named for Manuel Amador Guerrero (30 June 1833 – 2 May 1909.) He was the first president of Panama from 20 February 1904 to 1 October 1908.

We were just at the top of that hill.

What is the ship?

Raspados!

This isn’t your ordinary snow cone. Panama kicks your ordinary shaved ice up a notch by adding condensed milk. Seeing a raspado being made can be quite entertaining. It starts off by using a special device that shaves a large block of ice into a cup.

The ice then gets a generous squirt of condensed milk and the syrup flavoring of your choice. Common flavors include cherry, maracuya (passion fruit), grape, and piña (pineapple).