We have been stressing over getting around in Panama. We were told that google maps and Garmin will not help us much. That being said, we will be taking taking our Garmin and google maps along, however, the need for a back-up plan was definitely on our radar. We love Amazon Prime, and that is where we found our detailed road map and lots of other goodies. It came from National Geographic. Now we can match up our destination and adventure list to create a plan that makes sense. This will also help with scouting out places that we may want to live. In the very near future we will be unfolding the map for you to show where some of these great adventures are going to take place.
Today’s Spanish lesson is this: Por favor, poder usted la ayuda me encontrar la centrar de el pueblo…translated Please, can you help me find the center of town?
Today’s post is short and sweet, but we must keep things rolling. Next time we will return our focus on adventure planning. Thanks for continuing to follow along and please remember to like, share, and comment. For all our Spanish speaking friends, please feel free to weigh in on our Spanish lessons. Learning Spanish will probably be easier when we are on the ground in Panama, however it is important that we get the essentials down before we leave. Adios
It seems a good time to revisit the Pensionado Visa process. We have been working on this for quite some time now, and things are going along great. The pensionado visa is a permanent residency in Panama reserved for people who have pension income. The visa, once approved, is good for life. We are going to run down the benefits and requirements today. This all seems a little overwhelming at first, but when we’re on the beach in Panama instead of shoveling snow it will all be worth it. The Panama Pensionado visa has numerous benefits that attract retirees from all over the world.
Panama is a nation that is very welcoming to foreigners, and perhaps never more so than when it offers retirees a whole host of discounts, on everything from airfare to hotels, movies, and utilities. These benefits are part of a package of perks that are tailored to retirees of all ages.
The list of discounts and advantages of the pensioner’s visa is lengthy. Here are a few that we found quite enticing:
50% off on recreation and entertainment such as movies, theaters, sports, etc.
50% off hotels Monday through Thursday (30% off on weekends)
30% off public transportation like buses, trains, and boats
25% off airfare
25% off restaurants (15% off fast food)
25% off electrical, telephone, and water service
20% off doctors and specialists
15% off hospitals and private clinics
15% off dental and optometry services
10% off prescription medications
tax-free importation of household goods, up to $10,000
tax-free importation of a vehicle, or tax-free purchase of a local vehicle, every 2 years
Retirees are also able to obtain a cedula. The cedula is the national identification card issued to residents. It provides improved ease for getting around and transacting business in Panama. The local people feel more comfortable doing business with people who they know are “documented”. This is a great benefit when immersing ourselves in the culture of the country.
The pensionado visa program is more than a retirement program. It is opened to anyone who meets the requirements. Recipients can never lose their benefits, as long as they continue to meet the requirements. Here is a list of the requirements to qualify:
Monthly income of $1,200 for life from a guaranteed source such as a pension, annuity or social security.
Or income of $750 per month and a $100,000 minimum investment in Panamanian real estate
An additional $250 monthly income for each dependent
The $1,200 per month is a total amount for a married couple. In other words, it isn’t necessary for both spouses to meet the income requirement. Dependent children cannot be over the age of 18, unless they are attending college. Exceptions can also be made for adult children with disabilities. The $250 can also be obtained in the form of interest earned on deposits in a Panamanian bank.
The process of applying for and obtaining your pensionado visa is relatively straightforward. The whole process takes several months and costs between $1,500 and $2,000 per person, including attorney fees. The attorney fees may be less for a married couple or a family when it is done together. There will be a bit of paperwork, and it will all need to be properly authenticated (apostilled). A reputable attorney with experience in immigration issues will be a valuable tool as you navigate this process. In general, you’ll need to be prepared to provide the following:
Certified letter from the appropriate organization or entity guaranteeing your monthly pension for life
Government certification that the source of your income is in good standing, if your pension comes from a private company
Proof of prior pension payments (e.g. check stubs, bank statements, etc.)
Certificate of public registration of Panamanian real estate in your name, if applicable
Police record from the country where you resided the past 5 years (FBI fingerprint check)
Marriage and/or birth certificates, if applicable
Six (6) passport sized photographs of the applicant (and dependents – if applicable).
Certificate of Good Health, issued by a licensed Panamanian hospital or clinic, signed by a registered, licensed physician, indicating that the applicant (and dependents – if applicable) has no contagious diseases and is in good mental and physical condition. THIS MUST BE DONE DURING YOUR INITIAL VISIT TO PANAMA.
This is where we are in the process. We have a very good immigration attorney in Panama City working on this for us. We have all the documentation except Jen’s pension letter. We cannot get that until her retirement is final. Today we had all the documents apostilled at the Secretary of State. On Monday we will be sending the attorney all the documentation by e-mail (scanned and sent PDF). The attorney will the have them translated to Spanish. We will take our passport size photos with us when we go. The attorney will make arrangements for us to get our health physicals when we arrive in the country. It looks like this process is in good order.
Todays Spanish lesson is very appropriate: Por favor, deme mi descuento de pensionado. Translated… “Please give me my pensioner’s discount.”
We hope you’re finding our posts educational, informative, and entertaining. Please continue to like, share, and comment. By all means, if you haven’t signed up to receive these posts by e-mail, do it now. We don’t want you to miss a bit of our “awesome adventure”.
Fingerprints Thank-you Van Buren CountyFBI criminal background
Gamboa is, perhaps,the first place in Panama that attracted our attention. Without much knowledge of the lay of the land, Gamboa caught our attention as a location where we may settle, due to its tropical, rain forest, and low cost of living. Gamboa is on the east side of the Panama Canal and with only 2 routes across, it may prove prohibitive to move about the country from Gamboa. We have developed a comprehensive list of exploration ideas, and Gamboa has the majority of cool things to explore.
Gamboa is located in a very private, secluded area of the former Panama Canal Zone. It was the site of housing for workers in the early 1900’s when the canal was being dredged. The sleepy little town was established for the workers and their families. It bustled back then, offering schools, and all the services that one would expect for it’s time. Today it is underutilized and many of its structures are unoccupied. Part of the towns seclusion lies in that it is in the lush Gamboa Jungle, on the east shore of Lake Gatun, at a sharp bend in the Chagres River. To access Gamboa you must cross the Chagres on a single lane wood and iron bridge. Nearby, to the south of Gamboa the Chagres River and Lake Gatun meet the Culebra Cut. This is the narrow pass that takes the canal through the Continental Divide. All this being said, it is hard to believe Gamboa is less than 30 minutes from Panama City.
The Culebra Cut is the narrow pass of the Panama Canal that crosses the Continental Divide.
A short distance from Gamboa we will find the Summit Botanical Gardens and Zoo. There we will a variety of monkeys, wild cats, harpy eagles, and giant tapirs. We will also find the former dredging docks that now house light ferry boats to take us to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute facilities at Barro Colorado Island. Visitors are allowed on Barro Colorado Island; access is, however, regulated. To visit Barro Colorado Island, you must make a reservation and arrange for a tour. Tours generally include transportation to and from the island, a 2–3 hour guided hike, lunch, and a visit to the museum. Hikes through the island offer up the opportunity to spot several creatures, including monkeys, anteaters, birds, and insects.
Since Gamboa lies at the end of the road, so to speak, it is near large tracts of relatively undisturbed rain forest. It is the home of caymens, crocodiles, iguanas, and hundreds of bird species. Pipeline Road is a trail that follows an old pipeline near Gamboa. It is considered one of the best places to bird watch in all of Central America. The Las Cruces Trail also passes nearby. This was the trail used to transport supplies and precious metals between the Pacific and the Atlantic. Some of the trail is now underwater. There are many places in Gamboa where we can access private and public boats for fishing expeditions on Lake Gatun. Lake Gatun is considered ideal for bass fishing.
The penitentiary where Noriega was incarcerated is located not far from Gamboa on the shore of the canal. It is a white collar prison, surrounded by jungle, and it is still in use today. This is a place that we will choose to avoid.
This is where Noriega was incarcerated.
The Gamboa Rainforest Resort is a 5-star hotel located in Gamboa. The hotel attracts visitors interested in birdwatching, an aeriel tram which visits the jungle canopy, and tours to visit the Indian Reservations in the jungle nearby. The Embra and Wounaan Tribes reside on Lake Alajuela which lies on the upper side of the Chagres River. A one hour ride by native canoe (piragua) will deliver us deep in the jungle to visit with the Embra people. We will get the opportunity to see the Indians lifestyle, like hunting, fishing, harvest, and medicine. We will experience the traditional dances, and see how they paint their bodies. We will see how they weave baskets, plates and masks. We will have the chance to walk through the jungle to see the wildlife, birds and waterfalls. The Embra are very welcoming and friendly people. They will serve us lunch before we embark on our one hour return journey by piragua to Gamboa.
Gamboa and its surrounding area will be a great place to make memories of our Panama adventure. It may not, however, be our ideal choice for a retirement home. We will be keeping a open mind. Please, continue to follow, like, share, and comment. Our Spanish lessons are going on behind the scenes we will, however, share the word of the day “extranar”. Extranar means to miss or long for. Yo extranar para eterno el verano. Translated…I long for eternal summer. Buenos Dias.
As promised, we will mix it up a bit and start sharing our excursion planning. Our home away from home will be in Coronado which is on the Pacific coast, west of Panama City. We want to start out with an excursion that is not too far from home. La Villa de los Santos is a small town down the coast from Coronado. It lies south of Chitre’ on the Azuero Peninsula, near the Golfo de Panama (Pacific Ocean). The destination is less than 2-1/2 hours from our condo.
The town of La Villa is a quiet town that hosts a couple of festivals every year, but its true claim to fame is that it is where Panamanian independence began. In 1821 the people of Los Santos wrote a letter to the leader of Columbia asking for assistance, and 18 days later they were able to declare independence from Spain. It was at this time that Panama aligned itself with Columbia. The people of Panama felt that they may need Columbia’s protection, should there be, conflicts in the future. This alignment with Columbia turned out to be not so good for Panama. It will be a little more than 80 years, in 1903, when they will claim their 2nd independence. Panama’s independence is celebrated in November here in La Villa. They also celebrate Flag Day on November 4, and Colon Day on November 5. Colon Day is like Columbus Day in the U.S., celebrating when Columbus discovered the New World. It is the month of November that La Villa comes alive with festivals, however we will be there in February when it will be quiet, friendly, and unassuming.
The Smithsonian is managing an archaeological dig in La Villa. This is where the first inhabitants of Panama lived nearly 11,000 years ago. The Spanish did not arrive here until about 500 years ago.
We will find very few expats here; and it may be a challenge for us to communicate. Our research tells us that we could easily live here on less than $1000. per month. The food will be all locally grown, the rents are low, and there is very little on which to spend money. La Villa appears to be one of the friendliest and most affordable places to live in Panama. Chitre’, Las Tablas, and Pedasi are expat destinations not far from La Villa. These towns are all situated on the Golfo de Panama, as well.
The Azuero Peninsula will be one of our early excursions. It seems that the area can give us an economical, friendly, laid-back, lifestyle while keeping us near the ocean. We are excited about exploring the interior as well. The mountain and rain forest destinations will be on our excursion list.
This post would not be complete without a Spanish lesson. Today’s word is cocinar. Cocinar means to cook. Muy bien means very good. La would estar muy bien a cocinar algunos gran Panamanian la comida. Translated…It would be very good to cook some great Panamanian food. Thanks again for checking in. Remember to check back often, like and share.
In our previous posts we learned that the Fonda will have sopa, and possibly a variety of meat offerings. Carne (meats) are typically served asado (grilled or roasted), or frito (fried). Hey, we just learned a couple of new words in Spanish. We suspect that in Panama you may also find Pescado (fish) as a meat offering, due to its availability. Panama is considered to have excellent sea food. Sea bass can be found in many places and will usually be served grilled or ceviche (raw and marinated in lime juice). Our daughter is a great fan of ceviche, and I believe that we will muster the courage to give it a try. Ceviche can be found in Panama made from all types of seafood, including octopus and shrimp. At the Fonda, you will be served arroz (rice) and frijol (beans) along with your carne. If you are lucky your plate may also have a roasted plantain which is considered a staple.
We fear that the recipe and food thing may get old for some of you, so we will move away from it next time and begin looking at our possible destinations to explore on our visit this winter. Let’s review our Spanish for today. Carne are meats. Asado is roasted or grilled and frito is fried. Pescado is fish and ceviche is raw seafood marinated in lime juice. We are all ready to check out the Fonda and try the native foods of Panama.
Thank-you for sharing our Panama adventure. Please, remember to like share and comment on our blog.
We have explored the breakfast offerings; now lets see what’s for lunch. We know from previous posts that most fonda’s will have a sopa offering every day. Sopa is the Spanish word for soup. Wow we learned another Spanish food word. Sancocho or sopa de mariscos are a couple of sopa’s popular in Panama. Sopa de mariscocs is seafood soup. We searched the internet for a great recipe for this, and can imagine that a typical fonda in Panama would have something similar to the recipe below. Seafood in Panama is plentiful. The fishermen sell their daily catch right on the beach near our condo so we will definitely be giving this recipe a try.
Sopa de MariscoRecipe
Ingredients
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 1⁄2 white onions, chopped
1 poblano pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 1⁄2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1⁄2 cups chopped tomatoes
4 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons saffron threads
cilantro
1 dozen fresh muscles
1 lb fresh shrimp, with shells and heads on
2 large clusters snow crab legs or 8 salt blue crabs
2 -3 fresh white fish fillets
1⁄2 lb fresh scallops and or 1⁄2 lb fresh squid
garlic sea salt
4 cups fish stock
Directions
Heat olive oil in a large pot and add onions and red peppers.
After they have softened a little add the poblano pepper, jalapeno, garlic and saffron threads.
Let soften a little and add the tomatoes and heat through.
Place all of this in a blender with the cilantro and puree.
Return to pot and add the fish stock.
Heat to boiling and salt to taste.
Add mussels, shrimp, fish and top off with crab legs or blue crabs.
Cover and heat up to near boiling again.
Add scallops and cover for just 2-3 minutes.
Serve in bowls garnished with cilantro.
The second sopa that we have decided to talk about today is sancocho. Panamanian Sancocho is considered Panama’s national dish and it can be made using a variety of ingredients depending what you have on hand. The fonda may make a version like the recipe below using chicken and other ingredients on hand. In Panama you will find that the sancocho is not spicy like other parts Latin America. The Panamanian people prefer less kick than Mexico and Columbia. Just like the U.S. chicken soup is considered to be a cure for all that ales you. This one looks like a soup we would make using fresh chicken and vegetables that we can buy at the farm market.
Panamanian Sanchoco Recipe
Ingredients:
1 chicken, cut into pieces
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp fresh oregano (2 tsp. dried)
1 tsp black pepper
4 Tbsp cilantro
1 large onion, chopped
3 pounds of starchy vegetables (otoe, name/yams, yuca/cassava, green plantains)
2 ears corn, broken into 1″ pieces
salt
Instructions:
Season the chicken with the garlic, oregano, and pepper.
In a heavy pot, brown the seasoned chicken in the oil over a medium flame and allow to sweat.
Set a little cilantro aside for garnish at the end. Add the rest of the cilantro, onion and water. Make sure water covers the chicken.
Bring to a boil and reduce to a low simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, peel the root vegetables and cut into bite-size pieces.
After chicken has simmered for 20 minutes, add the root vegetables.
Cook until everything softens, about one hour. Keep adding water so the veggies stay about an inch under water.
Add the corn and cook 15 minutes more, until corn is tender.
Stir in salt to taste.
After the sopa there will be a meat option. We will explore the meat options and how they are prepared next time. We hope that all of you will some day be fortunate enough to visit a Panamanian Fonda and taste the flavors of Panama.
Let’s review our Spanish lesson. Today we learned sopa de mariscos is seafood soup and sanchoco is soup that can be made with a variety of ingredients; probably chicken in Panama. Our Spanish vocabulary is rolling.
Thanks for checking back, liking, and sharing. Try these recipes and let us know what you think. Are you ready to prepare authentic Panamanian cuisine? We have come to the realization that the vegetables and meats available may differ from what is available here in the U.S. These posts are preparing us for an awesome adventure.
In our previous post we talked about the typical offerings for breakfast at a Panamanian fonda. Our research finds that you will enjoy hojaldres, tortillas, empanadas, huevos, and friojoles, along with fried chicken and meat for breakfast. The Spanish word for chicken is pollo and meat is carne. It will not be long before you will recognize these two words, as when talking about food in future posts we will be referring to all food by their Spanish names. Huevos, friojoles, and tortillas are all commonly known in English as eggs, beans, and tortillas. By process of elimination that leaves two common breakfast offerings that may be a mystery to some of the readers: hojaldres and empanadas. Hojaldres are Panamanian fried bread. They are a bit like a fritter, however, they are made without yeast and dusted with powdered sugar. Hojaldres are usually eaten in one or two bites and are very enjoyable with a cup of great Panamanian coffee. We would like to share the recipes for Hojaldres and Empanadas below. Making the dough is time consuming so most fondas will make the dough the day before and store it refrigerated until the morning.
Hojaldres Recipe
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg
3 cups vegetable oil
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
Preparation:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
In a small bowl, whisk the milk, 3 tablespoons of oil and the egg. Pour the mixture into the center of the dry ingredients, stirring in with a spoon.
Knead the dough until it turns into a ball that doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl. Adjust consistency with a bit more flour or a bit of water if needed.
Once the dough has formed a ball, turn it out on a floured counter. Knead until the dough is elastic and soft.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for a least two hours.
Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it by hand into a long rope about 2 inches in diameter.
Heat oil to a 2-inch depth in a large straight-sided skillet. Oil is ready when a pinch of dough sizzles and bounces immediately to the surface.
Pinch off 1 1/2-inch sections of dough and flatten them to your desired size. Some cooks like to flatten them thin then roll them up, but that method tends to retain more oil.
Drop the dough into the oil and wait for the pieces to rise to the surface, about two minutes. Note cooking time, turn the pieces over and cook the other side.
Drain the hojaldras on a cooling rack and sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.
Empanada Recipe
Dough:
4 ounces of butter, plus more for brushing tops
1 ½teaspoons salt
6 Cups all-purpose flour, more if needed
Filling:
1pound beef chuck, cubed or coarsely ground
Salt and pepper
Olive oil, for sautéing
1cup diced onion
2ounces diced chorizo
½pound potatoes, peeled and diced
4garlic cloves, mashed to a paste
2teaspoons chopped thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
1tablespoon tomato paste
1tablespoon paprika
Generous pinch cayenne
Beef broth
½cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
¼cup chopped pitted green olives
Preparation:
Put 1-1/2 teaspoons salt in large mixing bowl. Melt butter and dissolve salt. Cool to room temperature.
Gradually stir in flour with a spoon until dough comes together. Knead for a minute or two on a floured counter, until firm and smooth. Add more flour if needed. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. This can be done the night before.
Make the filling: Season chopped beef generously with salt and pepper and set aside for 10 minutes. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide heavy skillet over medium heat. Add beef and fry until nicely browned, stirring throughout to keep pieces separate.
Add onion and chorizo. Keep turning mixture with a spatula until onion is softened and browned. Add potatoes, garlic, and thyme. Stir well to incorporate. Season again with salt and pepper and let mixture cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in tomato paste, and cayenne, then a cup of broth. Turn heat to simmer, stirring well.
Cook for about 10 more minutes, until both meat and potatoes are tender and the sauce coats them. Taste and adjust seasoning for full flavor. Stir in scallions and cool. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Divide chilled dough into 1-ounce pieces and form into 2-inch diameter balls. Roll each piece into a 4 1/2-inch circle. Lay circles on a baking sheet lightly dusted with flour.
Moisten outer edge of each round with water. Put about 2 tablespoons filling in the center of each round, adding a little chopped green olive. Wrap dough around filling to form the empanada, and press the edges together. Fold edge back and finish by crimping with a fork.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place empanadas on an oiled baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Brush tops lightly butter and bake until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.
You should get about 3 dozen Empanadas
Empanadas can be filled with many different toppings. Search on the internet for other creative topping ideas. We will try these with Pollo, la carne de vaca (beef), and fruta.
Let’s review…We have learned a couple of more Spanish words, and we won’t be hungry. Empanadas are like a pasty here in Michigan and Hojaldres are like a donut. Next time we will explore the lunch offerings at the fonda. Please enjoy these recipes and let us know what you think. As always, stay tuned in, like, share and take this journey with us.
The dictionary defines Fonda as an American actor. That’s not quite what we were thinking when we said “most important”. In Panama a fonda is a small roadside stall restaurant that offers Panamanian food. These are small open air food stops that are usually only open for breakfast and lunch. They are known for their low prices and authentic Panamanian food. The establishments usually prepare their offering early in the morning and when it is gone they close. The reason we thought this most important is because one has to eat. Finding a cheap meal that we don’t have to prepare ourselves has always been high on our list of important. My research tells me that most meals at a fonda will be under $4 including water. Tipping is not customary. Fondas rarely have alcohol, however there are a few where you will find Panamanian beer. Fondas do not have menus. If you’re lucky there will be a chalkboard listing the 3-4 offerings and price. Go early because as the day goes on the offerings will become less and less until they’re gone. A typical breakfast at a fonda may include hojaldres, tortillas, empanadas, huevos, friojoles, as well as fried chicken and meat. Do not panic if you do not recognize some of the menu. It is our goal to break the Spanish lessons down to small easy to learn pieces. A typical lunch will start around 10 am. There will almost always be a soup option such as sancocho or sopa de mariscos. Most fondas will have a meat option such as pollo or carne. These will be served either asado or frito. Most options will be served with rice or beans. Stews are another option at most fondas.
Jen and I are planning to immerse ourselves into the culture of Panama, so we are anxious to try some of the native foods. Visiting the fondas, as we explore, will be one of the way that we accomplish that goal. The other will be to find recipes of native cuisine and try to make them ourselves. While in Panama, we will need to understand enough Spanish to know what we are eating and buying in the store. Many people in Panama speak English, but appreciate an effort at Spanish by the visitors. Future blog posts between now and our arrival in Panama, in February, will have daily Spanish lessons, interesting facts, and recipes that we will try.
Today we will share a simple recipe for a popular Panamanian side dish, Tostones. Tostones are chunks or pieces of green plantains thoroughly fried. They can be enjoyed much like we enjoy french fries. People eat them with ketchup. They may also be eaten much like potato chips.
As we wrap up for today, think about the 2 new Spanish words you learned…fonda (a place to eat) and Tostone (french fries or potato chips). Please check back often for more fun stuff.
We didn’t know how popular this blog would be, and judging by your response it is going crazy. A few of our readers have mentioned that they are having trouble navigating the blog. Today we will try to explain how to read it and catch up on things you may have missed. If you have not subscribed to e-mail notifications, that is the easiest way to receive each post when it is published. You can do that by scrolling down to the “SUBSCRIBE TO BLOG VIA EMAIL” near the bottom of the 1st page. It is simple to subscribe; just enter your e-mail address. We will not spam you and you can unsubscribe any time. If you prefer to just check back, all you need to do is save the link http://2RetireInPanama.com to your favorites. For those of you checking back, you can catch up on any missed posts by searching the “RECENT POSTS” on the sidebar column to the right. They should be red, and you can click on each one to take you to that post. We started writing this blog in August, and the past posts are a little further down on the same column titled “ARCHIVES”. Once you click on an archive link you will have access to all the posts for that archive period. We certainly love to have comments and suggestions. At the bottom of each post there is a row of icons where you can click to share, and a like button. Further down you will find a comment section. You must be logged in to see this and leave a comment. We will not share your e-mail address when you comment and we reserve the right to not display all comments. That keeps the spam out of our blog. We do want to keep it positive and entertaining. We do, however, want to hear about negative experiences if you find that you do not agree with our findings. We will post a bad experience that you may have had with one of the things we write about. Let’s be fair here. Everyone doesn’t always have the same great experience.
For the next few months we will be learning our Spanish, researching the country of Panama, and learning about the native food. Our blog will have a Spanish “word of the day”, some recipes that we will try when we get down there, and other great things. We hope that some of our new friends on the ground in Panama will weigh in and share some of these things as well.
As always we hope that you will all enjoy what we are writing about, and share this experience with us.
This is the post that we couldn’t wait to deliver. Please be patient with the content, as it was difficult to make it all come together. There were 35 pieces of video and a bunch of pictures. We will build the story putting a few of the pictures and about 20 pieces of video throughout to let you all see why this was the pinnacle of our trip. Feel free to visit our u-tube site to see the video that we chose to leave out.
The tour started at Panama City on the Pacific Port of Balboa on the Gulf of Panama. The Panama Canal is 48 miles long and the passage averages 8-10 hours. The average wait time for a ship to enter the canal is 28-30 hours. Our pictures in previous posts, that were shot from our resort, shows the ships lining up to wait their turn. We will be entering the Mira Flores Locks with the ship pictured above. The canal runs north to south from 4 am to 12 pm, south to north from 12 pm to 8 pm, and smaller ships pass in both directions during the night. We were one of the last boats going north. Panama Canal Tour 1 The videos are short and have a bit of narration. When any boat enters the canal it will be boarded and piloted by a boat pilot from the canal authority. According to our guide, these pilots have an average salary of $500,000 per year. Once the pilot enters a vessel a red and white flag will fly indicating that it is being piloted by the canal authority. Panama Canal Tour 2. After our pilot entered the boat we waited for a large container ship to pass. Panama Canal Tour 3. Off to the west we can see Panama City. Panama has about 4 million residents with 2 million of them residing in Panama City. The city ranks 3rd in the Americas for skyscrapers per square mile. New York and Chicago have more. We are going to let a dry goods carrier pass next. In the video you can see the bridge over the Pan American Highway. This highway extends about 40 km further to the south where it ends in dense jungle. The jungle is too dense for the highway to continue. Going north it ends at mile marker 1 in Anchorage Alaska. If you were to drive north from Panama City to Los Angeles it would take 9 days going 40 miles per hour with no stops. Panama Canal Tour 4Panama Canal Tour 6 . The US Coastguard protects the south end of the Panama Canal to control drugs from South America Panama Canal Tour 7 . We are waiting to enter the first lock of the canal. Notice in the video that there is a cruise ship in the first lock just ahead. Panama Canal Tour 8 . We will enter the Mira Flores Lock with the ship in front of us. The Mira Flores lock is the first of 2 locks that will take us up. Mira Flores has 2 chambers that will each take us up about 27 feet each. Panama Canal Tour 9 . Once inside the lock the door will close and water will be fed into the chamber raising us about 3 feet per minute. The lock doors were made by US Steel in Pittsburgh. Each door weighs 60 tons and is assembled with rivets, not welded. Panama Canal Tour 10 . Panama Canal Tour 11 . The ship that we will share the lock with is in the next video. It was led into the lock by tug and tied down. You will see the mules that guide the ship during the time in the lock. There is less than 2 feet on each side of the ship. The mules keep it from floating against the chamber walls. This ship requires 4 mules; 2 in front and 2 in the back. Panama Canal Tour 12 . The Mira Flores locks took us up to the level of Mira Flores Lake. Mira Flores Lake provides about 30 percent of the water supply for Panama City. We have crossed the lake and we are about to enter the Pedro Miguel Locks. Pedro Miguel has one chamber that will take us up about 31 more feet to the level of Gatun Lake. Panama Canal Tour 13 . Panama Canal Tour 14 . Just past the Pedro Miguel Locks we are passing the 2nd bridge which crosses the canal. The Centennial bridge is one of only 2 that cross the canal. We will see a 3rd bridge later that is under construction. Just past the Centennial Bridge we began the 7-3/4 mile trip through the Culebra Cut. This is the part of the canal that caused the French to abandon the project. They were unable to excavate through the mountains and jungle due to problems controlling the dynamite and disease. Malaria, Yellow Fever, and blasting killed around 5600 workers before the completion of the canal. The United States took over the project in 1904 and completed it in 1914. The pictures below are the best we got of the Culebra Cut. This is the narrow portion of the canal. The narrow pass commands constant maintenance due to erosion.
Panama Canal Tour 15 . Last year the Panama Canal opened an expansion to accommodate the Panamax ships. On the south end of the canal the new locks are called the Cocoli Locks and on the north end of the canal they are the Agua Clara Locks. We did not get pictures of the new locks, however we saw some Panamax ships along the way. Panama Canal Tour 16 . Following the exit of the Juan Miguel Locks we traveled for more than 3 hours across Gatun Lake. The lake is about 15 miles of the canal passage, and covers about 180 square miles. It is the passing zone for the larger ships. We got a lot of pictures of the big ships, but the trip across was rather boring. The enclosed ship pictured is carrying 15000 automobiles. These ships pay in the neighborhood of $200,000 for passage through the canal.
Gatun Lake was formed by creating a dam across the Chagres River and flooding the valley. The lake took 7 years to fill. The Dam provides hydro electric power, which is the energy source for the canal. It is positioned near the Gatun locks, which is the last set of locks as we exit out to the Atlantic Ocean. Panama Canal Tour 17 . As we moved toward the Gatun Locks, we learned that we would be going in to the lock ahead of the big ship that we had passed through the locks with earlier. The next video shows us slipping in ahead of it. The Gatun Locks are the locks that will take us back down to sea level so that we can continue out to the Atlantic. Panama Canal Tour 18 . Once we entered the lock the big ship slipped safely in behind us. Panama Canal Tour 19 . The final video provides an interesting perspective looking out at the last lock chamber and the Atlantic. If you look carefully you can see the construction of the Atlantic Bridge. Panama Canal Tour 20 .
The tour was packed with interesting facts about the canal. Every passage of the canal requires a toll. The lowest toll ever paid was 36 cents. It was paid by Richard Halliburton who paid it to swim the canal in 1928. He had to be escorted by snipers to kill the alligators that were a danger to him. Today swimming is not allowed in the canal. The dense rain forest surrounding the canal protects it and provides an accessible habitat where native Central American plants and animals can be observed. It took more than 30,000,000 pounds of explosives to clear the way for the canal.
We hope you have found the Panama Canal Tour interesting. Please continue to follow our blog as we prepare to spend this winter in Panama. There will be no shortage of great information to share. As always, comments, likes, and shares are greatly appreciated.
