The bells sounds and the lock gates open. Slowly two electric ‘mules’ run along the tracks and guide the ship through the lock. The boat is huge – you can’t really get the size from the photos. It takes around 5 minutes for the ship to pass through. Behind, a tug boats pushes it along. We watch it skim smoothly, still guided by the mules as it approaches the next lock and then it is out in wider water at a higher level and continuing its journey.
All this is accompanied by a man narrating on a microphone. It feels a bit like a show.
The day is humid- sweat is dripping off me – it reminds of being in Asia. The guide on our tour takes us to a wildlife centre. He points out sloths in the trees; I must say they are excellent at camoflague – I wouldn’ t have spotted them at all.
I visit the old quarter. It is in the middle of regeneration. It is full of a mix of different styles and ages of buildings.
I stand for quite a while and watch some men paint a huge mural. The amount of work involved in it is incredible. I half wish that I could stay and see it finished.
I also visit the Bio Diversity Museum which explains how Panama, thousands of years ago became a land bridge for mammals to move between North and South America. The building is interesting in itself as it is designed by Frank Gehry who also did the Guggenheim Museum in Spain.
Of course there is the ubiquitous Panama hat shop. One of many actually; Panama hats are sold just about everywhere here. And of course (as you will see in later entries) buying one in Panama just has to be done!
Journeys with my pencil 