Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves.
~Henry David Thoreau
Panama
Panama is made up of the rich blend of cuisine, culture, music, artwork, and literature, a result of its history and the cultural influences of the native people, as well as Spain and Africa.
When one thinks of Panama the first thought, besides sunshine, tropical weather, gorgeous beaches and palm trees is the Panama Canal. Beyond that are many wonderful towns, both inland and along the shore. My visit to Panama was limited to Panama City and the surrounding sites. On a future visit, I hope to see the rest of the country. Panama is located in Central America on the Isthmus of Panama, a narrow bridge of land, bordered by Colombia, Costa Rica, the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, separating North and South America. Home to several indigenous people, Panama was settled by the Spanish in the 16th century and finally broke away from Spain about 200 years later in 1821. In the early 1900s, the Panama Canal was built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers and through an agreement in 1977 the canal was transferred from the United States to Panama in 1999. Both North American species and South American wildlife species make Panama the most diverse country in Central America with hundreds of different species. The tropical environment is equally diverse including jungle, forests, grassland and scrub, mangrove swamps along both coasts and hills and mountains in the central region. Cuisine is a mix of Spanish, African, and Native American techniques and the flavor of typical Panamanian food is mild, using common ingredients such as maize, plantains, yucca, rice and beef, chicken, pork and seafood. The weather is mainly tropical, with high humidity and little variance in temperature. The beauty and diversity of this country is a draw to both tourists and retirees. Casco Viejo
After the fall of Old Panama City, the city was relocated to a peninsula for increased safety. Filled with history, churches, ruins and beautiful views this area of town with abundant nightlife is now the hippest part of Panama City.
Read more here. Old Panama City (Panama Vieja)
The original capital of Panama sits northeast of modern day Panama City. Filled with rich history, you can walk amongst the ruins, climb the stairs of the clock tower, and visit a museum with artifacts and a model of the city.
Read more here. |
Location
Country population: Approximately 4,034, 119
Largest cities: 1. Panama City 430,299 2. San Miguelito 315,019 3. Las Cumbres 127,440 Some places to see:
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