View From Above: Rio de Janeiro
Welcome to the View from Above! A series where we take you on a Journey to some of the most beautiful places on earth!
One place that harbours a particularly beautiful realty is the country Panama. Between its crystalline blue waters and its deep, damp and dark tropical jungles, Panama proudly boasts a number of gorgeous cities that hug the coast on either side of this famous isthmus.
Panama was ‘found’ by Rodrigo de Bastidas, the Spanish conquistador hell-bent on discovering gold on the South American mainland. Little did he know that Panama was the isthmus between North and Central America; the narrowest stretch of land between the Caribbean and the Pacific. As Spanish settlers began mining the rich reserves of gold and silver on the west coast of South America, the precious metals were hauled North to the blossoming town called Panama, and then across the isthmus toward the Caribbean. The town, accumulating riches from the wealth of trade, grew year after year, its people adopting a unifying identity. The town became so rich that it was the target of many pirate raids and foreign blockades before the country of Panama gained its full independence in 1903. Despite corruption, military rule and the US invasion in the 1980’s, Panama has become one of South America’s most developed countries. With relatively low unemployment, a thriving modern capital, and a revived passion for local culture, the country is the ultimate vacation destination.
To the unlearned traveller, Panama is only known for its famous canal, built by the Americans, bisecting the country, and forming the popular thoroughfare from the Caribbean to the Pacific. A ship can pass through the canal in less than 8 hours, essentially cutting out the dangerous route that would take the ship around the southern tip of Chile. A visitor to the canal, near Panama City, can admire the engineering marvel of locks and passages that essentially carry large tankers across dry land. There is also a beautiful museum there too, showing visitors how the canal was built.
But there’s a lot more to Panama than just the canal. A visit to the modern metropolis of Panama City will have tourists uncovering the Spanish Old Quarter or the Casco Viejo. It is in Casco Viejo where the visitor can get a real sense of Panama’s colonial heritage and past, while they spoil themselves by dining in some fantastic restaurants and shopping in a number of stores. Take a look at the ruins of the old town which the famous Captain Morgan sacked by razing it to ground. Every visitor should also take a walk around downtown Panama, and get up close and personal with the number of internationally renowned and fantastically designed skyscrapers that line the coast.
Make sure you take a walk down the famous Avenida Balboa promenade. Being such a local hotspot the visitor can get a real sense of the Panamanian way of life on the drive that stretches for miles, lined with vendors and music. Although being out at night is not always recommended, the promenade is always the best place to view the city after the sun has gone down, with the lights of the skyscrapers shining down onto its onlookers. Panama’s marina is also a wonderful place to spend the day out, looking at the yachts while eating at a number of superb restaurants. Another great way to spend time in Panama City is visiting the old colonially designed Catholic churches such as the San Jose with its golden alter, or the Basilica Santa Maria la Antigua.
The Panamanian countryside has a wealth of national parks that are begging to be explored. With thousands of famous hiking trails zig zagging across the Panamanian mountains, and a throng of wildlife, the countryside is a backpackers paradise, especially around the area of Boquete. Island archipelagos like Las Blas are idyllic locations, perfect for either relaxing on the white sands or scuba diving and snorkelling.
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