Colon and Panama City, Panama - November 11, 2012

Our first port of call in Central America was Colon, Panama.  And our shore excursion today was to be a bus tour from the dock at Colon to Panama City, the country's capital.  It takes a little over an hour to make the journey across the Isthmus--and, surprisingly, it was over a very modern four-lane highway!  Much of it was through the jungle--which gave an idea of what the builders of the canal endured while they were building it!

A view from the bus of an arm of Gatun Lake--
a lake that was man made by damming the Chagres River.

Once we arrived in Panama City, we toured the old, original part of the city...

Ruins of the old city with skyscrapers of New
Panama City in the background...

The original Panama City was built in the early
16th century....

...but all that remains of the original are these ruins.

Revolution Tower--the icon of
Panama City--is located in the heart
of a new, modern, very cosmopolitan
city.

For lunch, we were taken to a Holiday Inn located at
old Fort Clayton.  From here, we could see a ship
passing through the Miraflores locks with the Observation
Center in the background.

And then it was time to visit Colonial Panama City--this was a walking tour.  But, unlike Cartagena, it was not hot-- just warm and extremely pleasant.....

Colonial Panama City--as we began our walking tour.  The
Presidential Palace is the white building in the center.

Jim approaching the front of the
Presidential Palace.

One of the egrets who "guard" the
Presidential Palace--this tradition
started in the 1920's when the
president of the country brought
them into the courtyard

Entrance to the Foreign Ministry offices.

Courtyard of the Foreign Ministry offices as seen
from the entrance.

Front of the Church of St. Francis
of Assisi at Bolivar Square.

In the center of Bolivar Square--yup, a
statue of Simon Bolivar!

Beautiful and ornate architecture
on the steeple of the Church of
St. Francis of Assisi.

National Theater where plays, ballets, operas,
and concerts are performed....

Colorful buildings along the street in the Colonial section
of the city...

...but then there are the ruins still
waiting to be restored!

Wonderful view as our walk took us out of Colonial Panama City and we could see the new, modern Panama City!

As we complete our walking tour of Colonial Panama
City, Gayle stops for a picture with the modern city
behind her.

Back on the bus, our tour takes us along the Amador Causeway.  The causeway was built to connect a chain of islands off the coast of the city.  And it was built using all the rock that was taken from the ground in order to build the Panama Canal.

Luxury yachts in the harbor as seen from the bus during our drive across the Amador Causeway--Panama City is in the background.

The Panama Canal Administration Building--seen from the bus as we began our drive back to Colon and the ship.  The monument in front is to honor George Goethals, the chief engineer and supervisor during the final construction of the Panama Canal and its opening in 1914.

Taken from the bus on our return to the ship--the mighty Chagres River, which was dammed to form Gatun Lake.

The Infinity at anchor in Colon as we returned from Panama City.