Portobelo

Portobelo (beautiful port) was named by Christopher Columbus in 1502. It is a small seaport town on the Caribbean side of Panama, about 90 minutes from Panama City. While there we had a typical Panamanian meal of chicken, rice with coconut, salad, plantains, and ice cream with fresh pineapple. Very tasty.

 

The fort of Santiago de la Gloria was built in 1604 to protect Portobelo, but was destroyed after an attack by Henry Morgan.

The Portobelo Customs House was built in 1630. Because of the gold and silver stored at Portobelo and its use as a trading center, its fame spread over the Spanish Main.

The Fortress of San Jeronimo was built in several stages between 1596 and 1779 to protect the transportation of goods from South America to Spain.

The Church of the Black Christ dates from 1814. In October of each year, the Black Christ statue is bought from the church into the city of Portobelo for a festival. Thousands of people flock from all over the world to gather around the statue in hopes of receiving a blessing.

Colon and Bridge of the Americas

Colon lies near the Caribbean Sea entrance to the Panama Canal. Known as Panama's second city, it is where container ships load and unload, and where the cruise ships dock. Colon also has the free zone, blocks and blocks of colorful duty free shops. The free zone is so large in area it is considered a city within a city.

The Diablo Rojos, the Red Devil buses, are old school buses decorated and painted with bright colors and artwork. These are used for public transportation, mostly by the locals. It costs 15 cents each way no matter what the distance, and run on no particular schedule.

The Bridge of the Americas in Balboa, Panama spans the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal and was completed in 1962. On the western side of the bridge is an observation point dedicated to the Chinese community which has resided in Panama for more than 150 years.

Monkeys and sloths and crocs, oh my!

Today we took a small boat ride on the Chagres River and Gatun Lake, both part of the Panama Canal system, to the Monkey Islands to observe capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, crocodiles, and sloths. Then the aerial tram in the Gamboa Rainforest to the 90 foot high observation tower overlooking the Panama Canal. David had his big boy pants on to put aside his fear of heights to ride the sky tram.

Capuchin Monkey

Howler Monkey

Crocodiles

Sloth (Hard to see. Look in middle above cable. Looks like a black blob.)

Snake Kite Bird

Panama Canal 

Rainforest

Panama Canal

The Panama Canal project was started in 1904 when Panama signed a treaty giving the US the rights to build a canal. Completed in 1914, the canal is 48 miles long and connects the Atlantic Ocean, via the Caribbean Sea, to the Pacific Ocean. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. 

Panama City Skyline

The Panama City skyline as viewed from Casco Viejo.