One Beautiful Day in Panama

Who? Jeff  Where? Panama Canal and City,  The Bridge Of The Americas, which connects Panama City to the western part of the country by crossing the entrance to the canal. There are many pictures of this otherwise rather normal looking bridge, but on many nights such as this one, which happened to come on July 4th this year, with a nice sunset it’s rather breathtaking.

Who? Mary  Where? Amador Causeway  Panama’s very own biodiversity museum designed by world renowned architect, Frank Gehry, is currently under construction,  located on the Causeway of Amador just minutes outside of downtown Panama City.  The museum has already attracted lots of attention and visitors from all over the world, including quite a list of celebrities. We all are patiently awaiting for opening day.  (http://www.biomuseopanama.org)  “The Bridge of Life project is a clearinghouse of nature, culture, economy, and life: a place of learning, discovery, national pride, and a new appreciation of the natural wealth of Panama. - Panama is the museum. Bridge of Life is the interchange.”

Who? Sara  Where?  Casco Viejo  In the streets of Casco Viejo, the old Spanish colonial part of Panama City that was named a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2003, is quickly becoming the center for art of all kinds.  There are numerous art galleries, restaurants, boutiques and artisan shops establishing themselves in this quaint area of Panama City. Pictured here are painters in the streets and a small group of on lookers at a recent event called Art Block. Businesses, galleries, artists and street performers of all kinds fill the streets and sidewalks in hopes of creating a greater awareness of art and art lovers alike.

Who?  Bob  Where?  The construction of the new Cinta Costera (coastal beltway) has forever changed traffic patterns along the bay in Panama City.  This photo, taken from more than 40 floors up from a Retirement Wave member’s condo unit, is a colorful example.  The Cinta is currently being extended to Casco Viejo (the “old quarter”) and now the government is discussing the possibility of building another bridge over the Panama Canal to extend it further west of the city.  This is one “belt” that is stretching to cover an ever-growing urban “waistline”!

Who? Boen Where? Las Cumbres (The Summits) is located in the mountains just outside of Panama City. They also have a small lake surrounded by large estates full of green areas, pictured here is a small corner of the lake where the water lilies have staked their claim. There are roughly 70 different species of water lilies around the world, tropical water lilies are capable of blooming during both the day and night.

Who? Grandpa Ron What?  In my historical apartment tonight, located in Bella Vista, I made rum cake, an old family recipe but with Ron Abuelo. I shared with my roommates. These will surely only get better. Life is delicious.

Who?  Bob  Where?   At this time of year, it’s very common to have afternoon rain in Panama City. For a few seconds as the rain clouds arrived, I caught this “stairway to heaven” off my balcony.  Even a rainy day can be beautiful!

Who? Leslie M.  Where? La Cinta Costera (coastal beltway)   A follow up to the previous picture and post, here you can see a statue and plaza dedicated to Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa. He is best known for having crossed the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific Ocean in 1513, becoming the first European to lead an expedition to have seen or reached the Pacific. There are quite a few areas of interest in Panama City’s newest park, La Cinta Costera, including playgrounds and swings for kids, large water fountains, and various basketball, soccer, and volleyball courts.

Who? Jeff   Where? La Cinta Costera (coastal beltway)  This picture is taken from one of the patron bridges to cross the new cinta costera road. The first phase was finished in April of this year, this project has made quite the impact on traffic in Panama city as well as serves as a great place to exericise with it’s jogging and bike paths located next to the bay.

Who? Sharon  Where? Panama Viejo   A couple of Panamanian women pose and take pictures wearing their polleras, Panama’s typical or traditional dress which can be seen throughout the country at various celebrations during the year. These dresses can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, and can take up to a year or more to make. These young ladies happen to be taking photos in front of the ruins of old Panama City (Panama Viejo). Some traditions have lasted hundreds or even thousands of years, and for good reasons.