The Savage Traveler: Panama: Day 8

Friday, April 5: Our last day in Panama. After breakfast at Waikiki Beach we drove to the Historic Museum and ruins of the old city. In the same area there is a center where artisans have booths where they work on their crafts and have them for sale. We went through the two stories of booths first and bought a few gifts but, while there are plenty of adorable clothes and accessories for little girls, we were still having trouble finding anything for little boys. The museum was very informative and well done, explaining the history of the original city and also how it was rediscovered nearly two centuries ago and has been an active archeologist dig ever since. Most displays had a short explanation in English so we could get the gist of it. The upper floor, where we started, was beastly hot and had no air movement so that none of us could stand to stay very long. Interestingly, the first floor was air conditioned and very pleasant. The Spaniards built their first city on the river overlooking the Pacific in an area where there were aboriginal people living. So they enslaved them and took over the area. The city flourished there until pirates overtook and burned the city, with help from the enslaved people, whom they freed. The Spaniards eventually rebuilt their city down the shore from the original site but in much the same design and using many of the stones from the old city. When we finished we continued on to the nearby ruins which include the iconic bell tower from the old cathedral. Where they have done renovations, different materials were used so that there is no confusion of what is original. There are several interpretive signs and it is easy to look around and get a feel for what was once here. There is now an interior 110 step staircase with three landings going up the bell tower and from the top one can look out the four sides and read what would have been in view in the 1500s when the church was built. There was a nice breeze through the tower and so it was pretty comfortable. But as we walked around the ruins on the ground it was so very hot that I felt faint and the others weren't doing so well either. We stood it as long as we could and then escaped to the air conditioned car. Kris had left his hat in the van yesterday and found out that the office was near the huge Albrook Mall, where we had had dinner Thursday night. So we drove back there and Ann, the tour operator, swung by and dropped it off to us at El Trapiche, where we enjoyed some wonderful and refreshing lemonade. Then we braved the mall for about 45 minutes and finally found grandson presents before returning to El Trapiche to try their empanadas for a light lunch. The pool and some icy beers back at the hostel were a great way to cool off from the hot day. For our last dinner in Panama we walked up the hill and down to return to Delisias Peruana, the Peruvian restaurant for another good meal. Then it was back to pack up and be ready to leave on Saturday.