Yes I'm anticipating the question. I'm still anticipating the answer. Because I'm certain exactly why.
We like Central America. We've had great visits to Costa Rica and Belize; Panama right next door to Costa Rica and currently as stable as a Central American country can be. Like Costa Rica it has the Pacific on one side, the Caribbean on the other and you can also access the Atlantic through the Canal
Oh yeh, they have this canal there. You may have heard of it.
So oceans, rainforests, mountains, beaches ... let's gear up and be on our way.
We arrived in Panama City, after a 5 hour flight, around 7 pm. Already dark. And hot. To quote from the movie Biloxi Blues, it was "Africa hot" Well Panama hot. Humid, sweaty. On Dec 24th we couldn't have been happier.
We were staying at the Decameron Resort on the Pacific side of the country a 2 hour bus ride away from Panama City. That bus ride would be something we'd get used to during our week in the country. This first one was, of course, dark. That was my first impression of Panama. Dark. Hot. Hot and dark.
OK, I was tired, shut up
The next day was much better as we woke up in our room with it's little ground level "terrace" with its view of the ocean.
The Decameron is a huge resort, the first time we've ever stayed at an All Inclusive. The place is beautiful, with a lot of grounds, various attractions including a casino, pools, games room and miles of carefully tended beaches .. and stairs. Lots and lots of stairs. To get from our room down to the beach you had to go down the stairs, 69 stairs (yes we counted them) and of course we had to go back up the stairs ..
Luckily the resort had something else in abundant supply .. bars. Lots of bars. And once you are endowed with the magical yellow bracelet of All Inclusitivity (this was Tolkien's first version of the Ring that Binds Them All) the treasures of said bars were open to you. Cocktails of various persuasions were poured into plastic cups that we referred to as Travellers, the amount of which seemed timed to expire just as .. you reached the next bar.
Happy happy time on the beach
We knew we had left the resort and found the local beach when we stopped hearing English and Quebecois and started hearing Spanish. We also left behind lifeguards. Interesting. But we did meet these three happy young Panamian dudes who just wanted to be photographed .. who were we to resist them
The boys were nice but our drinks were almost empty .. yeh the potential for an international incident. Back to the bar. More happened that day but it's a bit blurry now. I may need another traveller.
Perhaps the video will be more enlightening
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