I can only remember some of the restaurant names. When I can, I will mention them.
Terry's Grill, Caye Caulker. The lobster was on the small side, but well prepared. It was missing a drawnbutter sauce, but otherwise nice. Their Red Snapper was very nice, caught less than two hours before being served, in the open air, feet from the Caribbean. I had stewed chicken at about 4 different places on Caye Caulker, and it was all good.
San Igancio, Lilia's Kitchen, the local meals are very nice, with a modest price. Fuego Grill serves up very nice fare, but prices are higher than anywhere else in town. Apple turnover from the New French Bakery was a nice afternoon treat.
Flores, Guatemala. Los Amigos Hostel, first time I tried nachos in Central America, and was not impressed. I am too used to the chips used in Canada/USA, and the thicker harder style used kept throwing me off, as well as the cheese. The guacamole was devine though.
Antigua, Guatemala. Tried the local fast food fried chicken in two different chains. It was not as salty as KFC, and the chicken itself was nicer, the meat had a deeper flavour than in Canada/USA, I believe the chicken was free range as well as being more mature when harvested. Ate at La Hacienda, had a Brazilian style steak, and found it very nice. They served a cup of chicken broth as a starter, but I found it too salty. The sauces served with the steak were nice and understated. The salsa was too mild on my first impression, but it did allow the flavour of the range fed beef to come through.
San Pedro La Laguna, Guatemala. I spent the longest time there, and thus can give the most detail. Pequenos Pecados was my favourite cafe, the cook is Italian/Argentine and really knows what to do with both beef and pasta. I ate there, sampling a lot of the dishes, and was never disappointed. The BBQ at the Deep End on Saturdays was fun to attend, and the ribs were a knockdown fave of mine, but bring an empty belly, because they serve the ribs on 2 plates, one for the ribs and one for the side dishes. It can easily feed two.
Jakuu, large portions well prepared with a wide variety of local dishes.
Shanti Shanti, great view of the lake, nice spot for lunch with fresh tasty sandwiches.
Idea Connection, the best place to have breakfast, a wide variety of eggs, omlettes, pancakes, for breakky, plus nice sandwiches and pastries. They also have the fastest internet connection in the area.
Naked Sushi, nice fun evening atmosphere and great sushi.
Granada Nicaragua, entertaining tourist area with a wide range of places to eat to chose from. Mostly either on the street seating or courtyard, open and airy. A little slow during the afternoon, the whole area comes to life when the sun sets. I have forgotten the name of the place that I had pizza at but remember being disappointed by the pepperoni on the pizza. The rest of the ingredients were fresh and tasty, but the meat lacked zip.
Ometempe Island. No real stand outs for food either way. A lot of the places were disappointing in their selection available. Just because it was printed on the menu, did not mean it was in stock.
Boquete Panama, tried my first parilla, Argentine style wood fired grilled steak. Was very nice, but triple the cost of the local cafes.
Panama City, many nice places to eat. Wait for the sun to set and follow the crowd. In the Casco Viejo area, the good places set up tables outside because they run out of room inside and the weather is wonderful for eating in the open air. Prices were high, but the food was good. I indulged in too much beef, and for once had beer with it. Balboa beer was very nice with the tenderloin, a light beer that enhanced the steak and did not overwhelm the palate.
Monday 24 February 2014
Sunday 16 February 2014
Panama Canal
The Canal is truly one on the wonders of the modern world. Though it was completed in 1914, to many this does not make it very modern, yet it was on the cusp of modern times, and the machinery and approach to building it did herald a new era in mankind.
The first attempt by the French was not well thought out and suffered greatly as a result. The difference in mortality between it and the American attempt is vast, with the French losing over 20,000 people due to accident and disease while moving 30,000,000 cubic yards of material, while the Americans, lost 5,600 lives while moving 170,000,000 cubic yards.
The difference can also be attributed to lessons learned in review. The American team looked at what had happened within the French workforce, and before the digging started, started on infrastructure for the towns and work camps along the way. Water, sewer, roads and improved railroads were all integral to the American plan, and the discovery of mosquitoes being the carrier of malaria and yellow fever made significant impacts.
The item that tends to stick in my mind is the volume of material moved. The original plan was to simply build a canal without locks, and the amount of material moved would have been considerably higher than the total of 200 million cu ft. The shifted material ended up in three main places, two breakwaters were built, one on either end to help prevent silting of the canal entrances as well as linking small islands to the mainland. The third place was in the huge earthen dam for Gatun Lake. The size of the dam is not readily discerned from the canal today. Most of it has bee covered by grass and trees, anchoring the material and making it blend into the surroundings. The resulting lake means that although the ships need to be lifted higher (85 feet) than a sea level canal, it also meant far less digging. The lake also provides the water for the lock system and a small amount for electric generation.
Each full passage of the Panama Canal uses roughly 26,000,000 gallons of water.
There is far more about the canal available elsewhere, as well as http://www.pancanal.com/eng/index.html where you can follow the links to live camera feeds of the locks and new construction.
Now, on to the pictures.
We did not get a good view of the new construction, but here you can see a portion of the new terracing and the dike which will separate the new larger lane from the old channel. The new lane will be a one lane canal with traffic taking approx 24 hours to make a transit.
Last shot, the new lock gates awaiting installation.
The first attempt by the French was not well thought out and suffered greatly as a result. The difference in mortality between it and the American attempt is vast, with the French losing over 20,000 people due to accident and disease while moving 30,000,000 cubic yards of material, while the Americans, lost 5,600 lives while moving 170,000,000 cubic yards.
The difference can also be attributed to lessons learned in review. The American team looked at what had happened within the French workforce, and before the digging started, started on infrastructure for the towns and work camps along the way. Water, sewer, roads and improved railroads were all integral to the American plan, and the discovery of mosquitoes being the carrier of malaria and yellow fever made significant impacts.
The item that tends to stick in my mind is the volume of material moved. The original plan was to simply build a canal without locks, and the amount of material moved would have been considerably higher than the total of 200 million cu ft. The shifted material ended up in three main places, two breakwaters were built, one on either end to help prevent silting of the canal entrances as well as linking small islands to the mainland. The third place was in the huge earthen dam for Gatun Lake. The size of the dam is not readily discerned from the canal today. Most of it has bee covered by grass and trees, anchoring the material and making it blend into the surroundings. The resulting lake means that although the ships need to be lifted higher (85 feet) than a sea level canal, it also meant far less digging. The lake also provides the water for the lock system and a small amount for electric generation.
Each full passage of the Panama Canal uses roughly 26,000,000 gallons of water.
There is far more about the canal available elsewhere, as well as http://www.pancanal.com/eng/index.html where you can follow the links to live camera feeds of the locks and new construction.
Now, on to the pictures.
 |
| The Pacific breakwater |
 |
| Panamerican Bridge |
 | ||
| The width of the lock is 110 feet, max width of ship is 108 feet |
 | |
| With such a close fit, the ships move very slowly in the locks. |
 |
| The gates and cement walls are original. |
 |
| The electric Mules, which are used for steering and stablizing the ships. |
Friday 14 February 2014
Thursday 13 February 2014
Ancon Hill, Panama
Dominating the area, Ancon Hill overlooks the Pacific and of the Panama Canal, as well as the city. The view from the top was well worth the $5 taxi ride from the hostel.
The Intramericana Highway as it passes over the Canal.
The humid haze prevents a clear view, but here shows about half the container yard, plus the Millaflores Lock.
Downtown.
Casco Viejo area, and the new causeway
being made to dodge several high volume intersections.
A very hazy shot of the ships waiting their turn to enter the Canal.
The Intramericana Highway as it passes over the Canal.
being made to dodge several high volume intersections.
Wednesday 12 February 2014
Panama City
The Hostel I am staying at is typical for the ones in this area I have seen. Cement construction, high ceilings, weird layout, conduit and pipes and wires not concealed. And fairly cheap.
The name of the place is Casco Viejo, and it is an old part of Panama City (PC). There is construction and re-building happening all over the city.
It seems like every second building in this section of town is either in desperate need of re-building or is some stage of being re-built. The rest of the place looks postcard perfect. The pictures from the square with the church show this if you look closely. The church itself is old and rugged, proud to show it's age and the storms and years it has endured. The buildings opposite it in the following photo at first glance seem fine, but only the facing has been redone. The building itself is an empty shell and the scaffolding on the building next to it shows the effort underway.
The modern core of Panama also has construction, the highrise on the left edge is raw and showing its bones.
The walk along the edge of the bay shows the two faces of the city quite well, the first photo showing the area I am staying in with its Spanish colonial architecture, and the wonderfully done seawall that stretches to the modern high rise mass of the modern downtown.
The transition between the two is prompted by Mercado De Marisco, the fish market. I may take a few photos of the place, but so far have restricted myself to eating only. Ceviche in a cup will cost you between $1 - $5 depending on the type of seafood you want. If you wander behind the cafes selling the food, you find the market where they get the ingredients. One good lungful of air, and there is absolutely no doubt that it is a fish market, both a large one and an old one. There is also a transition time, one between the people looking for fish, and starting at about noon, the ones looking for a meal of truly fresh fish.
The name of the place is Casco Viejo, and it is an old part of Panama City (PC). There is construction and re-building happening all over the city.
It seems like every second building in this section of town is either in desperate need of re-building or is some stage of being re-built. The rest of the place looks postcard perfect. The pictures from the square with the church show this if you look closely. The church itself is old and rugged, proud to show it's age and the storms and years it has endured. The buildings opposite it in the following photo at first glance seem fine, but only the facing has been redone. The building itself is an empty shell and the scaffolding on the building next to it shows the effort underway.
The transition between the two is prompted by Mercado De Marisco, the fish market. I may take a few photos of the place, but so far have restricted myself to eating only. Ceviche in a cup will cost you between $1 - $5 depending on the type of seafood you want. If you wander behind the cafes selling the food, you find the market where they get the ingredients. One good lungful of air, and there is absolutely no doubt that it is a fish market, both a large one and an old one. There is also a transition time, one between the people looking for fish, and starting at about noon, the ones looking for a meal of truly fresh fish.
Preconceptions
This first stretch of travel abroad has had as its final target the Panama Canal. It was something that held my attention for short spans of time while I was growing up. The idea of making it, the political problems, the unsuccessful attempt, and of course the difficulties in making it a reality.
The cost of human life, through accident and disease was significant, but the will to make it was strong as well. The difference it has made to world commerce is vast, and the impact on ship size was long lasting.
The preconception part of this post is from not checking a map when I was younger. The Canal goes from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean, and in my mind this meant that it went from East to West (or West to East) in a more of less straight line, traversing through Panama and Gatun Lake, the body of water that made the whole thing vastly easier to do. I still had that idea in mind when visiting Panama. The large map on the wall of the hostel on Boquete showed Panama stretched out with its longest length being left to right, and the Canal slicing it at a slight diagonal. I had to double check the orientation of the map a couple times to make sure it was not sideways. Yes, Panama runs mostly East-West, with the canal cutting through it in a mostly North-South direction. My childhood preconception keeps trying to turn the whole thing at right angles from what it really is. This has not been good for my sense of direction.
In other news, the Panama Canal turns 100 years old August 15th, having opened officially on that day in 1914.
In other other news, the widening of the Canal has stalled due to cost over-runs. Apparently the contractor did not take the country of Panama seriously when they said they would not pay for any over-runs. Can you say lawsuit?
In other other other news, in a deal with China, Nicaragua has started its own Canal, which will need way more digging than both the original Panama Canal and the expansion combined.
The cost of human life, through accident and disease was significant, but the will to make it was strong as well. The difference it has made to world commerce is vast, and the impact on ship size was long lasting.
The preconception part of this post is from not checking a map when I was younger. The Canal goes from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean, and in my mind this meant that it went from East to West (or West to East) in a more of less straight line, traversing through Panama and Gatun Lake, the body of water that made the whole thing vastly easier to do. I still had that idea in mind when visiting Panama. The large map on the wall of the hostel on Boquete showed Panama stretched out with its longest length being left to right, and the Canal slicing it at a slight diagonal. I had to double check the orientation of the map a couple times to make sure it was not sideways. Yes, Panama runs mostly East-West, with the canal cutting through it in a mostly North-South direction. My childhood preconception keeps trying to turn the whole thing at right angles from what it really is. This has not been good for my sense of direction.
In other news, the Panama Canal turns 100 years old August 15th, having opened officially on that day in 1914.
In other other news, the widening of the Canal has stalled due to cost over-runs. Apparently the contractor did not take the country of Panama seriously when they said they would not pay for any over-runs. Can you say lawsuit?
In other other other news, in a deal with China, Nicaragua has started its own Canal, which will need way more digging than both the original Panama Canal and the expansion combined.
Tuesday 11 February 2014
All good things must come to an end
Kind of an ominous title to this post, considering the actual content.
In about 2002, I received a bookbag from work. Of all the gifts/freebies from work, this one item has worked the hardest. I have used it as a lunch bag, carry all and notebook carrier. The many many pockets, the interior dividers have all meant both joy and pain. The joy of being able to separate items into discrete compartments, the pain of searching through them all when I forgot exactly which one it was in.
But, as the title hints, not everything lasts forever. The zipper on the main compartment has been giving me trouble, and popped open at an un-opportune time. I went shopping in downtown Panama City, and found a replacement.
In the 'They just don't make them like they used to' news, my North Face carry on soft sided luggage is still doing fine. I bought it in 1981, and it has made it to Europe 3 more times than I have. It is starting to show it's age, but is still my go to piece of luggage. And no, they do not make them anymore.
In about 2002, I received a bookbag from work. Of all the gifts/freebies from work, this one item has worked the hardest. I have used it as a lunch bag, carry all and notebook carrier. The many many pockets, the interior dividers have all meant both joy and pain. The joy of being able to separate items into discrete compartments, the pain of searching through them all when I forgot exactly which one it was in.
But, as the title hints, not everything lasts forever. The zipper on the main compartment has been giving me trouble, and popped open at an un-opportune time. I went shopping in downtown Panama City, and found a replacement.
In the 'They just don't make them like they used to' news, my North Face carry on soft sided luggage is still doing fine. I bought it in 1981, and it has made it to Europe 3 more times than I have. It is starting to show it's age, but is still my go to piece of luggage. And no, they do not make them anymore.
Monday 10 February 2014
Traveling Lessons Learned.... so far
1 the less luggage the better
- I am traveling with 32#, (15 kilos) and that is a little too much. My laptop is wonderful, but in the long term it has turned out to be a little too big and too heavy. Replacing it with something lighter may be too expensive though. Fewer shirts, and a light rain jacket in trade for them.
2 talk to everyone
- I am at times reluctant to talk to strangers, and this means I do not see some of the local attractions, and miss out on some alternative and cheaper transport.
3 learn the language.
- take a language course. Computer or classroom, it will help a lot.
4 Border crossings vary.
- some countries have odd entry requirements. Both Costa Rica and Panama require you to have an exit ticket. Panama requires this to be an airplane ticket.
5 being patient helps
- Even if you are first off the plane/bus/shuttle, you will still need to wait for your luggage. Smile, wait your turn, and talk to the person next to you. The friendlier you are to strangers, the nicer they are to you.
6 find out if you need to book tickets/rooms
- buses sell out on some runs, finding out if the one you want to take sells out in advance can mean not waiting an extra day or two. Booking rooms in advance means you have a place to stay when you get to a new locale, but frequently the cheapest places do not use any booking site but their own. Hostelworld, and others do not cover every hostel.
7 local food
- do not follow the tourists into cafes, wait until the locals get off work and follow them. Chances are the food is as good and usually cheaper.
8 cooking
- if the place you are staying has a kitchen, try and team up with others to have meals. Sometimes good, sometimes bad, but usually a bonding moment with fellow travelers.
9 feet
- pay attention to your feet. Giving them a rest, frequent washing, peppermint lotion, changing socks, can all help keep your feet happier, and you paying attention to your surroundings instead of your aches.
10 rest
- find out how well you sleep in strange beds, in dorms, in hot and humid places. You may need more sack time than usual, and nobody likes a grumpy stranger. Occaisionaly booking a private room or hotel can work wonders on your rest and mood.
11 wi-fi is everywhere.
- or dang near, at least in central and north America.
- I am traveling with 32#, (15 kilos) and that is a little too much. My laptop is wonderful, but in the long term it has turned out to be a little too big and too heavy. Replacing it with something lighter may be too expensive though. Fewer shirts, and a light rain jacket in trade for them.
2 talk to everyone
- I am at times reluctant to talk to strangers, and this means I do not see some of the local attractions, and miss out on some alternative and cheaper transport.
3 learn the language.
- take a language course. Computer or classroom, it will help a lot.
4 Border crossings vary.
- some countries have odd entry requirements. Both Costa Rica and Panama require you to have an exit ticket. Panama requires this to be an airplane ticket.
5 being patient helps
- Even if you are first off the plane/bus/shuttle, you will still need to wait for your luggage. Smile, wait your turn, and talk to the person next to you. The friendlier you are to strangers, the nicer they are to you.
6 find out if you need to book tickets/rooms
- buses sell out on some runs, finding out if the one you want to take sells out in advance can mean not waiting an extra day or two. Booking rooms in advance means you have a place to stay when you get to a new locale, but frequently the cheapest places do not use any booking site but their own. Hostelworld, and others do not cover every hostel.
7 local food
- do not follow the tourists into cafes, wait until the locals get off work and follow them. Chances are the food is as good and usually cheaper.
8 cooking
- if the place you are staying has a kitchen, try and team up with others to have meals. Sometimes good, sometimes bad, but usually a bonding moment with fellow travelers.
9 feet
- pay attention to your feet. Giving them a rest, frequent washing, peppermint lotion, changing socks, can all help keep your feet happier, and you paying attention to your surroundings instead of your aches.
10 rest
- find out how well you sleep in strange beds, in dorms, in hot and humid places. You may need more sack time than usual, and nobody likes a grumpy stranger. Occaisionaly booking a private room or hotel can work wonders on your rest and mood.
11 wi-fi is everywhere.
- or dang near, at least in central and north America.
Thursday 6 February 2014
Boquete, Panama.
The trip from Ometempe Island to David went very smooth. After I got to the bus depot I found out that it was usually booked full, and most had needed to reserve seats two days in advance. I had made my way with two other travelers, and they killed time with me in the ticket office until it opened at eight. The bus was due through at nine, and I got a ticket, the only spot left on the bus.
There are a few things traveling in Central America which have me puzzled. I really understand that as part of immigration control, the need is there for visas or other means of controlling foreign visitors and their length of stay. But both Costa Rica and Panama require you to have a reserved exit ticket, with Panama requiring it to be a plane ticket. Costa Rica, boat bus or plane. Panama, only a plane will do. Seems a real silly requirement when a visa will give the same result.
David, the second largest city in Panama is not very interesting from a tourist point of view. It is not right on the coast and far from the jungle areas. It has a strong commercial and agricultural base and is well set up for traffic. So far Panama wins the highest rating for infrastructure, with Costa Rica a close second. Costa Rica has better access to potable water, but Panama has better roads.
David, located in the coastal plain was warm and humid, but the short bus ride up into the hills to Boquete was cheap, $1.75 and the temperature dropped a little and the humidity dropped a lot. Boquete at this time of year tends to have a light sprinkle of rain/mist every afternoon. I sat in the central square reading a book in the sun and being hit by the occasional bit of falling mist. There was a light breeze as well, and the moisture dried as fast as it fell. There was blue sky above me, but the nearby peaks were wrapped in cloud that varied from wispy to grey and threatening. It never really strayed far from the peaks, but the peaks were so close that the winds were sending us some scattered spray.
The whole place is green and lovely, but not nearly as warm as I was expecting. I have even been tempted to put on a long sleeve shirt in the evening, and the nights are cool enough I could use a light jacket.
Pictures to follow, as I have not yet pulled out my camera.
There are a few things traveling in Central America which have me puzzled. I really understand that as part of immigration control, the need is there for visas or other means of controlling foreign visitors and their length of stay. But both Costa Rica and Panama require you to have a reserved exit ticket, with Panama requiring it to be a plane ticket. Costa Rica, boat bus or plane. Panama, only a plane will do. Seems a real silly requirement when a visa will give the same result.
David, the second largest city in Panama is not very interesting from a tourist point of view. It is not right on the coast and far from the jungle areas. It has a strong commercial and agricultural base and is well set up for traffic. So far Panama wins the highest rating for infrastructure, with Costa Rica a close second. Costa Rica has better access to potable water, but Panama has better roads.
David, located in the coastal plain was warm and humid, but the short bus ride up into the hills to Boquete was cheap, $1.75 and the temperature dropped a little and the humidity dropped a lot. Boquete at this time of year tends to have a light sprinkle of rain/mist every afternoon. I sat in the central square reading a book in the sun and being hit by the occasional bit of falling mist. There was a light breeze as well, and the moisture dried as fast as it fell. There was blue sky above me, but the nearby peaks were wrapped in cloud that varied from wispy to grey and threatening. It never really strayed far from the peaks, but the peaks were so close that the winds were sending us some scattered spray.
The whole place is green and lovely, but not nearly as warm as I was expecting. I have even been tempted to put on a long sleeve shirt in the evening, and the nights are cool enough I could use a light jacket.
Pictures to follow, as I have not yet pulled out my camera.
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