Panama/Isla Taboga June 25/26

Solo travel? Planned travel? WHAT AM I DOING?!

Every so often I think spontaneity is fun. Then I remember I'm me and quickly change my mind.

Day 1:
After sending kids to 'Murica I knew I wanted to go to Panama City downtown. Whatever the hell that means. $30 for a taxi. $1.25 for a bus.

I had looked at hotels and maps of Panama City aplenty in the last month and all I learned is that I want to stay in Casco Viejo (old town) but that its hotels are near bars and I won't be able to sleep. After virtually no sleep in Ecuador I knew the only thing I really wanted in PC was sleep.

Per map, Calidonia seemed close enough to Casco Viejo and also had many hotels. I asked the bus driver to drop me off there. Maybe I should have taken a hint since every other tourist got off at the stop before that, but there I was, dropped off in the middle of the ghetto, suitcase in hand and no hotel reservations.

Panama Problem #1: streets aren't labeled. Whatever my map was telling me really didn't matter. I had no way to actually check my path and soon the area got worse and worse. I snuck into a restaurant asking if they had wifi and cold drinks. They had one and not the other so I spent an hour figuring out my next step while drinking hot coffee in 90 degree weather and humidity percentile just as high.

Air. Let's discuss. In Quito, we would walk up ten feet and  my strong athletes were trying to catch their breath. Women double their age were running up hills making them feel inadequate. Yes, altitude of 9300 feet kills you.

Panama City: elevation 7 ft. You can breathe! But do you want to??? Humid as fuck and big city smells everywhere. I'll just have to breathe elsewhere. Advice solicited.

In El Cangrejo area, I found a hotel which is one of the most expensive in the city (I'm not including the Trump Tower or the Sheraton in that sentence). Undoubtedly, one of the nicest places I've ever stayed. For $72.33, I am staying at equivalent of the Clift Hotel in SF. It's ridiculous.  Ok maybe others are used to gorgeous urban design, air conditioning, elevators, gyms, pools, jacuzzis, pools, bell boys, views galore, breakfasts, rooftop bars and etc but I never stay at places like that. In order to travel as much as I do, I never spend much on accommodations since I only sleep there. Damn it, if I'm gonna pay double of what I expected I'm using it all! 

            

I took a nap and booked the rest of my hotels in Panama. Strong wifi makes the world go round, let's be honest. I felt a bit guilty not seeing Panama City but my ghetto walk scared me enough and I told myself that it's my first day without students so it's ok to do absolutely nothing. I checked out the map of my surroundings (some posts suggested I leave El Cangrejo, others talked about the area's great red light district) and headed out to the main church. I did a loop around Via Argentina and completely unimpressed, walked into a Spanish restaurant.

Panama Problem #2: tapas are not tapas but a full size meal. 24 hrs later I am still bitter about the waitress not warning me that each tapa is an actual meal. I ordered way too much food, it wasn't good and I was pissed.

A sangria later, I headed to the local theater hoping to do something. Nope, that's closed.

Back at the hotel, a rooftop jacuzzi had to suffice and I was asleep by 10. In retrospect what a great way to start my vacation: with absolutely nothing. But we all know that's really tough for me.

Day 2: 
Having lost 29 lbs over the last 6 months I'm paranoid I'll gain it all back. I always gain weight when I travel and I'm sure this summer won't be much different. In Galápagos we did so much walking, swimming, hiking I wasn't worried. The second part of the Ecuador trip, we did a lot of sitting. On bus, plane, dinner, breakfast, shows, etc. I slowly feel the weight coming back.

Fancy hotel = gym. It felt good to get on a treadmill but it's so damn hot I didn't do nearly as much as I had hoped.

Yummy breakfast followed and then I took a taxi to Amador Causeway, where the Taboga Express takes people to Isla Taboga.

I got a ride in a taxi with a driver I met in the lobby yesterday and his friend from Venezuela. Nothing like getting in a car with two males in a strange city. The other dude was Venezuelan with Italian descent. He biked from Venezuela to Uruguay and thought the ugliest place in South America was Ecuador. Yo, dawg, I'm coming off an amazing two weeks there and your country is too dangerous to step a foot in, shut your pie hole? I didn't actually say that.

Panama Bonus #1: I haven't spoken anything but Spanish in the last 24 hours. Granted I haven't spoken much at all (the struggle!!!) it's been fun to talk to people on the bus, taxi drivers and hotel personnel in Spanish. AKA I haven't met a single soul to actually talk to. Solo travel is fun when it's not actually solo. Here's to meeting someone cool tonight!

Panama Bonus #2: if you like anything reggaeton-y, bachata, merengue etc this place is your heaven. If not, this is your hell. My Ecuadorian group was pretty lame when it came to dancing so every time we walked by a place with music they didn't want to stop. Well, here I don't need their permission and more importantly, music is everywhere. Buses, beach, stores etc. I'm happy. Not dancing but happy.

Panama Problem #3: What is going on with this Spanish?! Puerto Ricans are bad enough at pronouncing half of the word but my god, Panamanians don't bother with 90% of the word. I can't imagine bringing students here and expecting them to understand anything.

Beach Observation #1: Everyone is wearing a two piece. No matter age, size, whatever. Except me. Leave it up to Zilberman to be Virgin Mary. Need a new bathing suit stat.

Beach Observation #2: a young American couple in front of me has been sitting there for hours and haven't exchanged a single word. Thank you for reminding me that it's better to travel alone than with lame company. I thoroughly enjoyed leaving my sombrilla to go for many swims, buying my pineapple lunch and kayaking. On my own schedule.

Beach Observation #3: There is no water to drink. My drinks choices are Panama (beer), Panama Light, Balboa (beer), Balboa Light and Piña Colada. They ran out of soda long ago.

Beach Observation #4: I read multiple reviews that there was nothing to do on Isla Taboga and that it's overall disappointing. So I decided to check it out. At the beach today I saw a few tourists (talked to an old Argentinian man who let me use his snorkel gear and yep, there was no reason to rent my own) and the rest are locals from PC.  The beach was lively but nothing insane. The last boat to PC left at 5 pm. Around that time I went to my room to shower.  When I came back out to dinner there is literally no one but island locals left (all ten of them).  I walked down the main strip and they looked at me like I'm nuts. I'm the only guest at my two story hotel. Totally deserted. I love it.

So yes, there is nothing to do other than lay at the beach, kayak, eat entire fish, drink mojitos and piña coladas. I'll take this for my Sunday night.

                   

Oh and apparently watch history. As I type this, the first ship to go through the expanded Panama Canal is floating by, fireworks and all.  Good way to end the eve.