In every port we visit, we always try to see something unique to the local area.   Sometimes there is an interesting geographic feature or historical place.   There are always interesting people, and the challenge is to try and find a way to meet them in a relatively short period.

Cooking and food tours are often a great way to meet people and sample some of the local cultures.  They are usually our first choice in most ports.  In Panama, we discovered Victor’s tour, “Two Faces of Panama”   Here is a link to his Facebook page.  

Here is the tour description:

“Get off the beaten path with Victor and see where boxer Roberto Duran trained, learn about how the U.S. invasion of Panama affected this neighborhood, try local food and drinks, visit the park where dominoes are played, chat with the locals in their homes and get to know the people of this area, and learn about the gentrification that has taken place in the now trendy Casco Viejo historic district.”

I set up the tour using WhatsApp – Victor responded quickly, and we arranged our meeting time and place.  Normally Victor will meet you in the Casco Viejo area, but since we were arriving on the Cruise Ship – he was able to arrange for transportation to and from Fuerte Amador for an additional charge.  The driver would meet us at 10:15, and the tour would start at 11 am.  Treat this port like a tender port, as it took us about 25 minutes to get a shuttle bus for the short ride.  Once the terminal is finished – this will be a very nice port.

Selecting a meeting spot was a little confusing since many people still remember the spot when cruise ships were tendering.  We agreed on a Gourmet Ice Cream Place called Gelarti which is very close to where the ship’s shuttle bus arrives.

Christian was our tour guide, and we started at 11 am in front of the same restaurant bar we visited the evening before, CasaCasco.  The 6 of us from the Zuiderdam were joined by a family of 4 from Toronto who was visiting Panama on a land tour.

Today, January 9th, is Martyr’s Day, a national holiday in Panama, and most stores and museums were closed.  You can read more about Martyr’s Day HERE.  Martyrs day remembers the 22 Panamanians killed in a clash with US Forces in 1964.  The violence resulted from disputes involving flying the Panamanian and US Flag, but the underlying issue was the US ownership of the Panama Canal Zone in perpetuity.  This incident was one of the major events that led to the U.S. decision to transfer control of the Canal Zone to Panama through the 1977 Torrijos–Carter Treaties in 1999.

Our tour started in the very upscale Casco Viejo historic district, which has been heavily developed over the years and has forced many of the original residents to find alternative places to live – which was often difficult or impossible.  Our tour covered these Two Faces of Panama as we moved from Casco Viejo into the El Chorrillo neighborhood.

The contrast between these two areas was stark, and Christian shared many of the issues and challenges facing the residents.  The El Chorrillo area was once very violent and controlled by gangs, but while an increased police presence has restored order and safety, the area remains economically depressed.

Walking along the streets, we discovered residents raising roosters for legal cock fighting.  We also spent time in a small park playing dominoes with some local children.

We enjoyed lunch at the Copacabana restaurant, which served our choice of fish or chicken along with some local beer.  The food was excellent, and we continued to learn more about the area as we ate.

Most of the shops were closed today due to the Holiday, so there wasn’t much of an opportunity to do any shopping.  The streets were likely less crowded than they would have been otherwise.

World Champion boxer Roberto Durán grew up in El Chorrillo, and there were several large murals of him painted on buildings in the neighborhood.

While the tour covered about 4 miles, the pace was leisurely over level ground.  We enjoyed the tour very much and recommended this to anyone who wants a different perspective of Panama City.

Back on the ship, we were startled by a brilliant flash and a simultaneous canon shot from a lightning strike with a thunderclap.  The Captain announced later that the strike damaged one of the antennas and cracked a window.   There were no injuries, and the damage would not impact our cruise.

The movie “Panama” was shown on the main stage.  We rarely watch movies while on a cruise, and we chose to watch the College Football Championship game instead.

Tomorrow is the first of 8 sea days as we head across the Pacific to Nuku Hiva.