NOTA #7: From the Greatest Short Cut and the Longest Torture Drive
Hi there, everyone.
What follows now is going to be the seventh and hence last blog entry within this Central American backpacking trip. Last time I was updating I just arrived in Panamá, this region's southernmost country - right before hitting Colombia, only separated geographically by the rather notorious Darién Gap. There is hardly a way actually crossing the Americas at that point - assuming you're more of an average city-based traveler than a jungle-approved guerilla fighter, coming to get some rest from rather strenuous, bloody fighting with Colombian military units.
However, as I didn't have enough time to further explore the rough and highly adventurous south, I therefore concentrated on two other major Panama destinations:
a) the very paradise-like and still pretty relaxed archipelago Bocas del Toro, close to the Costa Rican boarder and
b) the capital: Panama Ciudad, likely Central America's most exciting and still relatively safe big city.
Bocas first. The archipelago's name is shared both with the surrounding district and that district's capital (which happens to be located on one of the islands in turn). Yes, confusing. However, everything ceases to matter once you managed to escape the archipelago's only one real town and find yourself on a starfish-ridden beach, maybe with snorkel gear or just a good book.
Snorkeling alone is pretty boring, however, so I once again decided to team up with fellow travelers who I already knew from Costa Rica (and who I first met in León, Nicaragua) - that said, Central America shares a fairly clear-marked backpacker trail and I didn't exactly got off the beaten track (for the most part due to a lack of time).
Now, the capital. I arrived in Panamá Ciudad late at night after a twelve hours bus ride and made my way to a hostel called Luna's Castle via taxi as one can never predict the degree of danger and insecurity between major bus stations and your temporary destination. My accommodation had been a somewhat more expensive, but nevertheless superb choice, neatly located at the upper rim of Panamá's old town, Casco Viejo. Featuring everything that is usually a handy add to a good hostel: four internet PCs, a clean and well-equipped kitchen plus pancake breakfast and a travel guide section, I would certainly recommend it if this would be a Central American travel advice blog.
I had two full days before I would have to take a TICA bus all the way back up towards Guatemala, so the following morning I went straight to the pretty famous Miraflores Locks, where one can see big transport ships in action, passing through the Canal. They say the best time for that would be between 9am and 11am, but I certainly wouldn't count on that: we didn't see one until past noon and spent most of our time in the (pretty neat) four-story museum (see pictures below). We , by the way is me plus a very relaxed and sympathetic couple I met on the bus towards Miraflores: Paul from Ireland and Monica from Madrid. (All the best, guys - I hope to see you again, one day.)
Later that day I went on a rather magic odyssey on finding a specific book shop far away from the old town which didn't exactly turn out to be easy - but I wanted to do it by local bus only and eventually succeeded. Books I bought: "Kafka para principantes" (a superb comic adaptation of his life) and Jules (or Julio) Verne's "Cinco semanas en globo". I spent the night having some beers with Paul and Monica in the hostel bar (I got them cheaper since I stayed there) and also, funnily, hitting on two Israeli girls that I first got to know in Lívingston, Guatemala three weeks before (so much for the backpacker trail!).
Second day: strolling and getting lost among the fancy little alleys in Casco Ciejo where I had a long talk with a Colombian jewelry seller, then walking along Avenida Balboa towards the skyline. Enjoying a wonderful sunset while standing on the city walls.
On Thursday, September 22, I took the bus that would bring me all the way to the capital of El Salvador (my seventh and final country on this trip), therefore crossing another four boarders which pretty much promised to be an overly fun trip. Thirtythree hours in a tight and knee-hostile bus and almost exclusively getting served hamburgers and chicken wings (which I regularly passed on to a fellow traveler from Guatemala). Needless to say I didn't actually sleep much. Really annoying, however, had been my headphone issue that kind of runs through the trip like a thread; just shortly before entering the bus in Panamá I bought new ones, but only opened them while being on the bus - realizing one side had already been broken inside the package.
After having been accused of actually being a chileno while entering Costa Rica, most fun had been crossing the boarder to El Salvador where the customs guys lined all passengers up, separated them from their luggage and got an addicted dog to search for drugs (I luckily had no coke left by now). Next stop: San Salvador, the capital. Again, late at night. There is a hotel right next to the TICA bus station, so that was where I wanted to stay (rather than walking around in darkness in that notorious former crime hole), sharing a room with Herberth, the Guatemalteco.
My last stop before reuniting with Rita in Antigua, Guatemala had been the pretty neat and quite lovely city of Santa Ana, north of San Salvador (September 24). I had some orientation problems at first and ended up at the wrong hotel (apparently far from being the only one, though), eventually staying quite a little paradise called Casa Frolaz. I wasn't even sure if I'd really want to stay in that city and rather take an immediate bus towards Guatemala, but after I met the person I shared my dorm with I decided to stay: Sarah (from Melbourne) and I got along great right from the beginning and shared half our life story within what felt like minutes. After some sightseeing we went to the theater later that evening, watching quite a fancy clown performance for kids, yee-haw.
That last night certainly saw too much beer and getting up had been pretty tough, but I also didn't want to miss the already-paid-for bus to Guatemala Ciudad, so I managed. Not too many hours later I entered the hostel in Antigua where Rita did check in shortly before, only to figure out that I must have lost my (broken) headphones again, this time including the player. Shreek!
Next thing: what a pleasure seeing her again! We had two nights and one full day in Antigua now before heading to the airport the following Tuesday, spending most our time with market strolls, eating well, internet and watching movies (i.e. Unknown with Liam Neeson where I discovered myself, playing a drug dealer in the background). Six weeks traveling and nine weeks Central America in total where approaching a pretty relaxing and wonderful end. I somehow couldn't believe nothing seriously severe had happened (besides losing my player!), but I might have just really taken care properly.
There is a pretty dumb and stupid rule on the Guatemalan airport that no-one on economy class is allowed to bring drinks in any forms onto the airplane, neither an already bottle, nor a completely closed Pepsi tin - even though you'd have bought them after security. As a result I needed to drink my two tins right in front of one of those pitiful security guys, cursing around, sleep drunken, before eventually getting on the plane.
Next stop: the airport of Miami, Florida. We originally would have expected a six hours wait in transit for our connecting flight to Europe. Instead we kinda got lost after passport control and when asking an officer for help she kindly responded: "Well, you see these doors there? You're already out of the airport! So you could take a cab and go downtown!" So this is what we did. Check the video on the bottom to get an idea of how we felt.
And then: London. After we stayed with a couchsurfing friend from last year, Marco, I now knew that another guy who had been to Berlin with me twice, was living and working in London these days: Neal. We met him at lunch break, got his keys and stayed in his flat before he would return from work, having prepared dinner waiting for him and his girlfriend. Thanks again, buddy! Also, I really enjoyed strolling along that wonderful (and sunshine-ridden) canal between Angel and Victoria Park, reminding me of three other lovely times getting lost and floating around in that grand city. After one more night consisting of a rather vexatious taxi ride, a train wait and some sheddered minutes sleep on Luton airport we eventually returned to the one city we call home, Berlin.
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GALERÍA DE IMÁGENES
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On the way to the rat
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Casco Viejo.
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The city skyline before sunset.
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Heading to Santa Ana.
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a Clown performance for local kids.
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with Melbourne-based biologist Sarah at the hostel.
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with a smiling Rita!
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free veggies, yay!
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Watching a big container ship passing through Miraflores Locks as part of its journey through the Panama Canal.
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A round-view from the southernmost point of Panama City's Casco Viejo: the Panama Canal Bay (Pacific side) and the Panama City skyline.
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Overview about the Panama City skyline.
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Watching a kids theater play (including real funny clowns!) at Santa Ana theater in El Salvador.
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On the cab towards Miami Beach. Thinking, hell yeah, we're actually here!
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