The Panama Canal
Well, you can't stop in Panama City and not go see one of mankind's greatest engineering achievements, so we spent an extra day in the city so that we could go see the Panama Canal.
Panama City, Panama
Unfortunately, or dream-like trip through San Blas had to come to an end, and we made our way from the coast near Porvenir to the country's capital, Panama City. Panama city is a strange place. Its historic center is full of beautiful colonial and art-deco buildings, reflections of the city's two periods of prosperity during the Spanish rule and later when the canal opened. However, the area was largely abandoned for several decades by the country's rich and middle class, who preferred the modern skyscrapers and suburbs that now line the coast to the south of old Panama. Over the last five years, however, a wave of patriotism and tourism has lead to new interest and investment in the old center.
More San Blas!
Well, just one post wasn't enough to talk about how great San Blas was. We omitted, first of all, to mention the reason that the islands are such an untouched paradise. While technically part of Panama, the archipelago actually belongs to the native Kuna people. They have a long tradition as fierce warriors and guard their independence jealously, and as such have managed to maintain their autonomy. They have a rule that their land may not be sold to outsiders of the tribe and strict, matrilineal parentage rules that mean that hotel chains such as Club Med cannot buy or build on Kuna land. The result is that only people with small boats can get to the area, keeping it clean and pristine.
Hello San Blas!
On the sunny conclusion to a rather stormy day, we finally set sail for the archipelago of San Blas, just off the Panamanian border with Columbia and 200 nautical miles from Cartagena. After 40 hours of straight sailing, we arrived at the first of the islands just after breakfast. We jumped for joy at the sight: hundreds of untouched islets with white sand beaches, picturesque palms and coral reefs were waiting for us!