October 18, 2009
Woke up at 4 am for our trip to Panama. Our flight is a Copa flight from Orlando to Panama City, Panama, so we plan to arrive 2 hours prior to the flight. Things go incredibly smooth all day. When we arrive at the Copa ticket counter, the attendant determines we are non-rev passengers, so she puts us in the 1st class/premium line which moves very quickly. We are greeted by a very friendly ticket agent who hustles us through the process and does not charge me for my surfboard and tells us “we should have no problem getting on the flight today.” Those words are virtually non-existent in the non revenue travel world! Next, we get right through security and arrive at the gate to wait for our seats. While waiting for our names to be called, the Copa flight crew arrives, and I know the Captain from Southwest Airlines. She has retired just two years ago, and will be flying us to Panama. As we board the plane, I stick my head into the flight deck to greet Maggie, our Captain who is surprised we are on her flight.
Rebecca and I are seated separately, and although I am in the last seat row on the bulkhead, in the window seat, I quickly fall asleep. However, my sleep is short-lived, as I am awakened by a flight attendant who informs me the Captain would like to see me in the cockpit. As I arrive in the cockpit, Maggie tells me we are flying over Cuba, and invites me to take the cockpit jump seat for the remainder of the flight. I accept the invitation, as I am eager to view our arrival into Panama. In fact, I am served my breakfast in the cockpit, as I engage both Copa pilots in conversation. Meanwhile, Rebecca tells me later that my being hailed to the front was a bit disconcerting to her, not knowing what I was doing in the cockpit.
For most of our passage over the Caribbean, the view is obscured, and I never see the island of Cuba, however, as we near Panama, Captain Maggie makes a special request for our arrival into Tocumen airport. Instead of the usual arrival, she requests we fly direct to Toboga to join the final approach course for the landing runway. This will provide a view of the canal, and downtown Panama city. We are granted our request, and we arrive over Panama from the North paralleling the western shore of the Panama canal, providing a spectacular view of the bridges, locks, Balboa sea port, and the old Canal Zone. It is a wonderful view, and has made the cockpit jumpseat ride very worthwhile.
Upon landing in Panama, a most unusual occurrence takes place. When we make our way to the customs area, there is no one in line. We take the express route through customs, and retrieve my surfboard bag, which is available immediately. An occurrence as unusual as no line for customs.
We quickly process our rental car documents and get on the road to Albrook, to meet Rebecca’s former track coach, Mr. Holland who has graciously allowed us to rent their beach home for our vacation. We find the Holland’s home and make it to the next stop—St Mary’s Catholic Church, the cradle of Rebecca’s Catholicism. Although we arrive a bit tardy, Rebecca famously belts out a window rattling rendition of the Servant Song, happily worshipping in her childhood parish. The Reyes family is in attendance, and we spend a little time after the service catching up with Mr and Mrs as well as Alex and his family.
Before getting on the road to Playa Palmar, we make the obligatory stop at the Albrook mall, and Arrocha for bottles of vanilla from the Panamanian pharmacy. A common recipe in many of Rebecca’s baked goods. Yum Yum.
The road to Palmar is uncrowded as we are heading opposite of most of the weekend traffic this fine Sunday in Panama. In Palmar, the weekend crowd is still in force on the streets, and in the vicinity of the local ristorate—El Cangrejo.
Mrs. Holland greets us and we are let into their 3 bedroom hacienda with a most amazing view of the Point, since their home rests atop the highest elevation lot in the small beach town. We quickly settle into the vacation relaxation mode, and are off for a stroll through Palmar, observing the waning weekend crowds, as Rebecca reminisces about the memories of her childhood at this very location.
The waves are looking very disappointing, however, I remind myself that this stretch of the coastline is so very tidal dependent, and it is presently dead high tide. I consistently check the waves, and finally am able to paddle out just prior to sunset for a little surf. The waves are small and breaking pretty far inside the point. It is wonderful to be in Panama, in the warm surf experiencing fresh Pacific surf shrouded in that familiar sweet, briny aroma.
We are happily in bed early, following a long and satisfying travel day. Drifting off to sleep we hear all the sounds of this Panamanian seaside paradise, including the crashing waves as well as the consistent call of a tree frog that sounds as if someone is pounding a rock against a cinder block wall.
Woke up at 4 am for our trip to Panama. Our flight is a Copa flight from Orlando to Panama City, Panama, so we plan to arrive 2 hours prior to the flight. Things go incredibly smooth all day. When we arrive at the Copa ticket counter, the attendant determines we are non-rev passengers, so she puts us in the 1st class/premium line which moves very quickly. We are greeted by a very friendly ticket agent who hustles us through the process and does not charge me for my surfboard and tells us “we should have no problem getting on the flight today.” Those words are virtually non-existent in the non revenue travel world! Next, we get right through security and arrive at the gate to wait for our seats. While waiting for our names to be called, the Copa flight crew arrives, and I know the Captain from Southwest Airlines. She has retired just two years ago, and will be flying us to Panama. As we board the plane, I stick my head into the flight deck to greet Maggie, our Captain who is surprised we are on her flight.
Rebecca and I are seated separately, and although I am in the last seat row on the bulkhead, in the window seat, I quickly fall asleep. However, my sleep is short-lived, as I am awakened by a flight attendant who informs me the Captain would like to see me in the cockpit. As I arrive in the cockpit, Maggie tells me we are flying over Cuba, and invites me to take the cockpit jump seat for the remainder of the flight. I accept the invitation, as I am eager to view our arrival into Panama. In fact, I am served my breakfast in the cockpit, as I engage both Copa pilots in conversation. Meanwhile, Rebecca tells me later that my being hailed to the front was a bit disconcerting to her, not knowing what I was doing in the cockpit.
For most of our passage over the Caribbean, the view is obscured, and I never see the island of Cuba, however, as we near Panama, Captain Maggie makes a special request for our arrival into Tocumen airport. Instead of the usual arrival, she requests we fly direct to Toboga to join the final approach course for the landing runway. This will provide a view of the canal, and downtown Panama city. We are granted our request, and we arrive over Panama from the North paralleling the western shore of the Panama canal, providing a spectacular view of the bridges, locks, Balboa sea port, and the old Canal Zone. It is a wonderful view, and has made the cockpit jumpseat ride very worthwhile.
Upon landing in Panama, a most unusual occurrence takes place. When we make our way to the customs area, there is no one in line. We take the express route through customs, and retrieve my surfboard bag, which is available immediately. An occurrence as unusual as no line for customs.
We quickly process our rental car documents and get on the road to Albrook, to meet Rebecca’s former track coach, Mr. Holland who has graciously allowed us to rent their beach home for our vacation. We find the Holland’s home and make it to the next stop—St Mary’s Catholic Church, the cradle of Rebecca’s Catholicism. Although we arrive a bit tardy, Rebecca famously belts out a window rattling rendition of the Servant Song, happily worshipping in her childhood parish. The Reyes family is in attendance, and we spend a little time after the service catching up with Mr and Mrs as well as Alex and his family.
Before getting on the road to Playa Palmar, we make the obligatory stop at the Albrook mall, and Arrocha for bottles of vanilla from the Panamanian pharmacy. A common recipe in many of Rebecca’s baked goods. Yum Yum.
The road to Palmar is uncrowded as we are heading opposite of most of the weekend traffic this fine Sunday in Panama. In Palmar, the weekend crowd is still in force on the streets, and in the vicinity of the local ristorate—El Cangrejo.
Mrs. Holland greets us and we are let into their 3 bedroom hacienda with a most amazing view of the Point, since their home rests atop the highest elevation lot in the small beach town. We quickly settle into the vacation relaxation mode, and are off for a stroll through Palmar, observing the waning weekend crowds, as Rebecca reminisces about the memories of her childhood at this very location.
The waves are looking very disappointing, however, I remind myself that this stretch of the coastline is so very tidal dependent, and it is presently dead high tide. I consistently check the waves, and finally am able to paddle out just prior to sunset for a little surf. The waves are small and breaking pretty far inside the point. It is wonderful to be in Panama, in the warm surf experiencing fresh Pacific surf shrouded in that familiar sweet, briny aroma.
We are happily in bed early, following a long and satisfying travel day. Drifting off to sleep we hear all the sounds of this Panamanian seaside paradise, including the crashing waves as well as the consistent call of a tree frog that sounds as if someone is pounding a rock against a cinder block wall.
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