Bridge of Americas, Panama Canal

Here comes the post Panamax ship...........

Navigation training on the Tin Kitty

July 21, 2011
Today was day 2 of the 2011 Panama Pladventcher. We woke up to the sounds of beeping horns in downtown Panama City, our first urban overnight experience in Panama. We got an pretty early start, loaded up our beach gear, and were off to the beach. Although it felt like herding cats, we actually got on the road in a reasonable amount of time, although that still put us in rush hour traffic in the PC metropolis.
As Rebecca continued to demonstrate her navigation prowess, we wove our way through the Latin zigs and zags, and finally made our way to the Bridge of Americas, where the traffic subsided as we headed West out of town, and the morning commuters made their way East in the opposite direction to the city.
Our destination was Playa Teta, Rebecca’s childhood beach, and we stopped on the way for a quick breakfast at a roadside café, loading up on empanadas and other pastries.
As we passed through Coronado, we searched and found the bus stand marked Punta Barco, which is our landmark for the dirt road which leads to “Tits Beach”
After parking the maxi van, the last leg of our trek was a walking path descending to the beach, and crossing over the winding Rio Teta as it makes its final plunge into the ocean. Each time we visit this beach, the view is completely different as the river meanders and winds in a constantly changing path through the sand, and carving out a 4 to 5 foot canyon which we cross to get to the warm waters of the Pacific.
The waves today were a bit disappointing, however, it sure feels very nice to be in the pristine waters of the Pacific as the minimal swell rolls in crashing on the beach.
As I float out on my board, and observe my family playing on the beach, I am reminded of the David Byrne lyric which states “Turns like a wheel inside a wheel” As a child, I remember summers spent on the shores of Lake Michigan, and playing on the sand dunes in my father’s home town of Muskegon. I remember the joys of playing with my own brother and sister, on the giant sand dunes and running through the adjoining forest on the “Indian trails” And, here my own kids are exploring the shores of the Pacific coast, Rebecca’s childhood haunt, playing in the river, in the sand caves, chasing the crabs, and iguanas. Turns like a wheel inside a wheel.
The trip down Memory Lane continued when we also took a side excursion into Gorgona for the kids to jump into the tide pools which Rebecca loved lounging in last April. More congrejo hunts also ensued.
On the way home we stopped at the local super Mercado El Rey for provisions for tomorrow’s boat ride, stocking up on fruit, water, empenadsa, Maria cookies, Crunchie bars, and breakfast items.
Once we made the hour and a half journey back to Panama city, we met the rest of our party, the Ezgoods and the Grazers. Fictional names for internet security.
Hellos being made, we loaded up our 12 pax maxi van to maxi capacity, and went to Napoli’s for a fine dining experience, then a tour through the Old Canal Zone with tourguide Rebecca.

On Isla Contadora

This is the site of the Survivor Panama series, the barge in the background is offloading supplies for another episode

Rach and Dad

Just about to enter that blue snorkelling water off Contadora Island, Perlas Archipeligo, Panama.

Ryan hauls in a Bonita

Snorkelling Island off Contadora

July 20, 2011
Pladventcher –on! The travelling road show has pulled up its Cocoa Beach stakes, and headed South to Panama. In true vagabond style, no less. In a fashion having become typical, this vacation is sandwiched between two of my airline trips, so having flown from San Antonio through El Paso through Houston through Nashville and finally arriving in Orlando, I dismounted from my trusty 737 and sprinted to the Southwest pilot lounge in MCO. There, I had prepositioned a roller bag with vacation gear, and hastily traded out my airline trip clothing for tropical gear. Since were flying standby on Copa Airlines, I felt that slight twinge of anticipation for most of my work day, hoping for 5 available seats, as if I were waiting for the roulette ball to drop. Black or red………..
Reb and the kids had already checked in at the Copa desk by the time I landed, so I quickly made way to the security line, thronged with travelers. Not seeing them, I proceeded to the employee line to expedite my passage through the TSA gauntlet. Near the front of the line, I caught up with my family, and with TSA approval, was able to pluck them from the cattle chute, where they joined me in the faster moving employee friendly line.
The Orlando employees of Copa airlines were wonderful stewards of customer service from start to finish, and got us our 5 seats spread throughout the cabin as standby travelers, as well as our precious cargo of surfboard bags and snorkeling gear safely stowed in the belly of the 737-800.
I couldn’t help contain a smile, as the plane rolled down the runway launching into another adventure as non-revenue passengers, feeling like we had just gotten away with something. Roulette wheel stops the ball has dropped, and we have a winner!!
3 hours (and the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie) later, we could see the lights of Panama City as we circled to the East of the city, and joined a right downwind for Tocumen airport. Over the shoreline, we had a clear view of the lights of downtown, the Causeway, and the multitudes of ships awaiting their turn to transit with their cargo through the man made wonder of the modern world, the path between the seas, that is the Panama Canal.
As we touched down, as is customary, the passengers on board Copa 445 launched into a racuous applause upon hearing the Captain’s announcement, “Bienvenidos a Panama!”
Taxiing clear of the active runway, no gate was available, so we waited on the tarmac for a while, and Reb handled her claustrophobic anxiety without a scene. Luckily, she opted against a JetBlue flight attendant moment, and contained herself from grabbing a Panama beer, opening an emergency exit, deploying the slide, and jumping to freedom. We are all thankful for the little things.
Unexpectedly, there was nary a line at Customs or Immigration, so we retrieved our sporting gear, and headed for the Dollar Rental Car desk. At Dollar, we had the greatest interaction that I have ever experienced from a Panamanian rental car employee. As our plan fell into place, she notified us that a 7 passenger mini van, which we had reserved would be unavailable, and we would have to settle for the 12 passenger van. Darn the bad luck, and load up the vehicle we hoped for to begin with. She even arranged a more suitable price for that vehicle. As we have learned from experience, we attempted to thoroughly check the vehicle for any previously existing damage, but shockingly, the Dollar employee was more thorough than we were. I gratefully tipped him, but before I could prevent otherwise, Rebecca double tipped the guy, in a continuing effort to single handedly assist the economic plight of the Panamanian working class.
Joy all around, as we headed towards Panama City, as Dylan and Rachel pointed out the fairly risqué billboards donning the roadside advertising their wares in Latin fashion.
Within the city we had a few fits and starts finding directions to the condo, and finally had to stop at a gas station. We laughingly watched from the van as Reb conversed with a Panamanian guy in the store as he would wave his hands in the direction of travel, to be immediately mimicked by Rebecca’s gesticulation. After she broke out our map, our direction finder friend drew out the route, and we realized we were very close to our condo destination. Off we went for the few remaining blocks.
At the condo, we decided not to leave any belongings in the car, and that necessitated a climb up 6 flights of stairs with ungainly and heavy surfboard bags. The rest of the gear we loaded into an archaic elevator for the 6 floor ascent, however, Reb and Rachel opted to walk since it was reported that there was some previous history of stranded elevator riders. Did I mention claustrophobic anxieties?
Just a short block away, we popped into “Grill 50” for a late evening meal, to include all our Panamanian favorites. We dined on cerviche, calamari, patacones, and bisteak and letting our travel tensions melt away whilst listening to the percussion laden boom boom boom of the Salsa music playing in the restaurant. Following our meal we were back to the flat for the rack! Buenos noches Panama!!

Welcome to Yellowstone 2011

Pladventcher 2011
The first adventure of the 2011 summer was to Yellowstone Park, the world’s first National Park. We covered some miles, and saw some sights. Awestruck daily, our trip covered:
6 days
1100miles
4 states
Multiple geothermal features and geyser eruptions
Miles of hiking
16+ exotic animal species sightings
2 Junior Rangers
1 horseback trail ride
And a single figure 8 loop of Yellowstone Park
Animals viewed: bison, bald eagle, elk, grizzly, black bear, big horn sheep, badger, beaver, muskrat, fox, coyote, antelope, marmot, chipmunk, and ground squirrel.