Panama. It's an amazing place. I have lived in Caracas, Venezuela (among other places in the world) and had a pre-determined idea of what Panama was going to be like, being "another latin country". Well, boy was I wrong. My parents live there (have for 4 years) and have attempted to explain and describe it to me, but nothing was more convincing than to actually be there and experience it.
Images don't do it justice. It is well worth travelling to and spending some quality time exploring and talking to the locals. They are extremely proud of their country and willing to talk with you to show you just how excited they are to have the canal and all it's money back in their hands. Their president has used (and is using) this money, to grow the city in all it's glory. New infrastructure, new buildings, new roads, more police force, gardens, public works, etc...
Don't get me wrong. It's still a latin country and it's still in it's early stages of growth (only 10 years since the Panama Canal changed hands from the USA to Panama), but the positive energy and enthusiasm of getting better and the willingness of inviting foreign people to come in and stay, is evident and refreshing. Nothing at all like Caracas, which we all know is unfortunately in the grips of a tyrant.
I have over 600 images from 12 days in Panama. I am only posting a handful, in the hopes that you will get a solid idea of the few places I had the pleasure of seeing thanks to my parents as guides. When Josh and I will return there, together, we will have much more freedom to explore places away from "civilization" to see where the coffee plantations are, and the islands in the Caribbean side, and the mountains near Costa Rica.
Ask me anything about Panama. I have asked enough questions to my parents and to their local friends, to know enough about it and to have convinced myself to turn MoscaPhoto into a global entity. That's right, we will start the process of becoming an international photography company having bases both here in Portland and in Panama City. I speak Spanish, Italian and English fluently, so I will be able to organize and make things happen! We are so excited about this. It will take a long time to make it happen and we will only be Panama based for a few months, while it's winter here. Nothing is set in stone, but the wheels are rolling!
Never have I been to or seen a country with such an immense influx of new money. It is obviously a rich country now and it is truly impressive. The old and the new coexists flawlessly and evidence of making the old and dilapidated anew is also evident. Soon, the whole city (and consequently, the country) will be functional to the T. Truly amazing! I was impressed and I can't wait to go back!
I hope you enjoy the images I have posted here! If you'd like to see more of any of the sets from the different areas, I have them! :) I'll try to explain what each set represents so be sure to read as you scroll down!
Love you all and thank you for looking!! <3
~ Alice
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| On the way to the 3 islands (Naos, Perico, Flamenco). On the Avenida Amador. The road was built by the Americans with the earth dug up when making the Panama Canal. |
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| View of the Bridge of the Americas (Puente las Americas). The bridge under which ships pass to enter or exit the Panama Cans. It connects North to South America. |
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| The old neighborhood in Punta Paitilla. These houses and condos were here before the huge buildings and the influx of money. They were isolated, now they are surrounded by modern buildings (and traffic). |
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| View from my parents' kitchen. This is looking towards Casco Viejo and the homes in the above image. |
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| Old prison cells in Casco Antiguo. Converted to modern art galleries and restaurants. |
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| Old prison cells in Casco Antiguo. Converted to modern art galleries and restaurants. |
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| One of the streets of Casco Antiguo. |
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| Street scenes at Casco Antiguo. |
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| The main parking lot/plaza in Casco Antiguo, looking out to sea towards the buildings where my parent's place is (essentially this is the opposite view of the city scape image above) |
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| Casco Antiguo. The fixed up and remodeled part. |
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| Casco Antiguo. The same old prisons as the image above. Now art galleries and restaurants. |
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| Casco Antiguo. Iglesia de San Francisco. |
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| Casco Antiguo. A detail of the buildings. |
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| Casco Antiguo. Both the old and the new (and by new I mean the fixed up church on the right) |
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| Casco Antiguo. Looking down from the old fort, at Plaza de Francia with the ocean at low tide. |
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| Next door to the Presidential Palace in Casco Antiguo. |
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| View of Panama City from Ancon Hill. The buildings furthest away are where my parents live. |
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| Playa Blanca. 2 hours east of Panama City. Home of the world's 2nd largest salt water pool. |
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| Playa Blanca. 2 hours east of Panama City. Home of the world's 2nd largest salt water pool. Looking towards the Pacific Ocean. |
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| Playa Blanca. 2 hours east of Panama City. Home of the world's 2nd largest salt water pool. At sunset. |
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| Playa Blanca. 2 hours east of Panama City. Home of the world's 2nd largest salt water pool. At sunset. |
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| Playa Blanca. 2 hours east of Panama City. Home of the world's 2nd largest salt water pool. At sunset. |
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| Playa Blanca. 2 hours east of Panama City. The beach and the open ocean. |
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| Playa Blanca. 2 hours east of Panama City. The beach and the open ocean. |
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| Playa Blanca. 2 hours east of Panama City. The beach and the open ocean. |
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| Playa Blanca. 2 hours east of Panama City. The beach and the open ocean. |
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| Playa Blanca. 2 hours east of Panama City. Home of the world's 2nd largest salt water pool. At sunset. |
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| Playa Blanca. 2 hours east of Panama City. The beach and the open ocean. |
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| A typical, colorful, public bus on the streets of El Valle, near Punta Pacifica, in the mountains. |
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| A stand on the streets of El Valle, near Punta Pacifica, in the mountains. |
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| Playa Blanca. 2 hours east of Panama City. A long exposure image in moonlight. Around 11pm. |
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| Playa Blanca. 2 hours east of Panama City. A long exposure self portrait image in moonlight. Around 11pm. |
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| Playa Blanca. 2 hours east of Panama City. A long exposure self portrait image in moonlight. Around 11pm. |
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| Panama Vieja. The old part of the city. Where the less fortunate still live. |
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| Driving on Avenida Balboa, towards my parents' building. This road was not here two years ago. It was all ocean, which was filled in to make the 6 lanes and parks and walkway. |
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| Miraflores Locks in the Panama Canal. Built by the Americans, not managed by the Panamanians. The only crossing for ships from the Pacific to the Atlantic and viceversa, unless you count having to circumnavigate South America. |
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| Miraflores Locks in the Panama Canal. Built by the Americans, not managed by the Panamanians. The only crossing for ships from the Pacific to the Atlantic and viceversa, unless you count having to circumnavigate South America. This is the world's largest ship, the Panamax, slowly inching forward. |
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| Miraflores Locks in the Panama Canal. Built by the Americans, not managed by the Panamanians. The only crossing for ships from the Pacific to the Atlantic and viceversa, unless you count having to circumnavigate South America. This is the world's largest ship, the Panamax, slowly inching forward. |
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| Miraflores Locks in the Panama Canal. Built by the Americans, not managed by the Panamanians. The only crossing for ships from the Pacific to the Atlantic and viceversa, unless you count having to circumnavigate South America. This is the world's largest ship, the Panamax, slowly inching forward. That's my mom, holding the brochure ;) |
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| Miraflores Locks in the Panama Canal. Built by the Americans, not managed by the Panamanians. The only crossing for ships from the Pacific to the Atlantic and viceversa, unless you count having to circumnavigate South America. This is the world's largest ship, the Panamax, slowly inching forward. |
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| A scene at the Mercado Nacional de Artesania (local art for sale). |
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| The view from the Mercado Nacional de Artesania (local art for sale). |
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| One of Noriega's villas, derelict and abandoned in the San Francisco neighborhood of Panama City, near my parents' new place. It's there Anthony Bourdain came to on his No Reservations episode about Panama. |
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| One of Noriega's villas, derelict and abandoned in the San Francisco neighborhood of Panama City, near my parents' new place. It's there Anthony Bourdain came to on his No Reservations episode about Panama. |
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| One of the views from one of the rooms from my parents' new place in the San Francisco neighborhood of Panama City. |
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| Another view of the buildings where my parents live, as soon from Punta del Este. |
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| A tower in Panama Viejo with new buildings in the background. The old parts of Panama, where in the early 1600s, pirates attacked and burnt it all down. It was the old capital of the country and this is all that remains. It's a World Heritage Site. |
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| A tower in Panama Viejo with new buildings in the background. The old parts of Panama, where in the early 1600s, pirates attacked and burnt it all down. It was the old capital of the country and this is all that remains. It's a World Heritage Site. |
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| Looking towards Casco Antiguo, from an overpass above the new Avenida Balboa. |
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| Looking towards Punta Paitilla where my parents live, from an overpass above the new Avenida Balboa. |
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| Avenida Balboa, Panama City. |
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| Holiday decorations along the new Avenida Balboa. |
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| Holiday decorations along the new Avenida Balboa. |
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| Avenida Balboa, Panama City. |
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| From Avenida Balboa, looking towards Punta Patilla where my parents live. That strip of land stretching from the buildings towards the right is a road and island that is being made on the water, to make room for even more luxury condos (like the ones in Dubai) crazy! |
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| Brown vultures and brown pelicans are everywhere in Panama! |
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| Brown pelicans are everywhere in Panama! |
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| A scene from the water, with local fishermen coming in and out as they fish. Behind me is the International Seafood Market (where Anthony Bourdain went to eat on his No Reservations episode about Panama) and across the bay is Casco Antiguo. |
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| The International Seafood Market (where Anthony Bourdain went to eat on his No Reservations episode about Panama). |
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| The International Seafood Market (where Anthony Bourdain went to eat on his No Reservations episode about Panama). |
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| The International Seafood Market (where Anthony Bourdain went to eat on his No Reservations episode about Panama). |
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| The International Seafood Market (where Anthony Bourdain went to eat on his No Reservations episode about Panama). |
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| The International Seafood Market (where Anthony Bourdain went to eat on his No Reservations episode about Panama). |
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| The International Seafood Market (where Anthony Bourdain went to eat on his No Reservations episode about Panama). We had an amazing lunch! So inexpensive and delicious. So fresh too! |
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| The International Seafood Market (where Anthony Bourdain went to eat on his No Reservations episode about Panama). This man was making shave ice on the street outside the market. I couldn't help but talk to him asking him what I should get and he was so nice and willing to chit chat. The ice was delish! |
Here is a google map of the locations mentioned here in these photos:
View 12 days in Panama 2011 by MoscaPhoto in a larger map
