Monday was a long day driving 60 miles transisthmus and northeast to Portobella to see the bay and old fortresses as well as the church of the Black Christ. Just a little rain during walking portion. Locals call the bay Buenos Aires because sewage is dumped into the bay. Sounds like Pismo... The government is working to change that by building sewage treatment plants. This area is not in the canal zone so it doesn't have the improvements done by the Americans during the building of and possession of the canal. Since the freeing of Panama from US control the government has been working hard to improve many areas, but there still remains a large dif between the rich and the poor.
37% of the population are below the poverty line according to my lonely planet travel guide. Unemployment is now at 7%. Literacy is 92% with education thru college paid for by taxes. All students even indigenous indians must wear uniforms to school even if the skirts are below the knee. The total population of Panama is over 3 million, and I was wrong about PC. Panama City now has over a million people, many coming from all over South and Central America to work.
As our bus traveled thru the province and city of Colon we saw a lot of poor housing. This was only a driving tour as the city is known to be a little rough... We also drove by the 3 Gatun Locks. Altho there is a growing Free Trade Zone next to the city of Colon where there are HUGE warehouses and more are being built, the city has a lot of poverty and crime. Hello? those do go together! The gigantic warehouses in the Free Trade Zone contain merchandise from sea containers that a country or business wants to sell in LARGE quantities. The containers or merchandise are downloaded from the ships that are either too large to go thru or want to leave merchandise. No taxes apply in the Zone. Locals also buy single items illegally with no taxes applied and no receipt! A booming business. Do you think there might be mafia involved? The Free Trade Zone of Colon is the 2nd largest in the world next to Shanghi. sp? The ports (not Free Trade) on the Pacific side of the canal are leased by the Chinese. These ports are for offloading sea containers form ships too large to go thru the canal. The Chinese are also buying large quatities of lumber. It is then shipped back as furniture to sell to the Panamanians and other countries.
The Chinese arrived in Panama (Columbia then) to help build the transisthmus Railroad. They have stayed moving into small business and now are a large minority with their own parks, etc. This is also why rice is served at every meal in Panama. Going to a Chinese restaurant for Sunday brunch is very popular.
On our way to Portobella on the Southeastern coast, we stopped to see Jerry, our driver's Rojo Diablo. It is a common mode of transportation ~ school buses painted with bright pictures including a red devil. The paint job alone can cost up to $5000. The government is planning to phase out the Red Devils, clean them up, and donate to schools as there is no transportation for the students. So, these busses must come from other countries. Our commercial bus is beautiful, holding 46 passengers, but has no bathroom. Apparently those buses are not available in Panama. So, Caravan Tours is planning to buy some from Brazil as the Pan gov has not come thru with buses with bathrooms in the year this tour has been offered by Caravan. Bathrooms would allow for longer trips into more remote areas.
The man behind the driver is not an official job and is called the "turkey ~ El Pavo." Frequently, a driver will pay a friend to help take money, call out stops, make the riders behave, and answer questions.
The Census is taken very seriously in P. It occurs on a Sunday when most people are home. No one is allwed on the streets until they have their census card. The police check people for thier cards. I guess there are a lot of census workers!
Most of our travel is close to the the canal. In outlying provinces there are many villages without electricity. possible toilets also....
A little history ~ In 1513 Balboa endured a "tortuous trek" from the Atlantic to the Pacific to become the first Europian to see the Pacific. In the 15-1600's there were many pirates on both seas raiding the ships and cities. Remember Henry Morgan! He was a meany! Panama gained its independence from Columbia in 1903 only to sign over to the USA sovereign rights over the canal zone and concession rights. In many ways this was good for P as many improvements were made in health, sanitation, and of course the building of the canal which as an amazing feat in itself. In 1999, the US left Panama Canal zone turning it back to Panama. All bases are now empty and being renovated for other purposes, i.e., schools.
The people on both sides are beautiful with big smiles and always waving. A man with a hardhat working a jackhammer on a road saw our bus and waved while still hammering away! Scared me!
Today it dumped rain while we were driving back across the istmus to a hotel in teh rain forrest on "Crying Mountain." Not the center of the rain forrest as it has a golf course, but there is a walk into the jungle and many birds I can hear but haven't seen yet! No mosquito bites either!! :-)
Night for now, Claudia
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