Panama City -views from Old Town, pool, zip line over jungle -and not so nice neighborhood

Panama reminder me a lot of Cuba and maybe especially Havanna. For me Panama was windy city with palms and beatiful old buildings. The sea was disturbing blue - the kind of they paint the bottom of the pool of swimming halls.

When discovering the City first day I again ended up in kind of streets we can be happy it was daylight time. I had already a bit missed that Ooops! feeling. Before travelling to Mexico and Guatemala I had friends from there who gave me strickt instructions where to live and where to walk. (And Caye Culkin in Belize has only three streets from north to south and three from west to east, so there wasn’t so much to get in troubles. 😁) But, in Panama I have hotel in area they forbidded me to go out after dark. 😳🙄 I do follow the instructions, but feel sooo destrickted. 😫

But at hotel they said the area was safe at daytime, so I desided to walk to the bus station only 3 km apart when heading to zip lines in Lagun Gato, Colon. Didn’t even take my long sleeves with me as assuming to travel in chicken busses. But the beaty in difference of planning and doing... On my morning walk to the bus station I was stopped by a policeman. (Yes, I admit, I had been already looking around me, that now I have a reason to walk like knowing where going and in the middle of the road. Everybody probably had already seen me, so didn’t want anybody to surprice me behind a corner by being all too close to me. 😐 My only defence, Attitude Walk, saying ”If you are looking for easy, keep on looking!” So no pics from that situation, but from few blocks earlier... Yes. 😄) Considering the reputation police have in some of these countries, I was a bit sceptical. But after a small discussion he made his opinion clear: it is not safe in here and I should take a taxi. Then he saw a police car, winked them to us and clearly instructed them to take me to bus a station (where I have told I was heading). No one open any doors, so I played I didn’t understand and said I will look a taxi. So, I had plenty of time to choose, whether I want to be robed by taxi or police. I chose my poison for the day and decided to give the opportunity to taxi some other day.

When sitting in the back seat of a police car, doors locked, the streets seemed even more ”not recommended area”. I saw so many places where I would prefer not to be with two bad cops... But these happend to be the good ones, or atleast one of the four was, and so I got my way safely to the bus station. 😅 So, if I’m fattie, it’s not because I have avoided my excercise. It’s because police has forbidden it. ☝🏻

Well, in bus everybody were again taking care of the Blond (who was freezing in airconditioned bus). I was trying to ask the driver, where to step out from the bus, but also the lady in front row wanted to participate. Ok, ticket-collector robt me with a double price, but that’s kind of the spirit.

When arriving the zip lines, I noticed my tour would be private. Nice, but in Spanish and the guide had clear injuries on his hands. I almost laughed out loud and decided not to think any safety perspectives in a hysterical manner -just signed them out from any liability. As this evidently had already shown to be my lucky day. 🤷🏼‍♀️😂 And yes, the boys were absolutely great. I just let them do their thing, taking care of my safety. And they were even really helpfull with all foto taking, into my cameras.

Panama was the last Spanish speaking country at this trip and tomorrow I’ll continue to Portugese speaking Brasil. The next two weeks in there might smelt all my learnt Spanish away. But I’m happy into which level I have brought it. I’m using words which I didn’t know I would even understand. And manage to fool taxi drivers several blocks, that I do speak Spanish. 😅 Or atleast I’m saying something and get the answers I want and things are going the way I want to. 😂 I have even started answering ”Si” to questions, when it feels right, and still haven’t ended up into troubles. 😇 And in customs I always struggle first 3-5 questions in Spanish, but then change into English before I say something illeagal. 😬 So it seems, that the excitement of travelling without common language is soon taken away from me -in Spanish speaking countries. Hmm... Maybe I’ll after that learn the language properly. But anyhow I have a strong feeling that I’ll be back. ❤️