Panama Viejo

Panama Viejo, or Old Panama, is the ruins of the first settlement in Panama City. It was destroyed by the Pirate Henry Morgan in the late 1600's. Morgan decided on Panama instead of Cartagena de Indias or Veracruz (which was also considered for pillaging) because of its riches from being a commercial center between the oceans. Most of the city was destroyed during a pirate raid in 1671, but the ruins remain today. Definitely a good place to stop by during your visit.

Today, visitors can stop in Panama Viejo to see the museum and tour the remains of the "first" Panama City. The museum includes a viewing of the archaeological collection which has been recovered at this site. The pieces record the presence of Europeans, Indians and the first Panamanians all living together in the city.

A couple of Panamanian women pose and take pictures wearing their 'polleras,' Panama's typical or traditional dress which can be seen throughout the country at various celebrations during the year. These dresses can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, and can take up to a year or more to make. These young ladies are pictured in front of the old ruins.

National Holidays - Fiestas Patrias

Big holidays approaching Panama and Panamanians like to celebrate. Just about everything will shut down and there will be many parades, music and fireworks.

November 3: foundation of the Republic when Panama separated from Colombia in 1903.
November 4: Flag Day - flag designers had been working on a flag secretly.
November 5: Colon Day - Panamanian officials persuaded Colombian forces stationed in Colon to desist their efforts to march on the Panamanian capital.
November 10: "First cry for Independence from Spain" (Primer Grito de Independencia de Panama de Espana) from Los Santos
November 28: Independence Day celebrates its independence from Spain in 1821

Panama Canal Fossils Reveal Ancient Collision of Worlds

Entire hillsides are being blasted away to widen the Panama Canal. It was the biggest event in our planet's history since the extinction of the dinosaurs. Three million years ago, the Americas collided.

The creation of the Panama Isthmus - the narrow land bridge that joins the two continents - wreaked havoc on land, sea and air. It triggered extinctions, diverted ocean currents and transformed climate.

Now a multi-billion dollar project to widen the Panama Canal is set to reveal new secrets about the event that changed the world. Panama is a tiny country, but in a perfect location. Positioned just north of the equator in the Caribbean, its famous canal is the strategic hub of the global shipping industry.

The 80 km (50 mile) long Panama Canal, completed in 1914, connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Its existence means that ships can avoid - at a price - the treacherous 8,000 mile journey round Cape Horn, the southernmost tip of South America.

Authorities hope that the canal will increase revenue from shipping. However, the massive excavations have also proved to be a "gold mine" for scientists, trying to uncover Panama's hidden past.

As entire hillsides are being blasted away to expand the canal, amazing fossils are emerging that shed light on this key event. However, scientists only have a short window to collect the fossils before they are re-buried beneath concrete.

One of those fossil hunters stumbled upon one of the most important discoveries so far: the jaw and bones of horses, rhinos and camels. Three million years ago there was a kind of land rush. Animals that were native to North America - sabre-toothed cats, horses, camels and elephants - surged south across the land bridge. Animals from South America such as giant sloths and armadillos, moved north.

Fossils hinted at the possibility that giant predatory birds dubbed "terror birds" seem to have migrated from between the Americas as early as five million years ago. It is possible that long before the seaway finally closed, a chain of islands spanned the gap. Perhaps Terror Birds and other animals were the original "island-hoppers," migrating from one island to the next.

A Day in Panama City

Casco Viejo is preserved as the conquistadors left it, Casco Viejo vies with Old Havana and Old San Juan in authenticity - but it is beginning to leave the others behind with the restored beautify of its courtyards, tiles and marble that line the cafes, restaurants that occupy these historic structures. Panama City across the bay is transforming itself into a totally unexpected, skyscraper-packed Hong Kong, Casco Viejo is in the process of being restored into the most tastefully attractive are of the city.

Plaza Mayor: also known as Parque Catedral or Plaza de la Independencia, is the main square of Casco Viejo. There is a mix of Spanish and French architecture.

Panamanian independence was declared on this plaza on November 3, 1903 and many important buildings such as the Canal Museum, Municipal Palace, Cathedral Church, and the religious ruins of the Jesuit Church, fringe the plaza.

Compania de Jesus Convent: The Jesuit Convent and its church were built in 1673, before the Spanish banished the Jesuits from the Colonies. In 1781 the complex burned down and was never rebuilt. The site also housed the first university and synagogue of the city.

La Plaza de Francia: The southern tip of Casco Viejo Peninsula is the Plaza de Francia and is home to a large obelisk in honor of the ill-fated Frenchmen, who, under Ferdinand De Lesseps, started the arduous task of building a sea level Canal in 1880.

Surrounding the obelisk is an arcade of marble plaques ornately carved with the story of the valiant French effort. This is also the current location of the French Embassy, the Instituto Nacional de Cultura and the Las Bovedas Restaurant.

Paseo Las Bovedas: wrapping around the French Plaza and the Institute of Culture is Paseo Las Bovedas (Promenade of Vaults) that offers couples and tourists a charming stroll on top of the Old Spanish seawall. An excellent view of the Panama City skyline, the ships cued for their turn through the Canal, and the Bridge of the Americas can be seen on this walkway.

Arco Chato: Built in 1678, Arco Chato (The Flat Arch) played a deciding factor in Panama's history and the construction of the Panama Canal. Spanning some 50 ft, Arco Chato was an architectural marvel for the fact that it resisted earthquakes and storms with no support other than its terminal arches. Logic reasoned that if the brick could withstand nearly 200 years with no visible means of support, then there was no real threat to constructing a lock-style canal. Ironically enough, in 2003, fireworks celebrating Panama's Centennial brought down most of what was left of the then 300 plus - year old arch.

Presidential Palace: Constructed in the old Customs Building, the structure was restored in 1922. Herons live inside the lobby of the entrance and contribute to its name, Palace of the Herons.

Plaza Santa Ana: Santa Ana at mid-morning is the heart of popular commerce; there is life in every corner where almost everything imaginable is for sale: cell phones, fruits, grains, incense, bottles of medicinal medicine that promise "to make you rich," inflatable toys and religious paraphernalia. Cafe Coca Cola, which dates from the early Canal days, is a great local restaurant on the south side of the park that is still a favorite among locals and tourists alike, especially for breakfast.

Casco Viejo - what is that?

Casco Viejo (Casco Antiguo or San Felipe) is the old quarter of Panama City. It was founded in 1673 after the original Pacific settlement of Panama Viejo was sacked by Henry Morgan. It is the oldest city on the Pacific coast of the Americas and remained the center of Panamanian life for 300 years until the 1930's. At that time Casco Antiguo declined as Panama's upper class moved to the suburbs.

It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998 mainly because of it's blend of Spanish, French and American colonial, neoclassical and art nouveau architecture. Certain styles, such as the 16th through 18th century houses with inside courtyards, are specific to the region. Today, the buildings often contain a combination of ruins from the days of Spanish Explorers and Pirates, along with the influences of all of those who followed. To walk through Casco Viejo is definitely to walk through history. Buildings sitting side by side can be over three hundred years apart in age. Balconies are filled with flowers such as geraniums and bougainvillea wrapped around sculpted wrought iron crafted in another country. The streets are brick, and no matter which way they run, they run to the sea, because Casco Viejo is a peninsula jutting into the Bay of Panama.

It is very similar to Old San Juan (in Puerto Rico) in architecture as well as the narrow streets made out of cobblestones.

Today in Casco Viejo you will find the National Theater with black tie events. Kids diving from old ruins into the sea and indigenous people selling their crafts. Tourist shops, small clubs and sidewalk cafes, art galleries and many restaurants.

The Kuna Indians

Kuna, also known as the Tule, Native South American group of the Chibchan language family and of Panama. In former times Kuna occupied the greater part of the Isthmus of Panama. Cases of hereditary albinism among the Kuna have given rise to the legend of white Native Americans.

The Kuna Indians number approximately 35,000 with the majority living in the San Blas Islands and on the mainland in the Madugandi Reservation while a very small percentage live in Panama City.

They speak their own language called "tule." Many speak Spanish and some English, but in the Madugandi reservation there is little proficiency for Spanish. They live in thatched roof huts made from materials found in the jungle.

The Kuna women wear wrap around skirts and hand-made blouses known as "molas." The Mola is an intricately sewn picture made from layers of cloth in a reverse applique technique. Kuna women paint their faces with a homemade rouge made from achiote seeds. They usually wear a nose ring and paint a line down their nose.

The Kuna have the most advance political system of any tribal group in Latin America, and possibly the world. They have three village chiefs who manage village politics and a series of meetings called congresos; they conduct electrions through the village and nationally as well.

They are animists: they believe in a creator God who is far away from them and that the poni, groups of malevolent spirits roam the earth entering people's bodies causing sickness and disease. They use the nuchus, small dolls made out of balsa wood, to protect them from the poni. The saila, or Kuna chief, speaks for God much like a prophet telling the people what they need to do so God will be pleased with them. They believe they must work to please God sohe does not send an earthquake or other terrible thing against them. The vast majority of the Indians in Madugandi have never heard a clear message of the Gospel message.

A Kuna woman selling some Molas in Casco Viejo. It is very common to find them selling their Molas on plazas or on sidewalks. They can be very expensive as it is an incredible detailed work all done by hand. Many Molas are now incorporated into T-shirts, cloth purses, kitchen towels and other decorative pieces for the home. Normally there are several layers in each piece and the more layers the more expensive the piece is! You can try to bargain but they do not always budge, and you can tell from the detail that it is very time consuming. Many times as you walk down the streets in Casco Viejo you can see them sewing the pieces.

Isla Taboga

Although I frequently drive down the Amador Causeway and get a very clear view of that island I really did not know anything about it other than people being able to take the ferry out there daily; that many of the Carnaval customs came out of there and they hold some ofthe biggest celebrations; that the population there is very low. I was amazed at some of the historical facts I found out about it and thought I would share it with you. A lot of it I find quite interesting and hope you do too.

Vasco Nunez de Balboa, 16th century Spaniard credited with the first citing of the Pacific Ocean, and the first Spaniard to set foot on the dot called Isla de San Pedro. The name Taboga was later adopted from the Indian term "aboga" meaning many fish. Nearly 450 years after its founding the island maintains the simplicity of bygone days.

Iglesia San Pedro is claimed to be the second oldest church in the Hemisphere. The early settlers came from Venezuela and Nicaragua. They were enslaved indigenous indians who were brought to serve the needs of the Spanish Conquistadors.

The village of San Pedro was founded in 1524 by Padre Hernando de Luque, dean of the Panama Cathedral, who also lived on the island. He also provided funds to Francisco Pizarro and Diego Almagro before they set off on their conquest of the flourishing Inca Empire. Ruins still remain of those days of the conquistadors and early settlers.

Padre Luque raised vegetables and fruits on his plantation and his pineapples could well be the progenitors of the pineapple patches that pepper the island today, and some say the Hawaiian pineapple was developed through cross pollination with the Taboga pineapple. The Taboganos still venerate the priest by referring to a crystalline pool in the folds of Picacho de Vigia, the highest point on the island, as the "Pope's Pool."

Santa Rosa de Lima was conceived in Taboga ~ the first saint of this hemisphere. According to historians, the girl lived on a house in Playa Hondo on the nothern side. The house still exists today. The family later moved to Peru where she is known as Santa Rosa de Lima de Taboga. She is known for her humility and kindness to those in need. Many came to her for comfort and to learn more about their salvation. she is very well known in South America, Mexico and the Philippines.

El Morro, the little island you can walk to. Linked to the island at low tide by a sandbar, is El Morro, a small rocky islet where at the end ofthe 17th century the Spaniards established a fort to defend Taboga. During the wars of Independence, it was the three cannons in El Morro that 10 soldiers fought the attacks of Englishman John Illingworth, the Chilean warship Rosa de los Andes, and the Peruvian Frigate Pichincha.

The Three Crosses. In a later attack by John Illingworth, the invaders took Taboga. The inhabitants fleeing to the hills. Three of the invaders were killed and buried by the villagers who marked their graves with wooden crosses. Within the passing of years, cast iron crosses embeded in a mortar base replaced the wooden markers. To this day, Taboganos in the vecinity of "Las Tres Cruces" never fail to light a candle in memory of the three that dared to disturb the peace of their little island.

Isla Taboga and the Panama Canal. The island also played an important role in the construction of the Panama Canal. In the 1880's the French constructed a 50 bed $400,000 retreat for their canal workers attempting to build a canal. This same building was taken over by the United States in 1905 and used as rest and recuperation center for the Panama Canal construction workers. It served this purpose until 1915, when it became a vacation resort for the employees and their families and was known as Hotel Aspinwall. During World War I Aspinwall became an internment camp for German prisoners. After the war it was once again the hub of Taboga social life until 1945. Aspinwall is gone but many recall its activities and the part it played in the by-gone era.

PT Boats in World War II. During World War II, the US Navy had a "mosquito base" training in El Morro. The heroic record of these boats in the Pacific theatre of war proved the efficiency of officers and sailors of El Morro. IslaTaboga was also the site of attempted Japanese espionage when spy Yoshitaro Amana, head of a Japanese spy ring, tried to set up a commercial business on the island so that the Japanese could ascertain which ships were transiting the Panama Canal. He was discovered in a sting operation and deported back to Japan. Also gun placements at strategic points on Isla Taboga and lookout points atop El Morro, made it possible to increase security in the Panama Canal.

US Presence in Isla Taboga in Panama history is a treasured past and for Taboganos. Military and civilian personnel integrated themselves with island life and provided services which included improving infrastructure and providing medical services. They brought entertainment to the island by creating an outdoor cinema, participating in sports and constructing the island pier to serve visitors. Taboganos old enough to remember recall with enthusiasm the days of US military presence on the island.