Arriving over an hour earlier before we had to leave for our farewell dinner at 3.30 pm (cross town traffic hassles if we left later) meant that I had time to make a quick trip over to the new Old Town. The hotel staff said that it was only a 20 minute walk which was correct. So I turned into a Japanese tourist for the 30 minutes that I had within the old Town itself. Clickity click I went. I am glad this is being restored with new boutique hotels and restaurants. 

So my rough running order was under the Chinatown gate, Plaza de La Interdependence, Igelesia Catedral, Palacio Municipal, Museo del Canal, Tdeatro Nacional, Plaza Bolivar, Presidencia de La Republica and finally back through the fish market restaurants. Pity about the new road being built out to sea. UNESCO told the locals that this had to be done to preserve the characteristics of the old town. I think it is more of an eyesore being so far out to sea.

Panama City was founded on August 15, 1519, by Spanish conquistador Pedro Arias Dávila. The city was the starting point for expeditions that conquered the Inca Empire in Peru. It was a stopover point on one of the most important trade routes in the history of the American continent leading to the fairs of Nombre de Dios and Portobelo, where most of the gold and silver that Spain took from the Americas passed through.

On January 28, 1671, the city was destroyed by a fire when pirate Henry Morgan sacked and set fire to it. The city was formally re-established two years later on January 21, 1673, in a peninsula located 8 km from the original settlement. The site of the previously devastated city is still in ruins and is now a popular tourist attraction known as Panama Viejo. Thanks Mr Wikipedia.