We debarked the Emerald Princess in Buenos Aires, and after a week exploring the city of the tango, Evita, and football (better know to us Americans as soccer), we arrived in Panama City, Panama. Panama City will be our home for the next month. We divided our stay into two weeks outside the city at a beach resort and two weeks in the city to better see all that Panama offers.
We spent two weeks at Playa Bonita, a beach resort complex with a hotel, an all-inclusive resort and a building of residential condos. We rented a one-bedroom condo in the residential tower on the 14th floor with a beautiful view from the balcony where we watched ships exiting the Panama Canal daily. While we were rather isolated from services offered in the city itself, we enjoyed beautiful pools, a beach, and a very relaxed couple of weeks not doing much at all. We made a trip one day into Panama City to get a SIM card for Cory's phone and groceries for the week. The young man representing the condo owner took us into town, and we spend the afternoon at Albrook Mall (https://en.
wikipedia.org/wiki/Albrook_Mall) , the biggest mall in the Americas. Yes, even bigger than Mall of America! This place is massive with 4 different food courts and every store imaginable. After walking miles, we purchased everything we needed and were glad to get back to the tranquility of our condo's pool. Another day we ventured into the village of Veracruz and ate lunch at a seaside open-air restaurant. Other than a few meals at the nearby Wyndam Hotel, we pretty much just hung out at the pool, walked the beach and relaxed on our balcony watching the ships exit the canal.
After two weeks of sheer laziness, we called an Uber and moved into our new apartment in the city of Panama. We're now on the 33rd floor of Vista del Mar, an apartment complex right on Avenida Balboa (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avenida_Balboa) in the heart of Panama. Huge floor to ceiling windows in the living room and bedroom look out on the main highway of Panama City as it snakes along the Pacific Ocean. The views of the ocean and the lights at night are really amazing. We've been exploring Panama City a little each day walking in all directions and finding new restaurants every evening.
Ursula Haynes
2018-02-01
What a beautiful place, we all envy you guys, but happy to read all your adventures. I still think you need to write a book when this is all over with, you have such good writing skills and so much to share! Love, Ursula & Brian
Joy Watson
2018-02-01
So good to see you both online again. Thoight I lost you with the new travel log. Glad you are well and how beautiful is your Panama City??!! Bon Voyage.