Ola from Panamá City. We’re in Casco Viejo, a historic part of the city known for its colonial architecture, presidential palace — and boatloads of tourists.
Oh yeah, and there’s a canal here, too.
All of which brings us to this week’s question: What’s the most impressive public works project you’ve ever visited? The Hoover Dam, the Panama Canal, and the Three Gorges Dam top our list. How about yours?
In the Panama Canal, you can get really close to the container ships. These behemoths of the seas hum and vibrate as they churn through the water. Easy to see how one of these could knock down a bridge; they’re massive.
Still, we kept a polite distance from the ships.
This is the Sofitel Legend in Casco Viejo. In 1989, believing Gen. Manuel Noriega was hiding in the building, U.S. forces leveled it. It’s now a luxury hotel with a terrific view of the canal and Panamá City. We’ll have details in the podcast.
Many of the buildings in Casco Viejo used to be divided into apartments. About two decades ago, investors started to buy the historic properties to restore them to their former glory. The Amarla is a boutique hotel that has a lot of character and a very memorable sweet potato appetizer.
Hey, don’t forget this week’s question about impressive public works projects. We’ll read your comments in next week’s podcast.
Panamá Confidential: Casco Viejo and an adventure in the canal