Panama Day 3: Panama Canal

This afternoon was our "free time." Some attendees used it to sleep or swim. Three busloads of us used it to visit the Panama Canal. I remember studying this place in school. The French tried to build the canal in the late 19th c, but 25,000 people died of yellow fever and malaria. It wasn't until those diseases were better understood (and Panama City paved it's streets with brick to get rid of mosquito breeding puddles) that the US succeeded in the endeavor. The canal opened for buisness in 1914.


As you can see, there isn't a lot of space to spare. The small locomotives you can see on the tracks guide the ships through the locks. Tugs keep them on track through the lake. Here's a site that explains how it all works. The whole thing is pretty green, using the prolific rainfall and natural rivers to fill the man-made lake and gravity to fill the locks. The water eventually goes to the sea, just as it would naturally; it just gets used to lift ships on its way.

From the locks, we went to the old city, a delightful network of narrow brick streets lined with French style buildings, art deco buildings, and an 18th c Spanish cathedral. In the center of the picture you can see the road we were on the other night to circle around this part of town.

The cathedral is being renovated in anticipation of Pope Francis's visit next year. Lots of other buildings are obviously undergoing renovation as well

By the time we headed back to the buses the sun was setting.