We took a sidetrip to El Valle de Antón,
… generally called El Valle, or Anton’s Valley in English … a town of 9,000 in … Panama.
… about 25 km off the Interamerican Highway by a two-lane road. The road is generally in good condition, with a few potholes that are repaired regularly. …
Surprisingly colourful and interesting.
more full size photos
EVERYONE in Panama City tries to head for the Beach on weekends.
Year round.
I joined a group of gymnastics coaches for a weekend to Bijao.
The Sheraton Bijao Beach is a big, beautiful resort.
I never get tired of Infinity Pools.
We stayed at the nearby condos. On the golf course.
My host Andres LOVES LOVES LOVES Ceviche.
That was my first of many in Central America. 🙂
The day before our gymnastics coaching camp began, my host Andres Llanos Gerardino took me for the classic tourist visit. There’s a terrific museum including a 3D documentary video.
Andres treated me to a buffet dinner overlooking the locks themselves.
The ships are huge.
Most interesting are the machines that guide the various sized ships safely through. Like land tug boats.
We watched 4 ships pass. … That took a goodly amount of vino tinto. 🙂
The hundred year history of this massive venture is fascinating. An expansion will open 2014.
The Panama Canal (Spanish: Canal de Panamá) is a 48-mile (77.1 km) ship canal in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean (via the Caribbean Sea) to the Pacific Ocean. …
There are locks at each end to lift ships up to Gatun Lake (85 feet (26 m) above sea-level). The Gatun Lake was used to reduce the amount of work required for a sea-level connection. The current locks are 110 feet (33.5 m) wide. A third, wider lane of locks is being built.
… ownership of the territory that is now the Panama Canal was first Colombian, then French, and then American before coming under the control of the Panamanian government in 1999.
Saturday I’m headed to Panama City for a week.
And then San Salvador.
Volunteering in both nations for the International Gymnastics Federation. 5-day coaching courses.
The reason? … It’s freezin’
From there I’ll join my parents, brother Rob, dog Pete and entourage in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.
Weep for me.
That was the observation made by John Howard to this photo on Facebook.
Karin Closson:
… We saw the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Angkor Watt in Cambodia, the Taj Mahal in India, the city of Petra in Jordan, the Parthenon in Athens, the Coliseum and St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Table Mountain in South Africa, Machu Picchu in Peru to name a few.
When you ask the kids what was there favorite part, they loved the self-drive safari in Namibia. Seeing zebras, elephants, giraffes and lions in their natural habitat was unreal and sleeping in a tent on top of the truck while you listen to the lions roaring at night was definitely an awesome memory. …
I will say that this trip has been the best thing that I have done so far in this life, other than getting married and becoming a mom!
I would encourage everyone to try something like this. It doesn’t have to be for a year or a trip around the world! You could go for 2 months and stay in one country! I really think the value in this trip was the time spent with my family, going off the beaten path …
read more – The Wrap Up, the final chapter!
Karin, Kim, Shay and Tegan (The Closson Clan)
Lots of white space left on the map.
I stayed at the posh Sheba hotel, gorging on two buffet meals daily.
Mornings I enjoyed a pot of Arabian coffee with hot milk. Omelette with Foul (Fūl medammis) and all manner of sides.
Fresh fruit and yogurt. Sweet lassi the mornings it was available. Staff at Sheba are mostly Hindi.
On every dinner plate was hummus. … And six or seven mains.
Deserts are fantastic in the Middle East. I’d sample 4-5 each night, always including variations of bread pudding.
My guide and translator, Malik, likes a local tea shop.
… Yemenis take their tea seriously, and while Yemen may be the birthplace of coffee, it is tea that reigns king amongst hot beverages here. Drinking tea in Sana’a is more than just getting a caffeine fix. It is a way to watch the world go by, see friends socially, and let go after a long day …
Malik and I would stop, too, for inexpensive mashed potatoes. Super popular here.
A number of healthy topping are available: salt, pepper, chilli, tomato sauce, etc.
The most impressive street food is hot bread.
Check the hand speed of the cook.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
more street food photos
Rick McCharles 