TRAVEL BREAKS
Ross Thorby: This wasn’t a tour for the faint of heart... This morning we anchored in front of Panama City. For the day, our ship would be resting in the shadow of the world’s newest metropolis, with a mass of beautifully designed concrete and steel skyscraper monoliths reaching all the way down the coast into the hazy distance. This is Dubai on steroids. The last time I transited the canal, we had ex-president General Noriega’s prison pointed out to us; set in amongst the sweaty mosquito ridden jungle, and even though he died only a few months later, his legacy still lingers today as Panama struggles with its past. The old city of Panama has been rebuilt three times. The Spanish devastated the city in 1549 to steal its gold, the Americans bombed it in 1982 in an attempt to kill Noriega, and now the money that the canal provides means that the new city is now the powerhouse financing the old city’s regeneration. Once a haven of crime and danger it has now been transformed by a government determined to reclaim it from the gangs, and with the creation of a community police force the criminals have now left for ‘new’ Panama, and the revitalisation of the ‘old city’ has begun in earnest.The beautiful old Spanish and French architecture is being restored, cafes and restaurants have popped up along the cobbled lanes and churches, statues and monuments are being re-polished, repaired and restored. Our guide for the day was Victor, who was born and raised here. Victor concentrates his tours on the raw side of Panama; the areas where he hung out as a kid, skirting around the edges of the gang culture. This wasn’t a tour for the faint of heart. This was both raw and shocking as well as colourful and invigorating. It may still be the poor part of town, but street art abounds on every corner, and colour and vibrancy fill the streets. Victor often stopped vendors and street sellers so that we could try the various donuts and frozen tamarind ices that they were hawking. Old ladies waved dolefully from behind caged doorways and young ladies on street corners blew us kisses from afar. Escaping the heat into a saloon, we were introduced to the local beer and also a chance to try the local firewater, Panama rum. My eyes were burning with the fumes from close proximity to the glass, but hey when in Rome.
72 PONSONBY NEWS+ August 2020
Stepping back into the light from the cool, shady darkness of the bar, we found ourselves in the middle of the “Old Quarter”. Sitting under a shaded iron roof was a group of old gentlemen passing the time of day playing dominoes. Beckoning us over they insisted that we sit and play. Tentatively at first but encouraged by Victor, we sat at a table as one of his old friends planted himself in an empty chair and demanded a game. Apparently...”he who loses buys the beer”. Two games later and we, the gringos, were winning. Our new found friends’ smiles began to droop and there was not quite so much laughing in the air. While conscious of the growing tension, curiosity got the better of me and when I asked Victor why they kept calling him Noriega he explained that our opponent had in fact been General Noriega’s personal chef. Fearing retaliation, or that he might still retain credentials matching that of his ex and now late boss, we all began to delicately extricate ourselves, backing out of the shade and towards the safety of the street. But then I realised I had an opportunity too good to pass up. Regular Ponsonby News readers know that it has a page devoted to travelling readers having their picture taken in exotic settings, holding the magazine. There have been some spectacular images - such as photos taken from Everest Base Camp among others. Some have even been photographed while traversing the Sahara on camels. But surely fate delivering the connection to one of the 20th Century’s most brutal dictators, was too good an opportunity to miss. Without a hard copy of the magazine at hand (note to self, ALWAYS travel with a copy of the Ponsonby News) we discovered that despite being in the backwaters of Panama, we could enjoy an extremely modern version of the internet - also on steroids. With a copy of the front page downloaded onto my trusty iPhone and within seconds fame and renown were just a deadline away. So a challenge has been laid down. We may still be fighting Covid-19, but do your best dear travelling reader and top that. PN (ROSS THORBY)
PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)
