Panamá 2012. Panamá City: Parque Natural Metropolitano & La Calzada de Amador
Note: In 2012, I had the opportunity to travel to Panamá with our good friend Sally. I loved every minute of our week there. I wrote a series of posts at the time; this one is an addition. Links to the others are below.
F&F Tower (©rubydiazmendez. skyscrapercenter.com).
The black, white, Indian, and peasant figures of Ricuarte Martínez's 2003 monument, who are raising the Panamanian flag together, symbolize the contributions of all Panamanians to the building of their country.
Although Panama declared its independence from Colombia in 1903, with the aid of the US under President Theodore Roosevelt, it did not gain complete control of its land until the very end of the century. On December 31, 1999, full possession of the Panama Canal Zone, which includes La Calzada de Amador, reverted from the US to Panama.
Formerly occupied by US Fort Grant, once Panama resumed ownership of La Calzada de Amador, the causeway began to see major revitalization. Walking and bike paths were added alongside the roadway. The BioMuseo: Museo de la Biodiversidad, designed by Frank Gehry, was under construction while we were there. The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute: Punta Calebra Nature Center was established. Hotels and restaurants sprang up. The area became popular with tourists and known for its leisure activities.
There is the other side of tourism and leisure, also. Imagine people sweeping your street with a broom and dust pan, rather than a vehicle driving along it sweeping up debris. We were told that Panama was attempting to have every worker employed, even if it meant being a street sweeper, clearly an uncomfortable physical job, even more so in hot, humid weather.
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R: Cucaracha del mar (sea cockroach).
Brain Coral.
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The BioMuseo: Museo de la Biodiversidad, designed by Frank Gehry, was under construction at the time. It opened in 2014.
The BioMuseo, focused on the natural history of Panamá, includes the Garden of Independence, Garden of Evolution, Garden of Microdiversity, Garden of Crops, Garden of Survival, Garden of Water, Walkway of the Canal, and Plaza of the People.
Parque Natural Metropolitano
The Parque Natural Metropolitano, the "lungs of Panamá City," is part of the city's green belt of protected tropical rainforests.
"Path."
Sally hikin' out!
Turtles. Lizard
Tropical flora.
Park nursery.
Bonsai Gardens.
Street entrance to Jardines del Bonsai.
Amazing vines.
Howler Monkeys in the vines.
Looking from Parque Natural toward Panamá City. Slums in foreground. Modern Panamá City beyond. F&F Tower, aka Revolution Tower, is the twisted building.
Completed in 2011, just the year before Sally and I were in Panamá, F & F Tower is 53 stories built of concrete. Each floor is rotated 9° from the one below and thus is able to have 4 balconies.
La Calzada de Amador (Amador Causeway)
On our last day in Panama, Sally and I took a taxi to the end of La Calzada de Amador and walked back to the beginning. Amador Causeway consists of four islands that were connected using excavated dirt and rock from the Culebra Cut during the building of the Panama Canal.
La Calzada de Amador (Amador Causeway).
Pilares de la Patria stands at entrance to La Calzada de Amador.
The black, white, Indian, and peasant figures of Ricuarte Martínez's 2003 monument, who are raising the Panamanian flag together, symbolize the contributions of all Panamanians to the building of their country.
Remains of Fort Grant.
Like the rest of Amador Causeway, Ancon Hill at the tip was off limits to Panamanians until the end of 1999. Today it is popular for hiking, wildlife, & its vistas.
Formerly occupied by US Fort Grant, once Panama resumed ownership of La Calzada de Amador, the causeway began to see major revitalization. Walking and bike paths were added alongside the roadway. The BioMuseo: Museo de la Biodiversidad, designed by Frank Gehry, was under construction while we were there. The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute: Punta Calebra Nature Center was established. Hotels and restaurants sprang up. The area became popular with tourists and known for its leisure activities.
Looking down La Calzada de Amador.
Street sweepers.
La Playita Harbor. Sally & I had begun our day-long full transit of the Panama Canal from here, in the 100-year old, 300-foot-long Islamorada.
Near La Playita, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Punta Culebra Nature Center includes exhibits, hands-on experiences, and trails that allow visitors to get close to Panamá's land and sea inhabitants.
Sloth in tree. Lizard in tree.
Another lizard. Closeup.
Mangrove tree in touching pool.
Estrellas (sea stars). Sea cucumber.
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Brain Coral.
Lion fish strutting.
Buenos dias!
After touring the Punta Culebra Nature Center, we stopped for coffee at nearby Mi Ranchito.
View from Mi Ranchito across harbor to skyscrapers of Punta Paitilla & Punta Pacifica areas of modern Panama City.
Some of the flora grow where we live, but others were unfamiliar. All were vibrant with intense color.
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Unripe dates & ripening dates on date palms.
Coconut Palm. Hibiscus.
The BioMuseo: Museo de la Biodiversidad, designed by Frank Gehry, was under construction at the time. It opened in 2014.
Aerial view of BioMuseo (Photography courtesy, Biomuseo And © Fernando Alda).
Walking Amador Causeway back toward town.
El Puente de las Americas (Bridge of the Americas), under which ships pass to enter the Panama Canal.
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Links other Panamá posts:
Was that really 15 years ago!?! Great trip. I took Dan there a few years later. Really enjoyed Panama.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool trip! Great pictures. It must be wonderful to relive a great trip like that by sharing more about it. K Parker
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