Trip to Panama (September 2002)

Jungle Day 3: Back at base camp

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Looking down on the landing strip (with horses grazing on it).
The picture looks a little fuzzy because of light rain/fog.
What a gorgeous mountain forest in the background.

A picture after a hike with Vlad.

Hernan next to an old 'locomotora' that used to haul gold
many miles from the mines to a river.

Overall, we saw lots of great birds (toucans, macaws, tanagers, puffbirds, you name it...)
We saw at least three kinds of monkeys: black spider monkeys, howler monkeys, and Capuchin monkeys.
The howler monkeys would literally make a loud howling noise (sounding like El Diablo himself),
in order to try and scare you away from them.
We saw one semi-poisonous snake, and one non-poisonous one.
There were many beautiful butterflies and other interesting bugs and frogs (including poisonous ones).

The next bunch of visitors to arrive in the plane that took us back
was a group of bug scientists (arachnophiliacs).
There are a lot of scientists and naturalists that visit Darien, plus various others
including the presidents of Panama and Colombia.

Jungle Pictures Courtesy of Pete Ferrara

Blue and Yellow Macaw

Great Jacamar This was a fantastic bird with a very colorful tail from behind	Frog	Mottled Owl This picture was taken during the day.  The owl was perched on the side of a wall of a deep pit near the mining machines, and was almost invisible. Our porter Vlad found him.

Other Days: Pictures from Panama City

    
A gorgeous old church in the Casco (Viejo) Antigua section of Panama City.
When pirates came to plunder the town, (in the left picture) they painted all the gold black,
so the pirates would think it was not worth anything (the trick worked).
They even convinced the pirates to make a small contribution to this 'poor' church.

Above the stage of the National Theatre of Panama.
This is truly a national treasure.

  
More pictures of the National Theatre.  There is a restoration project going on in this theatre.

The Panamaniam equivalent of the White House was nearby, and I strolled by.
But not before being questioned by a very serious looking guy,
who was clearly one of the elite presidential guard.
This was one case where my less-than-perfect Spanish was a benefit...
I was clearly a non-threatening tourist.  ;-)

Of course, don't forget to see the Panama Canal.

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