Distance to Date: 12,000 km, 7,440 mi

Panama has been on our radar since we started the trip back in January in Ushuaia. Not only is it the mid-point of our journey, but we also have a good friend who lives in Boquete near the border of Costa Rica. Having crossed the Darien Gap, we were super excited to go see him.

Thanks to him and Shirley of Oferta Simple, they arranged a school visit for us in Panama City and also complimentary nights at Luna's Castle Hostel in the Casco VIejo area of Panama City. We also got tours of Boquete and Coronado by the folks of Inside Panama Real Estate. Thanks!!!

The day before we left Meteti was Flag Day for Panama. A parade of local school marching bands paraded the one street down this sleeping town. We visited a good friend of ours in Boquete. We know Ryan from our Arizona climbing days. He now lives and works in Panama. Tauru, Ryan, Shirley, Christi and Dan's wife at a going get-together. Oliver, who works for Inside Panama Real Estate, takes us around for a tour of Coronado. From up here, smiles are easy to come by. Down below, a pool overlooks the beach a hundred feet in front of it. Cool pool design. We take a bus back to Panama City in order to visit a school for the blind. But before doing so, we snack on some ceviche at the local fish market. oh yeah, there's joy. Special thanks to the folks at Luna's Castle Hostelin the Casco Viejo area of Panama City for sponsoring our stay in the city while we visit a school for the blind. Escuela Nacional de Ciegos Helen Keller. We didn't video or photograph since the kids were so young, but it was a really good experience and visit. We then head for the canals. This is water off of lake near the canal, and it generates electricity for the city. Here is one of the locks at Miraflores Locks. We take our obligatory tourist photo. Check out the water level difference! A massive ship waits in the distance for its turn at one of the two channels. This ship is considered a Panamax since it is absolutely the maximum width and cargo that can go through these canals. Once in, the clearance is measured in inches! While it gets ready to enter, a smaller ship takes one of the lanes. These boats pay on average about $105,000 USD to pass through the canal. This saves them 2 wks of rounding Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America.