Panama - not the canal
Salamander
Sun 2 May 2010 14:19
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We stopped at Shelter Bay Marina as 'The
Flats' anchorage seemed rather unatttractive. What luxury! A swimming pool,
hot tub, air-conditioned TV room with luxurious sofas, large bathrooms and
a large book-swap. Burgers and chips and ice-cream available every day to the
delight of the children (and Murray). The lovely Susie (an American on a
power-boat) organised volley-ball most days along with a pot-luck dinner
party. Free buses to the shops at Colon.
The whole place is teeming with birds as it is
within the disused American military base of Sherman Fort. The buildings are
largely intact, providing superb nesting sites for 100s of birds. You can easily
walk to the San Lorenzo National Park. Four troops of howler monkeys have very
close territories and the sounds are beyong description. Caroline saw 4 Motmots
facing each other in a tree and with bobbing tails they produced a melodic sound
of stunning beauty.
Motmots
 We have seen spider monkeys, howler monkeys,acouti,
capybara, sloths, toucans, giant butterflies and two mammals we have yet to
identify. The bird life is beyond compare. Everything crosses the road at some
time and all you have to do is walk from the marina to the national park - what
a treat.
Howler monkeys
  Hummigbird
 Sloth
 Colon itself is dangerous - shops have signs
banning knives, guns and sunglasses. All the banks have armed guards with metal
detectors.
Panama City is modern. Malls such as the Pacific
have multi-plex cinemas with films in English and designer shops, though some
taxi drivers wil try to rip you off.
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