16/2/10 PANAMA

Shrove Tuesday.

Supposed to be the height of carnival here.  Went back to the Via Espania where it is all supposed to be happening, just loads of BBQ stalls, v. load music on boom boxes, people throwing paper confetti or getting you with their water pistols.  We found one street with water lorries spraying everybody nearby with big hoses.  Various info' on when the parade will be, which we read in the guide books was supposed to be one of the best carnivals outside Rio.  We have ascertained that it is most probably starting at 6p.m., we have also found out that because the drug cartels are no longer sponsoring the carnival there are not many floats this year and it is all disorganised.  Good that the drug cartels are being squashed and that the area has become safer for that reason but sad that nobody has stepped in to sponsor something that would attract tourists and bring money into the area and also something that is fun for everybody regardless of wealth.

Yesterday we went with the Blue Water Rally up to a nature reserve near the Panama canal on the Chagres River.  Small lifts take you above the forest canopy.  We saw huge termite nests hanging from trees, Toucans, Leaf ants, Sloughs and a type of Porcupine which seemed to be half way between a porcupine and a squirrel,  called a 'Mexican Hairy Porcupine' and was in the tree eating flowers.  We also saw a couple of Northern Racoons rummaging near the dingy dock.  In the Chargres River we saw quite a few crocodiles and terripines as well.  Just as well we yelled at the guy who jumped in for a swim, when we rafted up in Gatun Lake for the night on our way through the canal, to get out quickly!

I'm sure Panama is an amazing place if you spend time in the jungle exploring at an eco lodge it isn't so much fun being hearded

in a crowd and I think we would have been better off just going up to a lodge for a couple of nights, just the Aqualunies.

The City is a complete muddle, spread wide, the guide books talk about fantastic night life, so off we set to find it and came back to the yacht very dissapointed. Nearly everything seemed closed, there are areas you can't walk through as it's deemed too dangerous the 'sophisticated' city area where it was supposed to be good fun was a shambles of building sites.  The concerge at the Marriot Hotel gave us poor information and we never found the places she suggested we looked, we did find one on it's own in a run down area.  Frankly I would give Panama a big miss, it just seems to be too disorganised to get it's act together. We are waiting for some things for Aqualuna which should have arrived, our agent said it had arrived but now it can't be found and we are now told the container with some of the things has not arrived.  This place could make so much money if it had proper guidance as it is a gateway between east and west, the only thing well organisied area is the Canal.  The people are lovely and friendly and welcoming so Panama 'Wake Up' and get rid of your shabby image.