Porto Bello was interesting but it's one of those places that can legitimately be described as a footnote to history.  Located at the head of a lovely bay surrounded by rainforest clad hills, the once hugely important town of Porto Bello, scene of raids by Drake and Henry Morgan to name but two, has preserved its 18th Cent forts as impressive monuments with massive gun platforms and the guns still in place.  Also preserved are the superb 18thC Customs house.  It is said that at the height of its trading career as the port of trans-shipment of South American gold from mule trains crossing the isthmus to the Spanish treasure fleets, there was so much gold in the warehouse that silver ingots were stacked in the street.  Alas no more.  The current town is a very poor little place with a few stores and a lot of concrete box bungalows.  The only other point of interest is the big church which contains the "Black Christ of Porto Bello" - an imposing statue carved with a long narrow Spanish face but painted black and dressed in princely robes.

 

Having "done" Porto Bello we sailed west to the Chagres river.  This river was dammed to form the Gatun lake, which provides both part of the thoroughfare of the canal and the water supply to feed the locks.  The lower 5 miles of the river below the dam are navigable and provide a magical retreat to any passing yacht.  The river is totally tranquil and surrounded with rainforest, within which lurk troops of howler monkeys which make a staggering amount of noise, various birds from herons to parrot like things, and some huge and wonderful butterflies - but no mosquitoes!