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Panama, Panama, Panama
Greetings from Panama! My name is Marina Ehrman and I have been a professional tour guide and promoter for Panama Tourism and Travel Company since 2005. I love what I do and am proud to share what my country has to offer. It is filled with endless leisure and commercial attractions, friendly happy people who open their doors to all visitors. Panama is a country of incomparable natural beauty with a variety of tourist attractions, beautiful beaches in the Pacific and Caribbean. The tropical climate year round with its diversified flora, fauna and indigenous groups make it one of the most important of Ecotourism in Latin America. I invite you to know our country’s history, culture and also enjoy the cuisine, folklore and traditions that only a place in the world can provide………Panama! Contact me and I’ll organize your visit and will be happy to welcome you in Panama. For more information on Panama, follow my Facebook page and my blog. Visit www.panamatourismtravel.com

Recipe : Patacones (Fried Green Plantain)

Tour Suggested

Typical Dinner & Show


 
3 green plantains
1 teaspoon salt
Pepeer
Garlic (optional )
Oil




Preparation:
  1. Peel the plantains, the easiest way to peel a green plantain is to make the lengthwise cut on one of the angles, the cut should be skin deep without touching the actual flesh of the plantain, then use the knife to raise the skin and peel it off.
  2. Cut the plantains into thick slices, you can make straight cuts or slightly diagonal cuts.
  3. Heat the canola oil add the garlic ( optional ) over medium high heat in a frying pan – use enough oil to almost cover the plantain slices – or a deep fryer, temperature should be about 350 F, fry the plantains until they start to get yellow, but not golden.
  4. Remove the plantains and place on paper towels to drain the oil.
  5. Use a wood mortar and pestle (or the bottom of a glass jar or glass) to smash and flatten the plantains, do this gently to keep the slices from breaking, a few cracks is ok as long as the whole slice remains in one piece.
  6. Sprinkle the plantain slices with salt and other seasonings (if using the raw garlic rub it on the slices).
  7. Reheat the oil, temperature should be about 375 F and fry the plantains until golden on each side, about 1-2 minutes per side.
  8. Remove from the oil, drain again on paper towels, and add additional seasoning if needed.
  9. Serve warm as a side dish or as an appetizer with dipping sauces.

Guna Yala : Mamitupu





A very traditional island, the making of coconut soap, sugarcane press. Focus on daily Guna tasks and also they sale a lot Guna molas


Mamitupu River



Guna Yala : Achutupu Island



Achutupu is an Island  in Guna Yala. The island is home to a dense population of Guna people: one of the most densely populated in Guna Yala. It is a popular gateway to the rest of Guna Yala, though there is no place for tourists to stay the night.

Walking around Achutupu can be an interesting experience. All the women are dressed in Guna's traditional costume. Children in varying states of undress play in the streets and on the beaches. Many families own pigs.

Despite obvious overcrowding, islanders reserve space for a basketball court which, with the nearby stores, is the hub of local life. There is also a Gathering House, where the community governs its affairs. The Chicha House is the other important public building and is where islanders celebrate the coming-of-age of their girls.

What to do in Achutupu ?

 
  • Spend a day observing traditional Guna village life
  • Hire a boat to take you to one of the many surrounding islands
  • Ask about the large community gathering house in the center of the island: many important Guna   events take place here.










  • How we Celebrate Carnival in Panama ?







    How much water is required to fill a lock chamber?

     
    101,000 cubic meters of water are needed to fill a Panama Canal lock chamber. An average of 52 million gallons of fresh water are used in each transit.

    What was the total construction cost of the Panama Canal ?

    The total construction cost of the Panama Canal was of approximately US$375,000,000, which included the US$10 million paid to Panama, and US$40 million paid to the French Canal Company for the rights to the Canal. Some authors mention a cost of US$387,000,000, but this amount includes the expense of fortifying the Canal, which is a cost separate from the actual Canal construction.



    How long does it take for a complete transit?



    A ship takes an average of 8 to 10 hours to transit the Panama Canal.

     
     

    Who was the 1st Chief Engineer during the construction under US administration?


    On May 6th, 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt appointed John F. Wallace Chief Engineer of the Panama Canal Project. The job awarded Wallace a $25,000 annual salary -- the highest of any government employee other than the President. On June 21, Wallace, along with assistant engineer William Karner, set sail on the Allianca from New York. After a rough weeklong voyage, the ship arrived in Colón, Panama during the rainy season. The streets were thick with impassible mud and houses elevated just a few feet above dirty, foul smelling water. Wallace and his men were not optimistic about the future in their new home.
    Wallace realized almost immediately that the Isthmus' harsh terrain would be a serious obstacle to construction. The task ahead of him seemed impossible: to dig a channel 50 miles in length and 30 feet below sea level stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific coast. He would have to cut through dense jungle, control parts of the flood-prone Chagres River and haul away sections of the Culebra Mountain hundreds of feet above sea level. Daunted, Wallace asked for more time to survey the area, but Roosevelt's directive to "Make the dirt fly!" prevented any further delay

    To meet the government's demands for fast, visible progress on the canal, Wallace attempted to excavate the spoil as quickly as possible, but flooding and landslides caused repeated setbacks. The delays damaged morale among workers already suffering from terrible food and living conditions.

    Logistical problems added to the inefficiency. At the start of the project, the laborers only had at their disposal the antiquated machines left behind a decade earlier. Soon Wallace ordered newer equipment from the U.S., but the giant steam shovels excavated more spoil than the existing train infrastructure could remove, forcing Wallace to operate them at 25% of their peak efficiency or less.
    Wallace also faced bureaucratic challenges from Isthmian Canal Commission (ICC). A seven-member presidential committee was established to help avoid the inefficiency and corruption that had plagued the French 15 years earlier. The ICC had to approve every decision Wallace made in the Canal Zone. With engineers filling out more than 1,000 work request forms weekly, even the simplest tasks often took months to complete.
    Overwhelmed, Wallace resigned abruptly in June 1905. His successor was railroad mastermind John Stevens, engineer of the Great Northern Railroad that traversed the Pacific Northwest. Right at the start of his tenure Stevens did the one thing that Wallace failed to do -- stop digging.


    Itinerary : Panama Canal Full Transit Tour

    About 8-9 hours
      
    The tour starts at 7:00AM at the Flamenco Island in Amador Causeway in Panama City. You will check-in at the ship to start this adventure. The ship will cross under the Bridge of the Americas (Puente de Las Americas) and then start your transit through the Miraflores Locks, the first set of locks. While in Miraflores you will ascend 18 meters in two steps. After that you will find yourself transiting the artificial Miraflores Lake which is located just between the Miraflores Locks and Pedro Miguel Locks. You will still be in the Pacific Ocean.


    At Pedro Miguel Locks the ship will ascend again another 9 meters in one step. While exiting Pedro Miguel Locks you will transit the Gaillard Cut (Corte Culebra). This area is full of history, is one of the most important points of attraction of this trip. Also, you will witness the works being done for the Canal expansion project.
    Then you’ll find Gatun Lake. The second largest man-made lake in the world. You will find the Barro Colorado – Smithsonian Research Station and then you will transit the Gatun Locks the last and only set of locks located in the Atlantic side. At this point you will experience a 26 meters drop in three different steps which will complete your transit through the Panama Canal.
    You will dock at Pier 6 in the Colon area where the transportation is provided to return to Panama City.

    What's Special about the Panama Canal Full Transit Tour?

    • English/Spanish guide-narrator.
    • Continental Breakfast.
    • Complete Lunch, bottled water and soft drinks
    • Snacks
    • Transportation by bus from Colon to Flamenco Island in Panama City where tour started

    Albert Einstein brief Panama visit

    On January 4, 1933 aboard the Steamship Belgenland Professor Albert Einsten Albert Einstein, one of the world's foremost scientists, and author of the theory of relativity cross the Panama Canal on route to California

    Distinguished Travelers Visit Panama's Bazaars at the City of Colon : Professor Albert Einstein, with his wife, laden with packages of souvenirs for their children, purchased in the bazaars of the tropical city, where they stopped while en route to California Einstein insisted that the Hindu clerks be included in the photograph

    Professor Einstein with Frau Einstein enjoying a horse-drawn carriage ride in Front Street Colon, Rep. of Panama.


    Steamship Belgenland crossing the Panama Canal