Portobello - Colon - 44 Kilometres 29
I awoke with an upset stomach and felt like I had dined from a garbage truck the
previous night. Despite this, we packed up and biked along a scenic coastal route to
Colon.
Unfortunately, my camera was playing up and, as Colon was a free trade zone, we
turned in to see if there were any camera bargains. There were plenty of warnings
about Colon being a nasty and dangerous place. We, nonetheless, met only friendly
people (all warning us about the dangers), ready to help us find a safe place to
overnight. Our hotel was lovely, and I searched out the free trade zone.
Unfortunately, I thought the shops were a rip-off, not a place to get a good deal. I
looked but couldn’t see any cameras I liked at a reasonable price and thought it
best to have mine fixed.
The following day was laundry day and time to sort out internet stuff which was, by
then, long overdue. Colon was close to the Panama Canal, but I never saw the
canal.
Colon – Panama City - 90 Kilometres
Panama is a small country that made for effortless pedalling across from the
Atlantic coast to Panama City on the Pacific coast. The ride wasn’t bad; a tad hilly
but no rain. On riding into Panama City, we encountered a sprawling, cosmopolitan
area. The city was the centre for international banking and trade in Panama and,
hence, sported a modern skyline of glass and steel towers.
Biking around searching for a budget room revealed we were in the wrong area.
Instead of budget accommodation, we only found international hotels to the likes of
Le Meridian, The Radisson and the Continental. Ultimately, a more reasonably
priced room was discovered in the old part of town.