Panama City ^69
I woke on our rocking boat and could barely believe the Doña-Dora had made it to
Panama City. We watched the city skyline, waiting for high tide to go onto the pier.
Breakfast and lunch were served, and as other passengers had gradually left by
small launches, the meals served were heaps better.
The high tide allowed for mooring, but the swell made getting bikes and panniers
off the boat tricky as the boat bashed back and forth against the dock. However, I
was more than ready to get off and be on my way. Once off the boat, we headed to
a hotel to shower. A nearby supermarket provided supper and it was much different
from the past few days.
Panama City – Capira – 55 Kilometres
Departing Panama City meant biking across the Bridge of the Americas, which
spanned the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. There was no riding over this
bridge without snapping a few pics of the container ships coming into the canal.
The rest of the day was spent biking along an excellent but hilly route as we
followed our noses toward Costa Rica. As usual, the day came with blistering heat
and high humidity, which required frequent stops to fill up with water.
Upon reaching Capira, a rural settlement in the Cermeno Mountains, we found a
typical Spanish Colonial-type town centred around a church plaza. A room with a
balcony, where I could watch the rolling hills around the city, was home that night.