PANAMA - The ocean's kiss

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When the mighty KLM MD 11 of all lands' Tocumen airport in Panama CITY, myself and his benny are in a comatose state, and lavarvale disconnected for no sleep and a long journey, too.
Nearly 11 hours before we left behind us, work, friends, cold, rain in order to realize a dream I had since a child when bewitched by Atlanti, I could see in this strip of green land a kind of eden new, unknown, a land wild, or a distant and mystical place where it can still really excited. Over the years, I have lost some of that magic that share my adventurous mind, I added to my soul wisdom and reality, rationality and again cuorisità. Panama also only for the sound of his words, those with "a" which is reminiscent of an exotic, exciting, unknown. Perhaps the great interest that I have always had the green places, forests, nature incontanimanata has its origin right here, where I have come now. `C is to add that my studies since then have increased this curiosity: studying the Incas, Jesuits towards the New World, Spain's role in the colonization of the Americas, Panama has always played a prominent role, the center of passage for example, that funny guy of Pizarro in his great enterprise, the conquest and destruction of the Inca civilization.
The first impact is strange stifling hot, modern, music, a bit of green ... mah ... not the Panama or maybe I was looking for what I was looking for or trying not exist, or no longer exists. I have the wrong century, time, world?
No, not so.
Having disposed of the attacks of sleep and fatigue, he slept 13 hours in Sevilla Suites, we are finally ready to go and discover this country is S-shaped horizontal isthmus country, striscionlina of forests and water, blue and green colors conditioning and dominant landscape of Panama.
Go up on one of the Red Devils, beautiful and colorful old American school bus, the names that travel from east to west, raking away Espana to calle 12, get off to venture in Casco Antiguo, Panama rebuilt after the violent attack of the pirates Morgan of 1671.
The neighborhood is undergoing restructuring, in part, and partly no, maintains intact its colonial charm, beautiful churches, the beautiful theater, the square Bolivar (can never miss in Latin Am) and the square of the independence , obtained in 1903 but in reality is a historical contradiction. How to confirm the love panameños: l `Panama obtained independence from Spain in 1821 and then separated from Colombia in 1903 ... here's the truth, dear ... the history books.
Panama CITY was founded by the Spaniards in 1519, ten years after a group of adventurers led by Iberian Vasco Núñez de Balboa discovered the first time in history the South Seas, ie the `Pacific Ocean.
Founded the city, just a disgrace: a head its founder Pedro Arias de Avial, Pedrarias, horrible and cruel governor of the province, without scruples and without hesitation in massacring the natives of the place,
The town became important for gold and silver which came from Peru, then the pirates came and destroyed it, then infested by yellow fever, tropical diseases and dying who came from all the colonies for the fantastic inbarcarsi towards Peru.
The reconstructed 8 km further west, towards the Bay of Ancon, now the center of town. From here you can enjoy a fantastic view of the skyline of Panama, really exciting. The effects of the Canal and its wealth is beginning to glimpse in the urban landscape of the city, in the clothes of the people in its machines, as americanissimi eating, increase human and physical weight to their wallets if you want to visit .. Panama .. . andateci because of race soon become a luxury for our miserable European portfolios.
THE CHANNEL: OPERA MAESTRA, a symbol of the power of man to change the geography of changing climatic conditions, geological, sociological, structural and physical properties of a place, perhaps the greatest work of engineering ever developed, the scene of a vast incredible from major commercial and political.
Opened in 1914, the channel saw the spill of 205 million cubic meters of earth, and for the first time Atlantic and Pacific that gave a passionate kiss that nature had never granted, uniting them forever through the long mouth of the water blue. But that kiss was not Panameña was American ... everything was American: its construction, the territoriality of the channel, his immense fortune, l `induced impressive, everything was made in the USA ... and that Panama sopprusso at his home could not be digested. And as if the `independence was only on paper, first from Spain to Colombia, then Colombia and then to the U.S.? nothing .. Americans obviously are not left simply to the Panamanian bricciole immersed nellla poverty and fascinated by que no wonder that wearing any kind of advantage.
Finally in 1977, Carter gave the go-to retreat the U.S., and the channel became Panameña January 1st 2000!
Here begins the story of a new country that if it can exploit in a fair and honest the enormous fortunes of this bridge between the Americas will bring news and perhaps become the first Central American Tigre!
But Panama is not only the channel and the city: we will be right in its magical rain forests, in contact with its luxuriant nature, a sense of preservation of nature that I had seen only in Costa Rica, and then a fabulous place - GAMBOA Rainforest Resort : sort of eco-lodge to five stars, phantasmagoric resurrection in the middle of the green and on the banks of the Chagres River in a charming hotel nestled in its natural environment, surrounded by animals at large, crocodiles, toucans, capybara, tarantulas, the largest reserves bird watching in the world, a center for research on the global biosphere, biodiversity and the study on tropical issues.
GAMBOA, historic center of the lives of the working channel, is now a museum open to the sky, its colorful wooden houses ancient, insidious nature that surrounds everything and everyone, a green and total, flowers, colors, and continuous Cinquetti constant of birds, flying above our heads threatening eagles harpies, the national animal of Panama.
Green, green, blue and even blue: here the Chagres River flows into the channel, the fruit has a different flavor, densely complete and authentic, the air is pure and when I swing it my `l Hamaca watching endless green hills of forest and a sky blue, I think maybe I found one that Panama was for me, a still untouched eden, a distant, unknown .. even if it was not so, I imagine.
The last few days will pass them on the island of Taboga, panorama from postcards, flowers galore, the second oldest church in the entire PACIFIC COAST, green forests, dolphins and panameños kind dedicated to the dolce far niente. We eat from the top of a memorable terrace, overlooking the Pacific Ocean `do not forget to take a step up, is called the Veranda Hotel Terraza ... is hotel and restaurant, very special.
The rest are the nights of matte Panameños with music, food and so on .. movida causeway, a fantastic strip of land obtained by combining channel now carini three islands, Perico, Flamengo and Amador .. nice beaches, forest, bar, discos Some hotels, restaurants, and lots of great music.
The question remains healthy