The Most Beautiful Place on Earth

530am- rise and shine! The bright Panamanian sun greeted us as we made our way to the Panamá Canal Railway, orignially built in 1847 before the beginning of the construction of the canal. Today, it is a tourist train that takes passengers on an hour ride from the city to the town of Colón (like cologne, not the Body organ). Doris told us about the history of the city of Colón, how it used to be an important place for sailors to stop, but it has since declined in economic state and safety. We could see remnants of the beautiful buildings that have now fallen into disrepair. It is termed "the forgotten city" and it reminded me a lot of the forgotten áreas in América where people are left to fend for themselves And in turn, safety and architecture decline dramatically. We could definitely see the beauty in the city, and all the potential for growth in this place.
We then went to Portobelo, meaning beautiful port, a main port in colonial times and was an integral part of the Spanish colonies. This port was attacked 7 times by pirates and invaders, so there are a lot of forts and ruins still standing today in this little fishing town. One thing we learned about colonial Portobelo is that the town would be dead throughout the year, but came to life the few weeks of the year the Spaniards came to port to trade goods. We could see the same pattern today, as it was pretty calm and dead when we were there, but it comes to life during Carnivale. We also spent time in the Catholic church with Jesús Negró, a statue of Jesús made of wood that has turned dark brown over time, and has be come an integral part of this town's beliefs. It is interesting how certain customs can continue over centuries of people going before us.
We ate at a seaside restaurant, where we ate seafood (a bunch of people had an entire fish!) and then we took a swim in the Carribean sea. Wow! The water is so warm and clear, and we were surrounded by the most beautiful hills and horizon scenery I have ever experienced. I spent a lot of time floating and admiring the creation around us- the most beautiful place on earth!
To top it off this amazing day, we met our new friends from Hernán's bday party, and boarded the evening city sightseeing bus tour, complete with música and refreshments. The city lit up is so beautiful! :)

Love, Jordan and Team Panama

Quote: "It is not the size of the plaintain, it's how you cook it" -Jake Curtis