Visiting an Emberá Village in Panama

On December 17, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Central America2 Comments

Visiting an indigenous village is always fascinating and if you go to Panama City there are tours that will take you to an Emberá village. The Emberá people are tribes that live in the Panama rainforest and still keep their traditional lifestyle. They make a living by hosting tour groups and selling their native crafts which include wood carvings, basket weaving, and jewelry. You can find these crafts being sold in Panama City, but purchasing them in the village will ensure that the money spent goes directly to the families that created them. They are very proud of their traditions and are happy to share them with the people who visit their villages.

There are several different villages along the river in the rainforest, each comprised of different families. In order to reach one of the villages, we travelled in a motorized dugout canoe, which was hand carved by the villagers. On our way, we stopped to see a beautiful waterfall. We were fortunate that there were no others on the tour besides ourselves, which made it even more enjoyable. In order to reach the waterfall, we walked up through the stream, so bringing a change of shoes is advised. If you want to go swimming, you can also bring swimming suits, although we chose not to during our tour.

Our guide took us to one of the more remote villages, which was nice because not as many tours take the time to go there and we ended up being the only people to visit that village that day. As we beached our canoe, family members came to the village entrance and greeted us with traditional music. We then had time to wander through the village and learn more about their daily life. Their homes are simple huts with open walls and everyone sleeps on the floor. In the past, the Emberá tribe members wore nothing but small swaths of cloth around their waist, but now the women also cover up their chests as well since tourists were tending to stare at them too much.

Lunch was being prepared for the entire village as well as for ourselves and while it cooked over an open fire we watched the children playing in the open area in the heart of the village. The only modern building in the village is the school, which is built by the government, and teachers arrive on weekdays to provide lessons for children up to the age of 12 to 14. Although older children will leave the village to go on to higher education, most of them return upon completion to rejoin their village or to marry into another village. It is a very simple life, but the people that live in the village seem very happy.

After eating our lunch of tilapia and plantains served in a banana leaf, the villagers gathered together to play traditional music and dances. We also had the opportunity to get a tribal tatoo, which is more like a hemp tatoo that only lasts a couple of weeks. Afterwards, we took our time to look at the crafts that were set up in a large hut with each table belonging to a separate family. For any craft that you purchase, the money goes directly to the family that created it. We were told before going to the village not to give candy or money directly to villagers other than to purchase items. If you want to give them money, it should be given to the chief, who will then be sure that it gets distributed properly.

As we went down to our canoe to head back to our van, many of the villagers came down to the river to wish us goodbye and to cool off by swimming in the river. Once again, we were invited to join them, but chose not to go swimming. It was truly an interesting day and the Emberá tribe members were extremely friendly and welcoming. Visiting an Emberá village is certainly worth taking the time to do when spending time in Panama. It is also an excellent way to spend a little time deeper in the rainforest, enjoy the beautiful scenery, and see some of the wildlife in the area.

The Locks of the Panama Canal

On December 13, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Central America6 Comments

Any visit to Panama City should certainly include visiting the locks at the Panama Canal. The new locks opened in 2016 and is definitely a source of national pride for the country as this was the first project run by Panama in the canal. Although you don’t have to understand the history of the Panama Canal to appreciate how impressive the locks are from an engineering perspective. It is obviously much more than a source of pride for the country as every ship that passes through the canal pays fees that can be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and potentially even up to a million dollars.

The new locks are able to accommodate even larger ships as well as allow ships to get through the locks even faster, both of which means more revenue for the country. The new and old locks sit side by side and both are always in use as ships queue up to wait their turn to get through the locks. Tug boats steer them into the locks, which either raise or lower the water depending upon the direction they are going in order to allow them to continue on their journey. Depending upon the time of year, the new locks have the ability to reserve the water and reuse it for each time that the water is raised and lowered in order to keep the dam levels in Gutan Lake at an appropriate level.

Observation Tower with a Ship in the Locks

The original design for the canal by the French engineers was to just build a sea level canal without the use of locks. The original construction of the canal failed for a lot of reasons including yellow fever and the sheer difficulty of the task. When the US took over construction, they originally considered continuing to do a sea level canal, but eventually concluded that the locks would be a better solution. The Panama Canal was first completed in 1913, however it was overshadowed by the start of World War I. It remained an important military strategic advantage for the United States through the end of World War II.

A Drastic Change in the Depth of the Water

When visiting the locks, be sure to either go to the Panama Canal Museum in Casco Viejo beforehand or at least listen to the 20 minute video at the canal locks themselves. A visit to the locks will only take you about an hour, but be sure to stay long enough to at least watch one ship enter or leave the locks so that you can see them in action. We went as part of a longer tour, which is a great way to see the locks and then end up out on the canal itself. We were also treated to something special as our guide arranged it for us to walk across the old locks, which isn’t normally allowed. We weren’t allowed to stop or take pictures as we hustled across the lock. We also drove back across the locks, which is fascinating as well, but that road will not be used in the future when the new bridge is finished.

Casco Viejo in Panama City

On December 10, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Central America3 Comments

If you go to Panama City, it is important that you take time to visit Casco Viejo, which is the historic district in the city. Originally established in 1673 by the Spanish, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to a variety of historic buildings, churches, restaurants, shops, and hotels. As you walk the streets of Casco Viejo you will find a wonderful mix of architecture that spans the 350+ years of its history. Depending upon the time of day, it can be quite busy, especially on the weekend, but not so busy that you can’t enjoy all of the sights.

Although you can hire a guide to take you through Casco Viejo, we felt that it was easy enough to navigate and learn about the various historic sites without the need for a guide or the hassle of dealing with a group tour. All of the signs were in both Spanish as well as English, so it was easy to understand what you were seeing and there is plenty of information on each of the sites in tourist books, maps, and the internet. We started our tour of Casco Viejo at Plaza Herrera where we enjoyed the park with its Christmas decorations as well as the statue of General Tomas Herrera. We were in Panama City days before National Independence Day, so many of the buildings were adorned with flags, buntings, and banners.

Our next stop was at Iglesia Santo Domingo and the Flat Arch (Arco Chato), which is a 17th century church and convent that was destroyed by fire in 1756 and never rebuilt. From there, we made our way down to Plaza Francia, which was once the main square of the city. Today, it provides wonderful views of downtown Panama City as well as hosts a walking street that is lined with local artists selling traditional Panamanian arts and crafts.

There are several wonderful churches within Casco Viejo such as Iglesia San Francisco de Asis, which is the smallest, but perhaps one of the prettiest. It sits on Plaza Bolivar, which is pretty much the heart of Casco Viejo. The beautiful Catedral Metropolitana is certainly an important feature within the city as is La Iglesia de La Merced with its unique architecture. There is also the Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus, which was destroyed by a fire in 1781 and later damaged further by an earthquake in 1882. We were fortunate that it was open the day that we visited as we were in Casco Viejo on several other days and the gate was locked, keeping visitors on the outside of the building.

Fountain with Downtown Panama City in the Background

The presidential palace is also located in Casco Viejo, although you aren’t allowed to enter as it is still the residence of the president of Panama. The National Theatre was closed for renovations while we were there, but we read that it is worth visiting as it is supposed to be beautiful on the inside. The Canal Museum is certainly worth visiting as it provides not only a history of the Panama Canal, but it also provides insight into the history of the isthmus in general. We were fortunate to catch part of a dance competition in one of the plazas during our visit, which a unique cultural experience.

If you are looking for souvenirs, Casco Viejo is certainly the place to go. There are many shops selling local items as well as typical tourist items. We ate dinner almost every night in Casco Viejo as there are so many restaurants to choose from. Without a doubt, any visit to Panama City should include spending time in this wonderful historic district. You will likely find yourself caught in a downpour at some point during your time in Casco Viejo, so use that opportunity to join the locals in a pub or café as they watch the rain quickly come and go.