{"id":11488,"date":"2018-10-09T21:46:24","date_gmt":"2018-10-10T01:46:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/snappingtheglobe.com\/?p=11488"},"modified":"2018-10-09T22:03:16","modified_gmt":"2018-10-10T02:03:16","slug":"panama-from-the-past","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/snappingtheglobe.com\/?p=11488","title":{"rendered":"Panama Of The Past"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a9 2018 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved<\/i>.<\/p>\n

Many ancient Spanish cities have maintained their old quarters.<\/p>\n

Panama City is no exception.<\/p>\n

The city, founded on August 15, 1519, lasted one hundred and fifty two years, until Governor Juan Perez de Guzman ordered it to be set to fire in 1671 in an attempt to thwart an attack by pirate Henry Morgan.\u00a0 A year later, construction began on the new city, then founded on January 21, 1673.\u00a0 Built on a peninsula, it was entirely segregated from the sea and protected by a system of walls.<\/p>\n

Once, one of the richest and most densely populated neighborhoods, Casco Viejo experienced years of neglect around the 1950s.\u00a0 Today, the city has preserved this area and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.\u00a0 One of the city’s top attractions, it draws thousands of visitors who come to experience Panama’s culture and history.<\/p>\n

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\"\"As we were dropped off at the Plaza de la Independencia, where the country’s independence from Spain and Columbia was celebrated, I glanced around at the fine architectural details present on most of the buildings.\u00a0 The Casco Viejo (Spanish for Old Town) is filled with peaceful, shady plazas, wrought iron balconies, aged, brightly colored doorways and a myriad of churches.<\/p>\n

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\"\"After inspecting the dignified busts of Panama’s founding fathers, scattered throughout the square, we glanced around, not sure how to tackle the many narrow streets and plazas beckoning to my touristic nature.\u00a0 Heading toward the waterfront, we occasionally stopped to peruse the many souvenir shops filled with masks, pareos, outdated Panama license plates and of course, Panama hats.<\/p>\n

\"\"The waterfront promenade offered some amazing views of the city’s impressive skyline as well as of the Cinta Costera, the viaduct\u00a0 that encircles the historic and governmental district of Casco Viejo, a controversial project which was built to solve the traffic nightmares without disturbing the historic neighborhood.<\/p>\n

\"\"Grabbing a snow-cone from one of the local vendors, we sat on a park bench and savored the balmy temperatures while enjoying our chilly treat.<\/p>\n

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\"\"While my main desire was to visit La Catedral Metropolitana, the main, Catholic temple in Panama City, we found it to be under a massive renovation.\u00a0 The San Francisco de Asis Church was only a couple of blocks away and we decided to step in.\u00a0 One of the original structures from Casco Viejo, the church was nearly destroyed by fire in 1737 and 1756.\u00a0 Restored\u00a0 in 1998, it was more modern than I anticipated but presented vibrant stained glass, marble throughout and a beautiful, mosaic behind the altar.<\/p>\n

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The San Francisco de Asis Church<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Though we were not allowed to venture too close, we walked near the Palace of the Herons, the stately home and offices of the President of Panama.\u00a0 Built in 1673, the grounds are home to African herons, thus earning its name.<\/p>\n

Another main tourist attraction in Casco Viejo is the Panama Canal Museum.\u00a0 Since we had just come from the Miraflores Visitor Center, we opted to take a pass on this one.<\/p>\n

Continuing on the cobblestone streets, we admired the local artwork and graffiti that adorned many walls.\u00a0 Though many buildings have been restored, there are many still under construction and some in various stages of decay.\u00a0 Still, I enjoyed seeing the remnants of days gone by, knowing that so much history resides in these crumbling facades.\u00a0 Amidst the beautifully colored buildings, these chasms in the perfection of the city, add mystery and wonder.<\/p>\n

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Capilla de San Jos\u00e9<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Two more churches were also encountered in Casco Viejo.\u00a0 Even with a considerable Catholic population, it is incredible that so many churches exist in such a small area.\u00a0 One of the three churches we visited was the Capilla de San Jos\u00e9, an unassuming church built in the 1670s.\u00a0 We enjoyed the quiet atmosphere and admired its famed lustrous golden altar, carved of wood and painted in gold flake.\u00a0 Another church, Iglesia de Merced, is one of the city’s oldest structures (1680) and most noted for its baroque facade.\u00a0\u00a0Containing a beautiful wooden altar and a large collection of religious statues, it’s most impressive feature its its original, exposed wooden ceiling.\u00a0 So ancient does this ceiling appear, that it made me slightly uneasy standing below.<\/p>\n

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Iglesia de Merced<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\"\"Many restaurants and bars grace the streets in the Old Town and finding a tasty place to eat is not hard to do.\u00a0 In fact, nighttime, is a festive affair and should not be missed when visiting the city, even if not staying in one of the area’s many hotels and hostels.<\/p>\n

\"\"Finally, we made our way back to Plaza de la Independencia.\u00a0 Taking a seat on one of the many shady, seating areas, we rested our weary feet, admiring the scenes around us.\u00a0 Besides the other camera touting tourists, the square attracts a large number of locals who come to interact with each other and children who use the tranquil area to play.<\/p>\n

As our afternoon came to an end, it was also pleasant to find that free WIFI was offered in this area and we were able to contact Uber for a ride home.<\/p>\n

Though staying in Casco Viejo would have been nice, we opted for a hotel in the downtown area.\u00a0 A little more affordable than the Old Town area, we found it to be surrounded by many restaurants and shopping and safe for walking at night.\u00a0 Only a five dollar cab away, we were happy with our accommodations, however, if you want to be in the “happening” part of town, check out one of the many hotels and hostels in the area.<\/p>\n

And if like us, you opt for downtown, make sure to visit the beautiful and historic part of Panama City.\u00a0 Enjoying a part of Panama’s past is a fundamental part of a visit to The Isthmus!<\/p>\n

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Casco Viejo<\/strong><\/p>\n