Panama

Went down to Panama on United Airlines. On this trip, I thought it would be interesting to see the Panama Canal. I did a short layover at Intercontinental Airport Houston. Since it was a slightly past midnight landing and 8 hours to kill, opted to spend what little of the night at the Sheraton North Houston at George Bush Intercontinental. Surprisingly, many of the airport hotels do not do overnight shuttle service and this Sheraton was one of the few that did. It was painfully slow at 2 am but it does work. Just make sure you start calling the hotel once you past baggage claim.

Went back to the airport and landed into Panama in the afternoon. On the first night, checked into the Waldorf Astoria Panama. I really enjoyed the hotel even if for one night in an upgraded suite with ocean views. The suite was more like a very comfortable apartment with a full service kitchen. I'm also impressed it came with a washer/dryer in the hallway closet. Handy for those food stains on your limited clothing options.

Waldorf Astoria Panama Suite Kitchen

Waldorf Astoria Panama Suite Bedroom area
After hanging out at the outdoor covered pool area, went out to dinner at La Papa. Food was good but I'm not convinced that there is true local Panamanian food. With the heavy foreign influences and everything based on the US Dollar, it was hard to feel that I was in Central America.

The next day, grabbed breakfast at the Waldorf Astoria Brio Braserrie. For those looking for the weekend brunch, that is completely separate from the typical continental breakfast buffet served. It really is more of a lunch buffet than brunch. The normal breakfast buffet was nice but not worth the money.

Afterwards, went out to the old city to take a look around. It appears to be undergoing major renovations as the area gentrifies. Enjoyed a break from the humid heat with an iced coffee at Espresso Americano Panama.

Checked into the Le Meridien Panama. I've always enjoyed staying at Le Meridiens and was curious how it would compare to the Waldorf around the corner. The pool is smaller but exposed to the sun. The breakfast buffet options were better, made even better because it was comped as part of the SPG platinum perk. The restaurant, Latitude 47, serves tasty food even if a little pricey. The lounge was small but the treats were tasty. The upgraded suite was smaller but still very nice.
Le Meridien Panama Suite Living Room
Le Meridien Panama Suite Bedroom

Le Meridien Panama Suite bathroom with jetted tub
 The next day, enjoyed a quick breakfast before heading out on a tour with Panama Day Trips. The guide is an American expatriate from the Midwest and really loves being in Panama. He is very enthusiastic and is very accommodating. Went on the Panama Jungle and Canal tour. Went out first thing in the morning to the river for an hour and took a boat to "Monkey Island." The guide gave us bananas and grapes and the monkeys were very used to tourists. The monkeys would jump onto the canopy of the boat, look down at my outreached hand with the fruit, grab it and run back to the tree line. It was cute and they were skittish enough to be passive. Went to Fort Lorenzo after seeing the monkeys. Tourism isn't very high in Panama and the fort is not being preserved very well. You can wander around the area and the visit is free.

After that, went to the Gatun Locks to see the cargo ships go by. I was always under the impression that it was only one canal but it is a series of canals for varying ship sizes. This particular Lock is more cargo oriented so you can really see how the canals work. The observation deck pretty much brings you spitting distance to the boats and you can see how the electric trains move the ships across.

The next day, had breakfast with some friends before heading back to the US. On the way back, the layover at Intercontinental Airport Houston was longer. The hotel shuttle was also a little slow but arrived at the Hampton Inn & Suites Houston-Bush Intercontinental Airport at a decent pace. Luckily, the hotel is next to a Jack in the Box and had a quick dinner before hitting the hay. The next morning, I can see that IAH is super busy and they are not really prepared for the volume they get.
 

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