Day 2 in Panama - Today was a day FULL of amazing adventures!
After eating a delicious breakfast buffet at our hotel (breakfasts and dinners are at the hotel – with a mix of traditional Panamanian foods and foods that the kids are used to from home, and lunches are out at various restaurants/sites we visit), we started out this morning with a tour of Casco Viejo.
The view of the cruise ship below is the view we have of the canal while we eat breakfast!
Throughout Panama City you can find metro stops, various types of architecture and levels of wealth, as well as beautiful murals.
We were stopped by a member of the national police so a motorcade of vehicles could pass. It was one of the political officials in Panama. Due to the color of the vehicles, Nafi knew it wasn't the President, but the silver SUVs showed it was a government motorcade of some sort. You can also see the national fish market and many fishing boats!
Casco Viejo is the first bit hit of humidity that the students received. They walked around the old town checking out the old fort walls, that were built to protect the city from pirates. They also saw the presidential palace and learned about the two herons they have as pets. We visited the largest church in Panama. This church also housed saint statues made of mahogany, walls that show how shells were used to make concrete, and an extremely large nativity scene that was donated by a lady who added a piece to her collection each year. The collection became so large that she was unable to house it in her home, so she donated it to the church.
Iglesia de San José
This church has been restored several
times, showing the history of the architecture. It also showed the students how the indigenous people used astronomy for
many things – the sun, moon and the stars.
In Casco Viejo, students also viewed architecture from the
French, Spanish and Italians. You can look at balconies and archways, as well
as materials to determine the background of the building.
Catedral Basílica Santa María la Antigua
After walking around for a bit, the students (and adults) were feeling the humidity. Although there were no complaints made aloud, all adults understand that such a difference in humidity calls for a stop in the plaza. During this stop, students had the opportunity to try Raspao (shaved ice). They had choices of fresa (strawberry) or pina (pineapple). They also had the option of adding leche condensada (condensed milk) to their Raspao, and some even helped make their own!
On our way to our next stop, we had an opportunity to view the skyline of Panama City!
This is an interesting contrast to the skyline of Casco Viejo!
The statue below depicts the agreement between Panama and the United States when the rights to the Panama Canal were given to Panama. You can see Jimmy Carter and Omar Torrijos shaking hands in the statue.
After our visit to Casco Viejo we traveled to the BioMuseo. Here students were able to see the diversity that Panama has to offer as well as obtain a bigger understanding of the history of the isthmus.
This building was designed by famous architect Frank Gehry, a famous Canadian-American architect. This is currently his only building in Panama, but it is amazing! He designed the roofs to show the layout of the rainforest and its many layers.
There have been many instances on this trip where I have caught students practicing their reading in Spanish! Almost all material in museums is in both Spanish and English. Although many have only had Spanish class for a semester, they are using the skills of cognates, context clues, and circumlocution to figure out general meaning and main ideas. I am very proud of them! These skills are so important because you will never know every word, and the more you work on these skills, the more words and CONFIDENCE you will have to work with!
In the exhibit below, students learned how a wasp and figs impact the lifecycle and the predator/prey relationships between many animals.
There was even an exhibit about NASA and the rovers! This was a new exhibit this year and I was very glad the students got to see it. Many of them know quite a bit about space!
Last but not least, the Biomuseo had a small exhibit about Megalodon. I would hate to be the one to encounter this guy in the ocean!
Our day today was packed! Next stop, lunch! We stopped at the Canal House, a restaurant on the Canal, to have a bite to eat. Students could choose between fish and rice or a smash burger. I tried to convince them all to try fish and things that are different while they are here, and it worked for most! ;)
While we waited for our food, we visited a pier. On the pier we had a great view of the "Las Americas" bridge.
For lunch we had orange juice (so much better than concentrate), Panamanian soup, fish and rice. We also had coconut flan, one of my favorites, for dessert.
After lunch we went to Punta Culebra. This is a Smithsonian institute for biodiversity and wildlife conservation and education. We saw many different exhibits on topics ranging from the soil, frogs, sloths, an aquarium, a butterfly garden and more.
Prior to even entering the exhibits, we saw an iguana, a mommy and baby sloth, and a hermit crab. Our local guide picked up the crab and the crab removed itself from its shell and fell into the sidewalk grate below. He said, "that was unexpected". This is the way we learned that hermit crabs move on and make home in new places sometimes.
At the exhibit below on the right we were able to see a butterfly wing up close. The students learned that the dust that they get on their hands when they touch them are actually their scales falling off and it kills the butterfly. Awareness is key to education and conservation.
Below you will see many images of the lifecycle of a butterfly, starting with the eggs.
Not everyone enjoys butterflies and a couple of students were actually frightened by them. Below you can see the wide range of reactions from hiding behind a friend, to open arms for landing.
And of course some of us had to channel our inner caterpillar.
We also located Nemo, Dory and many other friends in the aquarium section of the Smithsonian.
No trip would be complete without a large group picture next to the location name! I'll work on brightening this image up at a later time!
The image on the left shows two amazing people I know. One is Nafi, our amazing guide this tour, and the other is Irving. Nafi is the first female guide I have ever had on a trip and she is doing an amazing job! She is organized, fun, and knows a lot of information. Irving was with my group and I last year in Panama and showed up at our hotel to say hi! It's not every day a former work friend decides to find your tour group to say hello, but I am so glad he did! He deiced to explore with us for awhile. It is so nice to know such amazing people when you travel with students! They know how to make sure we are safe, welcome, and educated while here! You can also see an image of our driver Carlos. Carlos knows the roads and gets us to our destinations safely and efficiently!
Although it is very early in our trip, we decided to stop at the artisanal handicraft market. Kids worked on their Spanish skills, practiced bartering and sought souvenirs for themselves and family members. We will visit again toward the end of the trip, but at least they now know what to expect!
This day was VERY busy but extremely successful! To top it all off we visited the Panama Canal. The #1 tourist attraction in Panama. We arrived just in time to see a ship make its way through the Miraflores Locks. In the images below, you can see the locomotives on either side of the ship. Their job is to make sure the ship stays straight. These locomotives are also known as mules and only have 1-2 feet wiggle room on either side of the vessel. Each vessel can reach up to three football fields in length! Behind the skip you will also see the new set of locks, which hold bigger ships. Believe it or not, there are still ships that are too big to go through the locks and must port, and have their contents removed and transported by rail to the other side. The Panama Canal Railroad is commonly known as the dry canal in the country!
Part of our tour of the Panama Canal included a 35 minute movie about its history and importance to the country of Panama. The movie was narrated by Morgan Freeman and is a very educational film! Students enjoyed the 3D-show while snacking on movie treats!
For those who weren't too worn out, the pool was open for a brief time before dinner. Peyton found what she thought was a lizard or gecko in the pool Turns out it was a baby iguana. I bet she is one of few who will be able to say they did this!
We finish each evening with dinner and a group meeting. We talk about what is going to happen the following day, what they need to bring, and any other concerns or questions they might have. We also have a 5-15 question challenge to earn Potter Puntos. The points are then tallied at the end of the trip and the winner will earn a traveling trophy! The competition is fierce...
Below you will see an image of our dinner, as well as the key card slot for electricity in our rooms. When we arrived at the hotel, I received texts from 3/5 rooms that they didn't have any electricity in their rooms. To save money and electricity, you have to put your key in the slot to turn it on. No key, typically means no one is in the room so the electricity doesn't need to be on. These trips are about so much more than a language...
Buenas noches. This was an absolutely amazing day full of education and fun and I cannot wait to see what is in store for tomorrow. For now... the kids are tired and so is their teacher!
Stay tuned for more adventures tomorrow!
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