The Panama Canal

The Canal from the rainforest canopy in Gamboa.

Panama is famous for the  Panama Canal. The engineering feat that allows water vessels to cross through Central America, thus avoiding the distance, cost and extra dangers of traveling around South America.

While we opted not to do a tour of the locks (the system that makes it possible for those mammoth cargo and cruise ships to pass), we did learn a bit about the canal both before and during our stay. And, we got to see it from high above in the rainforest canopy of the Gamboa and up close from a small motor boat, during an hour cruise up the canal during our search for monkeys.

I am fascinated by cargo ships. By all forms of transportation really, but especially cargo ships so to get just a few feet from them was thrilling. We learned that it takes 8-10 hours for a ship to pass through the canal moving at around 8-10 mph. We also learned that in the morning the ships go from the Pacific to the Caribbean (to the Atlantic) and it's the reverse in the afternoon.  We were shocked to discover that approximately 25,000 men died trying to build the canal. The French started it in  1881 but stopped due in part to the hardships and deaths with the USA eventually taking over and completing the canal in 1914.

What struck me most was that the canal was quiet and smaller than what I imagined. It was also quite beautiful. For some reason I envisioned a busier, more populated canal. It was a pleasant surprise to find quite lovely and peaceful too. Our short time there were both of those things as well.