SUPERSTORM, MODERN MIRACLE AND MALLS

Here in Virginia, we made it through another weather event.  This one was called Sandy (the same Sandy who's tailwind got in my way almost one week ago in El Valle), the "superstorm".  She created a mess mostly for New Jersey and New York with boardwalks washed up, subway tunnels overcome with water, facades of buildings torn off, fire on Long Island, bridges and transport systems shut down along with Wall Street shutting down for the second day (this hasn't happened since the Great Blizzard of 1888) and even here the Federal Government shut down for two days.  Flights have been canceled; I have a friend stuck here waiting to get back to California, and I have another friend stuck in Hawaii waiting to get back here.  Ray and I made it out of Panama just in the nick of time.  The riots didn't delay us.  The very slow person (okay, they eventually found two more to help) checking our carry on luggage and making us dump our unopened liquids didn't delay us.  And the plane itself took a turn to the left to avoid Sandy in the south and that didn't even delay us. Can't believe all that has happened in the last three days.

Time to daydream about Panama again and go back to where I left off of our vacation.  Onward to the Panama Canal--a modern wonder of the world!  But wait, we have to load up on breakfast and what better place to do this than at ... no, not McDonalds, but at El Machetazo again.  This time, not so great.  The fruit tasted off a bit.  My nephew had hot dogs in a bowl in some sort of sauce.  I tried the sauce.  No thanks.  He tried to tell me that they weren't hot dogs as we know it, but they still reminded me of hot dogs in some sauce.  And this time, there weren't any eggs.  Every day in Panama is different.  My sister had cake for breakfast, so that was tasty.  Ray took us upstairs (he had been there a few days earlier to get the cooler) to show us the beds, appliances, ATV's, clothing and patio furniture.  The two upper floors remind me of Home Depot or Lowes and perhaps a Bed Bath and Beyond or Wal-Mart combined.  And I took note this time that Philadelphia Cream Cheese is $6.  My belly wasn't as full from this breakfast, but we bought some hard candy and chips for the road.

Hot dogs and some kind of sauce

Sister was smart to get some cake

$1.49 for Panamanian brand vs $6.29 for Philly Cream Cheese

The smaller bikes for children sold for $50-$100

Appliances (one stove was $1200)

Eric finds his bed and soccer ball

The Village where the store was

No longer accepts AmEx

We had directions to the canal that Clyde had drawn out for Ray.  And we also had the GPS.  Clyde and Terry also told us not to leave until later in the morning.  We wanted to avoid rush hour.  We left Coronado at 9:30, filled the car up with the gas,  and walked next door to the bakery (while Ray was getting the gas) and saw lots of dry cookies (very dry looking cookies), some bread and many, many bags of small chips and Cheetos.  We pressed on.  One hour later, we pulled up to the Miraflores Locks.  We were fortunate that we caught the last ship to pass through that morning.  It had been unloaded, so it was a light load.  It was through the third lock almost, but what an amazing sight.  We watched the 3-D movie and shopped at the gift center as well.

A little too close there

Then they raced, just like at home

Figuring out the lanes

Looks like my highway (I-95) in Northern VA

Good to know we were on a "road"

Miraflores Locks Visitors Center ($8/person)

Going through the final lock

And there she goes

This brown water looked blue in all the pictures online that I had seen

How many men does it take to fill a cylinder up with cement?  Man on the right pushed the wheelbarrow over

Man in orange scoops cement out and there was a third man spraying water out of a hose to wet the cement down=THREE!

Me and Ray hanging out at the canal

Eric and Carolyn getting seriously ready for the animated 3D movie

Our day wasn't over yet though.  We did take the long route (per the GPS lady that wanted us to avoid tolls even though we didn't tell her this) through some city roads (outside of Panama City).  It was longer but more amusing and entertaining.

Selling tomatoes and lettuce at a very long light

We have been told that yearly inspections are required.  Really?

Onward to the airport to drop off the rental (it cost $50 per day with the GPS), a taxi to the Courtyard Marriott MetroMall Panama ($20 for four), unload the luggage and shopping at MetroMall.  I loved that there was a covered walkway from the hotel to the mall (it was sunny and not raining though).  This mall reminds me of Tyson's Corner (in northern VA).  Upscale shops like The Gap, Coach, Nautica, a food court, restaurants, movie theater, fancy shoe stores along with Crocs, a carousel and more!  The prices were just like at home.  

We tried to use the numbers, but we still ended up with a slight difference  in what was on our tray compared to the picture

Kids bouncing up and down

Kids circling around

Three stories of shops

To further the Panamanian mall experience, we decided to see a movie.  And what classier movie to see in Panama then "Ted".  $4 for the ticket with our seats selected ahead of time, $3 for Large bucket of Caramel popcorn (remember first that my lunch order was messed up a bit AND in the States I am never offered Caramel popcorn) and $2 for a Large soda.  ($13 for two in a clean, new theater with English speaking movie accompanied by Spanish subtitles--I really know how to curse in Spanish now).

Eric and Ted

A bit burnt but caramel, nevertheless

After the movie, there was still so much more to do.  We ventured over to the other side of the road to the outlet stores.  This time we used the overpass, since my sister had been nicely scolded by a Spanish speaking Panamanian policeman in Coronado for running across the road.  We decided to shop on the overpass the next morning once it was light outside.  The outlets run the gamut of just everything.  I found bras for .99, Charlotte Russe capri pants for $6.99 and everything in between.  $6.99 is my limit :)  And this time I was nicely scolded by a Spanish speaking Panamanian security guard.  I had just taken a picture of (wink, wink) my sister.  She happened to be standing right below a largely bosomed mannequin.  Meanwhile, a family was shoplifting (I don't know how since our bag was stapled three times) which I am pretty sure took precedence over my picture taking.  Maybe.

We found the casino (penny slots but $2.50 bottle Balboa beers compared to the cans in the grocery store for .40), where my sister won big bucks of $25.  And then we made it back across the overpass to Bennigans for appetizers, salads and what else, frozen drinks :)  $4 for those.  No wonder I had two.  

Back to the hotel where a van in the parking lot almost made my sister postal with the LOUD BLARING music.  Fortunately for the driver, he shut the music off within minutes of starting it up and left the lot.  She wouldn't do well with Panamanians as neighbors.  Good thing I have a bit of hearing loss.  Ray will need some ear plugs.