Today left Ray and I with no commitments. We didn't set the alarm clock, and we didn't need to fill up on a big breakfast. We watched a little TV (what isn't in Spanish in the hotel room like and old show of "Friends"), ate yogurt that we had bought last night, and then we decided we would jump on the Hop On Hop Off bus. Terry had emailed me this idea as well as maybe taking the Aqua Bus (this one goes into the water). On our first trip to Panama, when I thought I would be in the city with my sister and nephew, I found that Panama City now has one of these tours. But we didn't have time to try it out. Ray and I asked at the front desk where we could print out the vouchers (the business center was easy enough), where the bus picks up, and at what hours it makes its stops. Instead of going to the cell phone store first (our cell phone is telling us it is "expired" even though it keeps working), we had less than fifteen minutes to catch the bus. Knowing these tours and how they sometimes run long or late (we like taking them in any major city that we visit), we went to the back of the mall outside of a store named Felix. We stood in the parking lot for a few minutes, and then Ray decided to ask a man on a bicycle (again haha)--he was a security guard. He told Ray "afuerra". Oh dear. What? I suggested we start walking towards the main road, because I didn't think the bus would come into the parking lot. We walked outside the gates. Then we walked back towards the parking lot. Then the bus came...on the main road. Later on, we learned that "afuerra" means "on the outside". Once we gave the woman our voucher, and she even told us we could take the Canal tour as well (we thought we had only paid for the city tour, but one price does include both the City and Canal tour), we went to the upper deck. It was ten am, and even Hop On Hop Off buses get to sit in traffic. In all fairness to this tour, if we had not been around the city with a tour guide (to Panama Viejo) last March, if we had not been in the car with Clyde and Terry on Friday night in El Cangrego District, and most importantly here big IF here, Ray and I had not walked Calle 50 and toured the city on foot yesterday (!), this city tour would give someone new to the city a good idea of the neighborhoods. For us, we really didn't need to be on the bus. We also decided the Canal tour wouldn't be anything new for us, because we have seen the canal many different ways, Casco Viejo, Amador Causeway, and Albrook Mall. So what we ended up doing is taking the tour to the end, and we stepped off the bus at the Sheraton with The Crown Casino haha. This is also very close (a little walking) to Paparadilla Jimmy restaurant. I had emailed Clyde and Terry that maybe, when we see them again, we could try this restaurant for dinner. But since it was right there, after Ray and I played penny slots, and after I won $30 and he walked away empty handed, we had a Greek meal at this very good dining spot! I LOVE Greek food, and the chicken shishkebob with vegetables, twice baked potato and salad was all very good. Ray had boneless chicken Greek style (meaning a lot of flavor, but not meaning boneless since there were tiny bones in it) with French fries (not so good) and a salad. We watched an ambulance (the second one we have seen in our three trips to Panama) pick up a pedestrian off the sidewalk (perhaps he was drunk, or hit by a car?), and we also saw a policeman stop traffic and a motorcade with three black SUV's (guards armed with Uzi's in the back) drive by. We decided this was President Martinelli. lol We bravely crossed the busy street back to the casino where Ray walked away with $40 and me...I just walked away. I have to say that when we cross streets here, Ray is more than overly concerned for me and my safety due to past trips and falls that I have suffered. Knock on wood, I have been running across streets and staying upright all week. So far, so good!
Before stepping outside under the bright blue sky and intense sunshine at 1:30 pm, I applied suntan lotion, and Ray did so as well. It was a warm day, but with the breezes, it didn't feel too bad walking back to the hotel. Until maybe the last ten minutes. That's when I decided walking could really be overrated here. The cell phone store had too many people waiting on line, and we decided to head to the hotel room for some chips, an apple and Fresca. We had bought a multipack bag of chips in Riba's yesterday to try many different varieties. And now when we tour with Clyde and Terry on Friday, we can have snacks already to go. Unless we eat nine more bags before then.
So a lazy afternoon here at the hotel, I re-showered just to get that smear of suntan lotion off of me. I had read about a Farmer's Market that is right next to the Fish Market, and we thought about waking up tomorrow morning to check it out. But it is really a Fish Market and then a smaller market with fruit. I was thinking more vendors with crafts. Perhaps I will see that on Friday. For now, it's a change of clothes and off to the cell phone store. And maybe something like crepes for dinner or sandwiches. And some more helado :)
Nothing to do at all with the day but this is what we are noticing---commercials for increasing Bun size--meaning ladies derrière's-- with an exercise machine to increase the size OR something called Glimmys which simply adds a large amount of padding and some junk to the trunk. Guess I have things to work on in the next six months before moving to Panama!
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