The Panama Canal tour

The Panama Canal is an architectural wonder. In 1513, when the

first European, the Spanish explorer Vasco de Balboa, crossed the Isthmus of Panama, he became the first European to reach the Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic Ocean. Thus began a dream to create a water route that would provide quick, easy access between the two great oceans. The first attempt was by a

French Company in 1880. At that time Panama was part of Colombia. The French attempt failed mainly due to the cost in money and lives. When the French abandoned the project the United States became interested in a canal and even considered one across Nicaragua. The Nicaragua Canal concept is revived every so often, most recently by a Hong Kong company but it too was abandoned. The United States ended up building the canal which opened in 1914. Control of the Panama Canal Zone was transferred to Panama in 1999.  

There is a museum in Old Town devoted to the construction of the

canal plus many like to visit the Mirafloras Visitor Center located

on the canal lock where displays provide the history of the canal and the canal’s operation.  Visitors can watch ships transiting.  The Mirafloras lock is one of three on the canal; two on the Pacific side and one on Lake Gatun.  The locks allow ships to raise and lower 85 feet to accommodate for the change in the terrain. 

However, the best way to experience the canal is on tourist boat.  So, that’s what I did.  John and I did it when we were here in 2002 but I have a love and fascination for waterways so I booked the trip.  The tour company picked me up at the hotel and I was lucky because the departure wasn’t until 10 a.m. The cargo ships get first dips on the canal because the average ship pays nearly $500,000 to transit. It is first-come first-through except for those who pay an extra $15,000 or more to go to the head of the line. Princess Cruise Line pays about $425,000 plus $35,000 to have a pre-reserved time to transit. A full transit takes eight to 10 hours. Most tours are for a half transit and include a meal.

It took me a while to figure out why when one ship left the lock

another didn’t enter going the other way.  The problem is the Continental Divide.  It is too narrow from more than one ship to go through at a time so the alternate traffic; one way for 12 hours and the other way for the next 12 hours. 

My tour started with a bus ride to Gamboa on Lake Gatun, basically in the middle of the canal. We went through the Continental Divide and into Pedro Miguel and Miraflores Locks where we waited for a ship to join us.  

The Erie Canal had a lasting

influence on all canal building.  Both shortened the distance and time to travel drastically and, of course, brought money into the area. When ships enter and leave the locks they are drawn by “mules,” not a mule called “Sal” but today the electric ones are still called “mules.” Two on each side of the ship to keep the ship in the middle. They run on tracks. 

The complete canal transit on a tour is long and one has to return by the tour’s bus so people wishing to visit Colon on the Atlantic side of the canal might consider taking the train. 

Sancocho, Panamanian National Soup

One thing I have noticed is that every country I visit seems to have

a national soup. Two of my favorites are pho in Vietnam and caldo verde in Portugal.  Soups have to be one of the first recipes developed by a group of people.  All that was needed was water, a fire, a waterproof container, and some ingredients. We humans have been making soup for at least 20,000 years.  The earliest soup to be discovered by archeologist is hippopotamus soup dating back to 6000 BC. The word “soup” comes from the French word “soupe” which means “broth” which was derived from other sources as the word hop scotched from one country to another.

When I was in Panama City, Panama I attended a Panamanian Buffet and Folkloric Show at the InterContinental Hotel. I noticed that the line was the longest to get the soup which was called sancocho. I had used my InterContinental Hotel points to for my nine-day stay so I had no qualms about upgrading myself to Club Level for $20 a day. Club Level is a private dining area with a great view and is used mainly

by business people so it is quiet and includes the internet, breakfast, and evening libations with snacks.  I find eating alone in a crowded restaurant filled with family groups makes me feel alone and isolated.  The club is a perfect fit for me.  I asked the staff at the club about sancocho and was told the Chef Nicolas Prager, the Executive Sous Chef, would be happy to show me how to make it.   

Sancocho is common in all of Latin America but is best loved in Panama.  It can be enjoyed any time of the day and is considered the perfect hangover cure.  The Panamanian version originated the Azuero Peninsula south of Panama City.  It is claimed that one way to keep cool on super-hot days is by having a bowl of Sancocho for lunch. I have been told that in other countries.  When it is 90-plus have a hot soup or a spicy hot dish.  If it makes you sweat you will cool off because the sweat will evaporate which is a cooling process.  Can’t prove it by me.  

I loved sancocho in part because it was easy to make but included

one of my favorite flavors: cilantro. I learned there is cilantro and culantro. Culantro is common in Latin America.  It tastes and smells like cilantro but is said to be stronger.  Whereas cilantro looks a bit like parsley culantro is a slender flat leaf about four inches long.  They can be used interchangeably. Chef Nicolas said, “Culantro is in the Panamanian DNA.” This recipe is for basic sancocho but cooks have been known add vegetables such as yams, corn, and yucca.  

Panamanian Sancocho

Cooking oil as needed

1 white onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, diced 

3 leaves of cilantro, finely sliced (3 Tbsp cilantro)

1 tsp Oregano

1 Yucca, one-inch cubes

Whole chicken (with bone) chopped in 2-inch piece

Salt and pepper to taste 

Water

In a large pot add vegetable oil, when hot sauté the onion and garlic. Add salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is transparent. Add oregano and culantro. Add chicken chunks sauté for 2 minutes to taste. Add 1 quart and a half of water. Add name or yucca. Cover the pot and let it boil. Check occasionally to see if more water is needed.  The cilantro should give it a slightly green color.  Skim off any solidified blood that may come from the chicken.  Serve hot with white rice.

Panama City, Panama

Panama City is the “New York City” of Central America. It has become a skyscraper city. It is the oldest continuously occupied European settlement on the Pacific coast of the Americas.  John and I were here in 2002 and the changes are amazing. The modern airport was extremely busy and I am impressed by the diverse nationalities I see represented here at the hotel. There are tourists from all over. Caravan Tours, which the people I talked to seemed to really like, bring in groups almost every day. A recent final Jeopardy question asked “What Central American capital is the farthest east?”  The correct answer was Panama City.  


There are three distinct parts to Panama City.  One is the old city called Panama Viejo founded in 16th century and is a World Heritage site.  There is a museum and some ruins. The city was destroyed in 1671 when it was attacked by Henry Morgan and his band of pirates. The “new” city was built in 1673 and is also a World Heritage site. 

Why am I in Panama you may wonder.  Simple.  I had frequent flyer miles on United and for only 38,000 miles I could fly round trip.  They wanted 36,000 miles to fly one way from Syracuse to Portland, Oregon.  Plus, I had points with InterContinental Hotels (think Holiday Inn) so I booked the InterContinental using points and for only $20 a day I was able to upgrade to Club Level.  I like Club Level because it is quiet with a lot of single business travelers so I don’t feel strange being alone, plus it includes breakfast, and evening cocktails with snacks.  For me it is a perfect world. One reason I picked the InterContinental is because they have a beautiful pool and are located on the water; plus. it is centrally located. 

I took a cab into the “Old Town” to visit the Cathedral and other attractions. The Old Town, called Casco Viejo, is being rejuvenated and the Cathedral is being painted. Construction on the cathedral started in 1688. There is a statue of a young boy in a glass casket, Saint Jose Luis Sanchez del Rio, who refused to

denounce his faith under torture.  Typical of many places, in the beginning the wealthy lived in the area around the Cathedral, then they moved out to the “suburbs,” and the poorer people took over, now wealthy are moving back in.  A cycle that happens in many places.

I like to go to folkloric shows when I am in a foreign country. Even though such shows have become commercialized I still like them because it helps to preserve the culture and promotes national pride. I was fortunate because on Wednesdays the InterContinental has a

Panamanian night with a Panamanian buffet and folkloric show. It started with two “devils” which comes from their European heritage and the time of the plague.  It represents the battle between good and evil.  I would like an explanation of the dances. 

I am not a fan of buffets; too many decisions, but it is fun to watch.  There are several tour groups here and the people attack the buffet like piranha that have not eaten and others circle trying to find a way to get in the circling group.   There were several interesting desserts on the buffet made from coconut, yucca, plantains, and nance, a small yellowish fruit that takes a bit of getting used to as it is rather tart.  

Family Beach Vacation in Nicaragua

Hotels are too expensive, to my way of thinking, if a family of more than four wants to get away together.  My sons and their families, eight of us, rented an entire house with a pool on the beach on Nicaragua’s Pacific Coast.  Granted the airfare can be expensive but once in Nicaragua things are less expensive.  At first glance the house rental for two weeks may seem expensive but not when divided by eight. 

I have been to Nicaragua several times in the last 25 years.  Interestingly, the first time I was there the Sandinistas, headed by Daniel Ortega, were being ousted and they destroyed many places in the process.  Guess who is back in power – Daniel Ortega and the Sandinistas.  The roads are the best one will find in Central America and the traffic rules are religiously obeyed. Incredible.  The airport is new and efficient.  I arrived a day early and stayed at the Best Western Las Mercedes across the street from the airport… it is walkable.

The owner of the house where we stayed suggested a van and

driver so for $100 he picked up all of us and drove us from the airport to the house in Pochomil, a 90-minute drive.  We also used him for our day trip to Granada and to return to the airport.  Not a bad deal. 

The house was beautiful and roomy with three bedrooms with a/c and full baths, one also had an outdoor shower. The pool

was my favorite.  It had an awesome view of the Pacific. It was a few steps down to the beach level where there was a large gazebo with hammocks, couches, and a wet bar.  While I liked wallowing in a shady part of the pool with a book, my daughter-in-law preferred the hammock in the gazebo.  My sons went boogie boarding several times.  They went out fishing and my grandson caught the first fish – a tuna.  Instead of a pole they had a board with the fishing line wrapped around it.  For me it was a flashback to my days on Raquette Lake, for them it was a new experience. 

It was New Year’s so they were able to watch all the bowl games

– sometimes in Spanish. Roger, the caretaker’s son spoke excellent English but he worked in Managua so he wasn’t always there but thanks to Google Translate communicating was not an issue when our limited Spanish failed us. 

What really made it a relaxing vacation was the caretaker’s wife.  For $400 she cooked, cleaned, and did our laundry for two weeks. We asked her to make Nicaraguan food not American.  We had some incredible meals and she created some delicious sauces.  I am not a fish lover but her ceviche was awesome. 

Every day was filled with sunshine and every evening we gathered

to watch the sunset together.  We looked for the green flash (which some thought was a figment of my imagination) but never saw it.  The green flash is a meteorological optical phenomenon that sometimes occurs around the moment of sunset or sunrise. When the conditions are right, a distinct green spot is briefly visible above the upper rim of the Sun's disk; the green appearance usually lasts for no more than two seconds. I have only seen it once when I was in Palau but I keep looking. 

La Ensenada, Tela, Honduras

What is a “Banana Republic?” It is a derogatory term that describes

a politically unstable country dependent on the exportation of a major product such as bananas. In most cases the company doing the exporting plays a critical role in the politics of the country – for example the United Fruit Company in Honduras exporting bananas. Bananas only became popular in the United States at the end of the nineteenth century. In return for land, United Fruit (today Chiquita Brands) developed the infrastructure such as roads and ports that made exporting their bananas and other fruits easier and less expensive. 

Tela, Honduras, about an hour’s drive east of San Pedro Sula was once the home of United Fruit and its subsidiaries. What was once the residential compound for staff is now Telamar Resort with traditional wooden buildings. We have stayed there but as a special treat for successfully driving and taking care of business in Honduras we booked three nights at La Ensenada an all-inclusive nearby. 

Most of the all-inclusive resorts in Honduras are on Roatan Island

but the ones on the mainland of Honduras are less expensive. The north shore of Honduras is basically two-hundred miles of beaches just waiting to be developed.  We have stayed a La Ensenada before and loved it. The free-form pool is large and perfect for whatever one wants to do.  The beach is nice with shade trees and sport activities. On Friday and Saturday they have stage shows. Our accommodation was first rate and looked like it had just been redecorated. We had an upstairs room with a long, wide porch. 

All meals are buffet, normally. But on Sunday there were so few guests that meals were ala carte. Everyone at the resort and in all of Honduras is very helpful and accommodating.  I asked the chef to show me how to make a traditional recipe and he said, “No problem.”  The area has acres of pineapple plants mainly for the Dole Food Company and the beaches are lined with coconut trees so Chef Luis Felipe said Coconut Pineapple Seafood would be a good choice as it is representative of the area. He set everything up on a deck by the beach. I didn’t want him to go to all that trouble but it was appreciated. I think any variety of seafood could be used. 

Coconut Pineapple Seafood (Mariscada Teleña)

2 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ red onion, minced
½ green pepper, diced
2 sprigs fresh thyme 
2 oz shrimp
2 oz squid 
2 oz mussels on half shell
2 oz fish, tilipia

2 oz conch
Salt and pepper as desired
½ cup coconut milk
½ cup fish broth
2 oz (more if desired) pineapple cut in 1 inch cubes
1 tbsp cornstarch as needed
2 sprigs fresh cilantro for garnish
fried plantain  

Preheat the pan, add olive oil, when warm fry the garlic, onions and

peppers.Once it is fragrant add the thyme and shrimp, stir it for a couple of minutes until shrimp is pink. Add the squid and mussels; stir it for another couple of minutes. Add the fish; cook another couple minutes. Add conch last so it will be soft; cook for another couple minutes. Add salt and pepper, coconut milk and fish broth, cook it for several minutes. Add pineapple and cornstarch to thicken it. Plate, garnish with fresh cilantro.
Serve with fry plantains chips.

Seven Seas Soup ala San Felipe, Mexico

Several members of our family decided to spend Christmas in San Felipe, where our oldest son has a vacation house. San Felipe is a small, sleepy fishing village on the east coast of the Baja Peninsula, 125 miles south of Calexico. The area had changed from the one and only other time

my husband, John, and I had visited, 20 years earlier. At that time, we stayed at the only motel in the area. (Interestingly, there was a sign in our room that said, “Do not build a fire on the floor.” I guess someone must have tried that or there would have been no need for the sign.) It was obvious that in the intervening 20 years, there had been the beginning of a building boom, but all that changed when the housing bubble burst, as evidenced by the unfinished buildings. Vacation homes in San Felipe are now reasonably priced. 

As for things to do in the area, besides enjoying fishing and water

activities, travelers can visit the Valley of the Giants, where there is a forest of cardón (Pachycereus pringlei), the tallest cacti in the world, found only in the Baja California and Sonoran deserts. The slow-growing plants can reach a height of 60 feet or more and weigh up to 25 tons. When the tide was out in front of our son's vacation home where we were staying, family members went out on the sand to gather clams for dinner. The clams, while small, made an excellent meal.

At one point, we went into the village to a restaurant for dinner, where we had what my son said was his favorite meal while in San Felipe. The dish (about $6) was the Seven Seas Soup served at Chuy’s, a small, restaurant owned by Jesus Lozana and Maria Luisa Guzman. One of their three sons, Gabriel Lozano, is the chef, another one waits on tables, and the other is the bookkeeper.  We were welcomed in the kitchen to watch the soup being prepared. Maria Luisa Guzman also explained how to make the fish balls that go into the soup.

Fish balls 

2 cups boneless white fish, cooked and flaked
2 cups cooked rice
2 tbsp cornstarch, dissolved in 3 tbsp water
1 tsp diced cilantro
1 beaten egg
Salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Form into 1-inch balls. Set aside.

Seven Seas Soup

1 tbsp butter or cooking oil
½ cup tomato, diced
½ cup onion, diced
½ cup celery, diced
½ green pepper, diced
½ cup carrot, sliced
8 cups fish or chicken broth
1 Tsp garlic
1 Tsp cilantro (save a little for garnish)
Chili pepper, minced, to taste
2 tbsp lemon juice
¼ tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp salt
1 cup baby octopus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup squid, sliced
2 lbs white fish, cut into 2-inch pieces
6 clams
2 medium crabs, cut in half 
6 fish balls 
4 or 5 large shrimp

In a deep pan, heat butter or oil and sauté tomato, onion, celery, pepper and carrots for about one minute. Add broth, garlic, cilantro, chili pepper, lemon juice, oyster sauce and salt. Bring to a boil, then add all seafood except shrimp and cook for about 10 minutes. Add shrimp, and cook until shrimp is pink. To serve, remove seafood with a slotted spoon and place in bowls. Pour broth with veggies over it. Garnish with reserved cilantro and serve.

Las Marias, Honduras

Las Marias is the last village on the Rio Platano River in Honduras. Beyond Las Marias there is only the rainforest.  John and I, with our son and guides, traveled for many hours from the coast up the Rio Platano to Las Marias in a motorized dugout. The forest looked untouched with just a few long-legged egrets now and then. The only human we saw was a man in a dugout loaded with bananas heading down river.  It was truly an amazingly beautiful river trip – even with the short tropical downpour.

When we arrived at the village of Las Marias (pop. About 150)

there were women washing their clothes in the river with youngsters splashing around. A man was ready to head down river in his dugout which had a large pig in it. To market, to market… I wish I had been there to see how he got the pig down the slippery slope that led up to the village and then into the dugout.  

The village was a collection of weathered one-room buildings on stilts.  We were told that they had planned to build an outhouse for us but never got around to finishing it.  Our

accommodation was one of the stilted buildings.  They did have foam floor mats for us to sleep on.  Once John chased out the chickens all was fine.  The pigs that slept under the building could not climb the ladder to get into our place. 

The next day was special.  After breakfast we headed down the slippery slope to the water where several pipantes (dugout canoes) were waiting for us. There were no seats until Elias using his machete

slashed a couple of branches just the right length to fit in the pipante creating seats.  The next several hours were amazing.  Each pipante had two polers. Up the river we went through the rapids until we got to a shallow spot where we had to get out and pull the pipantes through.  At lunch time we stopped at a “summer camp” which was basically a clearing with a thatched palapa.  Our guides had brought along lunch – spaghetti and there were plenty of coconuts for liquid refreshment.  Interestingly, Emelisa noticed that one female polers was not offered any food nor did she seem to expect it so Emelisa offered some of hers. 

After lunch we continued up the rapids to a spot where there were

petroglyphs in the large boulders in the rapids.  This, they said, was the entrance to the territory of the Lost City.  We refreshed ourselves with a swim and then headed back down the river to Las Marias. 

That evening the town people requested a meeting with us at the church. Unbeknown to us, Emelisa was the sister of the then president of Honduras. At the meeting they discussed some of their issues including the fact that they needed another teacher – the only teacher had 80 students.  I

noticed sneakers and backpacks scattered around the village that had been provided by a kind-hearted organization. Why weren’t they being used? They said the sneakers were too slippery on the way to the school which included slippery spots on the trail down to the river to the boat that carried them across to the other side and up another slippery slope– bare feet worked better. What were the backpacks for?  Books. What books? Too often we assume we know what people need or can use. 

I asked the head of the village if he had ever been to the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa. No need.  Everyone comes to Las Marias so it must be the best place.