Destination: Panama - Costa Rica - Nicaragua

Today a day in David, I planned to move onwards to Boca Brava, but decided to go slow and stay here for a day.

I had some cash-dollars left from my previous trip, but in US$100-bills. Paying with this is almost impossible, so went to the bank to change this in to US$20-bills.

La Prensa reads on the front page;
Triunfo de Bush causar poco impacto en Latinoamerica
Which probably means that the republicans won the elections for the Senate.

Detactan nuevo mosquito transmisor del denque
Which means they found a new mosquito (aedes albopictus) which spreads dengue fever in Centroamerica.

I wonder what news might impact my trip more ...

Took the bus to David yesterday. Approx. 430 km's for US$9. That's cheap, for an air-con bus and that distance. But you can always expect the unexpected. Two hours from our destination the bus had a flat-tire. Everybody had to get out, to be able to lift the bus and change the wheel, so I thought.

On exiting one left rear wheel was not only flat, but burning as well. Quickly jumped in at the front to get my day-pack and get my back-pack off the bus. Nothing to soon, since the driver already emptied his fire-extinguisher with no success. After fifteen minutes the 'bomberos' arrived, but with just one hose and an improvised foaming-system they could not prevent the bus from totally getting destroyed.

Just an ordinary day in Panama ...

: Fire !!

: Fire !!

: Can the bus be saved ?

: Can the bus be saved ? With an extinguisher like this ...

Went to the Miraflores Locks to see some ships pass by. They have to pay a lot off money to use the 80km canal. A normal ship pay's about US$40.000 to be able to cross the Panama canal in about 8 to 10 hours. Somebody swam across in 1924 and had to pay US$0.36. You have to pay according to your net weight...
Ships are lifted 26 meters and then lowered to sea-level on the other ocean. Fresh water filles the center en with normal gravity the ships are lowered or raised to and from the salty ocean.

: Panama canal

: Panama canal

: Panama canal

: Panama canal

Arrived at Tocumen International Airport in Panama, yesterday. Did not get to much sleep and needed it after approx. 24 hours travel. That's a pity: My hotel (Hotel Hoyo) is next to plaza la independencia and they celebrate independence day (right below my balcony). Next year is 100 anniversary, so i might be lucky. The Panamanian celebrate all night and at 8 o'clock they start marching in the burning sun till approx. 4 o'clock.
This saves me a trip to the 'Intstituto de Cultura', which is closed any way. Every organization is presenting themselves in the march, with colourful dresses and loud panamanian partriotistic music.

Try to organize a trip to the Panama canal on a national holiday ...

: The navy is present

: Official buildings are decorated with the panamanian flag

: Parading throught the narrow, crowded streets.

: The crowd is watching the parade.

Some information about the countries i might visit. I am not sure in what order and if i am going to all these countries. It started in Battambang - Cambodia, in the back of a truck talking to an El Salvadoriaan. He told me if i liked this (a back-breacking trip for 8 hours from Battambang to Pnom Penh ), i should visit El Salvador. So El Salvador is on my list...

The Netherlands (Home sweet home)
Area : 41.2 sq km
Population : 16 million
GDP : US$ 350 billion
Health risks : Cholestorol and spinning out, man

Panama (starting)
Area : 78 sq km
Population : 2.8 million
GDP : US$ 8.8 billion
Health risks : Denque fever, hantavirus, malaria, rabies, yellow fever

Costa Rica
Area : 51.1 sq km
Population : 3.8 million
GDP : US$ 16.6 billion
Health risks : denque fever, malaria

Nicaragua (ending)
Area : 129.5 sq km
Population : 5.2 million
GDP : US$ 2.2 billion
Health risks : cholera, denque fever, hepatitis, malaria, rabies, typhoid

El Salvador
Area : 20.8 sq km
Population : 6.2 million
GDP : US$ 17.5 billion
Health risks : cholera, hepatitis, malaria, rabies, typhoid