More From the Canal

The View from Ancon Hill

Yesterday we went to the top of Ancon Hill.  Everyday we have looked out on the Panamanian flag atop Ancon Hill - as it is almost directly across from our complex.  We took a taxi to the top and were able to gain a new perspective on the area.

Its almost impossible to take a bad picture of downtown Panama City.

View from the other side of the hill - looking down the canal towards the Centennial Bridge in the distance

These are the docks we can see from our condo - the little white area that is tucked into the hillside immediately above the 3rd crane from the left. The docks are HUGE, loading and unloading container ships 24 hours a day.

We decided to walk down the hill and came upon these guys Geoffroy's Tamerin monkeys in a tree right next to the road.  They didn't seem to care that we were there.

The Bottom of Ancon Hill

The building at the bottom of the hill is the headquarters for the Canal De Panama.  It was built by the Americans in 1915 and was headquarters for the Canal under the Americans as well.  It gave the builders a sweeping vista of the canal zone.

Goethals was one of the chief engineers for the Canal project.  Gatun, Miraflores and Pedro Miguel are the 3 sets of locks in the Canal

There are beautiful murals (circa 1915) inside the Administration building created by William Van Ingen, an artist who painted murals for the Library of Congress and US Mint

MORE BOATS!  (Sorry, but this will be the last time)

The Island Princess is a Panamax boat - that means it was built specifically for the canal - its dimensions being as large as the locks will tolerate

Not quite sure why it needs what looks like jet engines???

It even looks huge from our balcony - which is about a 1/2 mile from the canal

I just had to see the Queen Elizabeth on her 112 day, round-the-world voyage.  We decided the best place to do this was Gamboa - a small town right along the canal.... no fences in the way and the boats come really close to the shore.

On her way to Mexico, then up the west coast of the US and on to the Far East. Today is day 17th day of their voyage.

Hope all is well with you.
Peggy