They knew how to get around and were taking local buses, for the most part
Panama City 2015
The Miraflores Panama Canal Lock
A day after I arrived at the hostel, a German woman and her two daughters who had spent some time in Panama and were heading to the beaches after this, went to see the Miraflores Panama Canal operation and that was one of the items at the top of my list of things to see and do. I was kindly invited to accompany them. |
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They knew how to get around and were taking local buses, for the most part |
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People from all over Panama (and the world) come to see the Panama Canal in action |
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There is a small and interesting museum on the grounds and restaurants and a coffee shop |
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So, finding our way around, we had a snack, something to drink, and then discovered this upstairs viewing area and settled in, ready to see the ships. |
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And we waited, and waited, and then waited some more. Meanwhile, I decided to kill some time shooting birds. |
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| Finally, well over two hours after getting there, the activity level went up, a boat filled with passengers who had paid to go through the Panama Canal arrived at the still closed back gate of the lock, with a large, however, empty, container ship coming up behind. |
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| Once the back gate was opened, the passenger ship moved into the lock under its own power and tied up. The container ship, as has been the way things are run here for 100 years, was being towed by special locomotives. Then the back gate was closed again. |
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Once both craft were in the lock, with the back gate closed, the water was drained to get both ships to the next level down. At the same time, to my delight, a massively loaded container ship was pulling into the other lock. |
3D