We drove to David in about fifty minutes and found our way to the airport road. But, before turning in our car, we needed to find fuel. The going rate in Panama, at least in the area where we were visiting was right at three dollars a gallon. I pulled into one station (Shell) and they were busy filling somebody else with 91 octane gasoline so we opted for another. We had been carrying minimal US dollars (the currency used in Panama) so together had little more than twelve or thirteen dollars. We found another station which had gas for less and, when we drove into the station, I asked if they accepted credit cards. No was the answer so we carried on a bit nearer the airport and found a Texaco showing that they accepted MasterCard, Visa and American Express.
There is no self-serve in Panama so I asked the attendant to fill first fifteen dollars, then a little more until I could see the gauge hit the seven-eighths mark. It had registered twenty-four dollars at this point so I handed him my credit card. He told me then that their machines were not functioning. I answered that we had no more than thirteen dollars at which point he took my card and tarried a bit. He finally returned and told me that it was impossible. I then asked him where the nearest bank was in order for me to withdraw dollars to pay him. He said he would show me. So, he jumped into the car and gave us direction in Spanish for us to located a bank with an ATM. We drove about a mile and I spotted a bank where I got dollars and paid him. He had the change ready in his pockets and then we drove him back to the station and continued on to the airport.
Checking the car in at Alamo went very smoothly and soon we were also checked in for our fifty-minute flight in a propeller Dash300. We were led out of the terminal area onto the tarmac and up the steps of the plane where we found our seats. The flight was not crowded but had more occupants than the one we took down from Costa Rica. Our flight went very smoothly and during the ride we enjoyed some Ruffles potato chips and a soda.
We arrived at the terminal (a former United States Air base) in Panamá, exited the plane, again walking on the tarmac into the terminal building where we exchanged our bag check for our bags. Then we exited into a group of taxi drivers, all who were offering us rides for varying amounts of fares. We had heard that the taxis here do not have meters and that each ride must be negociated. We had heard seven, ten and five dollars and I hesitated. We asked one driver if the cabs had meters and he shouted back at us that they did not. We ended up with him and John told him that with his attitude, he would do well in New York. He had been less than pleasant to us (of course for no apparent reason) and I did add something also that he had given us less than a happy welcome to his country. He apologized and went on with the apology until John told him that we would be happy to just drop the matter. We ended up paying five dollars for the fifteen minute transport.
We checked into the Country Inns by Carlson on the Amador section of Panamá which is sitting right on the entry to the Pacific of the Panama Canal. Our room was on second floor and we noticed signs in the elevator that there was rennovation being accomplished on the first floor (directly below us). We understood that this would cease at 5 so we did nothing until 6 when it was still pounding and sawing. John went down and we were assigned a new room on the 4th floor. When we went up there, there was only one bed so I went down once again and we were finally reassigned to a room on the top floor with a view of the canal. We watched from our balcony for an hour or so and saw large ships hauling containers full of items passing both ways. John read that the tolls assessed the ships can vary, depending upon their weight and displacement. He quoted the average tolls and it seemed excessive. But, considering the alternatives, it probably cut the total cost of sailing down under the tip of South America in order to pass with the goods.
The hotel has no restaurant other than a breakfast room but there is a Friday´s so we went there for supper. John had a salad and I had a hamburger. It was the best one since leaving the USA. Did I say lots of ketchup on the fries? We went up to our rooms and it was not long before I was fast asleep in one of the comfortable beds. We had set the alarm clock for 4 because we were required to be at the airport at 5 for our 6 a.m. departure.
Morning came quickly and with both of us showered and packed up, we trotted down to the reception area where we checked out and left our bags except for a small pack each that we would be taking for our excursion to the San Blas Islands. Our taxi was waiting our arrival and we made it to the airport in record time. No wonder, there was nobody on the roads when the moon was still high in the heavens. We exited and paid him ten dollars - the going rate from the hotel.
We entered the terminal and checked in for our flight. We noticed several women adorned in their typical attire, including beaded coverings of their lower legs and arms. Very colorful and a taste of what we were expecting to see soon on the islands. We were then summoned to go through security which was done quickly and then we sat in a small waiting area, awaiting our departure.
Our departure time came and went and reasons were given. It seems that the pilot had not shown but we were told in about five minutes maybe. An hour passed and still no pilot but the airline gave us four dollar vouchers which we used in the restaurant. We paid together and got a receipt showing a balance of $3.10 so John returned to trade that balance for postcards. Then we returned to the waiting area again where we were finally told that our flight had been cancelled. The airline would have made hotel reservations for us and would have booked us on the next day´s flight but we told them that we needed for them to help us rearrange our accommodations on the island (which were prepaid). They did that and arranged for us to fly out tomorrow. So, we returned to the Country Inn where we are presently.
I have arranged a half-day city tour which we are going to take at eleven today. We will meet our English-speaking guide in the lobby. I will have reports, I am positive, after we return around 4 today.
Checking the car in at Alamo went very smoothly and soon we were also checked in for our fifty-minute flight in a propeller Dash300. We were led out of the terminal area onto the tarmac and up the steps of the plane where we found our seats. The flight was not crowded but had more occupants than the one we took down from Costa Rica. Our flight went very smoothly and during the ride we enjoyed some Ruffles potato chips and a soda.
We arrived at the terminal (a former United States Air base) in Panamá, exited the plane, again walking on the tarmac into the terminal building where we exchanged our bag check for our bags. Then we exited into a group of taxi drivers, all who were offering us rides for varying amounts of fares. We had heard that the taxis here do not have meters and that each ride must be negociated. We had heard seven, ten and five dollars and I hesitated. We asked one driver if the cabs had meters and he shouted back at us that they did not. We ended up with him and John told him that with his attitude, he would do well in New York. He had been less than pleasant to us (of course for no apparent reason) and I did add something also that he had given us less than a happy welcome to his country. He apologized and went on with the apology until John told him that we would be happy to just drop the matter. We ended up paying five dollars for the fifteen minute transport.
We checked into the Country Inns by Carlson on the Amador section of Panamá which is sitting right on the entry to the Pacific of the Panama Canal. Our room was on second floor and we noticed signs in the elevator that there was rennovation being accomplished on the first floor (directly below us). We understood that this would cease at 5 so we did nothing until 6 when it was still pounding and sawing. John went down and we were assigned a new room on the 4th floor. When we went up there, there was only one bed so I went down once again and we were finally reassigned to a room on the top floor with a view of the canal. We watched from our balcony for an hour or so and saw large ships hauling containers full of items passing both ways. John read that the tolls assessed the ships can vary, depending upon their weight and displacement. He quoted the average tolls and it seemed excessive. But, considering the alternatives, it probably cut the total cost of sailing down under the tip of South America in order to pass with the goods.
The hotel has no restaurant other than a breakfast room but there is a Friday´s so we went there for supper. John had a salad and I had a hamburger. It was the best one since leaving the USA. Did I say lots of ketchup on the fries? We went up to our rooms and it was not long before I was fast asleep in one of the comfortable beds. We had set the alarm clock for 4 because we were required to be at the airport at 5 for our 6 a.m. departure.
Morning came quickly and with both of us showered and packed up, we trotted down to the reception area where we checked out and left our bags except for a small pack each that we would be taking for our excursion to the San Blas Islands. Our taxi was waiting our arrival and we made it to the airport in record time. No wonder, there was nobody on the roads when the moon was still high in the heavens. We exited and paid him ten dollars - the going rate from the hotel.
We entered the terminal and checked in for our flight. We noticed several women adorned in their typical attire, including beaded coverings of their lower legs and arms. Very colorful and a taste of what we were expecting to see soon on the islands. We were then summoned to go through security which was done quickly and then we sat in a small waiting area, awaiting our departure.
Our departure time came and went and reasons were given. It seems that the pilot had not shown but we were told in about five minutes maybe. An hour passed and still no pilot but the airline gave us four dollar vouchers which we used in the restaurant. We paid together and got a receipt showing a balance of $3.10 so John returned to trade that balance for postcards. Then we returned to the waiting area again where we were finally told that our flight had been cancelled. The airline would have made hotel reservations for us and would have booked us on the next day´s flight but we told them that we needed for them to help us rearrange our accommodations on the island (which were prepaid). They did that and arranged for us to fly out tomorrow. So, we returned to the Country Inn where we are presently.
I have arranged a half-day city tour which we are going to take at eleven today. We will meet our English-speaking guide in the lobby. I will have reports, I am positive, after we return around 4 today.
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