Rare opportunity, overnight Panama City what would YOU do???

[Dougolly]

On Oceania arriving: 8:00am (Sunday), departing 3:00am (Monday) in Panama City what would YOU do??? Wondering if it being Sunday will be a problem. I've never been overnight there just through the canal....THOUGHTS.... IDEAS! Thanks!!

[BillB48]

Don't know if you would want to take in a visit the Miraflores Locks visitor's center and see the operations from a shore side point of view.  There is an extensive collection of Canal history items to enjoy in addition to observing the operations.  I don't know if they have reopened the IMAX theater yet or not, but if they have, an excellent documentary on the Canal narrated by Morgan Freeman is presented.  A visit to the Casco Antiguo, the old city maybe of interest.  There you will find the Church of the Golden Altar (Iglesia de San Jose) and see the ruins of the Iglesia de Santo Domingo.  Iglesia de Santo Domingo is also known as the Church of the Flat Arch which was often used as an example of the geological stability of Panama from earthquakes.  That example may be a little misguided as Panama does receive its share of earthquakes, fortunately they have not risen to the devastating magnitude in and around the Canal area.  Just yesterday a 6.7 earthquake struck just 35 miles off the Pacific coast in western Panama, fortunately no reports of injury or damage.  Lastly you could visit the ruins of Old Panama, Panama Viejo.

[rkacruiser]

5 hours ago, BillB48 said:

Don't know if you would want to take in a visit the Miraflores Locks visitor's center and see the operations from a shore side point of view.  There is an extensive collection of Canal history items to enjoy in addition to observing the operations.  I don't know if they have reopened the IMAX theater yet or not, but if they have, an excellent documentary on the Canal narrated by Morgan Freeman is presented.  A visit to the Casco Antiguo, the old city maybe of interest.  There you will find the Church of the Golden Altar (Iglesia de San Jose) and see the ruins of the Iglesia de Santo Domingo.  Iglesia de Santo Domingo is also known as the Church of the Flat Arch which was often used as an example of the geological stability of Panama from earthquakes.  That example may be a little misguided as Panama does receive its share of earthquakes, fortunately they have not risen to the devastating magnitude in and around the Canal area.  Just yesterday a 6.7 earthquake struck just 35 miles off the Pacific coast in western Panama, fortunately no reports of injury or damage.  Lastly you could visit the ruins of Old Panama, Panama Viejo.

 

This poster offers several good ideas that I support.  I found the tour that I took that visited the entire city: new, old, and very old to be interesting.  A folkloric show that the tour attended was fun and colorful.  (I think lunch was included; don't remember for certain.)  Maybe having dinner at a local restaurant would interest the OP.  

[halos]

On 10/21/2022 at 3:56 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

This poster offers several good ideas that I support.  I found the tour that I took that visited the entire city: new, old, and very old to be interesting.  A folkloric show that the tour attended was fun and colorful.  (I think lunch was included; don't remember for certain.)  Maybe having dinner at a local restaurant would interest the OP.  

Do you happen to recall the name of the tour, or even better, do you have a link?

[rkacruiser]

2 hours ago, halos said:

Do you happen to recall the name of the tour, or even better, do you have a link?

 

My tour was in 2008!  I will check my Journals from that cruise and let you know if I have a tour name.