Dance. Smile. Giggle. Marvel. TRUST. HOPE. LOVE. WISH. BELIEVE. Most of all, enjoy every moment of the journey, and appreciate where you are at this moment instead of always focusing on how far you have to go... Mandy Hale
Yesterday, I had what I think is going to be the last good shower I have for the next month and I made it an extra long one. I think the first thing I will do when I get back to Canada is have an hour long shower or maybe a week long one.
Once I was ready and checked out of the hotel, I decided to take the Metro Bus but didn't have the correct change. A metro worker named Rogelio 
helped me explain to a sheet vendor what I needed. I couldn't buy anything from him because all he had for sale was meat and fruit. I do not eat meat and I was not taking a chance of eating fruit and having an allergy reaction in downtown Panama.
Once I finally had my metro card I went to the Albrook Mall. 
This mall is the largest mall in all of Central America and I thought for sure I was going to get lost but I didn't. 
I did however spend about 3 hours running around trying to figure out my the SIM card I bought for my phone that was not working. In the end a very nice guy at Clario (a cell phone company in Central America) helped me out. The great thing was he spoke English and understood what I was trying to say. He did however let me try to explain what the problem was in Spanish for about 3 minutes before be started talking to me in English, this made for a good laugh.
I will add after leaving I went to the washroom and some how after putting my backpack on and leaving the washroom I got my dress stuck in my underware. I only came to know this information when a very kind lady came up to me and tried to explain to me that my dress was stuck. She actually pulled it down because she didn't know the words to tell me that it was stuck. I think she was more embarrassed the me. The worst part of the whole thing is, I had to have been walking around like that for at least 35 minutes and no one told me. I did get a few comments in Spanish and whistles but I just ignored them not knowing my butt was opened for the world to see. In the end I would say about 1000 people or more say my bare bottom. The largest mall in Central America on Boxing Day got to see a Canadian bottom and I am sure it was not a pretty site. I do thank the nice lady that told me and I am sorry that she had to actually pull my dress down to tell me. She couldn't even speak she was so red. She kept calling me niña bonita over and over again, which I know means pretty girl in Spanish. In my whole stay in Panama I do not think I met a rude person even with me not knowing very much Spanish for the most part everyone tried to understand me as I did them.
After all this I decided to take the bus to go and see the canal, the only problem was I didn't know where my stop was. I knew I had to take the Ciudad sel saber stop to get to the Miraflores Lock however it wasn't called that at the stop. The bus driver who knew what stop I was looking for couldn't tell me because the police hand come on and I guess they are not suppose to talk to people when they are driving. That is what he explained when we got back to the mall. If you are ever in Panama City and want to walk the 600m from the bus stop, get off at the bus terminal stop before the bus heads back to the mall or you will end up like me and just going back to the mall and being too late to get on the deck. You will know the thermal because it is the only one you stop at besides the mall one.
I did make it to the canal by cab. My cab drivers name was Ijanico Vigil.
I had my own little tour of Panama and was given the history of the city and the canal. He also have me a full history of himself which was nice because I knew I was safe in his taxi. 
He has a great passion for what he does and for his family. He showed me his cards and everything. If you are ever in Panama and want a personal tour guide his number is 011+507 61200987 and he is also in my friends list on Facebook.
The drive to the canal was very nice 
however once I saw the canal I was not in awe. It really is just a larger scale of the on in Niagara. I do recommend you going to see it if you are in Panama City but if you are going some where else in Panama you don't have to make a special trip to see the Canal. Well that is if you live in the Niagara region. You have to look through a fence 
unless you make it to the observation deck in time to see from the top. You could pay $15.00 to go on the deck and not even see a ship, it's like back home in Niagara the ships are on a schedule so they are not always using the canal. I was able to see a shop however when I went. I didn't make it in time to pay to go on the deck but I would have just to read about the history, that is if I had of gotten off at the right stop.
After my day running around the mall and getting to see some of Panama City I got on a bus to David. Nothing exciting about this bus trip as it was dark out. I did met a guy traveling to see his Grandmother but we couldn't understand each other which was pretty interesting because he kept asking me questions in Spanish and I would answer in English and either one of us knew if we understood what the other was saying. It was just the nod and smile game.
Once I got to David I needed to use the washroom and charge my phone, both of which I had to pay to use. The one thing about Panama I found is that you have to pay to use things. At the bus station you had to pay to use the public restroom and in any store you go there are signs that say $0.50 for Banos (washroom). Also you do not flush your toilet paper down the toilet, there are garage cans and signs asking you not to. I found this gross and I will admit I forgot each time and flushed it.
I decided to sleep on the bench and let my phone charge instead of getting on the next bus to Changuinola because I knew they ran every 30 minutes. I was going to go to Bose Del Toro but was far too tired and just went right to Changuinola so I could go to Costa Rica. Thinking about it now if I had of had a better sleep I would have gone to the Island but I'm not sad I didn't go.
Once I got to Changuinola I went to a McDonalds because it was the only place I didn't have to leave my bag at a bag check. I ordered an egg mcmuffin, which I did not like but I needed to use the washroom and charge my phone. There was no toilet paper so thankfully I had my bag and had tissue with me. There was also no running water to wash my hands but again I was smart and had bottled water with me. I was able to wash my face and brush my teeth using my own bottled water and change my cloths. It's weird the things we take for granted in Canada like being able to freshen up after a long drive at a gas station or a service centre.
After I eat about 4 bites of my mcmuffin I went and ventured around the town, it wasn't anything excited so I decided to head to the border crossing. 
I wanted to walk it but ended up taking a can after finding out it was going to be about a 6 hour walk.
Part of the reason I didn't want to go to the Island was because I wanted to walk the bridge crossing into Costa Rica. 
This is the oldest crossing from Panama to Costa Rica and you can tell when you walk it. It was a rainy day and the wood was wet and slippery. 
There doesn't look to be any kind if repairs to the bridge and in parts I actually thought I was going to fall right threw the wood and the holes. Still I am glad I did it because it was a nice experience. 
The whole thing was pretty smooth the only pointer I would tell you if you are going to travel between the countries in Central America is make sure you have the papers filled out before you go to enter. If you do not you will be sent to the back of the line. I had no clue I needed to fill something out as there are no signs telling you to until you get to the window and the guy says where is you paper? At this crossing you are literally standing outside in a line with nothing around you but a dirt road and a fence blocking you from the trees. They really do not even have any patrol checking to make sure you can cross as it is wide opened. I am not sure if they would even know if someone didn't go through immigration or not. Either way I made it to Costa Rica. I will write later about Costa Rica. My first day wasn't too eventfully.
Jessi
Thank you Panama for making the start of my trip a good one. I have taken great memories from your people and your beautiful Country. I hope to return one day!
Some more pictures...
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