Happily I left Colon, the beautiful garden spot of Panama and I thought you'd like to share some images I collected while there. Colon once had to have been a wonderful city in it's heyday, but that was a long time ago. I heard different reasons for the decline of this place and one I heard twice is that there is a law that says a landlord cannot evict a tenant for not paying rent so very many of them don't pay, hence no dollars for repair and upkeep. Another theory is that the lazy Panamanians migrate to Colon knowing they will not work once there and somehow live off the government. By contrast the nearby city of Panama City seems to be thriving and has it's own stories that I'll later publish here. I did stand at the base of a Trump Towers Hotel there that is pretty awesome in appearance.
So Colon rots, gangs fight and it's a vile place from most observations. There are supposedly 13 youth gangs fighting each other and attacking the Gringos making it a dangerous place to walk around in during the daytime and a death wish to walk around in at night. As an example when I arrived the government building I had to spend a few hours in getting my new papers didn't have electricty and hadn't had any for 3 weeks. What gives there, this is a governmant building with important offices and business was carrying on. The people seem to accept life this way, must be use to it, although it's warm here and the AC was off, fourntunately the windows opened. Remember this a stones throw away from where the cruise liners use the canal at $300,000 or so a pop. Another interesting sight are the armed military in their cameo clothes carrying AK-47's and very large bore handguns on their hips of which you see all over the place just hanging out being very bored. There are armed guards where I am anchored now that apparently guard the landing site on a public beach and they patroll 24/7. Nobody knows why they are there, at least us cruiser don't.
Lots of things are inexpensive in Colon and there is a place called the Free Zone that sells to everyone but the Panamaians cause they sell almost wholesale without tax and the locals must pay the tax. The guards of the Free Zone will not let a Panamian taxi driver through the gates after 10AM for some reason so you have to get there before then and keep the taxi employed at $10 per hour waiting for you as the Free Zone is way to big to walk around in. Once the driver is in it's OK for him to stay, he just can't enter after 10???????????? When you leave a guard searches your car than allows you through the gate.
So there are some hi-lights of Colon and if I'm lucky I'll never see it again.
So Colon rots, gangs fight and it's a vile place from most observations. There are supposedly 13 youth gangs fighting each other and attacking the Gringos making it a dangerous place to walk around in during the daytime and a death wish to walk around in at night. As an example when I arrived the government building I had to spend a few hours in getting my new papers didn't have electricty and hadn't had any for 3 weeks. What gives there, this is a governmant building with important offices and business was carrying on. The people seem to accept life this way, must be use to it, although it's warm here and the AC was off, fourntunately the windows opened. Remember this a stones throw away from where the cruise liners use the canal at $300,000 or so a pop. Another interesting sight are the armed military in their cameo clothes carrying AK-47's and very large bore handguns on their hips of which you see all over the place just hanging out being very bored. There are armed guards where I am anchored now that apparently guard the landing site on a public beach and they patroll 24/7. Nobody knows why they are there, at least us cruiser don't.
Lots of things are inexpensive in Colon and there is a place called the Free Zone that sells to everyone but the Panamaians cause they sell almost wholesale without tax and the locals must pay the tax. The guards of the Free Zone will not let a Panamian taxi driver through the gates after 10AM for some reason so you have to get there before then and keep the taxi employed at $10 per hour waiting for you as the Free Zone is way to big to walk around in. Once the driver is in it's OK for him to stay, he just can't enter after 10???????????? When you leave a guard searches your car than allows you through the gate.
So there are some hi-lights of Colon and if I'm lucky I'll never see it again.
sounds delightful... no pictures allowed by the ak-47 toting guards? I hope you are staying safe!
ReplyDeleteHey T, having trouble with site accepting my pictures as it comes out here in Spanish. I'll get help soon when I catch up with projects I've got going. Got those pictures of the guards and soon I'll share them.
DeleteOrt