07JUL2012: Panama Viejo+Casco Viejo

I just got up at 7 even though it was Saturday.

I checked the weather and went to bed again cause it was sunny! and I gained an hour more to sleep coming to Panama.

(There's an hour difference btwn Sto.Domingo and Panama city.)

But when my husband and I woke up the weather's turned bad and we couldn't go to swim in that beautiful pool as we've planned the other night.

Than we decided to go out.

It was his third time in Panama but the very first time touring the city.

We got a cab in front of the hotel and there were lots of drivers doing tour guides as well.

It was raining while we were in the cab but soon the rain stopped when we arrived at our first destination, Panama Viejo.

So lucky!

Panama Viejo is the first capital of Panama founded in 16th century.

Soon after having created, it became an important base where gold and silver were went to Spain.

(Therefor panamanian people used to color gold into black, according to Sr.Dominguez. interesting!) And later it was invaded by England as well.

In that unfortunate history, Panama Viejo was destroyed by fire in 17th C and people needed to rebuilt a new site.

Me on Dior red lipstick. (at last!!)

While we were heading to Casco Viejo, we stopped by Noriega's House.

Sr.Dominguez, our driver and guide, explained us Noriega was a "BAD PERSON"; dictator and imprisoned at present.

Colorful building.

Sr.Dominguez w/ Panamanian indian. 

(He showed us his own pics explaining about Panama.)

Casco Viejo: Old Town.

It was built following the destruction of Panama Viejo.

Panamanian shaved ice.

It was really delicious that we forgot to pay haha.

So my husband returned to pay and the thing is, the merchant also has forgotten receiving money. 

Souvenir shop.

Plaza Francia.

France was the first country who started constructing Panama Canal.

Maybe that's the reason there's Plaza Francia. 

Plaza Bolivar.

Tagua ring from souvenir shop.


Tagua: a form of vegetable ivory harvested from ivory palms in South America. 
Like true ivory, tagua is dense and creamy yellow in color, and it can be carved and worked into buttons, traditional handicrafts, billiard balls, musical instrument parts, and other things traditionally made from ivory. (출처 http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-tagua.htm)