Panama Top 10

We spent a lot of time in Panama and here are our top ten picks.

10. The Panama canal is very impressive especially considering that it is nearing its 100th year of operation.


9. The canal runs 24 hours and handles more traffic now than was ever thought possible.


8. Panama has a little bit of everything from jungle rain forests to dingy port cities. Rainy mountain towns to urban cities and of course picturesque surfing beaches.


7. Howler monkeys actually do howl. One will start, and soon all you'll here is WHOO WHOO WHOO WHOO.


6. A large US presence can still be felt here especially in the canal zone in terms of culture, language and architecture.


5. Two new "post-panamax" locks will soon support even larger cargo transport through the canal boosting the canals international importance.


4. Ocean tides are strongly felt on the pacific side (around 5 meters) in contrast, the Caribbean side experiences less than a meter.


3. The island of Taboga is a favorite weekend vacation spot for visitors and locals alike. It is also a very popular hangout for motor boating enthusiasts.

2. Grocery items are comparable in price to the US if not slightly cheaper.


1. Most of the buses used for public transit here are retired american school buses wildly painted in elaborate themes and decorated inside and out to draw attention to potential passengers.

FTA

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The Trials and Trámites of Canal Transit Logistics - Part 2

The last episode of The Trials and Trámites of Canal Transit Logistics left the EYE crew in Colón, optimistically waiting for the boat to be admeasured for Panama Canal transit.

However, two days and a weekend passed with no visit from the Admeasurer. The WTP sat patiently in the industrial flats anchorage, alongside a number of sailboats in the same situation. Aboard one such boat was a good-natured but increasingly despondent solo Swedish sailor David, who developed a love/hate telephone relationship with the immovable admeasure scheduler Laura, whom he called “every hour” according to Laura.

To try and get things moving, we eventually decided to pay a personal visit to the ACP (Canal Authority) offices for a little good cop-bad cop as the office opened at 7:30 on Monday.

We rowed ashore just after sunrise, tied up the dinghy in front of a 500-foot container ship, slipped into the fenced ACP parking lot by foot, and entered the sterile air-conditioned offices with PFDs (personal flotation devices) in hand. We approached a sleepy-looking Laura at the front desk. Trevor began the conversation in hushed, polite Spanish, explaining how Adam’s patience was growing thin with the daily “mañana” assurances. Adam cut into the conversation with half-feigned frustration, asking for a firm date on which to expect the Admeasurer.

Laura came close to assuring us that he would be coming that same afternoon. “Everyone is sick with a virus” she said, also coming close to apologizing for the delay, but then reminding us that we were small fish compared to the lucrative container ships, who understandably hold priority. “For some reason, there are more trámites for a sailboat than for a huge tanker,” she said. “Trámites” can be roughly translated as a combination of “paperwork,” “formalities,” and “bureaucracy” and is a word that we have heard a lot in the last few weeks. 

We left the ACP office and returned to the boat satisfied that we had done all we could. Sure enough, later that afternoon we were approached by an ACP launch and a friendly Admeasurer jumped off the bow onto our boat. He extended a tape measurer from our bow to the middle of our boat, then from the middle all the way to the stern, and wrote down a total length of 43 feet.

As Adam and the Admeasurer took care of some paperwork below deck, we were boarded by the incorrigible Brazilian Capitan Aleixo, who had seen the Admeasurer and was anxious to meet him, declare Brazilian-Panamanian solidarity, and receive assurances that he too would be measured that afternoon. After the Admeasurer finished with us he did indeed head over to Captain Aleixo’s boat.

We were then ready to go to shore for another round of paperwork and payments. Tito rolled up with his hench-partners in his launch, and brought us, Captain Aleixo, and an amicable Polish couple to the familiar taxi drivers for a ride into Colón. Alan and then-visiting girlfriend Taylor split off with ragamuffin guides to a nearby laundry mat, as Adam and Trevor headed to one bank to extract dollars and another bank to pay the dollars for the Canal transit fees. During a waiting session at Tito’s Office at William’s Payday Loans/Pawn Shop, our friendly cab driver brought us to a marine store where we purchased some jerry cans for extra diesel storage (the Pacific is a big place!).

Once we were measured and had paid, we were able to call the ACP to arrange a transit date for March 20^th. We were finally confirmed! For a detailed account of our experience in the Panama Canal, see the post on “Our Canal Transit.”

After we were safely anchored on the Pacific side of the Canal, the only remaining logistics to take care of were our zarpe, cruising permit, fumigation certificate, and passports. The zarpe would legally clear us all the way to the Marquesas (the stop after Galapagos). Our cruising permit was valid for one month only and expired on March 24^th, so we needed a new one. The fumigation certificate is for bugs and is required by the authorities in the Galapagos, and our passports needed to be stamped out of Panama. We had arranged with Tito to deliver us the necessary paperwork, which arrived a little later than expected. As always, the last step was a trip to the migrations office to stamp passports and legally leave Panama. It was a bittersweet moment as we bid farewell to a country that was our home for over a month! Hasta luego Panama!

 

Questions:

1.  How did the amount of logistics and paperwork in Panama compare to other countries that we have visited? Can you think of any reasons why it was more/less?

2.  Why did the Brazilian Captain Aleixo come aboard while the Admeasurer was measuring our boat?

3.  Which is the closest word to a translation of the Spanish word “trámites”?

      A. jokes

      B. procedures

      C. salsa

      D. dreams

SOG

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Another Guest Post!

We love having friends visit us onboard the WTP! As you may know, for our canal transit, we were required to have one helmsman and four line handlers - two more than our current crew of three.  This was an excellent opportunity for two good friends (of EYE of the World and of the crew) to come and help us out! You may recognize Deb (R - she helped us cross to the Bahamas back in December), but this was Kelly's (L) first time on the boat. She wrote the following about her experiences onboard:


Having never sailed before and only been on a handful of boats for day trips, I was a little nervous about joining the guys on the boat for the canal transit.  My biggest fear wasn't seasickness (a very common problem that Adam, Alan and Trevor probably don't even think about because they're so used to the rocking); it wasn't falling off the boat to where the crocodiles might lurk; and it wasn't the lack of shower facilities.  I was most concerned about getting in the way or breaking some expensive piece of equipment!

Luckily, the guys were so easygoing - Trevor took some time to teach me a couple simple knots (no, I have no idea what the names were), which I practiced should the need arise for me to help move bumpers around or something.  After a couple days, I figured out their rhythm and was able to find some things I could do to be helpful - washing dishes, cleaning up the living space, and helping cook allowed the guys to focus on the boat stuff that I had no idea about.  I would never be able to help out with a long crossing without learning all the details about sailing, but I had a great time with this short trip of motoring through the Panama Canal!

Another thing that struck me about my visit to the boat was the very distinct culture among the people on the water.  Sailing can be a very isolating experience, but while we were moored, there was a set time each day when the crews would communicate with each other by radio about all kinds of things.  Helpful tips about where to find parts for your boat, requests for people who might be traveling home (in our case, the US) to take mail back with them (it's much cheaper than mailing things internationally), information about book exchanges, and all sorts of other things!  The people are very friendly - I was amazed by how many people Trevor, Alan and Adam had met during their short stay in the area!  It was an eye-opening experience for sure, and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to join them, if only for a few days.
- Kelly

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Name These Tiny Creatures!

On a recent trip into the rainforest, we came upon these small creatures. They were each approximately half an inch long, red colored, and would walk in a line. We saw them cutting and carrying large bits of a leaf on their backs. If you picked up the leaf, their legs would keep moving as if they were on the ground!

These look similar to creatures we're very used to in the US, however, we're certain we've never seen this specific type before. Try and be specific, and NAME THAT CREATURE!

NTC

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The Other Side of Panama

A few days ago during our final preparation for the Canal transit, we went ashore to meet with our guide/agent Tito. After a conversation at his office, he offered to drive us to the grocery store to do some shopping. On the way to the store, we stopped at a bakery and picked up Tito's employee, Nestor. We then drove past the crowded and run-down hospital emergency room. Tito pointed to the hospital and told us a story:

A couple of years back, Nestor had broken his left ring finger and Tito brought him to the hospital. Tito left Nestor in a room with a nurse, and when he came back into the room, the nurses had given Nestor a local anesthetic and were holding him down and cutting off his finger with a sturdy pair of scissors. Tito could not believe his eyes, and the nurses impatiently told him that there were not enough medicines or doctors to fix the finger, so they were cutting it off.

Nestor was sitting in the back seat of the car with us, and showed us his missing ring finger. Tito summed up the story- "this hospital is terrible." We were shocked. Tito then continued by telling us a different story:
Last week, Tito's son and one of his employees had been hit by stray machine gun bullets on the streets of Colon. His son was hit in the forehead, but fortunately the bullet did not pierce his skull. Because of his previous experience with the Colon hospital, Tito paid to have his son driven two hours in a private ambulance to a hospital in Panama City. Tito's son is currently recovering in the hospital and it looks like he will be OK. Tito went to visit him there after dropping us off at the supermarket.

A couple of our friends who are cruising sailors had their own frightening experience: they were on their way back to Colon from Panama City in a taxi cab last week when they suddenly heard the sound of shattering glass. A large rock broke through the driver's side window and hit our friend in the shoulder. Apparently, someone on the side of the road tried to hit the driver with a rock so that the taxi would crash and they could rob the passengers. Luckily, the driver was able to continue to the next police station. Our friends finished their ride to Colon in an ambulance and went to the hospital to have the shoulder examined. Faced with a long wait and hefty fees for an X-ray, our friend had the shoulder bandaged up and left the hospital (thankfully, she is doing fine).

These stories remind us of how dangerous the cities in Panama can be, and that even innocent bystanders could be hurt by the violence. Also, we had an extra incentive not to get hurt - the hospital could very well worsen the problem!

Questions:
How would you feel if you broke your finger and there were not enough doctors at the hospital to fix it?

Would you be especially careful not to get hurt if you knew the hospital did not have enough doctors?

Are you aware of dangers or violence in the city where you live? Can you think of any ideas on how to reduce or avoid violence?

WWI

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Our Canal Transit

Getting to the Pacific is no small task, but thanks to the Panama Canal, it's much easier, quicker, and safer than the other alternatives. Here's the story of our transit:

We had been scheduled to transit on the 20th of March for some time. We were to anchor in 'the flats' and wait for our transit advisor to be dropped off.

The transit advisor is an ACP (Autoridad del Canal de Panamá, or Panama Canal Authority) employee whose job it is to ensure that boats make it through the canal safely and on time. Just after 3:00 PM, a large ACP launch pulled up and our advisor, Ric, hopped on board. Ric sat us down and explained the entire process, complete with diagrams drawn on the back of a sheet of paper.

The canal takes boats over and through a mountain, and so our first step would be to get to Lake Gatun - an artificial lake created by damming the Chagres river. We would cross the Isthmus of Panama on the lake, and then be lowered down to the Pacific on the other side.

Ric explained that we would begin by heading towards the first set of locks (Gatun Locks) and before entering, raft up alongside another sailboat. The two boats would then motor into the locks together. Once inside, workers on the wall would throw thin lines with monkey's fists (a weighted knot) to us. We would tie our strong dock lines to the thin lines (four to a raft, one on the bow and stern of each outside boat) and the workers on the wall would secure them. These lines would keep the boats in the middle of the lock and away from the walls.

After the lock doors closed, it would be our job to take in slack from the lines as the water flowed in and raised the boats. This would be repeated three times (through three chambers) on the trip up.

Our first day went exactly as planned and Ric was very helpful through the entire process. We made it to Gatun lake alongside a sailboat from Seattle named 'Celestial.' After clearing the locks, we tied up to a set of moorings just in time for dinner. Ric was picked up by an ACP launch and headed home. We spent the night on freshwater Gatun Lake. Although supposedly the home of crocodiles, none were seen, so some of us jumped in for a swim before bedtime.

The next morning, Ric showed up just before 6 AM. We untied and began motoring towards the Pacific. It took us about four hours to get to the next set of locks. We crossed the picturesque lake, went through the narrow Gaillard Cut, passed under the Centennial Bridge, and arrived at the Pedro Miguel Locks by 10 AM.

We rafted up with 'Celestial' once more and entered the lock to begin the down-locking process. It was almost identical to the prior days, however, instead of the water entering the lock to lift us, it was drained out to lower us. We repeated this process twice more in the Miraflores locks, and suddenly were in the waters of the Pacific Ocean. We crossed under the Bridge of the Americas and had, in 24 hours, crossed a continent and entered a new ocean.

For those of you who missed the opportunity to watch us transit live, below is a time lapse video taken from the Miraflores webcam.

FTA

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From Lake Gatun to the Pacific Ocean!

We made it through the rest of the Panama Canal yesterday! The video below is a series of photographs taken every 20 seconds by a camera lashed to our mizzenmast (with a few shots from the Miraflores locks webcam). The music was recorded by the EYE crew below deck during a rainstorm yesterday afternoon. Posts on the Canal transit to follow. Enjoy!

FTA

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Name That Canal Bird!

At the Miraflores Locks on the Panama Canal, we were lucky to meet one of the canal's permanent residents!  We've occasionally seen birds like this on our trip, but none this close.

This bird had about a four foot wingspan, stubby feet, and a large curved beak. Its neck was long but seemed to be kept folded in an S-shape, both on land and during flight. This bird hung out at the last lock where the sea water mixed with the fresh water coming through the canal.

It was being chased down the railroad tracks by one of the canal lock 'mules.' Instead of waddling away, it hopped with both feet before flying away, barely flapping its wings.

Name That Creature!!!

NTC

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Gatun Locks!

We transited the first part of the Panama Canal today!

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Q&A

Mrs. Coon's class at Kiln Creek Elementary sent us some great cards with some very good questions. We thought we'd answer them so that everyone could see!

Q: Are there more EYElympics?
A: Even though the winter Olympics are over, the EYElympics are still continuing! Look for the results from our chess bracket soon!

Q: Are you scared about going over the Pacific?
A: The Pacific Ocean is huge! However, our excitement outweighs our fear.

Q: What is it like living together?
A: Since the boat is small, we see each other all the time. Although we each have our own bed on the boat, there really isn't much private space on board. As long as you respect everyone and clean up after yourself, living together is easy! We are also lucky to have a great crew.

Q: Have you seen any new animals yet?
A: Since the DR, we've mostly been in cities, so unfortunately nothing new.  However, look for some fun Name That Creatures soon!

Q: How is it like on the boat?
A: Life on the boat is good! The biggest change from life on land is that everything is constantly rocking back and forth. If you set something down on a table, it won't be long before it ends up on the floor! Keeping everything neat is very important.


Thanks again for the cards, and thanks to everyone for following along!!!


FTA

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Watch EYEotW Transit the Panama Canal

You can watch us transiting the Panama Canal LIVE thanks to a set of well placed webcams along the canal. The best time to watch for us will be in the early afternoon on Sunday the 21st. We will be in the Gatun locks tomorrow evening but it will likely be dark. Check the map to see our progress through the canal. Note: Panama is in Eastern Standard Time, NOT daylight savings time so we are 1 hour behind the east coast of the US.

Here is the link to the webcams: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/photo/camera-java.html

So what's the big deal with Panama and this canal thing we keep hearing about? Well it's a pretty big deal actually. The Panama Canal was opened for business on August 15th, 1914. Before that day, if you wanted to move cargo by sea from a port in the Atlantic Ocean to a port in the Pacific Ocean, the only option was to sail around South America and the dreaded Cape Horn. The southern tip of South America is a notoriously dangerous place to take a boat due to strong currents, winds, and frequent storms. A shipping canal through Panama meant that this same journey took less than half as long. What a difference!

First, a little history. Although the idea of building a canal through Panama dated back to the 16th century, it was not until 1880 that work began under French leadership. Unfortunately they were forced to abandon the project after losing nearly 21,900 workers to malaria and yellow fever. The United States took over the project and completed it, but not without also losing 5,600 workers in the process, despite new knowledge of mosquito-transmitted diseases. The "Canal Zone" was owned and operated by the United States until 1999 when it was handed back over to Panama.

So how does it actually work? The canal is about 50 miles long in all and consists of three sets of "locks" (Gatun, Pedro Miguel, and Miraflores from north to south) with a large man-made lake (Gatun Lake) in between. Boats traveling south to the Pacific Ocean through the canal, like us, first enter the Gatun Locks. There are three "lock chambers" in Gatun, each of which are 106 ft wide and 1,050 ft long. Once in the first lock chamber, two large steel doors (each 7 feet thick) are closed behind you. Water then flows by gravity from the second chamber into the first, thus raising the boats in the first chamber. When the water is equal on both sides, the doors to the second chamber are opened and you move ahead. The process repeats until you pass through all three chambers. Once through the Gatun Locks, you are on Lake Gatun and 85 feet above sea level! The Gatun Locks raise every boat a full 85 feet in those three lock chambers. Impressive! The next locks, Pedro Miguel locks, drop boats down with just one chamber just like a stair step. Finally, the Miraflores Locks lower vessels with two chambers to sea level and release them into the Pacific Ocean. For more detail on how locks move boats up and down visit http://www.canals.com/locks.htm.

The key to the whole system is the man-made fresh water lake, Lake Gatun. At 85 feet above sea level, the lake provides the water needed to flood the lock chambers and lift the ships. A complete cycle of lock openings to move a ship all the way across the canal requires 52 million gallons of water from Lake Gatun. Smaller ships can be grouped together to increase efficiency. Fortunately, the rainy season in Panama refills Lake Gatun, but with increasing ship traffic each year, there is more and more demand on Lake Gatun's water supply.

Problems with the locks:  Nothing is perfect and the Panama Canal is not without some trade-offs. First of all, Lake Gatun isn't getting any bigger and with so many boats transiting the canal, the water supply must be watched closely. Deplete the lake too much and the drinking water supply could run low.


Questions:
Some 26,700 workers died in the process of building the Panama Canal. Is this an acceptable loss? The concept of 'workers rights' was very different back then. What kinds of things would be different if the canal were being built today?

Due to the increase in ship traffic, new and bigger locks at Miraflores and Gatun are already under construction to increase the capacity of the canal. The new locks will recycle up to 60% of the water they use from the lake. What are some consequences both good and bad of building bigger locks?

TSS

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Reunions!

On March 15th, Adam and Liz made a trip through Virginia to meet up with many of our friends and followers. Here are some of the highlights:

Lindsay Middle School, Hampton, Virginia.
Mr. Draft's and Mr. Poole's sixth and seventh grade students got together and asked some great questions about the trip so far. Aside from getting to ask questions about the EYE expedition, they were also lucky enough to get a special visit from the US Coast Guard! Crewmembers of the USCGC Forward (the same boarding team that visited the crew off the coast of Haiti!) came in and gave a presentation detailing the Coast Guard's mission, their personal experiences, and impressions of their time in Haiti. Thanks again to the Coast Guard for their exemplary service!


Riverside Elementary School, Newport News, Virginia.
Mrs. Palmer's fifth grade class was treated to their first personal visit. They had video conferenced with the crew in the Dominican Republic, but this time got to ask questions and interact in person! Each student has a folder that they use to track the WTP's progress. During the meeting, the students showed great interest in how the crew prepared for the trip. Mrs. Palmer's class has been very active and supportive of the expedition.


Kiln Creek Elementary School, Newport News, Virginia.
Mr. Joy-Hogg's fifth and Mrs. Coon's third grade students enjoyed meeting the crew and hearing about the trip in person. Although active e-mailers, this was their first personal visit. The fifth graders have been using StrataLogica to track the crew's progress interactively. Seeing this technology in action was very exciting! The third graders had all made colorful cards of encouragement for the crew. One of the crew's favorites said "I hope you never feel like giving up and if you ever do just think of Mrs. Coon's class!" Thanks guys!!

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The Trials and Trámites of Canal Transit Logistics- Part One

The Panama Canal: a testament to human imagination and ingenuity. It is a system of locks and bureaucracy that transports hundreds of millions of tons of cargo each year and makes the maritime trip from the Atlantic to the Pacific much more feasible. The Canal’s main competition is the comparatively inefficient overland transport option (via rail or truck), and the dangerous and lengthy trip around Cape Horn at the tip of South America. Especially for cruising sailors, the Panama Canal stands tall as a shortcut, despite its price tag and potential for burdensome paperwork.

For the EYE team, it has provided an interesting exercise in organization, communication, and patience. From the molding grandeur of ancient government offices to the frosty air conditioned reception at the semi-independent Autoridad del Canal de Panama (ACP), we have seen inside the gearbox of the Western Hemisphere’s foremost transit hub. At one point, we were sitting on a pile of nautical rope in the locked lobby of a payday loans/pawn shop waiting for a guy named “Tito.” Here’s how it went:

After anchoring in the industrial flats of Colon (the city on the Caribbean side of the Canal), Adam rowed the dinghy to another anchored cruising sailboat to get the scoop and borrow a cell phone to call the famous “Tito.” Tito is a local who came highly recommended and runs an informal cash-based conglomeration of taxi drivers, motor boat operators, canal line handlers, and street ragamuffins who help sailing yachts navigate the paperwork of canal transit.

Tito’s motorboat picked us up later that day and brought us to the public dock, along with the captains and crew of other boats anchored in the flats. There, we piled into a taxi with our Panamanian driver and the famous and gregarious Brazilian captain Aleixo, a true character.

The first stop was the copy center, to make 7 (seven!) copies of the boat documentation, Zarpe, and each of our passports. Next was the spotless offices of the ACP which featured a cold water cooler and Laura, the immovable and stoic official who registered us for a visit from the Admeasurer to measure the length of our boat- they don’t take your word for it. Next was the public Maritime Authority office, to have our passports and domestic Zarpe checked from our previous stop in Porvenir in the San Blas Islands.

We had already cleared through immigration, so we could skip this step, but we waited patiently as Captian Aleixo had the eight passports of his crewmembers stamped, while entertaining the officials with a copy of the fifth edition of a book that he wrote about his 1978-79 singlehanded circumnavigation, complete with vintage photos of him in Indonesia wearing a stylish black Speedo.

Finally, it was a race back across town to another copy center and then a Migrations office to get a tourist visa for our passports. We arrived at 2:58 to find the office closed two minutes early, but some sweet talking got us in the door for the last visas issued that day. Whew!

Then it was time for a trip to Tito’s office at “Empeños Guillermo” – William’s Payday Loan/Pawn Shop, to do some waiting while mysterious logistics machinations were taking place with Tito’s taxi fleet all across the city. Next we went to the supermarket for some provisioning and then to a Dominican restaurant for a well-deserved dinner of something that looked and tasted good. On the way back to the public dock, Tito appeared in the middle of the street to hand our driver a wad of cash for his services.

We rode the motorboat launch back across the industrial flats of Colon as the sun set near the container ships and loading cranes. It had been a long day full of surprises, and we had accomplished much: our passports had visas, our backpacks had groceries, and our stomachs had food. Most importantly, we had a date on which to expect the ACP to send an Admeasurer to our boat to continue the canal transit paperwork process; he would be arriving the next day. Or so we thought…

Stay tuned for the next post on The Trials and Trámites of Canal Transit Logistics, featuring a follow-up adventure in Colon, a trip to the ACP offices for some Good Cop-Bad Cop, and a discussion on the meaning of the Spanish word “Trámites.”

SOG

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Panama Public Transit

Public transport in Panama (and most Central and South American countries) consists of a vast (and seemingly disorganized) system of taxis, vans, and buses. In and around major cities, it is common to find that a majority of the cars on the road are taxis and buses (as opposed to private vehicles).

Apart from large, air conditioned coach buses that are used for longer highway travel, most buses and taxis are privately owned and operated. This has led owners to invent new ways of making their 'ride' more attractive than others. The fantastic result of this competition is the most elaborately painted, airbrushed, decorated, and 'tricked out' school buses you may find anywhere in the world. These buses are called 'Chivas' and are sometimes decorated in a theme. Anything from scantily-clad women to the Virgin Mary, to famous actors (we saw Bruce Willis on the back of one Chiva) can be found. Often the inside of the bus is painted and decorated with brightly-colored feathers and padded leather ceilings to give them a classy feel. Most Chivas have TVs for playing movies on longer rides and no Chiva owner would dare drive around without a "bump'n" sound system (which can sometimes be heard for blocks announcing the bus's arrival).

Taking the bus is easy. The bus stations in major cities are always buzzing and the right bus is not hard to find. Buses also usually stop for people waiting on the side of the road, unless they are completely full (meaning 3 to a seat and no more isle space).

Buses are also cheap. A Chiva ride from Colon to Panama City takes about 1-1/2 hours and costs $2 U.S. Air conditioned coach buses usually run the same routes but don't usually stop as often for new passengers. As a result, these buses are slightly more expensive. The same ride to Panama City on a coach bus with A/C costs $2.50 U.S.

Some differences are in the details; unlike U.S. buses which often run on a schedule, it is not uncommon for buses in Panama to leave for their destination as soon as they are full of passengers! Obviously this can be good and bad (depending on if you are one of those passengers). Besides the longer rides for which you purchase a ticket in advance, you usually pay your fare at the end or in the middle of a bus ride. A 'money taker' is in charge of this so the driver can concentrate on driving.

Taxis are different in Panama as well. Instead of charging with a meter or a mile counter, a flat rate for certain distances is usually assessed. For example, $1.50 will take you to the supermarket. The wise taxi rider will negotiate the price of a ride before getting in the car.

Though disorganized and a little daunting at first glance, Panamanian public transit is a well-oiled, people moving machine. Whether by Chiva, air conditioned coach, or taxi - public transit is the only way to go in Panama (and depending on the bump'n ride, certainly the most fun!).

SWC

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The Panama Canal, Walter Reed, and Human Experimentation…

Another post from our Medical Advisor! This one has a secret link between our home port of Gloucester, VA, and our current location in Panama!
------
Walter Reed was a U.S. Army physician who was instrumental in helping the United States oversee the completion of the Panama Canal.  Thirty years earlier the French had tried but failed, partially because so many canal workers died from yellow fever.  Today, thanks to Dr. Reed, we know that yellow fever is transmitted by mosquitoes (and the EYE of the World crew can safely transit into the Pacific).

At the turn of the 19th century, however, people thought that yellow fever was transmitted by dirty clothing and bedding.  Attempts to contain yellow fever focused on separating those sick with yellow fever from the healthy.  Such attempts to control yellow fever failed.

It was still firmly believed that contact with people who had the disease spread yellow fever.  To disprove it, Dr. Reed undertook some drastic human experiments.  He had some of his assistants sleep in beds with dirty blankets from patients who had died from yellow fever.   However, Dr. Reed did make sure that no mosquitoes got into the room.

His assistants remained healthy and did not die from yellow fever!  As a result, he was able to convince the U.S. Army to undergo a campaign of mosquito control in Panama – thus limiting exposure to yellow fever and saving thousands of lives.

Today human experimentation continues, albeit in a more controlled and regulated manner.

Questions:
1) Would you ever agree to be a subject in a human experiment?
2) What if the experiment was to help find a cure for cancer? 
3) What if you had cancer?  What if you didn't?
4) What if the experiment was for a new skin cream that could eliminate acne?
5) Should a medicine be approved for market if it has never undergone any human trials (experiments) first?
6) Should animals be experimented on before doing experiments on people?
7) What could have Dr. Reed done so that his experiment was safer for his "assistants?" 
8) Could he have done any other experiments to prove that contact with yellow fever patients did not cause yellow fever.
9) Would Dr. Reed's experiments have convinced you that sleeping in the dirty bed of somebody who died of yellow fever was safe?
10) Where was Dr. Reed born?

Classrooms, send us your thoughts at crew@eyeotw.org!
Mark Domanski, M.D.
Eye of the World, Medical Advisor
TSS

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