Panama City, and Kuna Yala (Guna Yala) in the San Blas Islands
 

My wife and I recently took a short trip to Panama to attend a friends wedding, and had the fortune to meet Alex who lives with the Kuna (Guna) Yala tribes people in the San Blas islands. So we took the opportunity to visit the Kuna Yala people; a truly memorable experience. THis is the first part of my posting; hope you enjoy it enough to visit the San Blas islands and the Kuna Yala people.

Decided to go to Panama to attend Sara Zomer’s wedding and to take a little time and visit Panama. Arrived at 4PM, to 33C (91F) weather, perfect for us as we were coming from 5C (41F) weather. Landed and took an Uber to our hotel in Panama City to change and freshen up. First stop was at the Atlantic & Pacific Co Restaurant at the Miraflores locks on the Canal, for Sara’s Pre-wedding dinner for family and out-of-towners. This restaurant is right on the lock, where we ate great seafood and saw equally great close-up views of the huge container ships crossing the locks. The locks are a truly incredible marvel of engineering feats and a great view, especially at night.

Attachment 449Great patio of the Atlantic & Pacific Co. restaurant overlooking the Miraflores locks

Attachment 450Miraflores locks closed up and water levels raised, to allow another ship to enter

Attachment 451Huge container ship going through Miraflores locks

Attachment 452Just past the Miraflores locks

Attachment 453and on its way to the open seas. Note the width of the Panama Canal (Panamax) which is the width the ships were built to, so they could navigate the Panama Canal.

Next day was sightseeing in Panama City; so we bought the subway (metro) pass, loaded it up, and used the subway to get to Casco Antiguo (or Caco Viejo), the old original town of Panama City. Got off at the Cinco de Mayo station, and started walking to the old town. On the way, there were multiple barber shop, so I had to get my $1 haircut from the street barber, after bargaining him down from his $2 asking price :)

Attachment 454Obligatory haircut stop

Since Fodors Forums limits the size of the content; feel free to check out the rest of the blog post at Panama City ? Ali Karim Travelog

NExt day, we spent a little time checking out Panama City, and then moved north of the canal to the Westin Hotel where the wedding party was staying; and where Sarah's wedding was going to take place; before we moved onto San Blas and the Kuna Yala experience.

As before, below is the write up, and since I cannot put the full bog page here due to Forum limitations, I have the full post link at More Panama City and Playa Bonita, Wedding ? Ali Karim Travelog

.......The next day, we went for breakfast to Manolo’s; a local eatery near our hotel, recommended by the staff. Had fresh Papaya juice and excellent vegetable omelets. Then checked out of the hotel and caught an Uber to Playa Bonita, at the hotel where Sara’s wedding was to be, later that evening. Playa Bonita is on the Pacific coast, and is about a 20 minute drive from Panama City, and to get there, we crossed the Bridge of the Americas, which is a major bridge that spans from South America and North America.

Attachment 472Bridge of the Americas; connecting North America to South America

After checking into the hotel, we used the time to enjoy strolling on the beach, and using the hotel pools and facilities.

Attachment 473Westin Playa Bonita

Attachment 474More Playa Bonita

Attachment 475Sea shells at Playa Bonita

Attachment 476Lonely at low tide

Then got showered, and changed. Dress code for men was tropical causal (khaki pants, linen shirt and Panama hat). So, walked a short distance to Casa Naga, where the venue was. Casa Naga is a very grand place to host events; the 18ft entrance has pools and fire pits, outside, and when you enter, you see the Pacific Ocean on the other side, and you can see all the ships waiting to enter the Panama Canal in the distant horizon. Inside, they also had pools of water cascading down to an outdoor garden area, with more water/pool areas. The garden was laid out with multiple tables, and the on one side was the DJ area, another side was the food/desert and a couple of drink stations.

Attachment 477Entrance to Casa Naga

Attachment 478Garden wedding; waiting for guests to arrive

Attachment 479Garden wedding; waiting for guests to arrive

Attachment 480Wedding toast; let the party begin

Very nice and romantic. Great Casa Naga & wedding video at https://vimeo.com/203317794

What limitation are you talking about?

The size of the posting; I assume the length/number of words or MB limitations is somehow restricted as I do get a message to reduce the size of my post

I think I relieved the setting a bit. Try it out if you still have more to post!

Continuation of the wedding (full blogpost is available at More Panama City and Playa Bonita, Wedding ? Ali Karim Travelog ); It was here at the wedding party that we met Daniel (groom)’s sister Alejandro and her husband, Luchin, and their 2 kids. We learnt over conversation that Luchin was a native Kuna Indian, living in the San Blas Islands; which was a place we had wanted to visit but had not planned anything yet. What a lucky meeting. Luchin was planning to go back to his Island the next day, so we asked him to organize a stay for us at his island, Nalunega; which he graciously agreed to do.

Attachment 485Not so lonely, with hundreds of birds

Attachment 486Smooth Gliders

Attachment 487Admiring the view one

We then moved back to Panama City later that day, and since no visit is complete without a visit to the Fruit & Vegetable market, we headed out to the Market, which our Uber driver pointed out was “muy economico”; my kind of place :)

Attachment 488Outside Panama City hotel

Attachment 489At the Fruit & Vegetable Market

Attachment 490Habanero’s anyone?

Attachment 491Any guess?

Attachment 492Pineapple city

Attachment 493Oranges and Lemons

Attachment 494Papayas galore

Attachment 495All kinds of roots, including the popular Yuca

Attachment 496Marakuja or Passion fruit

Attachment 497Everybody was out shopping at the Fruit & Vegetable market, young and old

Attachment 498Everybody was out shopping at the Fruit & Vegetable market, young and old

Attachment 499Bananas and Plantain

Attachment 500I believe these are cashew fruit

After getting our fill of coconut water, and tasting all the fruit, we headed back for the hotel, and after freshening up, we went back to the hopping Mercado de Mariscos from dinner of Red Snapper, fried yucca (mogo) and hot sauce one again. When we got there, Michael Jackson was performing there for the partrons ; what luck

Attachment 501Michael Jackson performing at the Mercado de Mariscos

Attachment 502Locals enjoying fresh seafood meals at Mercado de Mariscos

Attachment 503Dinner; fried red snapper and fried yucca

Then headed back to the hotel for an early night, as we were heading out to San Blas Islands at 5AM the next morning

Nalunega and Kuna (Guna) Yala next

Panama is so beautiful! The ceviches and pesado frito are the best, also the tamales. San Blas Islands is a paradise. Panama is a must in a travel destination bucket list! Thanks for those images, they made my day.