Panama Canal

Today we had a bit of a surprise in the morning: no water! After a delayed start, Vicente came, fixed it and we went to the American Trade Hotel for a really nice breakfast.  

Then it's off to the Canal. We got to see a ship passing through from Pacific on its way to the Caribbean at the Miraflores locks. They have a nice exhibit here explaining about the old as well as the new locks, plus some of the local wildlife, and a simulation of being in the captains deck of a ship passing thru part of the canal.

After a drive through​ some horrible traffic (Panamanian drivers are crazy), lunch was at a lovely Italian restaurant with delicious spaghetti and spumoni ice cream followed by Frutita (of course). I tried the guanabana bastido this time. So yummy! When we got back to the house, we dropped off some stuff and we ladies went out to do a little souvenir shopping.  

Tonight we headed back to the American Trade Hotel's adjacent jazz club for a singer that Joel remembered from last year. It was a Cuban band with an amazing singer, Idomea Dowman. They played at least one song I recognized from Buena Vista Social Club. There were a couple of larger groups in the club and a few ladies sang along with a conviction and passion that would put American Idol contestants to shame. The group performed for two solid hours and we ended up quitting for the night before they did!