We sailed under the Bridge of the Americas, part of the Pan-American Highway, in the early morning and docked at Pier 6 in Balboa, Panama. We spent the morning hiking among lush tropical plants in the Metropolitana Park, a small nature reserve surrounded by the bustle of the city and home to an amazing variety of birds and mammals despite its urban location. Dozens of species of birds were identified and we were delighted to find a small troop of tamarind monkeys and a sloth.
After a drive through the colonial section of old Panama City, we toured the Canal Museum. In the afternoon we visited Miraflores Locks from the land side and watched as ships were lowered from the level of Gatun Lake to the Pacific. There was time for a quick visit to the Botanical Gardens before we returned to the ship. The Canal Authority Pilot boarded at 5:30 p.m. and Captain Cardestig slowly pulled off from the pier. We began our passage through the Canal in the cool of the evening, and everyone enjoyed both watching the transit and our farewell cocktails and dinner.
