Incan Empire Cruise: November 3 — December 4, 2013
Historic Panama City
Panama City's Historic Beginnings
The city of Panama was founded on August 15, 1519, by Spanish conquistador Pedro Arias Dávila. The city was the starting point for expeditions that conquered the Inca Empire in Peru. It was a stopover point on one of the most important trade routes in the history of the American continent, leading to the fairs of Nombre de Dios and Portobelo City, through which passed most of the gold and silver that Spain took from the Americas.
On January 28, 1671, the city was destroyed by a fire when pirate Henry Morgan sacked and set fire to it. The city was formally reestablished two years later on January 21, 1673, in a peninsula located 8 km (5 miles) from the original settlement. The site of the previously devastated city is still in ruins and is now a popular tourist attraction known as Panama Viejo. (Source: Wikipedia)
Panama City's Originst
Here tourists are able to wander freely among the remaining structures. A guide is very helpful in learning what these remnants were in the earliest days of settlements here. The children you see in some of the photos are from a bi-lingual school in the area; they were encouraged to practice their English skills with us.
Vendors
HAL Shore Excursions
I had been in this area the day before on the "Hop On, Hop Off" bus and could see there was little, if any, interpretative signs on the interesting structures I saw. Thus, we decided not to explore this area on our own.
Blog Content & Website Design: Marney Wilde • Photographs by George Wilde
