The multi-colored Biomuseo

El Biomuseo

Next stop. Biomuseo. Also known as "Museo de la Biodiversidad en Panama," or if you prefer, "The Museum of Biodiversity in Panama."

No smooth lines these

There are plenty of reasons for me, Robert P. Spretnak of Las Vegas, Nevada USA, formerly from Beaver Falls USA, to hate the Biomuseo, First of all, it's a Frank Gehry monstrosity.

Not as colorful looking up

Frank Gehry is a "star-chitect" who specializes in extraordinarily ugly buildings (think the Brain Building in downtown Las Vegas) that jarringly contrast with their surroundings and, simply, just don't fit in where they are placed. But that's OK here.

Still colorful in the outdoor interior of the museum

It is on the Amador Causeway, comfortably away from the rest of Panama City. It's jarringly bright colors do stand out, but there's nothing to nearby to make for the requisite Frank Gehry-nails-on-chalkboard clash.

Located way-faraway from the downtown skyline of Panama City

And it does have a section of the museum dedicated to that evergreen idea that humans are destroying all life on the planet as we continue to wipe out species. But that's only section of the museum. And while they mention, they don't dwell on it. So that's nice.

But there are two sections of this museum that make it absolutely fascinating. First is the discussion of plate tectonics and how the Isthmus of Panama was formed. (SPOILER ALERT: islands south of North America arose from volcanic activity and as the North American plate and South American plate moved closer together, the islands became a solid landmass connected to the continents.) Second is an awesome discussion of the clash of species immediately after the Isthmus of Panama was formed and, suddenly, there was a culture clash between the North American species and the South American species (which were especially weird -- Australia-like weird -- due to what had been extreme isolation of that continent). Saber-toothed tigers (from North America) suddenly came face-to-face with giants sloths (from South America) in an epic battle royale largely fought on the Isthmus of Panama. Something to which I really hadn't given much thought, until I was in appropriate space to think about it.

Rear view, or canal-side view

It was time to leave and I decided to take the walking trail alongside the canal -- what amounted to my canal trip for this tour -- headed back for the Country Inn.

Bridge of the Americas (L), Biomuseo (R)

I decided to take a walk along the canal-side.

Experimental selfie with new camera where I can't see the screen while I selfie

I was accompanied by a few of many chins.

I did find some honorific statuary. Yay!

Gabriel Lewis Galindo in the form of honorific statuary

This is Gabriel Lewis Galindo, a Panamanian diplomat who was significantly responsible for negotiating the treaty with Jimmy Carter turning the canal over to the people of Panama. Quite appropriate that his honorific statue looks out upon the canal.

Stuck in pagoda

And I walked past a concrete pagoda. Why, you may ask, is there a concrete pagoda?

A token of South Korean/Panamanian friendship

It was a gift from the Republic of Korea to Panama.

And what's that I see lying still in the waters of the Panama Canal?

Artsy shot of the canal

Boats!  And they aren't moving. Must be some of that "low water" I heard about. (Or, if you are reading this in reverse chronological order, as is standard for blog posting, you WILL hear about.)

Large container ship behind the smaller boats

However, that said, there was a large container ship that appeared to be traversing the Panama Canal at a rather fast clip.

Bridge of the Americas

But as the Bridge of the Americas got closer, it meant I was back at the Country Inn. Time to rest up after a long day of walking across Panama City instead of floating on the water at a leisurely pace.

And so it begins ... Panama City

Statue honoring peace and brotherhood somewhere on the Amador Causeway

And so the "I Can't Drive 55" birthday celebration vacation extravaganza adventure begins.  In Panama City. The real Panama City. The one in Panama. Which means it is the one to be logically named. Why some random beach town on the Redneck Riviera that is the Florida Panhandle shares the name with the appropriately named capital of the Republic of Panama, I do not know. Perhaps the Florida beach town was founded by Joe Panama.

I arrived in Panama dog tired.

Did someone say "dog"?

Norm The Dog. Now vacationing at the A-VIP Pet Resort while I vacation farther south.

No. Norm The Dog is not vacationing with me. But anyway, I was ten kinds of exhausted, mostly because of (a) the pre-vacation rush to get a ton of things done both work-wise and around the home, and (b) the flight to Panama City left at 6:00 a.m., which would have meant waking up at 3:30 a.m., except for the fact that I didn't really sleep because I was nervous about getting up in time to be at the airport at 4:00 a.m.-ish.

Luckily, I was able to take a cat nap on the plane.

Did someone say "cat"?

Portrait of the artist taking a portrait of Simone The Cat

And, again, no. Simone The Cat is not vacationing with me. Someone had to stay home and guard the house while I was away. So to all you would-be cat burglars (Yes. I went there. And I bought the souvenir program.): break in at your own risk. Mi casa is being guarded by angry feline,

The purpose of this vacation is to turn 55 someplace that will make turning 55 a little less 55-ish. So I am headed for Colombia. No. No. No. No. I am not going to have a coke-fueled orgy for my 55th. At my age, I couldn't even handle a diet Coke fueled one. But, when heading down to South America via Copa Airlines, it is fun to spend a few days in Panama City en route. I am scheduled to take a half-day boat cruise through the Panama Canal on my one full day here in Panama.

So I am staying -- again! -- at the lovely but fraying Country Inn & Suites on the Amador Causeway, just below the Bridge of the Americas. This time, however, I do not have a bridge view.

Country Inn & Suites by Carlson. The "by Carlson" is added to distinguish it from other Country Inns, apparently.

I took a stroll down the Amador Causeway to find a place to eat dinner.

Those red roofs straight ahead are part of the Frank Gehry designed Biodiversity Museum

It wasn't raining too hard at that point. But I was so tired I forgot to take pictures of my food.

Farewell to Panama

Big ass cargo ship passing under the Puente de las Americas

Today is the last day for the Panama leg of Vacation 2013.  Panama was a great place to visit.  I went here with zero expectations.  Spending two days here and seeing the canal I thought would be a great way to break up the really long flight deep into the southern hemisphere to Uruguay.  And it was.  But I'm wishing I had set aside a couple more days to see more.

I definitely will spend a few more days in Panama next time I fly Copa to Latin America.  (Unfortunately, for next year's World Cup Brasil trip, I'll be routing through Atlanta on Delta.)  I'm not sure if I'll do the Country Inn in the old U.S. Canal Zone.  It was a great hotel.  Next time, though, I think I'll stay in downtown where all the action is.  Maybe the Hard Rock Hotel, which is a skyscraper in Panama City, since I'm a hipster happenin' now kind of dude.

But enough about my "next" trip to Panama.  This trip.  It was (get this) overcast morning, lightly drizzling.  I decided to go for a walk anyway.  I should've taken my umbrella, since I packed one.  Or even wore a cap, since I packed one.  But I had faith.  So I walked out of the Country Inn.

The Country Inn & Suites Panama Canal. I shall miss you.

And I decided to stroll down the Amador Causeway and snap some photos of the Frank Gehry building they're building about a mile south of the Country Inn.  There's a park of some sort next to my hotel, with this weird pyramid-gazebo structure thing.

Weird pyramid-gazebo structure thing.

I don't know what it is.  I don't know where it came from.  But it's more interesting than most Frank Gehry designed view-killing ugly monstrosities.  (See, e.g., the Lou Ruvo Brain Building in downtown Las Vegas.)  Lots of construction in my neighborhood.  Most of it seems to be refurbishing/renovating old Canal Zone era buildings, such as this:

Random interesting building

Around this time the rain starts coming down much harder.  It is really pouring by the time I happen upon the Bio Museum, the Frank Gehry "signature" building they're building.

Frank Gehry's Bio Museum

I've heard that Panama is proud that it is getting a Frank Gehry.  They think it'll be a "signature" building.  But Panama City already has a very interesting, very unique "signature" building that really does compliment its skyline:  The Revolution Tower.  Which is awesome to behold.  The Frank Gehry Bio Museum?  Eh.

Panama's own Frank Gehry building

The best one can say about this is that it is not nearly the train wreck that other Frank Gehry buildings are.  As it's set off by itself, on a narrow causeway, it doesn't ruin its surroundings, like putting Tabasco on Lemon Meringue Pie, which is what Frank Gehry stuff normally does to a town.

Anyway, I got my pictures.  The rain continued to pour.

View of the downtown skyline from the Amador Causeway.  This time in the pouring rain.

The Amador Causeway is an interesting part of the Greater Panama City area.  Lots of good restaurants, albeit focused on us turistas.  Lots to see, like this statue in the middle of the causeway.

Statues surrounding a flagpole

It looked interesting.  What is it supposed to represent?  I don't know.  It was pouring hard at this point.  And I had to get back to the hotel, get out of my wet clothes, and get ready for the raison d'etre for this whole trip:  my flight to Montevideo.  Good-bye Panama.  Hasta pronto.