slowdriving.us
Week Three Day fourteen, Sunday 12/2/2007 I drove 483km from Caldera, Costa Rica, N9 55.899 W84 43.171 to Ciudad Neily, Costa Rica, N8 38.901 W82 56.547
The Hotel at Caldera did not have hot water. The shower water was warm but not hot. With no obvious restaurant open early in the morning, I again went without breakfast. I changed the oil in the parking lot, and went on my way. There was a road shown on the map going south along the coast, but it looked like it was not paved. So instead I stayed inland on the CA2. This road took me into the highlands of Costa Rica which is beautiful but slow driving.
Several hotels and restaurants at Caldera.
Caldera Bay
Caldera has a container ship terminal
Sunday Morning Marathon in San Jose, Costa Rica.
The marathon blocked the main road, I took city streets and found a good local place for a late breakfast, "McDonalds"
McDonalds security guard.
A five car traffic jam on the mountain road in Costa Rica.
Sunday morning Church.
The inland road was very scenic, but there was almost no place to pull off.
Mud and rock slide.
No traffic control for this truck in the roadway.
A fender bender can close a road for hours.
My Hotel in Ciudad Neily all dressed up for Christmas.
I did not get to the Panama border until just about dark. Rather than take a chance driving at night again, I turned around and drove back, 18km to Ciudad Neily. What I found was a nice hotel all dressed up for Christmas. I got a room with wireless internet for $45.00. Tonight I ate at their restaurant.
Day fifteen, Monday 12/3/2007 I drove 538km from Ciudad Neily, Costa Rica, N8 38.901 W82 56.547 to Panama City, Panama, N8 58.607 W79 32.078
Nice room in Ciudad Neily. I did have breakfast at the hotel restaurant. It was plain but good.
The hotel stairway decorated for christmass.
I thought I got up early, but the parking lot was almost empty when I left.
Panama Going into Panama was the easiest border crossing yet. Panama uses the US dollar for money, no need to exchange currency. The roads in Panama are in good condition.
I made it to Panama.
Panamanian Official posing by the car.
Panama looks like all the other countries.
A field full of Cattle.
I did have a lot of trouble finding my way around in Balboa and Panama City. There are lots of one way streets. I did not have a city map, and the GPS does not show city streets in Central America. After several failed attempts to navigate the toll roads and in a panic, just about dark I found an old Hotel. This cost me $44.00. they did have a mediocre restaurant, and an internet connection in the lobby.
Day sixteen, Tuesday 12/4/2007 I drove 216km from Panama City,N8 58.607 W79 32.078 to Colon and back to Panama City,N8 58.607 W79 32.078
View from my Hotel window. I had breakfast at the hotel before I went to Colon.
I don't know why all the concrete has reinforcing bar sticking out of it.
A colorful city bus.
This Hydroelectric dam was created when the river was dammed for the Panama Canal.
It rains a lot in Colon
This morning I headed toward Colon. When I arrived in Colon, it was raining too heavily to do any site seeing and picture taking. The weather maps showed rain for the next several days. I decided to return to Panama City, where it was not raining.
Statue of Balboa, in Panama City.
On the waterfront in Panama City.
High rise buildings in Panama City.
After driving around and getting frustrated with the traffic and street system I went back to the same hotel as the night before. For dinner I stopped at a McDonalds.
End of week 3-south, continue on to week 3-north
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