A few words on the hostel. I haven't done a review for some while.
Hostel Mamallena
Welcome - 5 Cervezas
Very knowledgable and friendly 24hr desk with drinks etc available. They know what they're doing.
Rooms - 3 Cervezas
Perfectly adequate but no private bathroom, which regular readers will know is something of a preference of mine. The rooms do have a fairly comfy bed and air-con which is good.
Price - 3 Cervezas
About three times the price of comparable accommodation in SE Asia but then this isn't SE Asia. It's about right for the region. $30 per night for a private room.
Shower - 2 Cervezas
One temperature, whatever comes out of the tap. Actually, it's quite cold but the weather here makes that more refreshing than anything else.
Overall - 3 Cervezas
That feels a bit mean really. It is what it is. A cheap place to stay with a warm welcome and helpful advice on how to get around. I really ought to bump it upto a 4.
I also went to the Panama Canal today, well a bit of it at least. It was absolutely awesome to watch the Atlantic run off into the Pacific. Quite spine tingling to think that man made that happen. The engineering itself is only partially visible and stretched on well beyond my vantage point. So the overall experience is probably best appreciated by those for whom canals really is their thing. I did enjoy it though and it's such an icon. They also have visitor centre there with the history of the build etc. I'm very happy to spend a few hours wandering around museums but my field of historical interest is a bit narrow, so I gave that a miss. There are organised tours from the city which run to about $135. I just caught a cab there and back with a ticket on the door. $35 all in.
My Spanish is slowly improving. I now have about five words in my lexicon, oh, plus another one that someone offered me via text that I haven't had cause to use. A typical exchange with virtually anyone is; 'Quando dollar?' (Reply is usually ridiculously high) 'QUANDO?? No way man!' I had to walk home off the back of my aggressive negotiation stance last night. Which I regretted as I entered ghetto town. I'm a man of principle though and kept telling myself that as I hurried through this dark backwater, wiping my frightened tear streaked face as I went.
I also had another haircut today (it's all go here I can tell you!). My second foray into the unpredictable world of haircut by sign language. I quite like it! It's a little bit dangerous! The adrenalin rush as a super sized, big breasted Latino (far more focused on her phone than my Barnet) scythes through my locks is quite something! She managed to add some additional peril by turning me away from the mirror until she was finished. So I had no idea what was going on until the big reveal. I've had worse. Quite recently as it happens. Turns out she was quite dexterous for such a big unit.
The Panama Canal in some of its glory. You had to be there I guess.
Some of my dedicated followers will get something out of this one. Nothing screams quality in the deep fat fryer world quite as loud as a Croydon (do we have those at home? ....Maybe we do.)
Further evidence, if any were needed, that Panama is a sophisticated nation. Probably the heaviest beer in the world. Up the Irons! ...and I was listening their back catalogue only yesterday!
An impressive feat of engineering.....I give you the Croydon deep fat fryer! The waterway thing isn't bad either. I do hope the bottle label isn't a reflection of your new haircut. Happy New Year!
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