Posted
on November 5, 2015
I
kind of think that Panama should just shut its governmental buildings
and banks and stuff for all of November – there are so many
holidays this month!- November 2 is Day of the Dead.
- November 4 is Flag Day.
- Today, November 5, is Colon Day (commemorating the persuasion of the Colombian forces not to fight against Panama's separation).
- November 10 is Primer Grito de Independencia de Panama de Espana (the Cry for Independence from Spain, in 1821).
- November 28 is Independence Day proper (celebrating the break from Spain in 1821).
I
read that pretty much everything shuts down each of these days, and
there are big parades, lots of music, and plenty of fireworks...and
all I can say is, that's a whole lot of celebrating in one month!
Colon,
Panama, is a sea port on the Caribbean Sea. It is the northern
gateway to the Panama Canal (which I always think of a east-and-west
passageway, because it is the gateway for ships from the eastern
Atlantic Ocean to the western Pacific Ocean...BUT the canal really
runs more north-and-south, because of the “S” shape of Panama).
Colon
is named after Christopher Columbus. Columbus, of course, was a
person around whom passions and controversy swirl – he is honored
and celebrated almost as much as he is reviled and hated – and
Colon, Panama, is also a bundle of contradictions:
- Colon is an important Free Trade Zone (or duty-free zone), a place where posh cruise ships come, a place where tourists visit swanky resorts, a place where many of the most educated and wealthy Panamanians used to live.
 |
| The beach above is called Starfish Beach, because it typically looks like the photo below... |
- But it is also a place where there has been much poverty and protest and crime; because of these negatives, many of the wealthiest inhabitants have moved to the U.S., the U.K., or elsewhere.
In the past year, however, the city has begun a massive restoration and reconstruction plan.
Also
on this date:
Plan
ahead:
Check
out my Pinterest boards for:
And
here are my Pinterest boards for:
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