Rotary District Governor's Ball, Panama City

The Rotary District Conference Governor's Ball was at the exclusive Union Club on the beach in Panama City. We saw traditional local dances as well as Carnival dancers.

Party Boat on the Bay of Panama & Canal

Panamanians know how to party! Friday's "Fun Night" at the Rotary District Conference was a boat trip on the Bay of Panama and up the Panama Canal. We circled around the port several times and had a great view of the huge Panamax ships being loaded and unloaded. The cruise took us under the steel Bridge of the Americas.

Ice cream in old town, Panama

Artisan-made ice cream on a hot afternoon.

More Casco Viejo, Panama

Friday afternoon we got to see inside some of the renovated buildings in Casco Viejo.

City of Knowledge, Panama

One of the abandoned US military bases in the old Panama Canal Zone has been redeveloped into "Ciudad del Saber", City of Knowledge. It's a big campus for NGOs and companies to use for education and outreach.

National Theater, Panama

The Rotary District Conference opened on Wednesday night with a ceremony at Panama's National Theater. Then there was a reception on the rooftop patio, where we got to reconnect with friends who we met earlier on our trip in El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.

Barro Colorado, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama

The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute is on Barro Colorado Island in Lake Gatun, in the middle of the Panama Canal. We took a 45-minute boat ride to get there, and then spent the whole day hiking and learning about this unique nature preserve.

Night safari, Gamboa Resort, Panama

After relaxing at the pool, and before dinner, we checked out the "night safari". We rode in the back of an open-air truck. The guide had a giant flashlight, and we were hoping to see monkeys. All we got was a lazy turtle and some huge rodents.

Gamboa Rainforest Resort, Panama

"GSE is not a vacation!" So we needed a vacation from our non-vacation. We spent two nights at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort, courtesy of the nice folks of the Panama Sur Rotary Club. Our rooms were in some of the Historical Villas, built for Panama Canal Company managers many years ago.

Panama Canal

Miraflores Locks, Panama Canal

Molas for sale, Panama