Casco Viejo

This is the Old Quarter. It's original name is San Felipe. It is often compared to Havana or Cartegena. It is on a peninsula in the southwest part of modern day Panama City. Most of this part of the city was built in the earliest days of European occupation of Panama, in the late 18th and early to mid 19th centuries. It was all but abandoned in the early 20th century as the wealthy residents moved to newer parts of the city. In 1997 UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site, which has helped encourage restoration of buildings. The Presidential Palace and the mayor's office are both here. But the restoration is slow, and gutted buildings stand next to restored gems.

The photo of the pink house above is a great example. It is lovely, but just across the street you see the ruins of the the building where Manuel Noriega's troops fought American forces in 1989. The building was all but destroyed. It is now for sale, and is a lovely old building with a beautiful view of downtown Panama City. The view of the city was taken from up on Casco Viejo. You can also sit along the water front and watch the ships waiting for passage through the canal.

Unfortunately the beaches surrounding Casco Viejo are trashy and rocky, but the views are spectacular. We did see some children playing on the beach, and we thought the piece of an old building was fascinating.

Many of the buildings have just the facade remaining. The have steel beams inside holding up the walls, and tin shed roofs to keep some of the water out. Panama receives an average of 16 feet of rain a year, so I imagine preventing water damage to your house can be difficult. (Raleigh gets an average of about 4 feet of water a year).