Cerro Ancon, revisited
This past weekend I got to hike with my husband up Cerro Ancón (Ancon Hill), a lovely hike. This was the site of the first hike I went on in Panama, and there's a reason my friend Jessie took me here first of all places: it's not only a lovely place, but it's also a place with huge local significance. So of course I wanted to come back again and show it off to the guy I love!
 |
| At the base of the hill; already beautiful forests and well-maintained, well-marked paths. |
What makes it all the more significant to Panamanians is that, because it is in the Canal Zone, for many years it was under U.S. control and flew the U.S. flag. Nowadays, whenever you look at the hill, from anywhere in Panama city, you see the Panamanian flag flying proudly.
 |
| The flag at the top of Cerro Ancón. |
Just slightly downhill from the flag is a statue -- not of a soldier or a politician, but of a poet.
 |
| The poet Amelia Denis de Icaza. |
She was the first poetess of the country, and had written a much-beloved poems, one that school children memorize, about how sad she was not to be able to walk the paths of this hill that had been taken from her.
And of course, if you can see Cerro Ancón from most parts of the city, you can see most parts of the city from Cerro Ancón. Here's a view of the Canal, looking past the loading docks toward the Miraflores Locks.
The trail is actually a small road, wide enough for one car at a time, although it's mostly pedestrians and a few bikes (I think I saw at most one car the whole time we were there). There are signs in the bends of the road telling cars to honk.
 |
| There are signs honoring the poet in Spanish (other side) and English (this side). |
And of course, if you can see Cerro Ancón from most parts of the city, you can see most parts of the city from Cerro Ancón. Here's a view of the Canal, looking past the loading docks toward the Miraflores Locks.
 |
| "[W]arning: Don't Clim[b] on the rails". |
 |
| I'm not climbing on the rails; I'm just looking at the view. My AirBnb is just off to the left of this view. |
The trail is actually a small road, wide enough for one car at a time, although it's mostly pedestrians and a few bikes (I think I saw at most one car the whole time we were there). There are signs in the bends of the road telling cars to honk.
 |
| "Toque Bocina": literally, touch the horn, or honk. |
My husband notes that Spanish always seems to use longer words or phrases than English: I guess the shift from "honk" (1 word, 4 letters, 1 syllable) to "toque bocina" (2 words, 11 letters, 5 syllables) is a good example of that general principle!
Here's my latest new animal discovery: a tiny, tiny lizard (about an inch and a half long). At first, we saw it flicking its red tail back and forth, and I couldn't even see the head until I got very very close. Fortunately, it let me get very very close to take this photo.
Unlike the hikes we experimented with in Boquete, this particular one is on a trail that is paved and easy to follow. Yes, it's steep up hill, but it's not killer steep.
The whole hike is about 3 km, and it's largely under tree canopy, so well shaded.
Here's my latest new animal discovery: a tiny, tiny lizard (about an inch and a half long). At first, we saw it flicking its red tail back and forth, and I couldn't even see the head until I got very very close. Fortunately, it let me get very very close to take this photo.
 |
| Red tail, gray body, and gold head. What a cute lizard! |
 |
| Looks like it's going uphill, but this is actually downhill. Maybe you can tell that from careful observation of the trees. |
 |
| And in Panama, the trees are diverse and lovely. |
At the base, there's a sculpture and a museum called "Mi Pueblito".
 |
| A not-bad place to wait for our uber. |
 |
Monument to three cultures: dedicated to indigenous, colonial, and Afro-Antillean ethnicities, which, united in a crucible of races, produced the Panamanian nationality. Mi Pueblito Las Aldeas Indigenas El Pueblito Afro Antillana Works of the Administration of the Alcalde sa Mayin Correa Set in the glorious foothills of Ancón Hill Eternal symbol of the rebellion of the generations who reconquered total sovereignty In the Panama Canal 26 de noviembre de 1998 |
Getting to hike while holding hands, walking along winding roads through amazing trees, summiting to a glorious view that is crowned with poetry and pride; it was a lovely day. As for my husband, he learned that the roads are not dirt, but paved, and so the minute we arrived back home he switched into bike clothes and took off to make the ascent again, this time on two wheels.
A pretty grand experience all around, I have to say!
Comments
Post a Comment