I´m in Cuba........with a broken neck.

(Or at least I feel like I´m in Cuba... and I feel like my neck actually may be broken.)

Jen and I arrived late last night in Panamà (Panama City) and took a taxi straight to our hostel in an area called Casco Viejo, which is an old colonial district with narrow, cobblestone streets and old churches, salsa clubs and plazas at every corner. All the Panameños here wear the typical Panama hats (creatively named "Panamas"), which paired with the cobblestone plazas makes us feel like we are walking through the streets of old Havana. (Not to mention that we took up cigar smoking today.)

Our hostel is actually in an old colonial mansion, which ALMOST makes up for the fact that my bed is
1) totally broken....hence the broken neck
2) in a dorm room with not one, but seven boys (and jen)
a. one of whom does not deem it necessary to at least throw on a towel on the way to the shower at 8 in the morning (first sight in the morning: stranger´s white bum running in front of your face across the room)
ahhhhhhh dorm life, right?

It´s pretty hot out compared to the perfect cool breeze of Boquete, which is why Jen and I have decided to seek refuge in the airconditioning of the internet cafe. (Although... I struggle with calling this place a ´cafe´, when it could be more accurately labeled ´chilly internet dungeon with frightening bathrooms´). Although we´ve heard some negative things about Panama City, I am pretty excited be here. This city has so much history, which makes walking through its various districts that much more interesting. The area we are staying in is where the city basically had to be rebuilt after being completely ransacked and destroyed in 1671, leaving only the ruins of Panamá Viejo (which we will be visiting tomorrow). And duh, the city also holds one of the world´s greatest engineering feats...the Panama Canal.

One last thing before I reimmerse myself in big-city-heat-and-sun-and-noise-and-traffic....
the quality of our life as travelers just improved 10 fold, as we just purchased....crappy plastic ipod speakers!! (No, seriously though. TEN FOLD.)

I lied. ONE more thing....the guy next to me is frantically clicking around on a site called "Cyber Cupido". He´s about 65 years old. Ok thats it for now!