Yakutsk – Magadan. Stalin’s Road of Bones (Kolyma Highway) Tour in Summer 2013. Let's #travel in #Siberia #Russia! askyakutia.com/2013/05/yakuts…
— Bolot Bochkarev (@yakutia) May 4, 2013
Saturday, May 04, 2013
Road of Bones tour
This trip is near the top of my travel bucket list. But alas, with everything included, it's pushing $10,000. Still, it's something to aim for.
Strolling through two old Panama Cities
After my trek to the edge of the Darien, I returned to Panama City to relax. This is what I saw.
First up, Panama Viejo (Old Panama). This is the oldest European settlement on the Pacific. It was founded in 1519. For us West Coasters, where any structure from the 19th century is ancient, Panama Viejo is downright Methuselan (Is that a word?).
The museum was closed due to remodeling, so I just walked around the "town". Everything is well-marked, but annoyingly, a busy roadway cuts right through it.
The centerpiece of Panama Viejo is this tower, which I climbed.
In 1671, Captain Morgan raided and razed the settlement.
View from inside the tower. Modern Panama City is nicknamed the Dubai of Latin America. It has a lot of skyscrapers.
After my short walk, I came across this archaeological dig. I stood faraway, with a look that said: "Invite me over, explain what you are doing, and hand me a brush!" It didn't work.
I took a taxi across town to Casco Viejo. This is the second version of Panama City, which was built in 1673, after the sacking of Panama Viejo. The cab driver used to be a farmer from western Panama. He still dressed like one. We talked about Noriega and the economy. His daughter (or girlfriend) sat quietly in the front passenger seat, eating ice cream.
Even though it was only 10:30, it was already in the 90s. My camera phone had been in my pants and the lens was fogged up due to the humidity. I had to wipe it before I took this picture of the fishing dock. Behind me were the fish market, a bunch of outdoor eateries, and an indoor restaurant.
I walked around the narrow streets of Casco Viejo. I've never been to Havana, but I imagine it's very much like Casco. Everything is old and soaked in centuries of humidity.
The national theater was hosting an international film festival. This Mini Paceman, which I had never even heard of before, was featured out front.
The presidential palace was nearby and cordoned off by alert and conscientious guards. I tried to walk through the grounds, pretending like I was a tourist who didn't realize I was in a prohibited area. It didn't work. I saw this cool Peugeot a few blocks away. I think "CD" stands for diplomatic car. Is that right, Viva Chile?
It's noon, and I walked back to the fish market. This is the view of the Panama City III skyline from Casco Viejo (Panama City II).
The indoor restaurant next to the fish market was lauded by everyone, so I had to check it out. I'm not a big fan of ceviche, but this mixed ceviche was tasty, especially when it's washed down with a bottle or two of ice cold but weak local beer.
Everyone also told me that if I'm ever in Panama City, I should try the corvina, a type of trout. I followed my ceviche appetizer with this deep fried fish, cooked whole. It had an overwhelming smell initially, but was otherwise great. It didn't have a lot of meat.
What I should have gotten was the seafood stew. All the locals were coming in during their lunch break and consuming large bowls of the stuff.
After my big meal, I headed to the Miraflores Locks. The Panama Canal is next.
First up, Panama Viejo (Old Panama). This is the oldest European settlement on the Pacific. It was founded in 1519. For us West Coasters, where any structure from the 19th century is ancient, Panama Viejo is downright Methuselan (Is that a word?).
The museum was closed due to remodeling, so I just walked around the "town". Everything is well-marked, but annoyingly, a busy roadway cuts right through it.
The centerpiece of Panama Viejo is this tower, which I climbed.
In 1671, Captain Morgan raided and razed the settlement.
View from inside the tower. Modern Panama City is nicknamed the Dubai of Latin America. It has a lot of skyscrapers.
After my short walk, I came across this archaeological dig. I stood faraway, with a look that said: "Invite me over, explain what you are doing, and hand me a brush!" It didn't work.
I took a taxi across town to Casco Viejo. This is the second version of Panama City, which was built in 1673, after the sacking of Panama Viejo. The cab driver used to be a farmer from western Panama. He still dressed like one. We talked about Noriega and the economy. His daughter (or girlfriend) sat quietly in the front passenger seat, eating ice cream.
Even though it was only 10:30, it was already in the 90s. My camera phone had been in my pants and the lens was fogged up due to the humidity. I had to wipe it before I took this picture of the fishing dock. Behind me were the fish market, a bunch of outdoor eateries, and an indoor restaurant.
I walked around the narrow streets of Casco Viejo. I've never been to Havana, but I imagine it's very much like Casco. Everything is old and soaked in centuries of humidity.
The national theater was hosting an international film festival. This Mini Paceman, which I had never even heard of before, was featured out front.
The presidential palace was nearby and cordoned off by alert and conscientious guards. I tried to walk through the grounds, pretending like I was a tourist who didn't realize I was in a prohibited area. It didn't work. I saw this cool Peugeot a few blocks away. I think "CD" stands for diplomatic car. Is that right, Viva Chile?
It's noon, and I walked back to the fish market. This is the view of the Panama City III skyline from Casco Viejo (Panama City II).
The indoor restaurant next to the fish market was lauded by everyone, so I had to check it out. I'm not a big fan of ceviche, but this mixed ceviche was tasty, especially when it's washed down with a bottle or two of ice cold but weak local beer.
Everyone also told me that if I'm ever in Panama City, I should try the corvina, a type of trout. I followed my ceviche appetizer with this deep fried fish, cooked whole. It had an overwhelming smell initially, but was otherwise great. It didn't have a lot of meat.
What I should have gotten was the seafood stew. All the locals were coming in during their lunch break and consuming large bowls of the stuff.
After my big meal, I headed to the Miraflores Locks. The Panama Canal is next.
Friday, May 03, 2013
Mercedes 190E documentary
Since F1Outsider and Ed (and I) are all looking at used 190Es, I thought we all might enjoy this documentary.
Bhutto murder prosecutor killed
From the perspective of this amateur student of geopolitics, Pakistan is a big unsolvable puzzle. The many interests, machinations, and actors are overwhelming to understand. Here is the prosecutor's Corolla.
Thursday, May 02, 2013
BMW's model line-up bloat
This issue was raised in this week's Hooniverse podcast. The number of BMW models available today is ridiculous. These were the models available in the U.S. in 1986:
- 325 2-door
- 325 4-door
- 325e 2-door
- 325e 4-door
- 325es 2-door
- 524td
- 528e
- 535i
- 635CSi
- 735i
- L7
The Muslim world's view on religion
These Economist charts were discussed in this Registan article. That the two new Boston bombing suspects are Kazakhs came as a complete surprise to everyone. I'm more of the belief that they fall under the "dumbass just helping out his bro" category rather than the "religious fanatic" category.
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
Cars I have driven, by manufacturer
I'm in the midst of spring cleaning, which means lots of purging of old documents, keepsakes, and miscellaneous junk. I came across a bunch of my childhood drawings. Here is one, in which I espoused my love for automobiles and certain makes and models. This drawing was also made at a time when I was learning English. Hence, Pantera was spelled "Pentera".
Thirty years after I drew that picture, I have compiled the following checklist of cars I have driven, by manufacturer. I have taken and combined all the manufacturers who sold cars in the U.S. in 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010. How did I do?
- Acura: Owned a TSX.
- Alfa Romeo: Test drove a 1972 Spider in 2001.
- AM General/Hummer: 0
- Aston Martin: Briefly drove a Vantage S last year.
- Audi: A3 Zipcar.
- BMW: Had an E46 330i.
- Bentley: 0
- Buick: 0
- Cadillac: CTS-V wagon and coupe at Sears Point.
- Chevrolet: S-10 police truck for work in college.
- Chrysler: Drove a rented LHS in college to/from Lake Tahoe.
- Daewoo: 0
- Daihatsu: 0
- Dodge: Ram Charger police truck for work in college.
- Eagle: 0
- Ferrari: 430 Scuderia this year.
- Ford: Aerostar in college for work.
- Geo: 0
- GMC: 0
- Honda: Wife's Civic.
- Hyundai: Equus last year, briefly.
- Infiniti: 0
- Isuzu: First car was an Impulse.
- Jaguar: My mother's X-Type.
- Jeep: Owned a YJ Wrangler.
- Kia: 0
- Lamborghini: 0
- Land Rover: 0
- Lexus: 0
- Lincoln: Rented a Town Car in Austin for work.
- Lotus: 0
- Maserati: 0
- Maybach: 0
- Mazda: Drove a Protege on a spring break road trip once.
- Mercedes-Benz: Learned to drive in my step-dad's W116 450SEL.
- Mercury: 0
- MINI: 0
- Mitsubishi: Recently rented a Galant.
- Nissan: Near killed myself, my wife, and my mother in a rented Sentra once.
- Oldsmobile: 0
- Panoz: 0
- Peugeot: 0
- Plymouth: 0
- Pontiac: Numerous rented Grand Prixes.
- Porsche: 911 and Panamera.
- Rolls-Royce: 0
- Saab: Recently test drove a 9-3 Viggen.
- Saturn: 0
- Scion: Recently test drove an FR-S.
- Smart: SmartCar-- even got pulled over by CHP in one.
- Sterling: 0
- Subaru: 0
- Suzuki: 0
- Tesla: Drove a Model S and two Roadsters.
- Toyota: Corolla rental.
- VW: Phaeton.
- Volvo: Wife's 940.
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