Surrey-Bergmans in Panama

Hey everyone,
Due to my negligence in posting as regularly as I promised myself, I am going to make it up by posting twice this week. That's right - two for the price of one! :)

(However I'm going to cheat a bit as this first post is mainly going to be photos - but I know that's what most people want to see anyway)...


So my parents came down to visit me for a few days. They had never been to Panama before, so they had a good time seeing the sights - they arranged for a tour of the famous Panama Canal locks, Casco Viejo (old city) and I took them to see my office, meet my advisor and also to visit Gamboa, the small town located along the canal that is about an hour outside the city and is where I did my ASU-STRI program back in January. We took an aerial tram that is located about 15 minutes from the property, which includes an audio tour (like the ones they have in art museums) that gives a very informative and thorough background on the ecology of region as well as the origins of canal. The tour also included a stop at the sloth rehabilitation center and the frog and butterfly exhibits (which partners with the Smithsonian).

The aerial tram 




The observation tower at the top of the hill

View of the town of Gamboa, along the banks of the canal
 (inhabited by workers who helped build the canal)

The Chagras River (that feeds into the Panama Canal) 

View of the Panama Canal - note the giant cargo ship. Traffic in the canal is direct one way for 12 hours (North - South) and then the direction switches and boats traveling the other direction (South - North) have a chance to travel


 Below are pictures from the Sloth rescue center, the orchid nursery and the frog/butterfly center. The sloths are either rescued from people who tried to raise them as pets, orphans or victims of deforestation. They are kept in this center and raised by caretakers until they are older and strong enough to be returned to the wild. There are three sloths in Panama: three-toed, two-toed sloth and the pygmy three-toed sloth, which is only found in Panama (and is sadly very endangered). 

Sleeping sloth :) 
#mood


"Can't adult today...."

The orchid garden



Blue Morpho butterfly! 

Sadly this one was slightly injured

Found the "tiniest" airplant! (See my finger for reference
although please ignore my horrible peeling nail polish)

Poison dart frogs: the Green and Black Poison Dart Frog and the
adorably-named, "Blue Jeans" frog



"Birds of Paradise"


Pretty views from our hotel room

Pretty views from our hotel room
Final sunset
Long story short: the whole Surrey-Bergman family is now versed in Panama and speaks fluent spanish so we can easily provide recommendations and plan out an entire trip for you (ha ha just kidding...)

Until next time, which will hopefully be soon! Also can't believe I'll be back in the states in less than a week! ahh!  

Peace, love and sloth babies


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