La Ampliacion: Part 1

These pictures, not to mention experiences, almost never happened!

Following the Chame youth group retreat, Esther and I booked it over to the Panama Canal expansion (on the Pacific side). For two years now, we've felt the explosions of the dynamite to make this structure, and we desperately wanted to check out the almost-finished product. Not only that, but Esther had informed me that for one day only, the Canal Expansion was going to be open to the Public. You would be able to walk right through the canal locks!!

Esther masterfully navigated (thanks to Pills' directions) to the parking lot in Panama Pacifica, and we loaded onto a bus from there. Now, out of the masses of people that were there, it "just so happened" that the Fernandez family from CCA (I have two of their boys in my classes) was on our same bus! What a fun surprise!

The Wait

We followed their lead in joining the enormous line snaking through the bus stop parking lot. The line led to a ramp that led to another set of buses that would take people over to the canal expansion.

Kathy Fernandez told me that this was actually their second time trying to get into the locks that day. They actually had to go home and change shoes. No sandals were allowed!

I looked down at my feet. I only had the versatile footwear I had used for retreat, my very sturdy Keens. Even so, Esther walked between me and the police officers who were sending people out of the line because of dress violations or having too young of kids to visit a construction site.

We had almost made it up the ramp, and I was getting pretty excited about the whole venture. In my mind, it felt like I was going on a Disney Ride, where you stand in line for an hour to experience the magic, yet I knew that this experience would be even better. This would be walking through a once-in-a-lifetime part of history! Once the locks were filled, you wouldn't be able to walk through them again!

Denied

As I near the crest of the ramp, the revolving turnstile entrance in plain view, a stern police officer says to me, "No chancletas" (No sandals.) And he motions to me to step out of the line. There are masses of people, and the look on his face tells me that he's not one to be argued with. Mr. Fernandez sees what happened and turns and throws me his keys, saying, "There's boots in my truck you can use!" How generous!

I clutch the keys, wondering how I'll ever find his car in the parking lot where there was such little space that we had to park on the grass. Sadly, I move out of line.

I tell Esther to go ahead. This is her dream, so she should go walk the locks without me. She's upset too, since we planned on sharing this trip together, but the rush of people are pushing her along, and she waves goodbye and disappears into the masses.

As I stand there contemplating whether to get the boots, Kathy calls over to me. "Laura!"
A huge sense of relief floods over me. Kathy, her little 5 year old son, and her friend were also pulled out of line, because her son was too young. I had people I knew still around, and that was a huge comfort.

We stand beside the line, and she tells me the size of the boots. They'd be too small, so we decide to just pass the time and catch up on her recent trip to the States. Meanwhile, we're watching the line pass us by and wondering how long it will be until we reunite with the others after their tour.

Our conversation is interrupted by a lady police officer, "Estan juntos?" ("Are you together?")

We look at each other and agree, "Si."

"Go ahead." She says in English.

"Wait..what??" I wonder aloud, surprised by this sudden change of mind.

The woman police officer had mercy on us and explained that I should just make sure to step carefully, and the little boy could go if he met the height requirement.

I was filled with elation. I would get to walk the expansion after all! We stride confidently toward the turnstile entrance. But my dreams are almost crushed a second time, as that same police officer says, "No. No pase." I flag down the merciful lady from earlier, who vouches for us, and gives us the right to pass to the other side.

Such undeserved grace! As I pass through the turnstile, a huge smile on my face, greeters hand me a Panama flag and a map of the locks. "Bienvenidos!"

I sprint toward the coach bus brimming with people and find my way to the last empty seat. I had made it. Now if I could only find Esther..

To be continued in: La Ampliacion: Part 2

The coach buses dropping off and picking up hundreds of visitors for this special one-day event. You can see it's somewhat flooded, so that must be why they didn't want anyone with sandals.

Where the canal doors will go (MASSIVE)

No special event in Panama is complete without the local music!

I've never been to the grand canyon, but I imagine it feels somewhat like walking through here.

There were all sorts of Patriotic things to do: Take a picture with the sign! #idontknowthesepeople

Take a picture inside a twitter sign and they'll post it on the site. There was a LONG line to do this.

They gave you all sorts of facts on the tour. None people would really remember, but once they did compare a measurement to how many bowls of rice that would be. LOL.

This is where the doors will go. Fortunately there was a little bridge over this part for the buses to pass.

Here's those facts you've been waiting for: