These pics and commentary are from Bill Thornton
Greetings: Once committed to take the bus excursion to Panama...I picked-up a copy of The Panama Hat Trail, by Tom Miller, to really add a focal theme for the tour. From the introduction; "Where do Panama hats come from?...Panama hats are made in Ecuador".
Now without a focal theme, we settle down to the long, hard TICA bus ride to Panama. Stopped a mere 8 hours in San Salvador...because of the government ban on overnight bus tours. From San Salvador, we matriculated over the spine of Central America through Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and then finally Panama.
Bus ride, border crossing, bus ride, border crossing, bus ride, border crossing...not all that glorious!!! The picture of the motorcycle gang was taken at the border crossing in Costa Rica at Nicaragua. The view of the Panama Canal was very welcomed...we would soon depart the bus for our digs, the Hotel Espana. Take care: Bill PS. A special thanks to neighbor and friend Arne would talked me through the ordeal of sending digital pictures.

After forty hours and five border crossings on a TICA bus...our contingent of seven members/guests of the American Legion of Latin America arrive in Panama City. We were all grateful to be there...but the the thought lingers of the bus ride back. The Pan-American Highway is very scenic...with volcano's and the occasional motorcycle gang. The Panama Canal was a VERY welcomed sight, and what a sight!!!