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We just got back from Colon, Panama and Limon, Costa Rica.
We can't take excursions because we have a son with Autism for whom long excursions are not possible.
So what did we do?
First of all, leave all your jewelry and credit cards in the ship safe.
Costa Rica...there is a good size straw market right at the ship. While we were in the straw market...we felt very safe. We paid cash for everything.
Then we went across the street into "town". We walked around about 2 blocks deep and 6 blocks wide through town. We never felt uncomfortable...although you do have to watch out for pick pockets or folks snatching necklaces off, snatching purses etc.
I had my Samsonite travel bag with only $20 cash. It is "cut proof" and I wear it across my body. It is also lockable. It worked well. No one bothered us.
I even found a karaoke bar...(imagine that). Now I can say I have sung from Halifax to Costa Rica!!!!
Colon, Panama is a different story. DO NOT WALK OUTSIDE THE FENCE.
The good news is that the Colon2000 Terminal does have about 6 stories with the usual stuff...a BIG grocery store, an electronics store and a couple of bar/restaurants ...all inside the fence.
The fenced area is NOT secured. Locals do come in and out...but we felt very safe.
Again, I just had enough cash to buy the few things I wanted a local beer or two.
If you are taking an excursion, please take one through the ship. Mario is great but the road construction caused 4 tours in Panama to be late and since they were ship tours..the ship waited.
We had thought about grabbing a taxi to the Gatun locks...but our son wasn't having a good day....so we decided to just hang around the port.
One lady I met on the ship did grab a taxi with 5 other people. It was $40 per person for a nice long tour. However, they were "held up" (not robbed exactly) by 2 men who had placed a road block across the road and demanded another $20 to pass.
She saw a lot...but said she would never do that again.
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