Colon, Panama

 Place: Colon, Panama

Weather: Thunderstorms, 76/85F.

Route: From Darien National Park 342 km WNW on 1 and 9.

Population: 78,000 (2016)

Significance: Actually founded by the United States in 1850 with the development of the Panama railway. Colon is the northern end of the Panama Canal. It is the home of a former U.S. Navy base when the canal and the land around it were owned by the United States. John McCain was actually born on the Navy base in Colon. The main reason I visit it today is that there is a car ferry service twice a week to Cartagena, Columbia - our first city in South America - where we will spend the next two months.

Image:

Colon free zone (from viator.com)