AT the crossroads of two oceans and two continents, Panama City is a dynamic metropolis. Everywhere in this steamy, tropical town are foreign investors talking shop in upscale cafes, expat fortune seekers toasting their fates in wine bars, cranes stalking the rooftops of a skyline that seems to grow before your eyes and — on the downside — traffic that puts even the most congested American city to shame. Central America’s capital of international finance is in the midst of a prolonged boomtown fever. Right now, there are more than 30 skyscrapers under construction — among them the Trump Ocean Club and The Panamera, which will be Latin America’s first Waldorf Astoria Hotel All of this building and hype has local residents calling Panama City the “Dubai of the Americas.”
Panama Viejo was the gateway city for the Spanish conquest of Latin America and once a thriving city of 10,000. Today's extensive ruins are the result of battles with the English pirate Henry Morgan in 1671. There's a museum on site, but go with someone who speaks Spanish, because the exhibits are mostly in Spanish.
Casco Viejo is the Spanish colonial city established in 1671 and until the 20th century was Panama City. Perched on a piece of land that juts out into Panama Bay, the numerous historical sites reflect Panama's unique history, intertwined with Spain, France and the United States.
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