Panama Canal- Miraflores Lock

Posted by Shaara

This morning we walked to an administrative-type building in the City of Knowledge, where we heard a presentation given by Dr. Calvo about USF Health and the role it plays in the City of Knowledge, as well as its contribution on a more international level. It was really interesting to hear all that USF was doing in Panama and the research that was happening so far from the Tampa campus. The connections the City of Knowledge has with other universities and organizations really shows that USF is an integral part of the world, not simply affecting our small corner of Florida.

We then loaded into vans and drove across the street (literally) to the Miraflores Lock, which is part of the Panama Canal. Our proximity to such an amazing structure is astounding. A lot of us were introduced to new foods at the restaurant, and honestly, I can't remember the names of any of the new foods I tried. Some of the dishes were delicious, while others didn't sit well with everybody. While we were eating, we were able to look out the window and see boats going through the canal. Stepping outside, we saw the water levels rise and fall as the lock opened and closed to allow boats through. The Island Princess, a large cruise ship, went through the lock as we watched. The people on the boat were smiling and waving at us, and we were smiling and waving back, both parties entertaining the other. The announcer gave information about each boat that passed through and how much it cost them. The Island Princess, for example, paid $288,000 to pass. I thought it was amazing that passage through the canal brings in about $4 million a day. We then watched a movie about the history of the canal and how it works. We explored the museum and learned a lot about the construction of the canal, and about the flora and fauna one might encounter in Panama. I would never want to have an encounter with some of the bugs they had on display! It was really amazing to see such an enormous structure that plays such an important role in connecting the world and is so important to Panama's economy.