Pennies in Panama: Days 1, 2, 3

Each time that Doc and I go away on travel, I am concerned that the daily Penny Finding streak may come to an end.  That is especially true when we travel to other countries or we are on a guided tour and do not have the option of wandering off to search for coins.  In Panama we travelled on a tour bus with 44 other people and did not have much opportunity to search for coins. Sometimes I had to totally depend on the Angels to “deliver right to me”.

Friday, April 8^th 
7P, N, D, Q

Up at 3:45 a.m. for an early flight from Ontario Airport.  As I walked up to the airline check in counter there were 3 pennies plus a nickel at my feet!  Nickels are the rarest of the 4 major coins to find, and one of the Pennies was a “Norman Penny”.  What Great way to begin this trip!

While waiting to board the plane, I collected a dime and a penny.  So I said to the Angels, “If you deliver a quarter, that would make a Hit for the Cycle today”.

We had a layover in Houston, TX.  Delicious lunch.  Found 2 Pennies.  Used the airport bathroom before boarding the plane.  There appeared to be no other persons in that very large restroom – just one bright shiny Quarter laying at the entrance!  Angels were having fun.  That made the Hit for the Cycle.

After landing in Panama around 7:30 p.m. and then checking into the hotel, Doc and I wandered out.   We had dinner in the mall next door, bought our first batch of postcards, and collected our first Penny in Panama. 

Saturday, April 9^th 
P, 10 centisimos

A day on our own in Panama City until the 8 p.m. Tour Welcome Briefing.  Hired a taxi to take us downtown to the post office to buy postage stamps.  It took quite a while because the clerk did not know what the cost was to mail postcards.  After consulting with other people and then trying to convey the answer to us in Spanish (which neither Doc nor I speak), we were FINALLY able to purchase a few stamps – but only about 25% of the ones I needed.  While travelling up one escalator, Doc and I simultaneously spotted a penny in the planterbed next to the device.  We looped around and took the escalator a second time. Since Doc has longer arms than I do, he was the one to carefully lean over the railing and quickly retrieve the precious find while trying not to fall off the moving staircase.

In our walk around town we also found an Un Decimo de Balboa.  (Equivalent coin to a U.S. dime). 

This evening was the official start of our escorted Panama Tour.

Sunday, April 10th

4P, 5¢ Euro

The first day on the Caravan Bus.  We visited the ruins in Old Panama City (3P found), learned about the history of Panama, drove past the Vatican Embassy where Noriega was captured, went through Fort Clayton (now the “City of Knowledge”), and then to visit the Mira Flores locks on the Panama Canal. 

Doc was enthralled with watching the ships travelling through the locks.  I was obsessed by seeing a penny just out of reach.  It was on the other side of the chain link fence erected to keep people out of the canal area!  Finally I could stand the torture no longer and asked a fellow traveller (whom I had just met) if I could borrow his cane for a few minutes.  Of course he wondered why?  And so did several other people who were sitting near him and heard my question.  Within moments that penny was captured to the delight of all who were watching the fun.

Back at the hotel I found a 5¢ Euro