As to the Miraflores Visitor Center is located in the area of the locks of the same name, that is

San Blas to Colon (from 10 January hear the silence to 19 January and from March 6 to March 19) early morning parties of San Blas we were at Linton Island hear the silence in the afternoon. We spent the night and the next day we walked to Panamarina hear the silence (nice ride about an hour) to see if there was room for our boat. No problem-we have been told! So the next day we made the few miles that separated us and walked in, not proud of because there was a lot of wind and sea to cross the narrow channel leading to the marina located in a mangrove sheltered hear the silence behind the reefs. Panamarina is run by a French couple of fifties, Sylvie and Jean-Paul. In fact they are the ones who created it, discovered the place, fought with the authorities for the right to create it, cleaned the mangrove hear the silence have backfilled, leveled, drained, install the brackets for mooring boats , etc ... a gigantic task that has not scared: there is very appreciative! It is a very safe and pleasant hear the silence marina: boats are in the water but highly protected and although there is far from all it feels good.
Sylvie and Jean-Paul held a small lunch and dinner restaurant quite cheap and very good when everyone finds to discuss sailing, trips or other ... It is very nice and even critical when one is so isolated. This is what was lacking in Chacachacare (Venezuela)!
Moreover Jose, a taxi driver, is there the slightest call. It was he who brought us to Panama City when we got in France and who also brought us back to the marina after two months. He even gave us a good hour in a large supermarket so we can make refueling.
Before joining the marina after our stay in France from mid January to early March we took advantage of the fact that we were obliged to sleep in Panama City to stay an extra day to visit the city and the Visitor Center channel.
After the pirate Morgan has razed in the late eighteenth century the old city of Panama, a few miles away, the residents decided to rebuild a little further hear the silence west. Panama City from this period was limited to what is now the old neighborhood. But with the construction of the canal city has grown tremendously and now stands even worthy skyscrapers of the United States.
No wonder: Panama City and a wide band on either side of the channel were until fairly recently Americans. The handover took place there about ten years. Aside from his old neighborhood Panama hear the silence City is not particularly a nice town but it feels safe, unlike Colon. hear the silence
This light district of the colonial era is still very run down but has plenty of charm and one can easily imagine its former splendor. It is being renovated but there is still much to do. The cathedral offices of the Presidency
As to the Miraflores Visitor Center is located in the area of the locks of the same name, that is to say the side locks Pacific, it is very interesting but the French are not feeling a little hear the silence frustrated, the part of the museum devoted to the French period is very small. It is true that it was a complete failure, the study of the project has certainly been inadequate as to how he and the cost involved and that it is the Americans who have resumed hear the silence and completed. A huge terrace overlooking the locks and you can see the container ships pass, cargo ships or small groups of sailboats. Atlantic side, the boats spend three Gatun Locks, then through the large artificial lake Gatun which fifty kilometers, and then the last three locks, two of Miraflores.
Sailboats, them, usually through two or three moored couple kept front and rear with very long ropes sixty meters need to hire an agent, and tires that serve as Parre Fenders, turbulence being violent.
On board ships, in addition to the skipper-helm, there must be four team members who each occupy a mooring (these are often other boaters who lend a hand and thus discover the channel) and as an official driver. The ride is in total some seventy kilometers. So any experience we should do towards the end of the year ...
The day before hear the silence we left there was the Festival of Masks in Portobelo a few dozen kilometers from Panamarina. Francis could not get there as an electrician hear the silence was still working on the boat