My family and I venture to Panama, a country in Central America. We land in Panama City (the country's capital) after about 10 hours of actual flight time. The local currency here is the US dollar. Panama is a country rich in culture and natural beauty.

In this country, in fact, there are breathtaking beaches and rainforests. After a long flight we rest in the hotel, then we go to visit the Panama Strait. This strait has become an icon of the country and our guide Ursula tells us about the curiosities of this engineering work.

The Panama Canal is an artificial waterway that connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The canal is about 50 miles long. The Canal is considered one of the greatest engineering feats of the 20th century and was built by the United States in 1914. Initially the canal was built for military purposes, but soon became an important route for commercial shipping. It was expanded in the 1920s to accommodate larger ships. When you arrive in the Panama Strait, you have to wait for a ship to pass to see the locks in action.

Through the locks, the ship passes through the strait, with the help of a machine, which helps in the maneuvers.

Paolo is impressed by this engineering work and is quick to take some photos.

Once the ship has passed, we admire the strait up close and then head to a nearby botanical garden.

Here we have a taste of what awaits us in the rainforest. Beautiful animals such as capuchin monkeys or the fearsome harpy eagles and exotic plants. At this point we just have to see the city, from the imposing skyscrapers to the markets. Visiting the markets is relaxing, Franco spots a Panama hat, although these hats are actually from Ecuador. They are called Panama hats, since they were used here by the workers of the strait.

Marco speaks in Spanish to negotiate the price of these souvenirs, including postcards that make us think of the next stages of the trip