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Travel Related
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PORTOBELO |
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 Named
by Christopher Columbus in 1502 after the magnificent bay on which it
stands, PORTOBELO - "beautiful harbour" - was for centuries the most
important Spanish port on the Atlantic coast of the New World, the
northern terminus of the Camino Real. Today, it's a sleepy little town
that sits amid the remains of the formidable fortifications built to
defend the treasure fleets from pirate attack, and makes a good base
from which to explore the rugged coastline and underwater treasures of
Parque Nacional Portobelo . On October 21 each year Portobelo explodes
into life as thousands of pilgrims descend on it from all over Panamá to
pay homage to its patron saint, the miraculous Black Christ .
The Town and ruins
Walking into Portobelo along the road from Colón brings you to the well-preserved
Santiago Battery , constructed between 1753 and 1760 to the most
exacting military standards of the day. From its stout battlements
fourteen rusting cannons still...
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