As promised in a recent post, yesterday early morning, I started my Panama Canal Zone project. After a heavy breakfast, my wife and I headed towards Balboa to take pictures of the area. We wanted to take advantage of the soft light of the sun. The soft light produces excellent shots.
At exactly 6:09 a.m. (-5 GMT) I was at Balboa excited and ready to go. My first subject was the impressive Panama Canal Administration Building which was inaugurated on July 15, 1914, exactly a month before the Canal itself. Since then, this veritable legacy from the past has continued to dominate the Balboa area from atop its rolling hill.
When I started to climb the large stairways which lead to the building on top of a hill, I saw a small figure jumping beside the building. Initially, I though it was a small women doing her morning exercises. Then I found out it was a young boxer during his sports routines.
From the stairways, he looked very much like Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) in the 1976 movie Rocky, practicing his boxing routines on top of a stairways in the city of Philadelphia, PA one cold morning. It was an interesting scene.
After saying Hi, and telling him about his resemblance with Rocky Balboa, I asked if I could take a couple of pictures. He nodded his acceptance, and started to tighten up his routines, as if posing for me. I liked that, and with haste took several pictures of the Panama Rocky Balboa. By the way, the boxer’s name is Gamboa which is very similar to Balboa. Just wanted you to know.
This is what I saw at the Panama Administration Building yesterday early morning. Here we go.
Photograph of a boxer beside the Panama Canal Administration Building at Balboa, Panama City, Panama. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)
Picture of a Panama boxer doing his routines beside the Panama Canal Administration Building. Notice the name of the building on top of the door in the background of the picture. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)
Another view of the Panama boxer performing his morning exercises at the Panama Canal Administration Building. Notice that the red color of his shirt is beginning to bleed. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)
A view of the Panama sportsman practicing his boxing skills at the Panama Canal Administration Building with the George Washington Goethals' monument in the background. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)
A nasty look from the boxer as if trying to intimidate his invisible adversary. I liked his angry expression in this pose; he looks very determined to win the match. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)
I started the project with a light post about this interesting character. Tomorrow I’ll continue to share with you more information and pictures about the Panama Canal Administration Building. I’m sure you will enjoy the pictures. Good Day.
