Word: casco
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Nowhere does it stretch further than in the Casco Viejo, Panama City's quaint, compact, colonial-era Old Town. Dating from the early-16th century and surrounded on three sides by the Pacific, the Casco - as it is affectionately known by locals - was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 and served as the backdrop for much of the action in the latest James Bond film Quantum of Solace. The Casco's appeal is clear: grand cathedrals, fountain-filled plazas, timeworn cobblestone streets, even a bullet-scarred Presidential palace, which was attacked during the 1989 U.S. invasion...
While most of the development is still to get under way, a clutch of Casco cafés, hotels and cultural sites have already had their makeovers. The most eye-catching is the Canal House Hotel (www.canalhousepanama.com), an elegantly renovated late 19th century mansion where actor Daniel Craig stayed during the three-month Bond shoot. The hotel's three guest rooms are named after the Canal's massive locks - Miraflores, Pedro Miguel and Gatun - and each has a wrought-iron balcony with views of the Casco's Cathedral Plaza and surrounding red-tiled roofs and cobblestone alleyways...
...heart of the Casco are three squares: Plazas Bolivar, Herrera and Independencia, the site of the city's dramatic 17th century cathedral. Moments away you'll find numerous Casco newcomers - places like Indigo (www.indigopanama.com), a North African?inspired restaurant and lounge, and Ego Café, tel: (507) 262 2045, with its adventurous Panamanian-Mediterranean menu. You can sample rich ice creams and sorbets - from basil to Earl Grey - at Granclement, tel: (507) 228 0737; browse through intricately carved wooden crafts at Karavan Gallery, tel: (507) 228 5161; and take home one-of-a-kind pieces by local artists from Casa...
...Turkolimano (grilled jumbo prawns, tomato and feta with lemon-ouzo vinaigrette) and squid risotto in a broth of octopus and roasted red pepper, all served in a pale-wood dining room and accompanied by an ambitious wine list. After dinner, it's just a short drive back to the Casco Viejo and its many historic glories...
...that Sharp is out of school, much of her self analysis takes place at an island in Casco Bay, Maine, where she has spent her vacations since childhood and where her family still gathers, according to her sister. Their time on this island allows them to explore "soul searching issues," Bardel says...