The Canal

So apparently there's like a canal for boats or something in Panama that's kind of a big deal. The French tried to build it at the turn of the 19th century and pussed out (big surprise) after 22,000 people died of yellow fever. Luckily, after fomenting Panama's cecession from Colombia and subsequently convincing the nascent government to sign a contract screwing itself out of a huge section of the country, America finished the job.

Oh, and the Chinese helped. Actually so many Chinese people helped that there's a huge amount of Chinese heritage. Lots of people who look Hispanic turn out to have last names like Chong here. I went to the lookout point to see the Bridge Across the Americas (pictured) and the whole place is decked out like a Chinese temple.