Old Bottles

On midday December 31, 1999, the Panama Canal Zone was turned over to the Republic of Panama by the United States as a result of the Torrijos-Carter Treaty of September 7, 1977.  From this date forward, the Panama Canal Zone would cease to exist and the Panama Canal would be under the administration of the Republic Panama.  A new era had begun for this small nation in Central America.

To commemorate this event, the Coca Cola Company released a special Coca Cola bottle with a logo of a ship entering a canal lock and the slogan, “Let’s celebrate together the reversion of the canal.”  On the back of the bottle was another picture of the Miraflores locks in black and white.  I bought two of these commemorative bottles as a collector’s item.  That was almost eleven years ago.  When I go upstairs, I plan to donate these collector’s item to the Panama Canal Museum in Panama City, Panama.

Having said this, I saw old bottles while taking shots of Mi Pueblito about a month ago.  These aged bottles reminded me of my Coca Cola bottles related to the reversion of the Panama Canal to the Republic of Panama.  If you like to collect old bottles, the following pictures might be of your interest.  Here we go.

Snapshot of several old bottles on a shelf at a barber shop at Mi Pueblito in Panama City, Panama. Photo ©Omar Upegui R.

A closer look at the old bottles of the barbershop. Notice the old Pepsi Cola bottles. Photo ©Omar Upegui R.

Snapshot of an old Coca Cola bottle detected while taking pictures at Mi Pueblito in Panama City, Panama. Photo ©Omar Upegui R.

Snapshot of a collection of old bottles at a showcase barbershop in Panama City, Panama. Photo ©Omar Upegui R.

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Evolution of the Coca Cola Bottle

Left to Right: 1899 – 1900 – 1915 – 1916 – 1957 – 1986. (Credit: Stumble Upon.com)

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A Collector’s Item

Last Monday was September 7th.  Many people in Panama—even the media–forgot what happened on this date 32 years ago.  Others were not even born yet.

Besides Independence Day, November 3rd, September 7th is the second most important day in the calendar of this young nation.  On this date in 1977, Jimmy Carter and Omar Torrijos signed the Torrijos-Carter Treaties which returned the Panama Canal to the Republic of Panama after owning it for almost one hundred years.

Jimmy Carter and Omar Torrijos shake hands moments after the signing of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties. (Credit: Wikipedia Encyclopedia)

Even though the treaties were signed in 1977, the Panama Canal was not reverted to Panama until midday December 31, 1999.  To commemorate this historic day, the Coca Cola Company launched a special soda bottle with  a black and white photograph of the first steamship that transited the international waterway.  I bought two of these special bottles; one for me and one for my wife.

I have kept them as a collector’s item all these years.  Yesterday, I decided to take a photograph  of them to celebrate this historic event.  Maybe they’ll be worth something one hundred years from now.

Below are the photos of the commemorative Coca Cola bottles.  Here we go.

Photograph of the two commemorative Coca Cola bottles bought in 1999. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)

One of the two pictures embedded on the bottles. The caption of the picture reads, "Let's celebrate together the return of the canal". "The authentic bottle of 1900". (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)

Photograph of the first steamship to transit the Panama Canal (SS Ancon) which decorates the bottles. The caption reads, "The first boat to cross the Miraflores Locks." (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)

Since the waterway was reverted to the Republic of Panama nine years ago,  it has been administered with the highest quality of maritime service.  The canal is currently undergoing a major expansion with a cost of over $5.25 billion to meet the needs of the Post Panamax vessels which are larger than today’s canal locks.  Good Day.

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