As thousands of cars streamed back into Panama on Wednesday following the end of carnival festivities, they found the Cinta Costera closed, and passengers trying to catch  buses  to work via Corridor Sur had to search for bus stops.

Although the staff of the of the Urban Cleaning Authority(AAU) expected to reopen at least two pieces of the coastal strip at 8:00 am February 22, at had been since Friday, February 17. Although much of the garbage has been swept up traders were still at work  uninstalling kiosks AAU administrator of the AAU, Henry Ho, said the cleanup operation because the stands continue to hamper the cleaners.

For those who stayed in the city and enjoyed the  mostly traffic free streets, the honeymoon will come to an end as the scores of thousands who exited the city, return home replacing the 10,000 tourists that Panama’s travel authority claimed were at the Carnival parade on Tuesday. Restaurants that closed during the four day Carnival bash, have reopened.

On Monday, February 27, students return to school and with expanding  metro and infrastructure construction projects, drivers are bracing themselves for the start of a tough year with increasing traffic jams. Walking may become fashionable.