While most of the passengers went to the Riviera and Sun Decks at the top of the ship,
we staked out a place on the rail on the fore-deck of Baja—the second deck below the bridge— before dawn.
Watching the skyscrapers of Panama City come into view since early light,
we waited impatiently until there was enough of it to get this picture of the city.
Unfortunately we didn't get any closer to Panama City.

This is the only highway bridge across the canal. Although it was intended to link the north and south American continents, the road doesn't continue much past Panama City.
Each ship is given a place in line—passenger ships first.

Update: The new Puente Centenario, a major bridge crossing the canal, was opened in 2004
to relieve traffic congestion on the Bridge of the Americas.