In Quest of El Dorado

A traveler's account traces voyages from Spain across the Caribbean and North America to Panama and Mexico, following the routes and landmarks of early Spanish explorers. The narrative mixes on-the-ground reportage—harbors, cities, indigenous dances, ruins, pyramids, and the Panama Canal—with historical reflections on conquest, the persistent lure of gold, and the emergence of American influence. Episodes include visits to islands encountered by early voyagers, journeys through New Mexico and the Grand Cañon, climbs in Darien, and excursions along Cortés's trail to ancient capitals and buried cities. Observational sketches of peoples, landscapes, and ceremonies are interwoven with meditation on continuity between past quests for fortune and contemporary expansion.