The last week has seen the Ferrari Panamerican 20,000 crossing Central America, the two Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano sports cars travelling through Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador before arriving in the Guatemalan capital, Antigua.

San Jose, 4th October 2006 - The team with its two 599 GTB Fioranos leaves David early to get on the road in the direction of the Costa Rican border using a modern four-lane road. After only a short ride the team has to stop at the border for the formalities to leave Panama. The formalities to get into Costa Rica take a little bit longer and long hours pass by. The team also worries about the other borders they have to cross in Central America. Once the border has been passed the road leads along impressive vegetation, interrupted by banana, pineapple and coffee plantations once in a while. At lunchtime the usual tropical rain begins to fall.

130 kilometres to go to San Jose and the road starts to lead upwards, turning narrow and very curvy, until its peak at 3200 metres is reached. While driving down the rain stops but it becomes foggy so that the cars have to slow down. From up above they can finally see the city lights of San Jose' and after a quick ride the team arrives at the hotel. Tomorrow the troop will take up the journey in direction of Puntarenas.

Managua, 6th October 2006 - The Panamerican 20,000 team leaves Puntarenas early in the morning to reach the border to Nicaragua. Soon the narrow traffic-jammed street leads through tropical vegetation. The landscape resembles the ones seen the days before, with houses and shops next to the road just in front of the usual luxuriant vegetation. Lots of signs indicating tourist villages along the shores of the Pacific Ocean accompany the tour of the 599 GTB Fiorano. While approaching Nicaragua the forest slowly gives way to wide plains with livestock farms. It takes a long and exhausting time to cross the border into Nicaragua. The tour hits the road again along the Lake Nicaragua with its splendid volcanoes The last kilometres leading to Managua are especially testing as the narrow road traffic jam-packed with potholes and the usual tropical rain. At Managua the Italian ambassador welcomes us with a party and lots of local guests and members of the Italian community.

San Miguel, 7th October 2006 - Departure from Managua is at dawn, because of the long time it takes the team and the two 599 GTB Fiorano to cross the two borders waiting for the Ferraris today. The troop sets off on a flat road through incredibly green vegetation with livestock farms. Later the road leads upwards through forests to end on a plateau and at the border to Honduras. There are more livestock farms on the plateau and vultures looking for prey circle above. Leaving Nicaragua doesn't take long but the long procedures to enter Honduras make it speeding up the trek unlikely. The cars remain stalled for several hours. Once the procedures are done the cars start again and the road leads down to the plane of Choluteca.
 

The tour proceeds on a high-speed road and finally the cars arrive at the border between Honduras and San Salvador. Here the team has to wait again for several hours. After passing numerous roadblocks finally, under moonlight, the shape of the volcano that sits above the city of San Miguel becomes prominent.

Ciudad de Guatemala, 8th October 2006 - After the last night, watching the Japanese GP, the tour members dolook a little worn out and disappointed. The tour leaves San Miguel in the direction of the capital San Salvador cruising on a pleasant, fast speedway to meet the local Ferrari dealer. The welcome is warm-hearted and compensates last night's disappointment; the delightful party was prepared by an Italian cook what excited about the presence of the two 599 GTB Fiorano. The cars left in the direction of Guatemala. The vegetation is still incredibly green and along the road livestock farms and tropical forest can be seen, interrupted by long stalls where coconuts are sold. The usual tropical rain welcomes the cars at the border town of Las Chinamas in El Salvador to Valle Nuovo in Guatemala, connected via a bridge across the Rio Imposible. This time the border is rapidly passable and the cars follow the road in direction of the capital Ciudad De Guatemala.

Before they arrive in Ciudad De Guatemala the team rides by two splendid volcanoes to their left, one of them adorned with a wonderfully towering smoking crater. It's picture perfect. As the team reaches the hotel, as usual, guests and personal admire the two 599 GTB Fiorano.

Antigua, 9th October 2006 - The morning was dedicated to visiting the Ciudad de Guatemala. Unfortunately the city was hit by several devastating earthquakes, the last one in 1976, so the city has not much to offer architecturally. A couple of modern skyscrapers which have been built earthquake-proof can be spotted replacing the original buildings destroyed by earthquakes. The team is impressed by life, colours and the traditional dresses of many of the women.

The chaotic traffic in the city quarters the 599 GTB Fiorano are passing is similar to the ones in many other metropolies. At noon the team meets the Italian ambassador, local businessmen and representatives of the Italian community. As usual the Berlinettes are admired. The ambassador gave a touching speech regarding what Ferrari represents in the world. Later the team leaves in the direction of Antigua, the ancient capital, the third in Guatemala's history. A visit to the city is scheduled for tomorrow.