A Weak Week in Panama City at the Tail End of Our Trip

We had some concerns about how to spend an additional week in Panama City. We really nailed it at the beginning of the trip. Panama City is not brimming with things to do in the way of culture. When I read in some travel site that there are so many things to do, you could cover a year doing one a day. Really, in what universe are they living in?

We had walked the miles long Malecón walkway with the bay on one side and Avenida Balboa on the other. We had not done the miles long causeway. Attempting to visit the Museum of Biodiversity situated on the causeway was a bust, it was closed for renovation. Of course we didn’t know this ahead of time, so we had walked miles already by the time we reached it. There was no shade during this part of the walk, so we were overheated and dehydrated.

A quarter of a mile later, we reached part of the causeway that runs along with water on either side. It is a giant boulevard with sidewalks on either side. Our timing was perfect as we were walking the causeway; we noticed some kayaks floating by. Then we realized there were hundreds of them following. We thought it may have been a race, so we were concerned when one tipped over. They had to right themselves and were bailing like machines. Fearful for their safety, later we found out that this was a practice session for a great race that was to take place after we were gone from the city. The tipped boat was purposeful as they need to show they can right the boat if they should tip over during the real race.

Farther down the causeway one can find an assortment of restaurants and cafés, which are way overpriced. We paid $5.50 for one regular coffee and a small cafe late that was more like cafe au lait. There are quad bikes and duo bikes for rent, but we just continued walking to the end where there is a "Duty Free" store. It was mobbed when we walked in. There must have been a ship in port. Twenty minutes later, we were the only people around who were not employees.

We tried getting a bus back to the downtown, but after a 30 minute wait and no bus, we were about to follow the locals example and opt for a taxi. Just as we decided to hail one, the bus came. At 25 cents a person, it was much cheaper.

Much of our last days were spent in malls. It was too hot to wander for the most part, but there was not that much to do either. We did return to old town. Ron went to the fish market and had his ceviche fix. I stood far afield; I cannot stand the smell. Really what we craved most was air conditioning.

Another day, we went to the 265-hectare Metropolitan National Park located within Panama City’s Ancon district. It is the only protected area within city boundaries in all of Central America. There are four different trails that are rated easy and moderate. The claim is that “it is home to dozens of species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and trees. With lookout points, four well-marked trails, a scenic road and a Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.” All I saw were trees and two huge fungi. At one point I did spot one hummingbird, but that was the extent of the sightings. I was hot and miserable by the end of the first hour, so I found a place to sit and let Ron wander on his own. Decades of smoking have taken their toll, so going up and down hills is not my thing, especially with sandals.

Leaving Panama we had our flight booked with United Airlines. When I printed out the boarding passes, I had double checked the seating. We had the seats I requested for both flights. We boarded the plane in Panama City. The layout of the plane is completely different than the layout on the United website. Though we had the seats requested it was a 3-3-3 configuration rather than 2-4-2. The flight from PTY (the airport code for Panama City) to EWR (Newark, NJ) was 5 hours and 14 minutes long. During this time, the ONLY thing that United provided was free soft drinks, coffee, or tea. If you wanted any food at all, you had to pay for it, starting at $7.50. Beer and alcohol started at $6.99 and went up from there. To add insult to injury, there were no monitors on the seat backs nor were there any that came down from the ceiling. There were no options for video or audio the entire flight.

Our connection flight was 8 hours and 10 minutes. We were fed a mediocre dinner, but the drink selection was as on the first flight. An hour before landing, we were provided with a simple ‘breakfast’. For someone who has flown for decades, it is difficult to wrap my head around the changes in the airlines.

Pin It Now!

D is for Desperation and It Isn't Pretty

English: Plane of Taca Airlines. Español: Avión de Taca Airlines. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Desperation is begging either the Diners Club lounge or Dunkin Donuts to open early. This is what happened this morning at the Panama City Tocumen International Airport. We were up by 3:30 am and Monica, our Columbian hostess who is married to the American David, drove us to the airport. As we are driving, I am thinking, I don’t think I would want to do this drive for $30. That was until we arrived at the airport 15 minutes later and recalculated. Another 15 minutes, she will be home again, so that is $60 an hour. Now that is not bad money at all. 

BUT, who are the sadists that design these flights at such early hours, now of the stores, cafeterias, or airline lounges are even open. Our flight was scheduled for 6:47 am, but we had to be there by 4:47 am. Even then, we were earlier than we needed to be. TACA Airlines was right on the ball, the counters were already open when we arrived. With boarding passes already printed out, it was a breeze checking in. Then the hunt started.

We walked all over the terminal looking and sniffing for freshly brewed coffee. As we walked past coffee bars, cafes, snack bars, espresso bars, we only sniffed our tears, but no aroma of caffeine brewing; they were all closed. We found the Diners Club lounge and rang the bell repeatedly like some magic would occur, but no one appeared behind the door where magic could happen. 

As we roamed, we noticed a restaurant on the 2nd level and it had people walking around in it. Standing back farther, we could make out the fluorescent sign that showed Open 24 Hours. What eluded us was the way to get to it. There were no escalators or elevators visible. There were no signs showing the way to one or the other either. Finally, I asked someone working near security. He told me we had to go downstairs, through Immigration and then back up the stairs on the other side. This seems like a treasure hunt, but without others to confirm his story, we tried. Down we went and directly ahead were the sleepy surly looking women of Immigration. Yes, only women were working this shift and they put their nasty faces on as soon as they saw our confused white faces. 

Rather than provide helpful information, they only said “You don’t have enough time to go to the restaurant.” What do you mean? We have over an hour before the boarding even begins. They refused to let us through; the Panama version of the Berlin Wall. Back to wandering the halls. 

People were starting to arrive to work; there was some fluttering going on behind the cage screens that protect these establishments from wary tourists making their own coffee. Ron asked each what time they would open, but every response was a discouraging 6:30 am. This only gave us 15 minutes.

I spotted a man unlock and then walk into the Diners Club lounge so we leaped on him like a couple of hunting lions with a wildebeest. With sad eyes, he turned his head and said “Just give me five minutes.” It was the least we could do. He was prey to his word; the door opened five minutes later. We swallowed a cup of coffee in two gulps and returned to the gate for our flight. 

We are doing a farm stay with an American ex-pat. Mark was gracious enough to take us grocery shopping on the way to his place. He has a lovely four room accommodation that he built on acres of land that host sweet lemons, mangos, tangerines, pineapples, bananas, avocados and other fruits I cannot recall. We have the apartment with a bedroom, kitchen and dinette area. Right out our door is the swimming pool, where we indulged an hour after arrival. From our balcony, we can see the Mount Masaya, an inactive volcano. I never thought I would be the relaxing type, but I am starting to get the hang of it.

Related articles

• Another customer for Tocumen International Airport
• The History of Credit Cards | Infographic
• Credit Cards and Charge Cards - Is There A Difference?

Pin It Now!

A Peaceful, Joyous, Prosperous 2014

As festive as the picture may look, our New Year celebration was almost non-existent. We returned to Panama City yesterday afternoon, because we fly to Nicaragua tomorrow morning early. Being told that there are no municipal celebrations, so no fireworks to hunt down, no best viewing place, we decided to stay put. Whether this information was accurate or not, if there were something happening, the dangers of sidestepping individuals with wayward firecrackers would not have been worth the risk.

It has been decades since New Year’s Eve has been an rousing holiday for me. We have had some memorable New Year’s celebrations in the past such our dinner cruise in Sydney, Australia; gathering in Lisbon, Portugal where a young couple gave us glasses of champagne because we had none; and Guayaquil, Ecuador where they burn effigies to rid the future of unwanted things or people. Every year for the last nineteen, we have watched the calendar turn over in some city and country other than the one we called home at the time. Having a visual feast of fireworks is not as important to me as feasting on the love and friendship of those around me. Even when others were absent, for the last twenty years, I have had Ron by my side to welcome in the New Year, anticipating what may unfold in the next twelve months.

This year was no different; we were together in embracing the New Year as it unfolded, except we did not leave our room. We watched movies, shared a bottle of wine and snacked on cheese and olives. It was all we needed this time, this year, shedding the past and welcoming the new.

There are planned life changes already in the forecast for 2014. Our wedding is 3 months and 18 days away. By the time we return to Budapest, it will be even closer. That is a thrilling, but scary thought considering all that needs to be accomplished still. Other ideas and life changes are percolating.

Regardless of how you have welcomed in the New Year, I wish all of us good health, abundant prosperity, and a fulfilling life.

Related articles

• Sydney, Australia is first to kick off New Year
• FULL 2014 SYDNEY MIDNIGHT FIREWORKS | New Years Eve Fireworks 2014 Full Show Midnight Spectacular
• Crowds and fireworks welcome 2014

Pin It Now!

If It's Whatever Day, We Must Be Somewhere

Three cities down: Panama City, Boquete, and David, we still have not found the paradise as described in International Living magazine. All three of them have their merits, but only the capital city is the only one that I would think persuade guests to come visit us. Yet, there the cost of living is far greater than other places offering retirement benefits for US citizens.

David was comfortable if you could get beyond the need for clean pretty streets. People in the smaller cities have been beyond pleasant often greeting us with good day or good afternoon, before we pass each other on the street. Yes, delightful people play heavily in the equation.

Today, we took what we thought would be a 4 hour bus ride to our next stop, Penonomé. Shockingly, the bus was a gorgeous, new Mercedes Benz double-decker. We were assigned at the very back of the bus, which was perfect for legroom. Appointed with beautifully upholstered, thick reclining seats, comfort was not an issue. Drop down screens showed movies, though only in Spanish without subtitles.One movie they showed was from Argentina, called Lotoman 2.0. It looked funny from what I could tell, but the crowds were roaring with laughter. I need to find a copy with subtitles to test if for myself.

When the bus stopped at Santiago, we thought it was just to let off passengers, but it turned out to be a meal break. Everyone had to leave the bus for the 30 minute stopover. Once we boarded again, we were at our destination after another hour. Quite funny was that we were the only two getting off at our stop. The ‘bus station’ sits directly in front of a hospital, but is surrounded by wooden huts where vendors sell everything from chewing gum to women’s personal needs. This sits on a major roadway, so getting a taxi was going to be an issue.

Gratefully, a gentleman who owned one of the stands, came to our rescue. He hailed a cab that actually stopped for us. He told the driver where we wanted to go, so I flung some of my things in the backseat, while Ron climbed in the front. After I positioned myself, I realized there was the most adorable little boy sharing the backseat with me. He smiled after his look of wonder. I doubt he has ever seen a white person before. Refusing to say a word in any language, he did give me the most flirtatious smiles, capturing my heart. When we reached the hotel, I gave him a quarter. It was a true bargain for the smile I received would have been worth much more.

Our hotel sits on the Pan-American Highway. We could tell from the looks that the reception staff gave us that they were not used to seeing white faces at check-in either, but regardless, they were extremely professional. The clue here lies in the fact that their website is in Spanish only without any other language options. With 84 rooms, it is dead quiet. There were a number of well-behaved people at the pool, but enough to dissuade me from venturing in. Situated next to the hotel is a strip mall with a supermarket, a KFC, Domino’s Pizza, Subways, McDonalds, Al Capone Pizza, in addition to clothing stores, a skin care center, municipal offices and assorted other stores. Across the highway are other small stores and two small, non-chain restaurants.

After going to the grocery store to bring some beers back to the room, we decided on going to the ‘Panamanian’ restaurant across the street. As it turned out, it is Panamanian-Chinese. Crossing the Pan-American Highway by avoiding traffic, had a similar feeling to being Pac Man all the while trying to avoid Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde soaring down the highway at German autobahn speeds. All during the dinner, all I could think about was having to cross the highway once again.

Why are we here? What is there to do in this region? Ron hadn’t a clue other than it was part way between David and Panama City. Even TripAdvisor is clueless on what to do here.

Related articles

• Panama Real Estate Choices
• Panama: A Vibrant Economy Of Latin America - OpEd

Pin It Now!

Boutique Boquete and Earthy David

Our time in Boquete has ended, so today we took the bus to David, Panama. It is an hour and ten minutes away, but may was well be a different region entirely.
Boquete sits on the most western part of the Chiriquí Province, surrounded by mountains. Costa Rica is 60 km away. The altitude could be difficult for some; it is 1,200 meters (3937.01) above sea level. 

According to government statistics, there are over 3,000 foreigners permanently living in Boquete representing over 30 different countries, but the vast majority are from the US and Canada. Boquete’s weather forced me into wearing a sweater at times during the day and often in the evening. At times, it was not the temperature, but the wind that created the change of attitude about the altitude. I have checked this off our list of possible places for a future move.

David, Panama is the capital of the province of Chiriquí. It is the 3rd largest city in the country with a population of 144,858 as of the 2013 census. Average high temperatures run from 89 to 96 degrees Fahrenheit with lows ranging from 66 to 71 degrees. There is enough humidity to make the temperatures feel warmer, but not enough to drain your energy like Panama City.

Now this is definitely a cultural thing and probably really a North American thing, but if we lived here, I could not see having guests visit for more than a couple of days at a time. There is not much to do for entertainment. However, Americans like things pristine. I don’t mind seeing torn up sidewalks, holes in the cement, or bags of trash that have broken open and spilled along the sides of the buildings. I really get stimulated from the earthy feeling, but most likely, not many would feel the same way.

Between yesterday and today, we discovered that David has a vibrant downtown area with a tremendous number of shops, restaurants, and kiosks on the sidewalks, but none of these are name brand stores or any that are recognizable from outside the area, I would guess. 

Interesting distinctions!

Pin It Now!

Panama City Photos Are Posted

Panama City photos are now posted here.

Pin It Now!

Mugged, Beaten, Robbed – All in a Day’s Panama Adventure Part 2

Ready for anything, clutching our bags and bodies with both arms, I asked a young man in Spanish which way to the train station. The response was kindly given, but with a machine gun rapidity and excessively long. Having a general impression of what he said, we walked in the general direction. There is a walkway in the center of the main street so believing this was the safest route we used it. The alternative was to use the sidewalk with was tunnel-like with stores on one-side and shanty shack stores on the sidewalk. We would have to dodge the crowd in limited space giving many opportunities to inflame someone’s ire. Visions of sugarplums danced in my head, but so did visions of getting beaten, robbed, or worse.

We asked directions two more times, each time getting us closer to our destination: the train station. Once it was within sight, we started across this desolate area to make our way. This well-dressed man who happened to be crossing the street in the opposite direction, started yelling at us. At first, we ignored him, but he continued. I stopped; Ron continued. He asked where we were headed. When I told him, he said we needed to do the walk around via the street even if we were dodging traffic due to a large puddle. The way Ron was heading was the RED Zone. He explained the RED Zone was one of the most dangerous areas of the city where you were pretty much guaranteed to get robbed or worse.

We safely made it to the train ‘station’ where this is the one and only train and track for passenger trains. There are other tracks used for freight. Modern looking on the outside, the interior is like stepping back in time. Most of the interior has dark wood paneling, tables and carpeted floors. Dark green glass shades covering bulbs softening the effect, line the walls. Wooden blinds cover the windows and the entire train is air-conditioned. There are several open-air viewing decks allowing passengers to step outside to watch the view pass them by. The train consists of five passenger cars each named after a river of Panama. The Rio Chagres car is a refurbished 1938 Southern Pacific Dome Car. Each car is equipped with a snack bar.

What threw us a bit was the cost of the tickets. They were no longer $20 a person, but $25. This depleted our cash on hand by $10, something we had not counted on. With the difference in bus tickets and now this, we are desperately short on cash. Trying to focus on the ride, I set aside worries about money for the time being. Trees whipped past us as we navigated through the rainforest as well as old US Army compounds. 

We arrived in Panama City at the Corozal Passenger Station. Fortunately, for us, there was a tour guide on the train, so we could ask about transportation from here. As we suspected, the taxis would charge us a tourism rate of about $15 to get back to our accommodation, but he suggested we try for a taxi from the road where it would be cheaper. Between us, we had $7, plus change. 

The road where we were supposed to try getting a taxi was in essence a freeway with speeding cars. We were not alone in wanting a taxi, having to compete with three other groups, two of whom could speak Spanish fluently. The odds were against us. After one taxi rejected the other groups, he was willing to take us for $12. More reasonable, but still too much for what we had. Walking down the side of the freeway was the only option, heading in the direction of a major supermarket sign with hopes it really was a store and not just an advertisement. After fifteen minutes of walking, a taxi stopped along the side. Ron figured that if we could get back to the Albrook Mall, we could get a local bus from there. The taxi driver wanted $3 to take us to the mall. Perfect and reasonable considering the traffic, had it been a metered cab, it would have been quadruple the fare. This left us with $4.00 in bills.

Now we were at the mall, but had no idea what bus to take. All the local buses line us behind each other. Not one of them is numbered and there are no routes or schedules posted to gather intelligent decision-making information. The only option is to ask the drivers one by one. After receiving several negative responses, we did get one affirmative or what we interpreted as one. We handed him money, but he pointed to a machine. There was nowhere to put money in the machine. Finally, a young woman noticing our dilemma used her bus card to swipe the reader twice so we could pass the turnstile. She spoke great English, so she explained that a Metro Bus Card was needed to ride public buses. You add money to the card as needed and then swipe it when using it. Each time you use it, it costs you 25 cents for the ride. We offered her the 50 cents, but she refused. She further explained that we would need to change buses as this bus was only going partially in our direction. She would be getting off before us, but she arranged for another passenger to warn us where to get off. 

We thanked her profusely multiple times during the ride and as we said good-bye. As promised the other woman signaled where we were to get off and change buses. There was no familiarity of the area, nor did it seem to be within walking distance of getting us back. Scrounging through our change, we could come up with another $1.54 making our grand total wealth $5.54. At the bus stop where we were told to get off, there were no schedules or postings of which buses stopped there so we were again clueless about the next step.

Thinking we cannot be too far away by vehicle, we hailed a taxi. His quote was $5. We jumped in and off we went. He had a companion in the front seat that kept asking us if we wanted women or a casino. All we wanted was dinner. When we arrived, we gave him the entire $5.54. 

The original plan was to get back earlier and have dinner at the vegetarian restaurant in our building. By the time we arrived, we only had 30 minutes before they closed. I left Ron there after we ordered and ran up to the apartment for money. We took it back and ate on the balcony reflecting on the day.

We had multiple opportunities to get mugged, beaten, robbed or worse all day long, but we managed to survive all of it while having a great adventure.

Pin It Now!

Mugged, Beaten, Robbed – All in a Day’s Panama Adventure Part 1

This is long, so I am breaking it into 2 parts

More than one person has told us we really should not miss riding the historic Panama Canal Railroad. Billed as one of the great train rides of the world, who could resist? My father worked for a railroad most of his working life and I did a two-year stint working for the New York & Long Branch Railroad in my youth. The ride promises to traverse the lush rainforest with possibilities for animal and birdlife sightings. Interestingly, the railroad is responsible for the creation of the city Aspinwall, now called Colón. Kansas City Southern RR and Mi-Jack Products from Chicago currently own it. For more information on the history, visit here.

Today, the rail service is mainly for tourists or business people who are commuting between Colón on the Atlantic Coast and Panama City on the Pacific. Being informed that the cost of the ride was $20 per person each way; a one-way trip was sufficiently going to drain our budget. Service is limited to once a day in either direction. You can go from Panama City to Colón at 7:15 am or return from Colón at 5:15 pm. These are the only two options. Travel time is one hour.

After reading a great deal about Colón, we knew it was the pit. Any Google search for Colón was rife with articles to make the back of the head hairs stand up and cry for mercy. In order to do this train ride and not really wanting to get to the Panama City train station by 7:00 am to catch the outgoing train, we opted for a return trip instead. The plan was to take a mid-afternoon local bus to Albrook Mall in PC and from there, we could take the inter-city bus to Colón to arrive just in time for the train back. We did considerable figuring of how much money we would need for the day. Reason dictated that if you are robbed, lose the least amount of money you need to, so we planned accordingly. The best laid plans…never seem to go as planned.

After considerable walking, we did find the bus to take to Albrook Mall. Traffic is horrific, so what should have been a 20-minute ride took closer to 45 minutes. We passed through some rather unsavory parts of the city, finding the ‘open air markets’ with fruit and vegetable vendors side by side with police men with machine guns patrolling the streets. This section of the city was beyond derelict.

Albrook is not only a mall, but also the terminal for all buses, local and otherwise. Arriving around 1:30 pm, we had plenty of time to get our bearings and further develop our plan. Checking with the ticket agent for the Colón buses, getting information was impossible. There is a glass wall with a tiny opening to pass money, but nothing to allow communication to flow freely. After screaming our questions through this glass barrier and receiving some response, we were still as clueless as when we started. The noise level in the terminal was equivalent to a gang of ghetto blasters all blaring full volume at once.

Even if we were both speaking English, I would not have been able to hear what he was saying. We walked away frustrated. It was weird a ticket was needed to leave the bus station to enter the area where the intercity buses were loading. It was not necessary for the local buses. In frustration, we went to the mall, deciding to return later and try again.

The Albrook Mall at first glance looks like any other. It is only after spending ten minutes there that you realize you have entered another world. This has to be the largest mall I have ever been in after Mall of America in Minnesota. There are 469 stores with an additional 400 kiosks. Other than Christmas time, it is still decorated with hot air balloons, sculptures of wild animals (used to designate exits), and an Italian carousel. There are four humungous food courts, the largest seats over 400 people and we had a difficult time finding a table. The latest information I could find about its size was from 2011 when they were still adding on.

“It takes 5,592 steps to walk Albrook Mall; roughly equal to going up and down the Empire State Building twice plus a few more New York City blocks. Within the total area of Albrook Mall you could build 36 football fields or five Sidney Opera Houses. For the exercise minded one full walking circuit of Albrook Mall is 2.4 km (7,874.016 feet) and would burn 204 calories. It is huge!”

One would think with this number of food courts, that it would be easy to find something to eat. It wasn’t. Nothing looked good, because we are not really into fast food. After much deliberation, we finally settled for a slice of pizza, which turned out to be surprisingly good. We walked and walked before and after our snack working off the minutes until we had to deal with the bus once again.

Returning to the terminal, we were able to determine with the help of a young man that the Colón bus left every hour on the hour. We pay the driver; there was no need to buy at ticket at the ticket counter. How non-intuitive is that? Here is where we were flummoxed. To get to the bus, you had to buy a Metro Bus card. When we tried this, they wanted Ron’s picture ID. I could not figure out why his and not mine. Later, I realized he asked if there were a senior discount available. We held up the line for a good ten minutes while they hemmed and hawed over whether a photocopy of his passport was good enough. After $1.25 passed hands, we were able to scan the card for both of us to cross over to the other side. Even for this we needed the aid of some local angels to show us the way.

Once on the modern, air-conditioned express bus to Colón, we found the fare to be $3.75 each for the pancontinental journey. We had been told by others it was $2.50 each and this is what we had budgeted. ETA for Colón was about one hour, give or take depending on traffic. For an express bus, we made a number of stops.

As we entered Colón, it felt like we were entering a different country. Poverty polluted the air. Buildings were in severe decay. Litter decorated the streets where they were not pock marked with holes large enough to get lost in. Loose electric wires hung from poles like Maypole streamers. This is where the bus had its final stop or we presumed; everyone left the bus here, though we were not at any type of terminal, but just a crossroad in the center of town.

Continued with part 2.

Pin It Now!

Between a Hard Rock and an Ocean

Panama City has relatively few tourist attractions, surprisingly. There are less than a handful of museums; the major attraction is the Canal Zone or the historic Canal Zone train that runs from Panama City to Colon. We intend to do this trip tomorrow.

With nothing pressing us to get out and move, we left later in the morning than we normally would. The positive side of this is that it allows for natural awakenings; not need to heed to the alarm clock is a joy in itself. With no particular destination in mind, we started out toward the water, but on the way, discovered the Hard Rock Hotel. There is no restaurant, but the hotel sells pins, allowing us to add to our collection.

Not realizing we may need the extra cash, I didn’t bring enough to buy pins leaving enough left over for a small lunch or just drinks later. We will have to return. The hotel is glorious and on the cutting edge for décor. It would certainly be a special place to stay if the lobby and the mezzanine are any indication. They have a young woman greeting people to inform potential guests about their New Year’s Party. It is only $150 per person with an open bar. For $495, you get a room for two nights included. She told us the hotel is only 2 years old and had 1,400 rooms. There is a direct walkway to the mall across the street.

Without plans, we went over to the mall to kill some time exploring. As malls go, it was lovingly filled with just about every branded store you would expect to see in most US malls. We were seduced into buying a cinnabun at their shop. The odor of cinnamon, which I used to dislike, came wafting through the corridors, wrapping itself around our noses, like a comfortable blanket on a cold winter’s night.

It would have been appropriately funny if the picture above were in the Pull and Bear store, but it was in a store called Moose.

On one floor, there was an extensive village display with the miniature stores, houses, carnival rides and much more. It had to have taken an entire day to set up. It was a visual delight, reminding me of the village set I have in storage that I hope to see again some day.

We checked out the cinema to see if we could catch a show, but there were slim offerings in English, most were dubbed.
Not much excitement for today, I am afraid. After the mall, we continued down to the ocean for a short walk, but the threatening clouds prompted us to head back; we were umbrella-less. 

I did Google PC museums and came up with a short list. Some are not even completed yet. Hopefully, we will find something to occupy our time.

Related articles

• Panama City, Panama 19th Nov - 21st Nov - Panama City, Panama

Pin It Now!

This is Gentrification in Progress, Can’t You Tell?

When we first moved to Budapest, there was a huge banner that spanned across the New York Hotel. It said “Opening Soon”. That was in 2001. The hotel did not open until 5 years later. Our Lonely Planet book, which is 3 years out of date states that the Casco Viejo area of Panama City is in the process of being gentrified and should be completed in the near future. That was 2010. 

Casco Viejo, meaning old compound, is where the Spanish moved their city after Henry Morgan destroyed the original city they had developed. According to our ‘host’ it is only a 40 minute walk. That seemed reasonable, so we headed out. The most scenic route was to walk the promenade along the shoreline. This was an exquisite decision; however, it was strange that at low tide, there is no water other than puddles along what should have been the shoreline, let alone any remnants of a beach.

The highlight of this route was not on the waterside, but the landside or causeway. For 2 kilometers, we walked this promenade, which is stunningly beautiful. There the scenery alternated between children’s playgrounds, outdoor fitness machines in perfect condition, lush manicured gardens, and a small meditation park within a park complete with a waterfalls. There are separate walking and bike paths and there are turn offs at various points where you can climb a small hill for a better view or walk around it and sit for a spell. A part of this was reminiscent of Guayaquil in Ecuador, but less commercial. There were no food stands or shopping places here at all, only nature.

Being prime real estate, the high rises directly across the street are 30 or more stories with amazing architecture that is mod, modern, or quirky. Any direction you look in, there is some eye candy to satisfy your cravings and all calorie free. 

As directions go, there were no surprises with those we received. The 40-minute walk, turned out to be an hour and a half before we set our eyes on Casco Viejo. We felt like that old TV commercial where the announcer states “Welcome Pilgrim, your search has ended.” The question was “Was it worth the effort?” Almost immediately, facing you are dilapidated buildings that some would classify as slum-like. More than one building had the doors opened wide due to the heat; they resembled a place for squatters rather than one having been in the process of being upgraded over the last 3 years. Not all was lost, there were stores and cafés, which have seen the almighty dollar, transform them from tattered and tacky to upscale and in vogue. 

We stopped for coffee in one such establishment. A Black couple ran it. I would venture to say they were US African-American transplants. Their perfect English had an eastern tingle in the accent, they perfect bagels, and a book by Virginia Hamilton amongst other books. When the lady found the bathroom was being monopolized by one customer, her perfect English again betrayed her origins as did the way she pronounced ‘occupado’. One espresso latte, one smoothie and a bagel was $14.00, giving Starbucks the opportunity to say how inexpensive they really are in comparison.

According to our guidebook, the cobble streets added to the charm. Brick has since replaced them; nary one cobblestone has survived. In Plaza de la Independencia, we witnessed the local crew putting up the Christmas tree quite similarly to the type of tree we had in CA. This plaza is where Panama declared its independence from Columbia in 1903.

Other sites were the Plaza de Francia commemorating the French role in building the canal. The French lost 22,000 workers from France, Guadeloupe, and Martinique due to malaria and yellow fever. A statue of Cuban physician Carlos Finlay also decorates this plaza. He is the one to discover how mosquitoes transmit yellow fever.

Another attraction of this area is the Panama Viejo ruins, which according to the book, we could explore independently. These were the ruins of old churches and other buildings from historic times, but they are all now guarded with fencing. Not even paying an admission allows entrance. Being declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, makes me wonder how prestigious this designation happens to be after all. Yes, there are many charming parts of this section, but they butt up with buildings that are being held up with steel supports from the street. 

One realtor's office window had signs offering flats for sale starting at $450,000. It would seem reasonable to expect the entire area to be gentrified, before suggesting such fees.

 We hunted down this restaurant written about in the book. It is called Café Coca-Cola. Still open for business, it was filled with locals and we discovered the reason. The food was great, but cheap. We both ate lunch and with drinks, the bill came to $10.59. 

Afternoon heat is horrendous, so we decided to take a taxi and test the stories that it will only cost $1-$2. Our first attempt, the driver wanted $12. No fare for you! The second one offered the ride for $5. We accepted and went straight to the travel agency to arrange for a tour for tomorrow. 

We returned to the horrendously expensive grocery store for some supplemental supplies for dinner. We will eat in tonight and watch the birds at the feeder. 

Related articles

• Retire to Panama's Most Romantic Quarter
• Where The Streets Have No Name
• El casco viejo

Pin It Now!

For the Birds Had Double Meaning

Our first full day in Panama City and it is raining. No skip that comment, because raining doesn’t even come close to doing it justice. If you have ever seen photos of Niagara, Isuzu, or Victoria Falls, you will have an idea of how hard it was coming down. Our accommodation is on the 6th floor of an apartment building with an oversized covered balcony and metal guardrails to prevent anyone from taking a flying leap. There is a tall metal table on the balcony with high chairs where I perch to write. We will be here until the 22nd. Watching people walk by on the street below as the rain pounds on them is sadistically humorous. Those silly enough to risk walking, get pounded into the cement after five steps. David, the apartment owner said this happens daily. At one point, there was thunder so loud, I thought someone broke the sound barrier immediately next to me. 

Still on the balcony, to the left, there are two hummingbird feeders hanging, while on the far right is a tray of birdseed for the parrots set on the ledge. As I am writing this, there are about seven hummingbirds vying for the four spouts attached to the one feeder that has sugar water. They range in color from dull brown, most likely females, to bright blue and striking green. Even the brown ones have the most glorious burst of yellow on the underside of their tail feathers. Busy, busy, they try to push one another off the feeder, like greedy children wanting a turn at a toy. 

As I am engrossed in my task at hand, I hear cacophonous outburst that are too loud for the hummingbirds. Looking up, I witnessed a pandemonium of small green parrots all surrounding the bowl presumably with the seeds. Some are pacing around the bowl, many others are perched all over the railing, yet all of them are pitching a fit. Later, I learned the bowl was empty with only hulls left. As I moved, they all took off in unison, so with a quick audit as they flew as a group, I counted about 40. What a sight to see.

This is an interesting place. We thought our bathroom was en suite, but it is right outside our bedroom door into the bathroom. There are other guest bedrooms, so we have to wear something to sneak out and back in during the night. When we looked in the bathroom, there were no towels and no toilet paper, which we thought strange. Next to the toilet was a hose connected to hot and cold water valves. Since this is standard in Malaysia and other parts of Asia, we were not unaccustomed to this, but even in other places, there was a paper first rule. We found towels on a shelf in the laundry area and took some without asking.

When I ran into David, I asked if it was okay to put paper into the toilet. Rather than say yes or no, he said “Well, I do it.” I took that as permission, but there was nothing forthcoming about providing any. Add that to the shopping list along with a bar of soap. I brought liquid soap, but Ron prefers a bar. When I asked about using the coffee maker, he showed me where the filters were, but then said “This is our coffee here.” Coffee goes on the shopping list. Last night he told us we should ask all of our questions at that time, since he cannot be available for us every time we need him. That's for the birds. I cannot imagine telling one of our B and B guests something like that.

Between rainstorms, we did do some wandering to explore the neighborhood and the city. Panama City is one of skyscrapers. Some are very boxy, but the majority has stimulating and eye catching designs. However, the downtown area is filled with them and they extend beyond the city. There is a comfort level here in that many things are in both Spanish and English, though we are trying to retrieve our Spanish from the recesses of our minds where they it has been in cold storage since last year when in Ecuador.

After having read that Panama is so inexpensive, I was a bit taken aback by the prices in restaurants. We stopped for lunch is a smallish restaurant where there were many locals eating. Our entrées were over $10 each, so we dropped close to $35 for a lunch. Knowing this was impossible to do on a daily basis, we hunted down a grocery store. There are plenty of small convenience stores, which incidentally seem to be run by or serviced by Asians. Assuming the prices at these stores would be exorbitant, we went to the major supermarket. 

Heaven, I’m in heaven! There were more ‘US American’ products on the shelves in this store then I could sample in a month of Sundays. What stopped me in my tracks and it was a long fall from heaven, were the prices. It was not just for the imported goods, but everything. Eggs, bread, milk it was all outrageous. A head of iceberg lettuce was $3.99. Small packages of lunch meat ham were $5.89. We bought a bottle of salad dressing for $5.99 and I was going to get some sugar free cookies, but a small box was $6.98. We left with cans of Campbell’s soup, some cheaper lettuce and a package of cherry tomatoes at $4.29. The full sized tomatoes were over $6. I am not sure how people can afford to shop here, but the store was doing a booming business. Now that I think about it, there were more register lanes with signs pointing out they were for 15 items or less. Maybe most cannot afford more than that many items at once. 

Once we returned back to the apartment, the rain started once again. Guess we are in for the night. 

Related articles

• Hummingbirds
• Died and Gone to Heaven

Pin It Now!

All I Want For Christmas

It is that time of year again, another semester at the university has ended and it is time to take off. This year, we will be researching the options of ex-pat living in Panama and Nicaragua, so our out-of-country experience will be longer than usual. We want to see how the other half of the world lives. 

I will blog as much as I can while we are gone. Tomorrow, we will take the train from Budapest to Munich, a six hour ride. We will stay overnight in Munich to fly out on Sunday morning. Our first stop is Newark, NJ and then on directly to Panama City, Panama. That is unless the pilot has too much eggnog and we end up in Panama City, Florida by mistake. 

For those who believe and/or celebrate Christmas, I hope Santa Claus, baby Jesus, Kris Kringle, Chris Kringle, Father Christmas, Sinterklaas, or the Easter Bunny, whatever you call him, brings you all your heart deserves.

Don't drink and drive! Love thy neighbor! Okay, I am still working on this one, but you try too.

Related articles

• Panama City again
• Panama City Impressions
• Holiday Gifts from Nicaragua
• Nicaragua in thrall of Ortega's canal dream

Pin It Now!