Going to Panama - WT-?

So, anybody been there? I have to go there on business and am hoping to find some reason to look forward to it.

I have. And as I've said before, it was the only country in my tour overseas that we WEREN'T allowed on shore for leave (including Nicaragua and Colombia! ). This was 2003/2004.

I've sailed a ship through the locks. That's about all I can tell you. Keep your head down...

Been there a bunch of times in the 80's. Don't know how relevant that is for today, but I wouldn't go ashore in Panama City or Cristobal, very dangerous. I did go ashore at PTP (Petro Terminal de Panama) up on the border with Costa Rica, west coast. It was real nice there. A bit... hot. Except when it rains, then it's hot and wet.

My buddy says its trash everywhere. As in garbage all over the place.

Joey

Pick me up a hat while you're there

I was down there a month ago. Fascinating place, full of deep cultural, ethnic, and class contrasts. Tons and tons of money coming in (form the Canal and a growing financial industry), yet there is also breathtaking poverty, the infrastructure is falling apart and the education system is terrible. (It's a young democracy, and corruption is a problem.) American popular culture is ubiquitous: lots of billboards in English, a bunch of malls, and movies/TV. A majority of the country is Catholic (abortion is illegal), yet they are much more relaxed about sexuality than we are. I saw two barely clothed women on a billboard, ready for some hot girl-on-girl action, except they were selling wristwatches. I also saw a billboard with women in thongs. It was an ad for Reef clothing, and the tag was like "ridiculously comfortable." I doubt their butt cracks felt ridiculously comfortable, but that's beside the point.

So anyway, I was visiting a friend and her 4-year-old, so my trip was in the context of having a youngun' along, so we missed some touristy things. But I would, of course, check out the Miraflores Locks (be sure to go either in the morning or afternoon, when boats are going through), Casco Viejo (a dilapidated but rapidly gentrifying old neighborhood that will be a total tourist trap in five years), and if you like old ruins, Panama Viejo. If you are somewhat physically active, then go rent a bike and ride the Calzada de Amador (causeway), which is touristy at the end but has nice views of the city. They just held an Ironman (or mini Ironman down there) -- Lance A. came in 2nd place.

It's a 30- or 40-minute hike to the top of Ancon Hill, which has a huge Panamanian flag visible from all over town, plus vistas of the city and the Canal.

The city at the northern terminus of the Canal, called Colon, is a dump, and somewhat scary. Lots of poverty, and not somewhere you want to spend a bunch of time. There are safer places there, close to where cruise ships go, plus a large duty-free area. Not worth a trip, IMO. There's also a train you can take up there; again, not worth it.

If you want to get away from the city, I am told that Bocas del Toro is one of the nicer spots to go be a tourist. Didn't get to go this time.

There are beaches and resorts up the southern coast, to the west of Panama City. I stayed at a home in Coronado, but I believe the general area a couple hours west of the City has tourist destinations.

If you like fish, then corvina is to Panama what salmon is to the Pacific Northwest.

As for cars, despite the huge American influence, there aren't tons and tons of domestic vehicles. There are tons of Toyotas, Mitsubishis and Nissans (I swear, the mid-90s Sentra is the national car), and SUVs everywhere (they're status symbols). If you're ballsy, you can ride a diablo rojo, which is a retired Florida school bus shipped down, painted with wild colors and murals, and uses as public transportation. The country is trying to get rid of them but they are everywhere, fill a need, and are a riot to look at. (I didn't have a chance to ride one.) Wherever a diablo rojo has killed someone, a blue heart is painted on the pavement. There are plenty of blue hearts around.

Oh, and, yes, there's lots of trash, everywhere. It's pretty bad, for sure, but, on the other hand, there are a lot of folks down there who are just trying to get by. I don't condone it but I can understand if people have bigger priorities.

Panama is rapidly becoming a gringo destination, and the City has long been a total international mash-up (there's a Chinatown -- yep, they all speak Spanish). Gringos are retiring down there, and tourism is going off. They claim two million visitors last year (probably high). It's rough around the edges, and there are definitely places you don't want to hang out at, but I didn't feel like it was a dangerous place, just a place where you want to pay attention to your surroundings, and steer clear of the sketchy stuff. My friend lives alone with her kid, right in the middle of the city. She's just a normal person, not a ninja, and she gets along fine down there.

PS I'm told that most of the Panama hats there are actually made in Honduras. They're also expensive down there.

Calzada de Amador (causeway), and ancon hill are worth a trip like mentioned... bring a camera :)...

Bocas del Toro is pretty neat... very toursty area... I spent 6 weeks out on one of the islands living in a solar house (rain water provided all water... not as amazing as it sounds lol)... plenty of hostels and such... you'll hear all sorts of european languages mixed in with the americans and the blazed out of their head jamacians... you'll prob get offered coke and week by a weirdo on a bike... it's one of those places that the police just look the other way on everything... they've got some nice zip lines setup also if you're into that sort of thing (built by the guys who've done all the big ones in Costa rica)... also can get scuba certified for about $75 including all the dives if you chat around to the different instructors... great snorkeling also... but honestly bocas isn't just a day trip

summit gardens was neat back when I lived there... not amazing but you can see some 10 ft camen and random other animals of Panama http://www.panamatours.com/Rainforest/summit_eng.htm

the guy above mentioned the diablo rojo... I highly recommend you ride one just to say you did... :)... it's fun... especially with 2 kids lol... but taxis are cheap (by american standards) and a far better way to move around

I went to Jungle Warfare School @ Ft. Sherman when I was in the Marines back in 1978. We had a 48hr liberty and the three things I remember the most were, there were more banks than I have ever seen in one place in my life, the women were beautiful and wore some of the most intoxicating perfume I had ever experienced, and all the casinos used American dollars instead of chips. Lots of high rollers. I'm sure its changed a heck of a lot since then.

I would try my best not to look like an American businessman.

Woody wrote: I would try my best not to look like an American businessman.

That shouldn't be hard for you, since you already look like a toy cowboy.

Then it's working.

Let me know what you think. My daughter's stepfather's family is from Panama and she will visit someday. All I know is that despite the fact that it connect North and South America, the country actually runs East-West. Weird.

The weirdest part about that is that the EAST side of the Canal exits into the Pacific.

yup and you can watch the sun rise of the pacific if you're at the right location ;-)....