15 Quirky Things About Panama And Its People

Hey friends,

This is not meant to slam Panamanians, at all. I could list way more than 15 things that are odd about the U.S. and its people. Remember, my wife is Panamanian, so I have her to answer to if I get out of line. That said, I’ve noticed a lot of strange things since meeting Marlene and definitely since settling down in Panama full time. I can’t promise these are things you haven’t encountered wherever you’re living, because I probably know nothing about your hometown. I realized this after my last list, 10 Things You’ll Hate About Panama (which you can read by clicking here), when I received several comments from people about the motorcycles riding down the center lane subject. Apparently that happens all over the place, and is even legal in California. Who knew? I didn’t. 

So, check out this list of things I find a little bit wacky, but you might think is entirely normal. Again, these are in no particular order. I’m not counting down to the quirkiest thing. These are 15 wacky things listed at random.

1. Jury Duty Kidnapping – I’ve never been summoned to jury duty, but I know in the U.S. you’re given a letter or some sort of advance notice before you’re required to show up for duty. In Panama, it’s nothing like that. How did I learn this? A couple of weeks ago, I got a somewhat frantic call from Marlene. She was at work. The call went something like this.

“Chris, I only have a minute. They’re taking me.”

“WTF? Who’s taking you? What do you mean?”

“I have jury duty. They said I have 10 minutes to gather my things, make my phone calls, and then they’re taking my phone and I won't get it back until they're finished with me.”

And that was pretty much the extent of the phone call. She hung up and I had no idea what was to happen next. Was she going to be picked for a short trial that would be finished early and she'd be home by the end of the day? Or was she about to embark on an O.J. Simpson-style, seemingly never-ending murder trial?

My mother-in-law, who'd also spoken with Marlene, called to break it down a little further. She explained how lucky Marlene was because she’s had friends and coworkers who were out walking down the street when they were grabbed for jury duty. They were just snatched right off the sidewalk (ok, maybe it wasn't that dramatic, but still...). She also told me that if Marlene was stuck in a lengthy trial, we’d have to pack clothes so they could be taken to her.

It turned out the trial Marlene was involved with only lasted the day. She was home by about 11pm the same night. She told me she tried to get out of it by explaining that she had 4 kids she needed to take care of. The guy charged with finding my wife and bringing her in, the guy who basically kidnapped her for jury duty, simply looked at her and said, “Everyone has kids, and a spouse, and a grandmother...pack your stuff.”

Marlene was snatched up for jury duty, no notice, right at her office

That’s nuts, right? I'd love to see Dave Chapelle do a skit on this. The only thing worse would be having the guy show up, put a bag over your head, and yank you into his car. I'm surprised he didn't use the Men In Black memory swiper gadget on her when it was over. 

Imagine being a single parent and having this happen. What would you do? Can you imagine having your kids in school and having someone show up to tell you they were taking you away? What bout the kids? Marlene said you can get out of it, but you’ll have to pay a $50 fine and have a really good excuse. 

The good news? You always get the next day off when you're ordered to go in for jury duty. Also, I should add that this whole jury duty situation only applies to Panamanian citizens. So expats have nothing to worry about. 

2. Wrinkling the nose – The story of how I met my wife is one worthy of its own blog post, so here in this post, I’ll just mention one quirky little thing that a lot of Panamanians do. It’s something that caused a little bit of confusion when I first started dating Marlene.

I call it the wrinkling of the nose. The first time I saw this, I was driving. Marlene was in the passenger seat. I asked her a question. Probably something like, “What do you want to eat?” She didn’t answer. Ok, a little strange, but maybe she didn’t hear me. So I repeated it, “So what would you like to eat?” No answer again. I started thinking to myself, “What’s wrong with this chick?” I asked the question again, looked over, and noticed she was wrinkling her nose up, kind of the way a bunny rabbit does when it’s sniffing.

Apparently that means “What” in Panamanian non-verbal Spanish. When someone asks a question, you can ask, “What?” by simply looking at them and wrinkling up your nose.

This constipated look is my version of a bunny sniffing the air.

Not exactly what I was going for!

I tried to get a picture of the nose wrinkling, but it doesn't come out right in photos. I think I just look constipated, which is a totally different kind of non-verbal Spanish cue. 

3. No one gets out of his or her seat on a bus – If you move to Panama and travel by public transportation, you’ll notice that people do not get out of their seats unless they’re getting off the bus. They won’t get up for anything. For a long time, when I first moved here, I rode the bus to work. I’d hop on the old Diablo Rojo for $.25 each way.

Talking about this kind of bus, a Diablo Rojo

I rarely stayed in a seat though, either because there were none available, or when I did have a seat I’d get up to give it to a woman, someone elderly, or a small child. That’s just me. I can’t sit comfortably knowing someone else is roughing it. I’d see an older woman get on the bus, with her hands full of grocery bags, and not a single man would give up his seat.

See what I mean?

Another great example is, if you happen to be seated next to the window, and you need to get off the bus, the person next to you, in the aisle seat, will never get up and move out of the way. Instead, the person will lean his or her knees to the left, as if that’s enough room to walk through. I always laugh because I’m a big boy and I know they’re going to be more uncomfortable than I will be when I have to force my way through their legs. “Alright, man, you want my butt in your face? You asked for it!”

4. No shame – Alright, I have plenty of friends in the U.S., with very little shame. And I've been to other countries where the people don't seem to care at all what people think. But the men here have no shame. None at all. Guys in the U.S. might whistle or hiss at a girl, but most of the time that would come from construction workers. Men were craftier about their ogling eyes. They didn’t make it so obvious they were checking a girl out.

Here, it’s quite the opposite. I’m kind of a people watcher by nature. Maybe it’s my law enforcement/security background, but I tend to watch the things going on around me. So, one day while getting off the bus, a pretty girl was walking in front of me. I couldn’t believe how many men turned their heads and gawked at this girl as she passed. A security company was holding their morning roll call in a parking lot, and every single one of these guys, probably 20 of them, stopped and turned their heads to see her walk by.

This street performer stopped juggling to check out a passing woman

Women can be the same way. Of course I’m not talking about ALL Panamanian men or women, but I’ve encountered some gutsy women here too. At a Taco Bell drive-thru I had a girl say something about my blue eyes. Then she called over all of her coworkers to look at my eyes. I was embarrassed and just wanted to take my bean burrito and get out of there, lol. In one of the small towns here, right in front of my wife, a woman said, “If he were my husband, I would…”

No shame. 

5. Ketchup on Everything – I’ve seen some people do some crazy things with condiments. Hell, I used to love dipping my fries into my Wendy’s frosty. But a large number of Panamanians love ketchup. They’ll put ketchup on anything. I don’t know why I’m so surprised, since I grew up putting ketchup on my fried eggs and potatoes and on beans (it’s a country thing I guess).

However, here in Panama, people put ketchup on roasted chicken. They even put ketchup on their arroz con pollo. Rice and chicken? With ketchup on it? I might have to try that now that I think about it!

6. You want me to do what with my toilet paper? – I guess because of plumbing issues, and sometimes just out of fear of past plumbing issues, some Panamanians will not flush toilet paper down the toilet.

In the U.S., it was common to see signs in restaurant bathrooms warning people not to throw paper towels into the toilet. Paper towels can clog it up, but toilet paper is meant for the toilet.

The first time I ran into this issue was in a store bathroom. A sign was posted there warning people not to flush anything, even toilet paper, down the toilet. So I was kind of stumped. Like, “What would you like me to do with it then?” Then, I glanced over at the little wastebasket next to the toilet and saw that there was toilet paper in there, with doo doo smeared on it. That’s so gross, I know, but I need to paint a clear picture for you, lol.

The sign looks kinda like this

I was thinking, “You want me to do what with the toilet paper?” Since then, I’ve seen this at several business restrooms and even in a couple of people's homes. What’s perplexing is that the bathrooms never smelled bad. How is that possible? It must be terrific air freshener. Either that or my sinuses were acting up and I just couldn’t smell a thing.

7. No trust for lunchmeat – I love sandwiches. I love sandwiches of all types. Sometimes I like a hot sandwich and sometimes I’m in the mood for cold cuts. And by cold cuts I mean cold…cuts.

I’m not sure if this is something that only my wife’s family does, or if this is Panama-wide, but it’s very rare, and I mean very very rare, that my wife or anyone in her family will eat ham, turkey, or any other kind of lunch meat straight from the deli or right out of the package. They fry it all. And I don’t mean they fry it with oil. They just toss it around a little bit in a hot pan to kill any bacteria.

Marlene won't touch this stuff until it's been heated in a pan first

It drives me nuts because Brown Sugar Ham and Honeyed Turkey has a flavor that I like, and I like it right out of the package like that. When you cook it, it changes flavor. It’s not bad, it’s just different and sometimes I want that cold cuts taste. It took forever for me to get my wife to try Subway. She just didn’t trust the cold meats. Yet there are Subways all over Panama, so maybe it is just my wife’s family. Please, Panamanian friends, comment below to let me know how you feel about this.

8. The creation of traffic lanes -  This is something I love and loathe about driving in Panama. During times of high-traffic, Panamanians will create new lanes, usually on the shoulder of the road. I love this because it’s not something we’d do back home, and it does help free up the traffic congestion a little bit. I loathe it because I’m too chicken to follow suit. I’ve done it a few times, but usually I’ll stick with the designated lanes, because cheating never seems to work out for me.

This lane on the shoulder is only used during rush hour

(sorry for the crappy picture, I was in a moving vehicle)

One time, when I was late picking my kids up for school and was stuck in really bad traffic, I gave it a try. And when all the Panamanians were smart enough to merge back into the regular lane, I wasn’t, and I got trapped in that created lane, all the way until I was face to face with a traffic cop who harassed the hell out of me for about 15-minutes before finally letting me go (only after I pointed out everyone else who was doing the same thing).

9. Green olives – If you love green olives, you’ll be very happy here in Panama. I detest the things. I don’t mind black olives, but I can’t get used to the strange taste of green olives. I like olive oil though. What’s that all about?

Anyway, you’ll find that green olives show up in all kinds of dishes here. Most people put them in arroz con pollo. I have to pick them out whenever I’m at a birthday party and I’m served arroz con pollo with olives. You’ll even find them on pizza here. In the U.S., a veggie pizza seemed to consist of green peppers, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, and maybe black olives. I never saw green olives on a pizza, except maybe at a gourmet pizza place.

Eww, green olives in arroz con pollo

Here, if you order a veggie pizza, there’s a pretty good chance it will come with green olives. I had to ask for them to be excluded from my Papa John’s pizza the other night. So, ask if your pizza has aceituna verde if you’re like me and don’t like green olives.

10. Prepare to get frisked – If you’re used to waltzing right into your local bank and making a deposit, get ready for things to change a bit. Outside of the banks, you’ll find a security guard waiting for you with a wand. Men will have the wand waved over their bodies, to make sure they aren’t trying to carry a weapon into the bank. Women aren’t usually wanded down like that, but they are required to open up their purse and let the security guard glance inside. He won’t put his hand in there or take anything out, but he will peek in. This goes for anyone with bags. Be prepared for the security guard to check out your shopping bags, backpack, etc.

These guys are just waiting to wand you down

This also happens at the casinos. During the day you might be able to just walk right in, but during high-traffic hours, and at night, men will be wanded and women will have their purses checked.

11. No shorts in government buildings – For being such a laid back, tropical lifestyle, Panama takes its dress code very seriously. You might get away with shorts and flip flops at the resorts and in the hotels, but don’t try to wear them into government buildings.

I remember the first time I went to the Immigration building here. I just needed to pay for something at the cashier desk. I had on shorts, a T-shirt, and tennis shoes. The security guard wouldn’t let me in the door. Even when I pointed at a woman wearing capris walking in right in front of me. My options were to go all the way home and change clothes, which would have required sitting through traffic again and searching for a parking spot, or go shopping. I walked to a department store, a block away, and bought the cheapest jeans I could find, for like $10, just to go into Immigration. The instant wedgie, and the strange discomfort of the material rubbing against my thighs, was worth getting in and out of the Immigration building quickly.

I can’t even wear shorts into my kids’ school. I’ve gotten used to wearing jeans everywhere I go, but one day I just happened to have on a pair of shorts, and the security guard wouldn’t let me enter to pick up my kids. Instead, they sent my kids out with someone.

12. Buses don’t always come to a complete stop – Let me quickly point out that, again, I'm talking about the old Diablo Rojo buses, some of which are still on the road. Back when I was riding the bus to work every day, I got used to the bus not coming to a complete stop for passengers to exit. Oftentimes, if only one or two people were getting off, the driver would step on the brakes just enough to bring the bus to a slow roll. Then the each person hops off at a slight jog so he doesn’t break his neck.

I think that guy just hopped off the bus

I watched one time as an older woman flipped out on the bus driver, yelling at him to stop the bus completely so she could exit safely. I thought the woman was going to hit him with her purse she was so mad.

Also, it’s common for buses to stop in the middle of traffic, not even at a designated bus stop, to let people on and off the bus. So if you ever get off the bus in one of these areas, make sure you watch for passing traffic. Just because the driver opens the door and lets you out, doesn’t mean he’s concerned for your safety.

13. Liquor Testers – This should be on a “greatest things about Panama” list. Almost every weekend, at my local Rey supermarket, a girl is set up in the liquor aisle serving some brand of rum. Free testers in the supermarket! That’s a hell of a way to shop, cruising up and down the aisles while sipping a rum and coke.

At PriceSmart, you might see several of these stands set up. Each one is almost like having a free shot. I’ve had a test cup of Bailey’s Irish Cream, walked a few steps and had a Vodka with cranberry, then a little Amaretto, then I threw up…kidding about the last part. It’s awesome though. Too bad I’m not really a hard liquor drinker. They should give out cups of beer. Come on Atlas, Balboa, Panama, Soberana…bring beer testing into the supermarkets.

14. The Ficha is everything – At my first job in Panama, at one of the call centers, there was a guy going through training with me, who was nuts about the ficha. I didn’t know what he was talking about. He kept asking the trainer, “When are we going to get our fichas?” Every day. "So when are we gonna get our fichas?" He was ficha crazy.

Finally, I asked, “What the hell is a ficha?” His reply? “It’s like gold, man. I need it so I can get a loan.”

Apparently, the ficha, which is just a piece of paper that proves you’ve been working, that you’re paying social security, and shows how much money you’re making, is given out monthly to anyone employed in Panama. That paper is quite useful when going to the free medical clinics, applying for a loan, or trying to rent an apartment. This guy from my training class wanted to buy a TV from one of the stores in town, or something like that, and needed his ficha to prove he was actually employed, so the store would extend him a line of credit.

It’s also something important to hold onto, to prove how much you’ve paid into social security, in case the records are wrong when you decided to retire.

So, if you ever work in Panama, don’t throw away your ficha!

15. Los Bien Cuidados - These are the guys who jump out in front of your car when you're about to park at a store or restaurant or anywhere else really. They hop in front of you (or behind you if you're leaving) and start waving their hands around, directing you into your spot (you might already be in the spot) as if they're a certified air traffic controller.

They take this job very seriously too. They really think it's their job. And they're very territorial. Once they claim a store or a spot, you won't see anyone else try to take it. And the funny thing is, they're always on time and stick around for a full shift, as if they're punching the clock. You'd think they were actually hired by the Super 99 supermarket you're pulling up to. And it's a good idea to give them some change, if you don't want to get cursed out, or have trouble the next time you come to the area. 

The other night, I went shopping for school lunch stuff with Marlene. We pulled into the parking lot, not a soul in sight. We got what we needed and left. On the way to our car, this guy starts talking to me, in English, about how he grew up in New York. He was friendly, but it was awkward because he followed us all the way to our car and I knew what he was doing. He was going to try to direct us out of our spot. I was in a bad mood that night too, so when I got to the car, I just backed up and left. He wasn't even there when I arrived, it was about 10pm and I'm fully capable of backing out of a half-empty parking lot, without assistance, so I wasn't going to pay this guy just for being around. Hopefully my car won't get keyed the next time I park there, lol. 

This happens a lot in the nightclub/casino areas too. I parked on a street that was a couple of blocks away from a casino one night and this guy ran up to me and told me I needed to pay him $2 to park there. It was on a public street. I said, "When I come back." He insisted that I pay him right then, which I wasn't going to do, since I was sure he'd be gone and someone else would be there when I got back, wanting his $2. I decided to just use the casino valet, where I knew I could pay $1 and not be bothered. 

So that was 15 things you might find a little bit wacky about Panama and its people. This wasn’t meant to be rude or degrading to anyone. It was just for fun, so please, no crazy rants and raves about how I should go back to my own country if I don’t appreciate this one. I love Panama and its people…and its somewhat quirky ways.

Thanks for reading,

Chris

As always, please don't forget to check out http://www.PanamaForReal.com 

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Monday Q and A - Traveling around Panama, contacting home, best places to visit, and much more.

Happy New Year!

Can you believe it's 2014 already, the year President Martinelli plans to finish up everything? Seriously, living in Panama, it seems the answer to every challenge and every new project is, "It will be completed in 2014." 

At El Panama Hotel

So hopefully this year means an end to our traffic woes (with the new Metro train station due to be completed by the end of this year). I hope you all had the chance to see our New Year video. I posted it on our Panama For Real Facebook page and on our Youtube channel, but incase you missed it, here's the link to that video. I tried to embed it, but for some reason it's not working right now. So here's that link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBk4NwThXo0

We had a great time at El Panama Hotel with Orquesta Zafiro, Samy y Sandra Sandoval, and Aldo Ranks all performing until very early the next morning. I think the music stopped at 6am. I retired to the hotel room with the boys at about 1am. They passed out right away. Marlene and the girls partied until about 4am. It was a lot of fun.

The boys made it 'till just after midnight, then passed out

So, I took a brief holiday break to spend time with the family, but I'm back now, and ready to get today's Monday Q and A going. We've got a lot of information to cover as I've been receiving lots of emails over the past two weeks. As always, I invite you to add to my answers in the comments section. So many people have so much great info to offer, so let's all share. Okay, here we go.

Les wrote (via email): 

"Just read your article on taking the bus and being scammed for baggage charges. My wife and I will arive in Panama mid January and plan to travel around the country a fair bit. We're from Canada, currently in Ecuador for 3 months, and now realizing we packed way too heavy. We have two large 50-pound suitcases and two smaller ones about 25-pounds each. I think it would be reasonable for the bus company to charge us for extra baggage, but wondering if you have any info to share on that point? Also, the security of bags checked under the bus, how is that monitored? Thanks in advance for any info or advice you can share with us."

Chris replied:

"Hi Les,

"You'll be glad to know there are a lot of Canadians here. There's even a Canadian Report every Wednesday from my friend Michael Drouillard on Cool 89.3 FM. If you haven't seen Michael's site, you should definitely check it out at www.canpanconnection.ca. He has a lot of great info on his site and he's a really nice guy. 

"As far as I know, you shouldn't be charged any extra for bags. I've been told that no one pays extra for bags. I know when you're just here visiting, and have all your vacation cash, an extra $5 doesn't seem like much, so if it's mentioned and you're okay with that, then go ahead and pay it. I don't think it'll even be mentioned though. I just happened to run into a crook. I've been here a long time and I don't have the money I had when I first arrived. I live like a local and definitely notice when someone is price gouging me, so every $5 counts, lol.

On the Coaster bus from Pedasi to Las Tablas

"Depending on what kind of bus you're taking, and this depends a lot on where you're traveling, you may find your bags on top of a Coaster-style bus or in the bottom compartment of a nice Greyhoud-style bus. To be honest with you, there's no real security system in place for your bag. But I suppose it's no different from having your bag thrown into the bottom of a bus in the U.S. or anyplace else. Once it's in, it's in. I'd just hang around and watch them stow it away. Then get off the bus quickly enough and wait for your bag. If you don't, they will just sit it out on the curb until you get there (that's probably the biggest security risk). 

"Keep anything valuable on you or in a carry-on just in case. I've never had anything taken out of my bags while riding the bus and I've ridden quite a few. Hope this helps. Thanks for checking out the site and for your email."

Dan wrote (via email):

"Do Telechip International cards only work from pay phones, as I've read, or from cell phones and private phones as well? Enjoyed the travelogue about Penonomé, but it doesn't seem to be a place we'd like. Thanks anyway because the towns/areas and cities that are not to our liking are useful information also."

Chris replied:

"Hi Dan,

"I've never used a Telechip International card on a payphone. I use mine from a regular landline phone. I've never tried on a cell phone. I've called the U.S. from a cell phone here, with the regular prepaid minutes cards. It works fine that way, it just eats up your minutes really fast. When I first moved here, before discovering the Telechip International cards, I'd just buy a $5 or $10 Movistar card (I have my cell phone set up with Movistar), put the minutes into the phone, then call family just as I usually would on any phone. I know I was able to have at least one fairly long conversation. So if you're only calling every once in awhile, that can be an option too, but the Telechip International cards work great and allow more talk time.

"By the way, in order to use your foreign cell phone here in Panama, you'll need to take it to one of the cell phone shops, like the one in the photo below, and have it unlocked. This usually costs about $30, but can vary depending on your phone. An iPhone will probably cost more than one of the old free Nokias. Once it's unlocked, you'll be able to put the chip in from one of Panama's cell phone providers, and use it like a local, with a Panama phone number.

Get your foreign cell phone unlocked for use in Panama

at small cell phone shops like this

"Thanks for checking out the Penonomé report. Even if you don't imagine living in some of the places we report on, they could still make excellent mini-vacations once you're here."

For anyone wanting to check out the Penonomé written report, click here.

For the Penonomé video report, click here. 


Ariel wrote (via email):

"I'm seeking out expatriate communities because it's been my dream to buy a house (someday) in Panama. I'm starting with visiting for spring break. I may join a school or research team, but if not, I want to travel safely as a single female. 

"Funny side note, I'm pretty racially ambiguous and even in Vietnam I melted into the crowd easily. I do speak some Spanish but not fluently. I mostly understand it. I'm studying to be an ESL teacher among other subjects.

"So my question is, where are my best resources for connecting to young non-retired communities?"

Chris replied:

"Hi Ariel,

"Are you wanting to live in Panama City or in the interior? If you're looking for young, non-retired folks, you'll probably need to stay in Panama City for the most part. At least start your adventure there. 

A little late, but...Yep's New Year's Eve event

"My best contact for young expats (and to all the readers, like myself, I know we're all young, right?) would be Skyler, who runs Young Expats in Panama (YEP). The link to the facebook page is below. They're constantly having cool hangouts, meet-and-greets, and fun parties. 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/youngexpatsinpanama/

"I think your best bet, since you're not here yet, would be to get involved in some of the Panama Facebook groups and meet people. I see young expats on these pages all the time. Some of the good ones to know are:

Playa Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/54462871494/

Expats in Panama: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2397416901/

Tropical Cowboys and Cowgirls: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tropicalcowboys/

Panama, land of my heart: https://www.facebook.com/groups/9190600325/

Where? When? How? Panama!: https://www.facebook.com/groups/536740279713342/

"There are others, of course, bust those are just a few to get you started, if you haven't done that already. If any readers have additional info for helping Ariel get in touch with young expats, please tell us in the comments below."

Dave wrote (via email): 

"Hi Chris, I'm going to be in Panama in February. What places do you suggest for a 2-3 area experience in your adopted country. I love golf, beaches, yoga, and I love to dance. I'm not a heavy partier but enjoy beautiful, healthy women." 

Chris replied:

"Hey Dave. Are you planning to move here eventually or you just want 2-3 beach destinations worth visiting? 

"If you're just coming for vacation and want the cool places to hang out, I'd say:

Bocas del Toro
Isla Grande
San Blas

"If you're thinking of living here, and are scoping out where you might want to eventually base yourself, I'd say:

Coronado (beach area with most expats)

Coronado from a condo balcony

Pedasi (best beach area for surfers, expats from all over the world live here, it's a small town)

Best beaches for surfing in Pedasi

Bocas del Toro (popular beach area, I hear people looking to move here mention it all the time)

"Some other cool places to visit: 

El Valle de Anton (mountain area, but has horse/ATV rentals, ziplining, great fruit/vegetable and souvenir market for tourists)

Amazing sunsets in El Valle de Anton

Casco Viejo (great place to visit in the city, full of jazz bars, hip restaurants and clubs, old fashioned architecture, etc.)

Close up on Casco Viejo

Portobelo (on the Caribbean side near Isla Grande, has cool pirate history, still has canons set up and everything)

Awesome pirate history in Portobelo

Amador Causeway (in the city, has nice restaurants on the water, can rent a bike and cruise up and down the strip)

Go for lunch, for a jog, or for a bike ride on the causeway

"If you want to stay at a resort:

Nitro City (plenty of activities, like windsurfing, surfing...just check out the website) http://www.nictrocitypanama.com/

Gamboa Resort (all kinds of rainforest activities) http://www.gamboaresort.com/

Playa Blanca (all inclusive beach resort) http://www.playablancaresort.com/

Hotel Decameron (all inclusive beach resort) http://decameronhotelpanama.com

"That's all I can think of right now. Everyone has his or her favorite resort in Panama, so maybe others will chime in in the comments section and let you know about some other great places to visit."

Allison wrote (via email):

"Happy New Year! I wanted to "pick your brain" and was wondering if you have any ideas for restaurants to try and dine at next week when Ray and I are in Panama City. We are staying at the Courtyard Marriott at Multiplaza Mall. We have not stayed in the city before, so I don't know the layout so to speak. Are there any good restaurants you would recommend near our hotel, or in the mall? They can be Americanized restaurants or not, doesn't matter."

Chris replied:

"Hey Allison and Ray!!!

"I'm glad to hear you're still moving forward with your move. You're gonna be in a great spot at the hotel because you have everything nearby. There's a lot of construction going on right there, but that's usually during the day so it shouldn't bother you much.

"As far as restaurants, at the mall alone you have Fridays, Benihanas, Tony Romas, and a handful of other great restaurants. In the food court you'll find one of my favorite places to eat, Leños y Carbon (you have to try the Pollo Gratinado, butterflied chicken breast covered in melted cheese, and if you'd rather have steak, my wife likes the Punta Palomilla). I know there was a Ruby Tuesday opening up, but I don't think it has yet. And Multiplaza has a movie theater too, just make sure any movie you want to watch is Subtitulada (in English with Spanish subtitles).

"If you like sushi, my favorite seafood/sushi restaurant is right next to the mall. Just look for the 3 big towers next to the mall parking lot, called Torre de Las Americas. The restaurant is called Sake and is located inside the main tower. Just walk out of your hotel, walk through the mall to the opposite end, cross the parking lot, enter the main tower and you'll find it inside the main door on the left hand side. Their website is http://www.sakepanama.com/en/.

"Oh and a good website to know, if you ever want to check restaurant reviews here in Panama is www.degustapanama.com. I think it's mostly in Spanish, but at least you can see how many stars the restaurant you're curious about has earned. Hope some of this helps."

Paul wrote (via comments on PFR site): 

"Chris, thank you sooo much for getting this project going! I came across your blog, which in turn led me here (PFR site), after searching for info on putting kids in school in Panama. 

"Originally from Seattle, after 10+ years building a life, family, and business in Bolivia, my wife and I feel it's time to leave here, but the States is not very appealing to my wife. We took a short vacation to Panama a couple of months ago on a whim and LOVED it, and the idea has been getting on us ever since to relocate there.

"Your site will undoubtedly help us save a lot of time in doing initial research before we make a trip back to see in person where might be the best fit for us. Best of luck with your endeavor/adventure, and just a side note--have you considered a donation option so people who benefit from your site and would like to could be able to contribute?"

Chris replied:

"Hi Paul. Wow...Bolivia. I hope some of the info on the site helps you guys with your decision. To answer your question, I did recently (like a week ago) put a donation button in the right sidebar of the website. It just says something like, "All this info is free, but if you'd like to buy us a coffee or a beer, you can do so by clicking here." It goes to my Paypal account. So far no donations, but of course any is seriously appreciated. Right now all of the money for traveling (and everything else) is coming out of my pocket. Thanks for mentioning it and thanks again for making use of the site and for participating with your comments. That's what it's all about!"

Kevin wrote (via comments on PFR site):

"Hi Chris, thank you for your efforts to inform us of life in Panama. I will be traveling from the U.K. to Panama in February. To avoid driving through Panama City, I plan to stay the night in the city and get the bus to Penonomé the following day, where I intend to hire a car to continue my journey to David, Las Tablas, etc. If you can remember, are the car rental places you mention in the Penonomé article anywhere near where you get off the bus from the city? Thanks in advance. Cheers."

Chris replied:

"Hi Kevin,

"I don't blame you for wanting to avoid the drive through Panama City. Sadly, neither of the car rental places are super close to the bus stop, but it's kind of funny because once you reach Penonomé, you'll see that people start calling out "Parada!" to stop at regular bus stops along the way. By the time I reached the final stop, there were only maybe 5 of us still on the bus.

Dollar in Penonomé

"So, if you speak any Spanish at all, you can probably tell the driver or his assistant that you want to get off at the Dollar Rent-A-Car. The Dollar is on the right hand side as you enter Penonomé, before the bus veers right to make its way through the old part of town and to the final stop. Both car rental places are on the Pan-American Highway. The other place I mentioned in the Penonomé article, Express, is closer to the McDonald's and Super 99, farther down the highway (you won't pass it on the way to the final stop). 

Express in Penonomé

"If you're not comfortable getting off early, you'll find plenty of taxis at the final stop. It'd probably only cost you $1.50-$2 to catch a taxi to one of the car rental places. Also, if you're traveling with heavy bags that will need to either be placed under the bus or on top of it, they might not be too fond of unloading alongside the highway outside the Dollar Rent-A-Car. Good luck." 

Mike wrote (via comments on PFR site):

"Thinking Chitre might be a decent size town in the lowlands/interior to do such an expose' over. Thanks again for all this inspiration, you're a busy man with this site."

Chris replied:

"Hi Mike,

"Thanks for commenting. Yes, Chitre is definitely worth visiting and reporting on. I've been to Chitre before and I like it a lot. I love how Chitre has a mall, small movie theater, and large supermarkets, while all the areas around it don't. So it's kind of an escape for those living in Las Tablas and Pedasi, but it's still small town enough that you don't feel like you're stuck in the city.

Chitre is a really cool town

"Plus, it's the only place around to eat American fast food. So if you get a craving for McDonald's or KFC, Chitre is your place. If you plan to live there you might want to get out of town during Carnaval though as Chitre and Las Tablas are the most popular Carnaval party spots and things get really wild. 

"I'll be hitting Chitre this year for sure. I can't wait to get it all done. 2014 will be a very busy year!"

Kevin wrote:

"Hi Chris, thought I would let you know of my experience getting a bus from Albrook Mall to David last November. I don't speak a word of Spanish and the ticket person didn't speak any English. He was very patient with me and I eventually managed to get my ticket. I knew nothing about the RapiPass card, so I had a bit of a problem when I had to go through the turnstile. The attendant at the turnstile saw my confusion and with a smile, let me through a gate at the side of the turnstile. So in contrast to the rip off artist you encountered, all the people I met were more than helpful."

Chris replied:

"Hey Kevin, good to hear from you again. I'm glad you had a much easier time with the bus. Sounds like you had good luck all around. I've traveled to the interior by bus on many occasions and that one bad trip as the first time I've been hassled. Thanks for sharing your experience. It's important that people realize it's not a Panama thing, but an asshole ticket counter guy kinda thing."

Well, that's it for this Q and A session. Thanks for reading and I hope some of this helped.   

If you haven't already, check out our new website at www.PanamaForReal.com. It has a ton of info and enter your email address into the field below the red suitcase (in the top right corner of the page) to start receiving our bi-weekly newsletter. 

And check out our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Panama-For-Real/418977398194595 

Our Youtube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6N7Ih2bjD0FjOBnDg_-Flg

Thanks for reading,

Chris

Taking a bus to Panama's interior

Last week, Thursday afternoon to be exact, I got dropped off at the bus station, ready to take a bus to Penonomé, which I'll be telling you more about in the upcoming PFR Location Report and Video. Because it was the middle of the week and the family needed the car, plus I wanted to update my experience with taking a bus to the interior, I decided to go car-less. So, now I'll tell you all about it.

The Albrook Bus Terminal

First, if you're planning to take a bus, it's always a good idea to get dropped off at the Albrook Bus Terminal, which is connected to the Albrook Mall. Parking at the bus station is ridiculously expensive. The last time I checked, it was 3 cents per minute, which ends up costing about $43 per day. I was told once (by a bus terminal security officer) that I could park in the mall parking lot, but when I returned a couple of days later, I got blocked in by mall security, who claimed that I needed to pay them for watching my car the last couple of days. After a heated argument, mall security backed off, but I'll never again leave my car in the mall parking lot.

Everyone's preparing for the holidays

So, back to my most recent adventure. I got dropped off at the terminal, which actually looks a lot like a mall inside, with its numerous stores, kiosks, and food court. The Christmas tree was up and people were scurrying about, making their way back and forth between the terminal and the attached mall. The fact that it's attached to this huge, major mall, makes this place so convenient.

That little catwalk leads from the terminal to the mall

I always explain to people that if you live in one of the small towns in the interior, you're never more than a bus ride away from major city shopping. At the Albrook Mall you'll find a movie theater, a bowling alley, a casino, a hotel, and tons of stores, both on the lower end of the cost scale and the high-end. A Gap opened up recently, and we just realized during our most recent trip, that there's even a Gymboree. My wife was practically doing cartwheels. She loves that place. 

Inside the terminal

So, if you moved to a place like Penonomé, a short, 2-hour bus ride could see you spending the day at the mall, doing just about everything your heart desires. 

Once you enter the terminal, you'll need to locate the ticket booths, or boleterias, and find the window with your destination listed above it. Sometimes, if you're headed to a small town, you'll have to take a bus that passes it and then just get off at your destination. All of the major towns have ticket windows though.

This way to the ticket counters

I found the window for Penonomé rather quickly, but ran into a little bump in the road once I got there. I try to be positive in all of my blog posts and articles, but every once in awhile, I need to make you aware of a serious issue. The guy at the Penonomé window tried to scam me. I'm telling you this so you don't run into the same kind of problem. I've been to towns all over Panama by bus, and this was the first time that I've run into this problem, so I don't want you to think that everyone is out to get the gringo or anything like that. But you know how it is...one bad apple...

I approached the window and told the guy that I needed one ticket to Penonomé. He wrote down the cost of the ticket as $5 and then started pointing at my bag (which was just the size of a regular suitcase, larger than a normal carry on bag) and then wrote $5 down on a second ticket. He was trying to tell me that I needed to pay $5 for myself and $5 extra for my bag. I got mad, shook my head, and told him that I've traveled all the way to Las Tablas for $9 and to Aguadulce for $6, so there's no way I'm paying $10 to go to Penonomé, which is closer than both of the other towns. He insisted that I needed to pay for my bag.

The scam artist at the Penonomé ticket counter

Some of you reading this, especially when comparing this price to what you'd pay for a Greyhound in the States, are probably thinking that $10 isn't bad for a bus ride. And it's not when you think of it that way. But the problem is, if we allow these scam artists to get away with this, they'll just keep doing it and pocketing the cash. 

I got mad and walked away, telling him, "That's cool because I write everything down and I'll be sure to tell people about it." I got on the phone and called my wife (just to make sure things hadn't changed since my last bus ride), and her coworker, who travels to Penonomé all the time, got angry and said that the cost is $5 and no one has to pay extra for their bag. So, while I was on the phone, I turned and took a photo of the guy at the booth. Suddenly, his buddy in the next window started talking to him (probably warning him that I was taking a photo). The guy at the Penonomé counter called me over. He said, in Spanish, "Ok, $5, but you have to hold your bag in your lap."

I knew he was full of it, but at this point, he wasn't going to admit that he was scamming me, so this was his way out of it. I paid $5 and didn't have to hold my bag in my lap.

Now, let me just make it clear that this isn't a Panama thing. This is a douche bag thing. It could happen in any country. The Panamanians I told about this, were appalled and angry. My wife's friend is dating a Colombian guy, and she said the same thing happened to him. He's not a gringo, but because his Colombian accent immediately alerts people that he's not Panamanian, people have tried to scam him. So just watch out, and please, realize it's not a reflection of the great Panamanian people. It's just a con artist at a ticket counter and I hope someone important reads this and fires his ass.

My $5 ticket ($5.25 actually)

Your ticket should look similar to the one I posted above. Notice that it has $5 written on it and it also states the cost for anyone getting off the bus prior to Penonomé, so for example, if you took this bus and decided to get off in Santa Clara, you'd pay $3.95. Most people getting off prior to Penonomé, already know the cost and don't buy a ticket from the counter. They just get on the bus and pay in cash when the get off at their stop.

Where you buy your $1.10 RapiPass card

After receiving your ticket, you'll need to buy a RapiPass card, if you don't already have one. This card only serves the purpose of getting you through the turnstile that leads out to the buses. The card is rechargeable and costs only $1. So, you'll need to buy the card and then put at least ten cents on it to get you through the turnstile. I paid $1.10 because I knew that I'd only be going through the turnstile once. You only pay when boarding the bus, not when returning later. 

This is what the card looks like

To get through the turnstiles and out to the bus area, you simply place the RapiPass card atop the turnstile. Usually there's an attendant handy to make sure everyone passing through has a card. If you have any issues getting through, they'll help you. 

The turnstiles leading out to the bus boarding area

Now, this is where you definitely want to be careful. Maybe "careful" is a bad word as you're in no danger or anything, but it's typical for someone to walk up and offer to carry your bag to the bus. Or you'll hear people whistling to you and trying to call you over to their bus. The first time we (Marlene and I) traveled by bus, we made the mistake of letting someone take our bags and lead us to our bus. He asked where we were going, we told him Aguadulce, and then he proceeded to carry our bags to one of the old Diablo Rojo-style buses, like you see just beyond the turnstiles in the photo above. 

We didn't know the difference. Marlene is Panamanian, but had been living in the U.S. with me for the 8 years prior to this. So we sat down on the hot bus, with no air conditioner. The worst part was the guy took our bags and placed them in the middle of the aisle, way back in the rear of the bus, and we were seated about halfway down the aisle, so we had no control over who might've been fishing through our bags. Marlene suddenly said, "Hold on a second." She got up and left the bus. When she returned, she told me the big, beautiful, air-conditioned bus parked in the next spot, was also going to Aguadulce. So, we grabbed our bags and switched buses. 

The bus I took to Penonomé

I'm telling you this because there are usually several buses heading to the same destination. Don't let yourself be tricked into sitting on an uncomfortable one. Sometimes you'll have to settle for a small, Coaster van, like the one I took to Penonomé this time around, but at least it will have air conditioning. On this Coaster bus, my bag was put into the bottom compartment of the bus without anyone questioning whether I'd paid $5 extra (didn't have to hold it in my lap). So it had definitely been a scam.

On the way back from Penonomé to Panama City, I rode on a larger, really nice bus, with a TV in the front playing concerts and music videos in Spanish, which brings me to another point. Be prepared to listen to salsa and tipico music, as most buses will have this music playing. If that bothers you, you'll want to bring headphones with your own music. Some buses will play movies (especially the ones going as far as David) but there's a good chance the movie will be in Spanish (sometimes they'll be in English with Spanish subtitles).

The inside of the bus to Penonomé

Something else you should be ready for, is frequent stops all the way to your destination. If someone isn't yelling "Parada!" the word that lets the driver know they want off at the next stop, then the bus will probably stop anyways to see if anyone wants to get on the bus. The driver searches for potential passengers the entire way. The trip to Penonomé in a car should take no longer than 2 hours, probably a little over an hour and a half. It took the bus 2.5 hours. 

To places that are close to Panama City, like Coronado, Penonomé, and Aguadulce, the trip is one straight shot (other than the short stops I just mentioned). When you're headed to farther destinations, like Las Tablas, Santiago, or David, you can expect the driver to stop somewhere along the way. You'll usually be given 15-20 minutes to get a snack, use the bathroom, and purchase souvenirs.

The Penonomé stop

When I arrived at Penonomé, I was dropped off at the area you see in the photo above, which was the final destination. People from Penonomé were smart enough to yell "parada!" at more convenient locations. Since I didn't know where the final stop was, I just rode it until the end, then found myself walking through the busiest part of town (nowhere near where I wanted to be). 

This is the case in many small towns. Places like Aguadulce don't have a terminal. You will literally just be dropped off at a bus stop, just a bench. From there you'll either need to walk, take another bus, or hop in a taxi to your hotel or wherever you're going. Some of the more popular destinations, like David, Las Tablas, and Chitre, will have small terminals full of taxis ready to take you the rest of your way. 

Then, in some small towns, like Pedasi and Portobelo, the bus will take you most of the way, then you'll need to finish your journey in a second bus or a taxi. To get to Pedasi (one of my favorite towns) you take a bus to Las Tablas, then walk (or take a taxi) over to a different bus area, to catch a small Coaster-style bus to Pedasi. To get to Portobelo, the bus will drop you off in a town called Sabanitas, where you'll then have to switch to a local Diablo Rojo bus that will take you to Portobelo.

Also, when departing small towns and heading back to Panama City, it's common to just pay the bus driver or his assistant when you're on the bus (instead of purchasing a ticket at a terminal). This was the case when I returned home from Penonomé. I boarded the bus at a bus gathering spot right on the Pan-American Highway (asked to make sure I was only going to be charged $5) then paid cash on the bus. So don't be alarmed if you can't find someone to pay prior to boarding the bus. 

I hope this article helps a little bit and doesn't confuse you more, haha! Don't worry. Taking buses to Panama's interior is very easy and is usually a very affordable alternative to driving or taking a plane. 

Thanks for reading (and don't forget to go check out www.PanamaForReal.com),

Chris