Supermarket Tips for Shopping in Panama Part 1 (cleaning agents and condiments)

I was shopping the other night, kind of late, trying to relax and take my time. As I was restocking the entire house (it was one of those times when it seemed we were out of EVERYTHING), I started thinking about all of the items I've learned to buy over my 3+ years living here. I've definitely learned to bargain shop. 

When I first arrived in Panama, most of my supermarket shopping was done at Riba Smith, the most Americanized grocery store here. That's where you'll find the widest aisles with the most imported goods. It was (and I think still is) the only supermarket to stock Mountain Dew. The problem with shopping at Riba Smith is that you tend to pick up everything you're familiar with, and that can become quite costly. I still zip over to RS whenever I want to find a variety of diet sodas or a can of Libby's sausage gravy (for biscuits and gravy), but other than for the special items, I try to buy the local things when I can. 

So here's a list of items I've learned to buy at the Rey supermarket or Super 99 here in Panama. Try some of them out. You may not fall in love with them the way I have, but you'll definitely save money. 

I'll start with the cleaning supplies and then move on to condiments. All of these prices were found at the Rey supermarket in Chanis.

Paper Towels

Holiday Eco - I started picking up these paper towels while searching out a brand that wouldn't cost as much as Bounty, but would do the job. When I first moved here, I'd either buy everything at Riba Smith or for bulk items go to Pricesmart. I think, in the end, you save money buying in bulk at Pricesmart (which is the Costco or Sam's Club here), but buying a $20 pack of Bounty paper towels can hit your wallet pretty hard. These Holiday Eco (I think of them as the bright blue and orange pack) serve the purpose. I usually pick up a 2-pack for $1.86. Try them out. If you don't like them, you wasted $1.86 and you can go back to Bounty. 

Toilet Paper

Familia Acolchado - I stumbled upon this toilet paper while staying at hotel in Portobelo, on the Caribbean side of Panama. Before this, I'd been buying the huge mega-pack of Charmin at Pricesmart, for I think around $12, probably more. I wasn't a big fan of the plain Charmin on sale and Scott, to me feels like I'm wiping my butt with notebook paper most of the time. My wife was the first to mention the toilet paper at the Portobelo hotel. I probably would have never noticed. I guess she takes her tush paper a little more seriously than I do. Ever since she mentioned it, I haven't stopped buying this stuff. So the extra large size, 4-roll pack costs $3.19. You can find the 4-pack of regular sized rolls (which I had to buy for awhile as the extra grande size wouldn't fit in my tp dispenser) for about $2.69. 

Trash Bags

Vikingo - After getting frustrated with the BS on the side of the Hefty box I'd pick up from Pricesmart, that claimed to be super-strong trash bags and cost about $12 for about $100 bags (which is a great deal if you look at it long term), I looked for an alternative. I got tired of my Hefty bags falling apart every time I took out the garbage. So I just started picking up my trash bags a week at a time. This Vikingo brand you see in the photo above costs $1.35 for the 33 gallon size I usually buy. The pack comes with only 6 bags, but for most people, not having 4 kids like me, that will easily last over a week. The package you see in the picture is the 13 gallon "grande" size and only costs 73 cents. 

Floor Cleaner

Fabuloso -  If you don't want to spend all your money on Pine-Sol or one of the other more expensive brands, get used to cleaning with items Panamanians use. Fabuloso works wonders and smells great. You can pick up a gallon size jug for only $5.15. If you don't need a gallon, stores sell several smaller sizes. 

Liquid Dish Soap

Vel - Vel was one of my best friends when I had to clean baby bottles, and with twin infants, I spent a good majority of my time when I first moved here, at the kitchen sink, scrubbing bottles. My wife just looked over my shoulder at this post and informed me that Vel is also a favorite soap for washing cars here in Panama. The bottle you see above is the medium-size bottle, 600 ml, for $2.89.

Dish Soap

Sip - Vel is good for washing dishes, but seems to disappear too quickly, and it doesn't seem strong enough for pots & pans. I've started using Sip, which is like a dish-soap paste. You'll see one of the other brands, Axon, all over Panama, and especially at Pricesmart. I tried Axon first, and it was hard as a rock, plus, it was crazy strong. I don't usually wear gloves when I wash dishes, so Axon tore my hands up. They were all dry, cracked, and even bleeding in some spots. It was like I was using battery acid to wash the dishes. Sip is much softer when you first open it, which makes it easy to smear onto a sponge (add a little water to the top if it's not soft enough) and it's much easier on the hands. For a 1,000g tub, which is the largest size, you can expect to pay about $2.59.

Hot Sauce

D'elidas - Moving on to condiments, let me just start by saying, I love spicy food. I was having a hard time settling on one hot sauce that I really liked until I visited a restaurant in La Boca, Panama, called...well...La Boca restaurant.  My wife picked up this bottle that was sitting on the table and said, "This is the stuff everyone always talks about." She started telling me how people at work bring a bottle with them to sprinkle onto their food at lunchtime. So I tried it on my pork chops that day and loved it. Now, I see the stuff everywhere. It can be found on the table at most local restaurants. It's not super cheap though. This small bottle costs $2.59. 

Cooking Sauces

Sansae sauces - My mother-in-law used to smuggle this stuff into the U.S. whenever she visited. Salsa Inglesia is the same thing as Worcestershire sauce. Salsa China is soy sauce. Salsa Condimentada...I don't know what the hell that stuff is, but it smells great when you cook with it. My wife's family uses all three for just about everything they cook. They'll sprinkle a little from each bottle onto meat, chicken, fish...everything. I've gotten used to doing the same thing. These small bottles (10.5 oz or 310ml) cost only $1.89 each. You can find them sold together, wrapped in bundles too. At Pricesmart they sell a pack that comes with the three of these, plus Salsa Criollo (hope I spelled that right) and it costs about $7. 

Seasoning Powder

Caldo de Pollo - These packets are very popular here in Panama. Several companies make them, but the one my family sticks with is the Rika brand. We only use Caldo de Pollo, but you'll see in the grocery store all kinds of others. I think there's a chicken and garlic one, one with pepper in it, one with onion...I buy the packets you see above for 59 cents and it comes with 5 packets. My family sprinkles at least a half a packet into almost everything they cook. I use a whole packet for my ground beef for spaghetti. It just kind of adds a little bit of flavor to everything. Panamanians also use it to turn their rice yellow. So when you see arroz con pollo (or chicken with rice) and it's yellow with chicken and vegetables mixed in, chances are, whoever cooked it sprinkled some caldo de pollo into the mix. I've even started putting it in my tuna casserole, just to kick it up a notch and give it a more creamy yellowish look.

Chicken Bouillon

Maggi Gallinita - Maggi makes a lot of stuff here. The Maggi ketchup is popular in Panama, and very cheap compared to the American brands. I like my Heinz though and stick with that. My family uses these packets of chicken bouillon. I've never cooked with the stuff, so I suppose you'd use it for whatever you used it for back home. Panamanians put it in their soup, sometimes in beans, and sometimes they even squish it into other things they're cooking, like chicken dishes. If you're looking for chicken bouillon, pick up the Maggi brand. It comes 8 tablets for $1.65.

I'll stop here, for now. I don't want to bombard you guys with too much at one time. Part 2, my next post will be on other food items. Then I'll follow up with drinks in part 3, and move on to what all the Panamanian names for cuts of meats at the butcher mean in part 4. Keep checking back for more supermarket tips for shopping in Panama. 

Thanks for reading,

Chris

Fixing the background

Hey everybody,

You might have noticed I've changed my template and background a couple of times recently. I thought the blue one with the clouds was warmer and more welcoming, but I heard from a couple of people that it was a bit much. I think the blue was awfully bright and the yellowish green was hard on the eyes. So I'm trying this one out. I'm curious to hear what you guys think. You know how these blog things are. People are touchy. If they arrive at a site that's difficult to read, they'll just leave and never come back.

I've also made the font larger. With this new background I felt myself kind of squinting to read, so hopefully this works without looking ridiculous.

Let me know, in the comments section of this post, if this works for you, or if it bothers anyone.

Chris

Saturday market at Rio Abajo

I just took a quick trip to the Saturday morning market in Rio Abajo here in Panama City. I've mentioned these markets several times in the past, but I thought it would be cool to post a few photos. This was an unplanned trip, so I didn't have my camera with me. The photos aren't the greatest since I had to use the camera on my phone.

My mom-in-law was in the process of making a big meal for a family member's party when she realized she didn't like the potatoes she was using. They weren't coming out right for whatever it was she was making (I think potato salad). She asked if I'd drive her over to the market real quick. I've seen these markets all over the place, but I'd never been to the one in Rio Abajo. It's so amazing how these things just pop up on the weekends and disappear by Monday.

It's these markets that help make Panama such an affordable place. It's kind of hard to see in the photo above, but the pieces of cardboard sticking up have the prices marked on them, so there's no need to haggle and hope you're being offered the true price instead of gringo inflated prices. Plus, scales were readily available at the Rio Abajo market, so you can check the prices yourself. You can bring your own reusable bag if you'd like, or you can take your purchases home in one of the vendor supplied plastic bags. 

If you can learn to pick up all of your fruits, vegetables, rice, and other items at these outdoor markets, you can save quite a bit of money. You can find all of this stuff at the supermarkets, but I'm telling you, if you buy your bananas at Riba Smith, you're not cutting costs, you're shopping for convenience. 

If you look at the photo above, you can see what my mom-in-law picked up for $8.50. I was surprised when she told me the price because that seems a bit costly to me, but I think potatoes are among the more expensive produce here. I've heard of people leaving these markets with huge bags full of tomatoes for very inexpensive. 

Sometimes, at least here in the city, you'll hear someone shouting through a megaphone and wonder what the hell is going on outside. It sounds like someone is announcing an air raid of some sort. Usually this is just another of Panama's entrepreneurs taking to the street to provide you with your necessities. Pickup trucks stuffed with pineapples, mangoes, melons, and a variety of vegetables often drive up and down the streets, bringing your dinner side dishes straight to your front door. Take advantage of these things. They're part of what makes Panama great.  

A street-side vendor in Coronado

So if you're planning a trip to Panama, or if you're already here, don't be afraid to check out these local markets. You moved (or are planning to move) to Panama for a reason. You want to have a different lifestyle. Get out and do things the way Panamanians do them. I know they have these markets all over the isthmus. I've seen them set up in Coronado, El Valle, David, Boquete, and practically everywhere else. Learn to buy what you can at these markets and remember that when you do, you're helping out the farmers, these locals who put so much time and effort into gathering these items to bring them to you. 

When you see the ladies sitting outside a mini-super selling bags of lentils or beans or cilantro, buy it from them. It's different here. I know you'd be a little bit weary of picking up a bag of vegetables from a dude sitting outside of a 7-11 back home, but it's just a way of life here, and for many Panamanians, especially in the interior, this is how they make their living. They're not supporting habits, they're supporting their families. 

Thanks for reading,

Chris

The crazy stuff you see on Panama buses

I wasn't planning to write a blog post today, but I pulled out into traffic this morning on Calle 50, one of the major throughways in Panama City, and looked up to see this gigantic bumper sticker on the back of one of the public transportation buses. Now, I don't want anyone to think I'm vulgar or dodge my blog because they don't like to see any racy content, so hopefully I won't offend anyone by posting the photo of the back of this bus. I just think it's crazy and mildly entertaining.

I posted this picture on facebook and a couple of people looked at it and said, "I don't get it." I don't know what CHUFUKU means, but look closely at the small logo on the left hand side. It's basically a page of the kamasutra being acted out on the back of this bus. What if my kids had been sitting next to me in the car and asked, "Daddy, what's that?"

Right away this reminded me of the post I wrote about the butt naked piñatas. If you haven't read that post, you can check it out here:

http://thestayathomegringo.blogspot.com/2012/09/butt-naked-pinatas.html

You have to be careful with your kids in this country. Not a whole lot is regulated here. For example, one night I was working late, probably on my book, and my wife had fallen asleep and left the TV on next to me. I wasn't really paying attention. I was working. Then lively music distracted me so I looked over to see the show "Wild on E." I'd seen the show before back in the States and they always show parties and stuff like that, but it's censored to some extent. Not here. The ladies on TV, and remember this "E" we're talking about, not HBO or Skinemax, were in g-string bottoms and completely naked from the waste up. They were jumping and dancing to reggaeton music or whatever kind of music was playing in the club. It was like Girls Gone Wild, but on regular cable TV. Granted, it was late at night, maybe 11 p.m. or midnight, but man...it made me realize I have to really pay attention to what my kids may stumble upon on TV.

I was at my wife's aunt's house one night. My wife's grandparents were staying with her aunt for the weekend, so we stopped by to visit. My wife's grandfather was sitting in the living room watching TV so I joined him. The kids eventually meandered into the room and so there we sat, me and my four kids, watching TV with Grandpa while my wife was hanging out with the ladies in the family. I didn't understand much of what was said on TV, as it was all in Spanish, but Grandpa was watching La Cascara. I imagine Panamanians are already smacking their foreheads and laughing, knowing what I'm about to say. La Cascara, as it turns out, is a hip, crazy, sometimes controversial sketch comedy kind of show.

I don't watch much TV. I'm a movie fanatic, but I rarely watch live TV. So I didn't really know what was going to pop up on the screen. First it started out as some sort of runway show, but each woman came out onto the runway dressed skimpier than the previous one. I hope this doesn't label me as a horrible father, but I kind of wanted to see my sons' reactions to what they were seeing. I looked over and my twin four-year-olds were watching TV like they'd just found the holy grail. Their eyes were open wide and their mouthes were agape. A bikini contest isn't too bad. It's not much worse than what they'd see on any day trip to the beach.

Then the show turned to something outrageous. Some sort of carnaval-like town called Pleasureland or something like that was being featured. And one area of this adult Disneyworld found in some Latin American country was the designated kissing spot. So the show was highlighting people making out. It happened too fast for me to even react. My daughters watched on as two women started making out. Grandpa was loving it.

"Close your eyes!" I yelled.

"What?" my daughters asked, both trying to buy enough time to see what it was they weren't supposed to see.

"Close your eyes...now!" I yelled again.

Too late.

"Daddy? Why are those girls kissing? And those girls?"

Grandpa still had his eyes glued to the screen as I shot my wife a glance like, "Hello? Do you see what's on TV?"

"They're just crazy!" my wife informed my daughters.

As I turned my kids away from the TV, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the show focus on some dude who'd had way too much to drink and had walked over to the grass alongside the main walkway and proceeded to pulls his pants down and take a crap right there, on screen, white butt mooning the camera. He then pulled his pants up and went for another beer.

This was like a Saturday evening, not late at night, maybe around 9 p.m. at the latest.

If you keep your eyes open to this kind of thing, what you'll find will surprise you. Many of the Diablo Rojos, the souped up, wildly painted school buses used for public transportation often have topless Conan the Barbarian like women on the sides of them.

Mannequins in the department stores here don't look like the mannequins from back home. You know what I'm talking about. The ones that are usually missing arms, have no real physical features, and are sometimes even bald? It's not like that here. The mannequins here have huge breasts, are dressed like hookers, and if they were ever bald they now are wearing a wig...it's amazing. I feel wrong even looking in the direction of one of these things, like my wife is gonna catch me checking out another woman.

Look at this trashy mannequin

I'll keep you posted as I remember other racy topics of interest. Stay tuned for an upcoming visit to one of Panama's discreet one-night-stand rendezvous spots, the "push button" where couples go to be intimate for a couple of hours (rather than pay full price for a night at a hotel) and lovers go to cheat on their spouses. If I can talk my wife into going, I'll be posting photos (of the establishment of course) soon.

Thanks for reading,

Chris

What's new in Panama?

I’m always on the lookout for something new here. It’s exciting to see familiar businesses open up. In the U.S., a lot of restaurants seem to stick with certain regions of the country. For example, you’ll see my favorite donut spot, Tim Horton’s, in the Ohio area, but not down in South Florida.  Duffy’s, one of my favorite places to go for beer and hot wings, is a really cool bar & grill in South Florida, but I’ve never seen them anyplace else. Red Robin, which has my all-time favorite burger (The A-1 Pepperjack burger) was in Ohio, Florida, and even in Anchorage, Alaska, but they’re not everywhere. Jack in the Box has limited locations, mostly in California and Texas. 

Panama seems to be a melting pot, where businesses from any region can join together. Some of the restaurants you may be familiar with that you’ll find here are Tony Roma’s, Bennigan’s, Hard Rock Cafe, TGI Friday’s, Hooters, Benihana, and of course fast food hotspots like Wendy’s, Burger King, KFC, McDonalds, Taco Bell, Dominos, Pizza Hut, Subway, Quiznos, Dunkin Donuts, and Cinnabon. I’m sure I’m missing a few. 

Papa John’s pizza and Carl’s Jr. have recently joined the ranks. You can find Papa John's in Costa del Este, Punta Paitilla, and now in Brisas del Golf. If you’ve got a hankering for delicious chili cheese fries, you’ll find Carl’s Jr. on the third floor of Metro Mall, in between McDonalds and the movie theater. I read online that there’s a Carl’s Jr. in the Tocumen airport as well, but it’s been awhile since I’ve traveled outside of Panama, so I'm not sure about that. Johnny Rocket’s is a recent addition to the Albrook Mall food court. 

I took a walk through the new wing at Multiplaza Mall last week and I couldn’t believe my eyes. A Chuck E. Cheese is coming to Panama. I’ve been saying for a long time that there’s not enough for kids to do in Panama and how great it would be if a Chuck E. Cheese would open up here. Well the dream has come true. Now, let’s just hope that the prices stay the same as they were back in the U.S., or even lower. And let’s hope that the owners can keep the place clean and in working order. Many of the kid-friendly pizza chain’s locations back home were really rundown. At a couple of their locations I spent more time getting my coins returned (due to broken games stealing change) than I did actually playing with my kids.

Ruby Tuesday will be directly above Banana Republic in the new wing at Multiplaza Mall

Also coming to Multiplaza is a Ruby Tuesday, which I remember frequenting at the Palm Beach Gardens Mall in Florida. They had great bottomless fries. Bottomless fries could be a crowd pleaser here. Businesses change a lot when they open up overseas though, so the name might not mean that it’ll be the same. 

For example, I worked for Tiffany & Company years ago. It’s a great company. I walked into the branch in Multiplaza Mall, to get my watch fixed (a Tiffany Mark T-57), and they couldn’t fix it. I don’t think the salesman had ever even seen the watch before. So not everything is the same here. Some things are better in Panama. I think Domino’s Pizza here is much better than back in the states. Taco Bell tastes a little different, but I’ve gotten used to it. 

I thought this was a Buffalo Wild Wings (the logo is almost exactly alike) but I think it's a different chain. Plus, its location in the mall looks way too small to be a Buffalo Wild Wings. :(

Other stores in town, the non-restaurant type, are Zara, XOXO, Tiffany & Company, Kenneth Cole, Victoria’s Secrety, and many more. Claire’s is opening up in Metro Mall (which my kids are thrilled about). Their selection of affordable and cute earrings and jewelry always drives my girls crazy. A/X Armani Exchange is coming to Multiplaza Mall, as is Banana Republic. 

A few other places I’d love to see in Panama: 

Ikea - As much as I hate having to put their furniture together, I can spend hours going up and down the aisles of an Ikea. Am I that much of a nerd that I have such a great time seeing all the neat, random stuff I could spend hours putting together with an allen wrench? And being able to drop my kids off at the play area is an added bonus. Come on Ikea. Come to Panama. 

Boston Market - Panamanians love chicken. It’s not a stereotype, it’s a fact. KFCs are everywhere and even the fast food joints like McDonalds, Burger King, and Wendy’s sell fried chicken combos. Grilled and roasted chicken is usually handled by local places though. I really miss good ol’ American comfort food, so being able to get my hands on a moist rotisserie chicken, a few slices of meatloaf, or a chicken pot pie would be awesome. And corn bread with macaroni & cheese. If not a Boston Market, even an Old Country Buffet would be great. 

Starbucks - There have been rumors of Starbucks coming to Panama. There’s a special place for Starbucks in my heart as I spent countless hours typing out screenplays at the Starbucks off Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Something about the relaxed atmosphere, the chill laid back music, combined with an apple fritter and iced coffee not only added on pounds (damn apple fritters), but helped me write...a lot. This blog would probably have a thousand posts by now if I had a Starbucks to hang out in.

Arby’s - Would an Arby’s do well in Panama? I’m not sure. I think Panamanians are more open to trying new things now. I heard Taco Bell failed years ago, but they’ve since opened several branches and seem to be doing well. Having a fast food option other than burgers, pizza, and fried chicken would be great. I could go for a roast beef with melted cheddar all over it right about now. And the curly fries...mmmm.

Cold Stone Creamery - Panama has a few of its own ice cream chains. Plus Dairy Queen and Baskin Robbins are in town. They’re all old news though. I think something cool like a Cold Stone with its variety of unique flavors would be a hit here. And the kids always get a kick out of hearing the staff sing "Hi ho, hi ho, we thank you for your dough" every time you tip them. 

Build-A-Bear - Build-A-Bear isn’t cheap. So I don’t know how many locals would want to spend that kind of money on a bear, but it’s something new that you don’t see here. And kids love building their own little animals (at least mine do...the little Frankensteins that they are...love you kids!!!). If placed somewhere in Costa del Este or in Multiplaza Mall, where the higher end stores are located, I think Build-A-Bear would be a nice addition here. Plus, aside from the larger department stores, there aren’t any real toy stores here, except for Felix Juguetes in Los Pueblos. 

A Roller Skating Rink - I heard there was a roller skating rink here in Albrook Mall at some point in time. I’d love to take the kids to a roller skating rink. Or an ice skating rink might be even better. Not sure how well the rinks would do here, but it would be cool to have one. 

A Waterpark - For cryin’ out loud, this is the tropics, why don’t we have a water park? And I’m sorry, but Avalon doesn’t count! I’ve been to Avalon (see my post about taking my kids) and it is technically a water park, but it almost seems as if it has been abandoned. There is water...and it is a park. I guess it’s owned by Avalon Resorts so I don’t know how likely they’d be to sell, but geez, if somebody would just take over the place, slap some paint on it, fix the slides, clean it up, add a few fun twists, it would be so much appreciated...by me at least. 

Like the song goes, “These are a few of my favorite things.” At least we’ve got Chuck E. Cheese and Ruby Tuesday coming in the meantime. 

I’d love to hear from anyone else living in Panama. What would you like to see arrive in Panama? Answer in the comments section below and who knows, maybe someone reading is looking for a business opportunity, and you might be the person to clue them in.

Thanks for reading,

Chris

A customer service challenge for expats in Panama

It's no surprise and no late breaking news that Panama suffers from a lack of good customer service. Some of this blog post may sound familiar if you've read any of my replies to reader comments regarding customer service here in the pages of my blog. Also, you'll notice some very random photos in this post, just to break up the monotony of all the black and white text. Can't think of any good customer service related photos. So here's the first. The Panama Canal taken from the Amador Causeway last week.

Anyone who has spent any time in Panama has definitely stood in line at one of the department stores, such as La Onda, Stevens, or El Costo, in a line that has no less than fifteen people, and watched the one cashier do her job while behind her a swat team of employees mills about in the background. You should count yourself lucky if any of the employees even say "hello" or "I'll be right with you."

The point of this post isn't to inform you about the poor customer service, but instead to highlight good customer service. I was a trainer at one of the large call centers here. It was my job to train people on every aspect of their job, from sales to using the computer system to customer service. I went nuts whenever it came to the customer service portion of training. I just get passionate about it. I wanted to really dig into the class and help them understand the importance of customer service and how it can affect them as employees. Most of my negative experiences here have come from dining out. So our conversation turned to the restaurant industry and the poor customer service provided by waiters and waitresses.

Where the ocean turns into a river

The argument came up that Panamanian workers do not provide good customer service because in general, Panamanians are not good tippers. So they feel that they will bust their butts and won't get paid in return. I argued that I could understand how that was the case at some point in time, but now, that's a lousy excuse, because it's not only Panamanians dining out anymore. Now you've got Americans, Canadians, and foreigners from everywhere else on the globe.

I used the example that I was at a popular bar & grill one night with a group of no less than 10 guys watching one of the big UFC fights on TV. We just wanted beer and chicken wings while we watched the battles. It was a Saturday night, but in between paydays (everything in Panama revolves around the paycheck on the 15th or 30th of the month) so the place was seriously empty. I think there may have been three tables with customers. We finally flagged down the waiter and ordered. He brought over two buckets of beer (enough for us all to have one beer). We never saw him again. Not once. Not until I found him hanging out at the bar with the other waiters. Just hanging out. During a three-hour fight, we had two beers each. Needless to say the guy got a horrible tip.

Think about that. 10 guys, all with jobs, hanging out. If the waiter had done his job, we would have each thrown in at least one dollar per person. He would've gotten a $10 tip at the minimum. Why would any person, especially someone who is paid mostly in tips, go to work for 8 hours and not try to make as much money as possible during their shift?

Anyways, the class seemed to catch on as I broke it down that way.

Driving into Panama City on the Corredor Sur

The other day I was out getting gas. I stopped by the Delta gas station in Villa Lucre to fill up my car. The attendant walked over (many of the gas stations still have full service here), said something in Spanish (I didn't really hear what he said, plus my Spanish sucks), but I assumed he was asking what kind of gas I wanted and how much. So I gave him $20 and told him what kind of gas. He started laughing, took the money, but then kept his hand out for me to shake. This time I listened and understood that he was saying something along the lines of, "Geez, I was just introducing myself and you gave me money." We both laughed. As he filled up my car we spoke a little (as much as my limited vocabulary would allow). He asked my name, shook my hand, talked about how hot it is outside, and asked where I was from.

And I'd just been expecting to pay the guy and get my gas. This guy's name is Ariel and he reminded me that it's just as important for the customers to pass a smile and be polite as it is for the employees/workers to show good customer service skills. For a gas station attendant, this guy seemed to really get it. He was going to make the best of each day.

Right then and there I told him how appreciative I was for his attitude and his all around great customer service. I made sure that he understood that the tip I was giving him was because of those two things.

So I was thinking, we expats/foreigners, can make a difference. It might take a long time, but I think that we can help change the way Panamanians view customer service. Next time you're in a place of business and someone goes out of his or her way to assist you, or to strike up conversation, or anything that would be considered great customer service, don't just tip them, but make sure you tell them why you are tipping them. Do your best to explain that it's because you appreciate all that they do each day. I guarantee if we all did this more often, they would tell their coworkers how they just got a large tip because they had a fantastic attitude. Those coworkers might need to see it a few times before they believe it and apply it, but eventually it'll catch on.

Panama is ready to hit a tourism boom (I think it kind of is experiencing one already) but if the customer service levels stay where they are now, tourists will come, check the place out, have a bad experience, and leave with no intention of returning. Let's help turn that around.

Ariel Arauz at Delta in Villa Lucre

What I'd like to do is post a page on this blog dedicated to the customer service challenge. If you're out and about, and you come across somebody worth mentioning, tell them they did an outstanding job, then ask if you can snap a photo with your camera phone. Send me your story, their name, where they work, and their photo, and I'll put it up on the blog. Maybe they'll get a kick out of seeing their photo on some ol' average joe's website. Maybe it will even help them get a raise or something if the boss finds out. In the meantime, posted above, is a photo of Ariel at Delta gas station. The fellow next to him didn't seem too thrilled to have his name mentioned so I won't put it on here. Ariel is the guy on the left. I'll also post his short story and photo on my customer service challenge page.

Thanks for reading.

Chris

Traveling Panama's Corredor Norte (North Corridor)

Living right next to the Villa Lucre exit of the Corredor Norte, which is a major toll highway here in the city, is one of the greatest things about living in my area, although an expensive temptation. I use the highway five times a week to take my wife to her work located on the Amador Causeway. From the beginning of the corredor to the end takes you to three toll booths with a total cost of $3.65 each way. That's expensive, but if taken during the right time of the day, will help you avoid a lot of traffic.

Panama has two of these toll highways. The South Corridor (Corredor Sur) is the most popular of the two as it takes you straight into the heart of the city and is a major trail used to get back and forth from the city to some of the suburbs just beyond it, like the high-end neighborhood of Costa del Este or the more local neighborhoods of Parque Lefevre, both with exits that deposit you right into those areas.

What surprises me is the lack of knowledge about the North Corridor, which in my opinion is one of the most peaceful, scenic shortcuts available. A friend of mine, who knows everything about the city, drove me to the Albrook bus terminal one time. I told him I'd pay for the North Corridor. He had to follow my directions as he'd never traveled the Corridor Norte before.

It was strange to me that a guy who knew the city's ins and outs so well was unfamiliar with this highway. Then I realized that the cost of the corridor probably scares some people away. Who wants to travel a highway they're not familiar with, knowing they'll have to pay $1.25 or so even if they mistakenly get off at the wrong exit? It has happened to me. I've gone the wrong way and tried to plead my case at the tollbooth. I only wanted to turn around. I was told that I needed to pay the $.90 at the toll, then make a u-turn and pay $.90 to go through again in the opposite direction. That's almost a two-dollar mistake.

So, today, while driving my wife to work, I took note of all the exits along the Corridor Norte. I plan to fill you in on where the highway will deposit you, that way you can make the decision before getting on the corridor, whether or not it makes sense for you.

We'll start from my area and I'll discuss the highway headed towards Albrook. The first exit/entrance is at Brisas del Golf. You can't go any farther than that. That's where the Corridor Norte begins. Anyone living in Brisas has probably come to know the highway very well, as the traffic in Brisas is horrendous, and the corridor is one of the best ways to eliminate some of that nuisance. Brisas has become a popular lower budget lifestyle option due to some of the more affordable housing costs (you can rent a 2-3 bedroom house for less than $1,000/month) and the easy access to Metro Mall and many other businesses being built in the area (like Pricesmart, supermarkets, banks, etc.).

The lanes with the blue signs are reserved for people who have the PYCSA card, a prepaid card that can be purchased at the tollbooth, but needs to be reloaded with no less than $10 each time. 

When you get on at the Brisas entrance you'll be expected to pay $1.25. As you travel towards Albrook, the first exit you come to is Villa Lucre, the neighborhood where I live. Since Villa Lucre is so close to Brisas, you won't have to pay to exit (you would pay $1.25 if coming from the opposite direction, same as you'd pay if exiting at Brisas).

The next exit you come to takes you on Via Transistmica towards Las Cumbres, an area covered with green mountains and hills. Las Cumbres is where you'll find the Avalon water park that I mentioned in one of my previous posts. This is also the exit you'd want to use if you were planning a trip to the Los Andes shopping center (an outdoor mall with bargain shops) or if you wanted to get to the neighborhood of Villa Zaita. To get to Los Andes you'd need to make a u-turn once you exit the highway, to take you in the opposite direction along Via Transistmica. Heading in that direction will also take you towards San Miguelito.

Next along the corridor you'll find a tollbooth that has tons of traffic in the early morning hours, but usually moves at a steady pace. This tollbooth will cost $1.50 for regular cars with four wheels. The prices go up for buses and larger vehicles with more than two axles.

The next exit will take you towards Colon. This is the direction you'll want to go if headed towards Colon's free-trade zone or Portobelo or Isla Grande.

Next up you'll find two exits that are very close together. The first will take you towards the Centennial Bridge that will cross over the Panama Canal and take you to the interior of the country. The first town on the other side of the bridge is called Arraijan and that's what the sign is labeled with. So head towards Arraijan if you're escaping to Panama's interior.

Immediately after the Arraijan exit you'll see a sign that says UTP Bethania. That's actually the same street that takes you towards the interior, but headed in the opposite direction. This exit is great if you're trying to visit the new Centennial chopping center where Farmacia Arrocha, Taco Bell, and several other new stores are located. UTP stands for Universidad Tecnologica de Panama, so this is the exit you'd take if trying to get to this university. 

It will also take you towards a major throughway here known to Panamanians as Tumbo Muerto (dead tomb, horrible horrible name for a street, I know), which is officially called Ricardo J. Alfaro, where you'll find the Discovery Center store. 

Tumbo Muerto is the street where Immigration, Plaza Edisson (where the Ministerio de Trabajo or work ministry is located), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (an important place to visit during the process of getting your Panamanian driver's license). To get to these important government offices, turn right onto Tumbo Muerto (the street sign probably says Ricardo J. Alfaro) after exiting the corridor. To get to Discovery Center and back towards San Miguelito, and the area where you began your journey (Brisas del Golf), take the second right, which will loop you around and deposit you onto Tumbo Muerto headed in the other direction.

If you stayed on the Corridor Norte, the next exit you'll come upon is the Clayton exit. I apologize for the blurry photos, but remember, I was trying to get my wife to work on time while she snapped photos at high speed. The Clayton exit will take you towards the old Fort Clayton, which is where you'll want to get off if you're trying to get to the U.S. Embassy or the City of Knowledge (both located in Clayton).

If this is your exit, after you get off the corridor, keep going straight until you see the new overpass. Don't go over the overpass, instead veer right and you'll come upon a roundabout that circles below the overpass. If you turn right in the roundabout you'll reach the entrance to Clayton. Go straight across the roundabout and you'll be headed towards the Albrook neighborhood and airport (not the best way to go to the mall), the roundabout exit to the left will take you towards the INAC Museum of Anthropology. Finish the roundabout and you'd be headed back towards the corridor exit and the area called El Dorado.

If you take the overpass instead of veering right down towards the entrance to Clayton, you'll go straight to the Albrook Mall. However, if you're on the corridor and want to go straight to the mall, there is an Albrook Mall exit, so stay on the highway.

If you'd stayed on the Corridor Norte and passed the Clayton exit, your next exit would be El Dorado, which will take you to the same street we were just talking about, but you'll be headed in the opposite direction, straight into the El Dorado area, where you'll find the El Dorado shopping center.

The next exit is called Avenida Juan Pablo II. I honestly have no idea where this exit takes you. I think it's just one of the back roads that takes you toward many of the shipping companies (which you may use when bringing your belongings to Panama). I'm not positive on that though.

The next exit is for Ave. Martin Sosa and Ave. Central, which is a back street that will take you to the Albrook Mall. You can use it if you know your way around well enough and if you want to skip the $.90 toll coming up. If the charge doesn't bother you and you're on your way to the mall, just stay on the corridor. The exit for Albrook Mall is coming up.

The final toll for the Corridor Norte is $.90. Just outside the tollbooth is another exit for Juan Pablo II and Via La Amistad. I'm not sure where that exit takes you. I think it's just the back road that loops around Albrook Mall and takes you back towards the warehouse/shipping company area.

And there's the Albrook Mall exit I promised you. This exit takes you right into the mall parking lot. This is also the exit you'd want to take if you're trying to get to the Albrook Bus Terminal. You can either gain access to the terminal from the mall, or go a little farther on the corridor and you'll find an exit that allows you to loop around and drive right up to the terminal. If you're being dropped off by someone, this is probably the route you'd want to take. The Albrook Bus Terminal is where you'll catch buses to anywhere else in the country (outside of Panama City). 

If you stay on the Corridor until it finally reaches its end, you'll see something like the photo above. Be careful because where this highway ends is a giant roundabout. Cars coming from the left are usually speeding around the circle, so pay close attention as you enter the loop.

Once you enter the loop you will immediately have two options. Look at the photo above. This is what you'll see once you've entered the roundabout. If you veer right and follow that red car, you'll reach the Albrook area. At the first traffic light, make a right and you'll find the entrance to the Albrook Airport, which is a small airport used mostly for flights to the interior of the country. In that area you'll find several banks, a Deli Gourmet (which is a great place for lunch, like a small Whole Foods), and a Rey supermarket. 

Follow that white bus in front of you and keep going around the circle if you want to head towards the Balboa/La Boca area, which will take you past the Babloa Port (where containers are taken off of the ships) and eventually towards the Amador Causeway (a great place to go bicycling or rollerblading, the home of the Figali Convention Center, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and the Biodiversity Museum).

As you near the end of the roundabout, carefully (cars are usually speeding into the roundabout from behind you) make your way all the way to the right lane, to head towards the area I just mentioned (Balboa/Amador). If you kept left and headed straight at this point, you'd have two choices. You could either head back around towards the Albrook Mall and back onto the Corredor Norte, or you could head back towards the city by taking the route that leads to Ave. Omar Torrijos.

Wow...I feel like a very confusing tour guide. Did you get all that? Hopefully you were able to sort of see it all clearly in your mind. I'm hoping that it will squash some of those fears of the Corridor Norte, so more people can enjoy the scenic (but overpriced) shortcut.

If I've missed something or you have anything to add, please do so in the comments section. Also, if you find any of my posts helpful or interesting, please share on Facebook, Twitter, or any of the other social media sites by clicking on their buttons at the bottom of this post. If you click on any of the posts, so that they open up as their own page, you'll see more sharing options (like Pinterest and Sumbleupon).

Thanks for reading,

Chris