It’s 7PM on a Tuesday and the pollera show has just begun at Tinajas Panamanian folklore restaurant in downtown Panama City. After dinner, guests will have the opportunity to take photos with the night’s performers, jot down their favorite local recipes, even purchase native handicrafts to take back home. It would not be unfair to say that experiences like these are, in every sense of the word, entirely “Panamanian.”

 

Coming to Panama for the first time? Don't bother with outdated guidebooks. So much has changed in Panama since the last one was written that their existence is something of a disservice to the traveler looking for honest and up-to-date insight. Here's the real dirt - in a The Panama Report special - on what to do, where to go, and how to about not looking like a tool for your upcoming Panama vacation. 

Easter in Panama is a long weekend in which the citizens of this Catholic Republic are asked to take off work and reflect upon the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Son of God. It is during this holiday that no alcohol sales are permitted for a period of 24 hours which, if you look closely, seems to be far more thought-provoking to Panama's people than the resurrection of the Lord Savior himself.

It was not long ago that a friend invited me to her home in Punta Barco on the grounds that she would be out of the country. I've realized this happens to me more often than not: a generous invitation from a friend followed quickly by an excuse which disqualifies them from any obligation. "I will be in Venice" Miriam said, "but I'll have Moises the caretaker let you in and you can stay there as long as you like."

The islands of the San Blas archipelago don the covers of many Panama guidebooks and calendars. It is a region and a people of the utmost beauty, but visitors should also not be surprised to see various unexpected blemishes.

In my youth, family trips were characterized by large black suitcases which contained, among other things, a sizeable arsenal of "important" items we'd never actually use. My brother and I would stuff extra suitcases with the kinds of toys, food, and electronics that one might otherwise associate with a bomb shelter or Y2K.

This list is not in depth. The very act of publicizing these rare and once-in-a-lifetime experiences could burn the very bridges that make them possible. Further, many of these experiences include aspects which we are not allowed to divulge. Next to each, in parenthesis, we've listed the related Panama province. But the rest is up to you...

So I'm cruisin on Avenida Balboa around ten in the morning, windows down listening to a little Kanye. The sun's sparkling off the bay, palm trees are swaying, very few cars on the road. Nothing could be better right? And then bam!

Like most border towns, Paso Canoas in Panama, has a touch of the old west. Located on the InterAmericana, straddling both Panama and Costa Rica, Paso Canoas has everything to make happy both the adventure traveler and the shop-a-holic.

Jaguars, monkeys with attitudes, and the largest bird of prey. You can see all of these critters at Summit Zoo. Don't worry, it's real close to Panama City and is one of the coolest zoos I have ever been to because it's small and all of the exhibits are really close to each other. I don't know about you, but I don't like walking long distances in the heat or the cold and I don't like zoos that are so big you feel like you need a golf cart to get around. When you get there one of the first exhibits you will see is an enclosure of Capuchin Monkeys. These are the little organ grinder monkeys you associate with old- school Russian street performers. I have only seen them in movies but I am convinced they exist.

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” I cannot explain any better my decision to come to Panama at the young age of 22, a month after I graduated college, better than Robert Frost expresses. I only know of one friend of mine that decided not accept the 9-5 cubicle job and leave the land of the free, home of the brave. But, she did venture over to another 1st world English speaking country.

It was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1997 and remains the oldest European settlement on the entire Pacific coast of South, Central, and North America. Its cobblestone streets are lined with historic bohemian-Spanish architecture and its quaint breezy plazas, with their rustling trees and sidewalk cafes, are unmistakably European. Hundred year-old buildings nudge up against posh bistros and in-vogue parlors share courtyards with presidential-like palaces. At night, its streets buzz with locals and visitors alike, eager to nab a plate of tapas and a glass of wine before the night's festivities. Known at one point as the center of Panama City, Casco Viejo or Casco Antiguo is now the center of attention for speculation, and I decided to spend two days figuring out just exactly why.

I recently embarked on a 16 hour bus trip to San Jose Costa Rica from Panama City- it was quite the experience and was with out a doubt the longest and most arduous journey I have ever been on in my life. The adventure started a couple Thursdays ago when I boarded a westbound bus from the Allbrook Mall terminal on a hot and sticky afternoon. At 12:15 we left the station and almost as soon as we were over the bridge we started to watch The Fast and The Furious – Tokyo Drift. Let me explain to you something about these buses. They hire kids to play the movies and collect tickets. We had a skinny 15 year old kid with braces who was like the cabin boy. He hung out by the driver and did everything the driver told him to do. About 2 hours after our trip, our bus suddenly made a stop somewhere in Cocle Province.

We started off at the visitor's center to see if we could look at the exhibition as well as pick up some sort of map. Old artifacts? Explanations of what was to come ahead? Maybe even a tour guide? All of the above in Panama Viejo sounded nice.

when you're treated like a king, there's a tendency to act like one too

I wake up and wipe the crusties from the corners of my eyes. (Yes, men of international mystery have morning eye-crust as well). Unlike those frigid school days in Jersey when the overnight snowfall would peer-pressure me to sleep in, here in Panama the 80� sunshine calls me out to play. After some good hygiene skills I put on a comfortable shirt, some mesh shorts, a fast pair of running sneakers, and head out for my morning exercise.

The Panamanian culture is as most North Americans Car Crazy. Not only are they owned by a majority of the people they also take care of them as if they were a part of their kin. There are car wash and detail places on every corner, ok that is a bit of an exaggeration, but not by far. Your car can be detailed down to toothbrush clean under carriage with buffed windows and head lights.

The quest for the perfect ceviche recipe has begun! Some people research rock formations, some people study crow influenza, we do ceviche recipes. In case you are not familiar with it, ceviche (pronounced seh-VEESH or seh-VEECHAY) is a traditional Peruvian dish of raw fish or seafood "cooked" in citrus juice. There are many variations and we, here at The Panama Report consider ourselves to be borderline ceviche connoisseurs. We just love good ceviche recipes and are in hot pursuit of the best that we can find. The hunt has begun in Panama though we may cross borders if we deem it necessary. The person, restaurant, or magical force can create the best ceviche will be featured on our site.

Leading Candidate: Ceviche at Carnaval