My Travels in Panama

On a windy day in February three of us ladies drove the hour and forty-five minute scenic route to Boca Chica.  Bright as a blue umbrella the sky above us was a vivid blue. Strong winds pushed us down the narrow, two-lane road toward the Pan America Highway. it was definitely time for the A/C in the car!  We chatted and laughed all along the way. Donna was making the trip to spruce up and change out her jewelry display at the Seagull Cove Lodge gift shop....

Americans like the fastest route from point A to Point B. I find that truly boring.   Unless there is some schedule to be kept I much prefer the back roads to get around. My reasons are simple; I like to be on the less traveled road. I enjoy less traffic, fewer potholes, no hurry. I love taking pictures and seeing real people doing what they do best, being themselves!

 

Another reason at this time to take a scenic drive is to miss the massive...

Only a little over and hour drive from Boquete there is a beautiful beach with something for everyone. Los Olas is also known as Playa La Barqueta. Here you will find dark volcanic sands, public access to the beach and a quaint bar that offers cold beers and beverages in cool shade with good views of the ocean. You can dine on fresh fish and seafood in the small cafe next door to the open air bar.  This open air bar is a cool place to get a...

Since my arrival in Panama I have made many business connections, some of whom are in Costa Rica.  It was finally time to make a trip across the border to meet some folks and tackle the dreaded border crossing that many expats experience frequently for different reasons.  Having researched the immigration requirements and talked to many who have made the crossing, I expected things to be somewhat different, and not in a good way.  To my surprise, the trip was uneventful and...

Panamá History
 

Sometimes when you read about a country, many times you only find the "tourist" attractions.  But I want to introduce a little bit of history about Panamá that is not mentioned in many books or tour guides.

Recently, in a popular newspaper in Panamá, the "La Estrella de Panamá" there was an article about a very particular history that was, until now, little known, but nonetheless, is a magnificent piece of a glorious past.

Panamá has...

I often get asked what driving is like in Panama, especially for a Brit who was used to driving on the opposite side of the road with the steering wheel on the opposite side of the car!

Driving in any part of Panama City is definitely a crazy experience! One that I now seem to have mastered, as before working for Try Panama I worked for a Secure Transport company called Panama Roadrunner.

Arriving at the airport here in Panama, after your flight, regardless of...

 

When Bente and Jorgen (Arne's sister and her husband) arrived from Denmark we took a short tour of Panama City, it was a wonderful tour in a nice, clean, large van with and an English speaking Panamanian. Traffic and tall buildings are both a wonder and an assault on the senses at the same time. Beauty and poverty live side by side. Old, very old buildings look as if they are disintegrating as they sit in the shadows of elegant hotels and sky scrapers....

TRANSPORTATION IN PANAMA

Panamá has had an amazing history of transportation, dating back to 15th century.  The story tells us that at the beginning, horses transported gold and precious metals between Indian villages, and then, this transport was taken to the king's authorities in South América though Panamá, and, ultimately, to their final destination in Europe, most often, to Spain.

 
After that, when Old Panamá was...

Regions of Panama: Punta Chame

 

Panamá has always been a country with warm and friendly people who welcome all nationalities.  It has also been a place of transit since the 15th century, when visitors came with gold from Perú to Spain. Later, with the construction of the Panamá Canal (considered one of the Eight Wonders of the World), workers from all the world wanted to be part of this great mega-project.