Observations on Panama

[jimsonweed]

Some of you may have read a thread in the "general Colombia" column about a little gal I went down to visit. 1st trip south of Mexico. I went to Medellin and Panama.

In general, I was not nearly as impressed with the Panamanian people as the Colombians. The panamanians had marginal manners and were rather brusque. I found the Colombians to have excellent manners and a sense of dignity which really impressed me.

I went to Panama at the last minute and did not have a hotel reservation. I initially tried the Hotel de Panama. There were a bunch of old gringos peacocking around with Colombiana whores in the lobby. The hotel is very expensive, starting at $180/night. All of the rooms were full due to a golf tournament in town. I had to get on the internet for work and bought a card to get on their wifi. It was ASTONISHINGLY slow. Gmail wouldn't even load, despite multiple attempts. I left for the only hotel which had a room "Hotel Soloy". A "cab driver" hit me up at the exit to Hotel de Panama and I got in an unmarked chevy cutlass with bad shocks and was taken to a bad part of town and dropped at the Hotel Soloy. What a friggin' dump!

The Hotel Soloy also assured me they had high speed internet. It was also astonishingly slow. It was probably a 5mb line being shared by 20-30 people. Totally unsatisfactory if you need to download files, etc. (While I'm thinking about it, I'll also mention that the "free wifi" at Tocumen airport is wholly inadequate. Both going and coming, I could not log on despite good signal. I assume too many people were already logged on to an overtaxed line(s).)

Anyhow, the next morning I am calling all over town to get more adequate accommodations and I have to give the front desk a 10 dollar desposit to make local calls. I cannot dial direct, but have to go through the front desk. After the second call, they stop answering the phone and just start picking up the receiver and hanging it up! I had to use my cell phone at $3/min to find another hotel.

The Hotel Soloy was $140/night for a suite. Kind of bare bones but clean. The "hot" water was actually luke warm. The neighborhood was poor. Folks were drag racing on the streets all night, with intermittent sirens. Very loud, despite being on the 7th floor. The free breakfast was atrocious. They chopped up hot dogs and fried them up with tomatoes and peppers. If that is Panamanian cuisine, I'll pass.

I changed to the Crowne Plaza, which was $220/night. Everything was extra. $15 for the internet. No complimentary water, contrary to their internet advertising. It wound up costing around $330/night for the two nights I was there. The hotel was very nice. The internet was only marginal. I did not eat at their restaurant, but I'm sure it was fine. It was attractively decorated and the staff at the hotel was professional. Chicas in your room cost extra (seemed like $25?) if they stayed overnight.

Took an expensive cab ride ($20 each way) out to a restaurant called "Balko"? The food was bad. The steak was a poor cut and the lobster was over cooked. Wound up costing $100 for a bad meal with poor service. The best meal I had in Panama (by far) was at the McDonald's around the corner from the Crowne Plaza. I won't apologize for eating there while in a foreign country. The Panamanian establishments I went to served poor food with poor service. May have been bad luck? I didn't lay the groundwork to find the best restaurants, being more concerned with other aspects of the trip.

In general, there are not very many women in Panama I found attractive. There were extraordinarily beautiful women at Tocumen airport. I assume they were mostly from South America, in particular Colombia.

I also went to Medellin, and on the flight between Panama City and Medellin, over 1/2 of the women were drop dead gorgeous. Probably sex workers? They were dressed conservatively and seemed dignified. I could be mistaken.

In general the Colombians had much better manners and sense of dignity and gentility that I thought the Panamanians lacked. It is shocking to me that Panama is a wealthier nation than Colombia, after observing the people in both countries. I can only assume this is in large part due to the Panama canal and more favorable foreign investment laws and less violence. BTW, it was surprising to me to see how pervasive American culture/entertainment is in South America. They really don't have much original programming except for game shows and soaps. I wonder how it is to live in Panama and know that the most exciting thing to ever happen in your country involved a bunch of Gringos coming down to dig a ditch 90 years ago? I'd feel embarrassed.

As far as cabs were concerned, the standard rate was $3 anywhere downtown. $7 across town. $25 to/from the airport in a taxi or around $30 in a van. I thought Panama seemed perfectly safe. Never felt like anyone tried to take advantage of me, though professional standards are quite low.

The weather was pleasant, not nearly as hot as I expected. It was a little warm during the day, but fairly cool at night. I didn't get to visit the canal and the old town, both of which I would have liked to do.

Overall, I thought Panama was overly expensive, with poor food and relatively unpleasant and unattractive people. I won't go again, unless I go back to visit the Colombiana there.

[rivardco]

Very interesting Doc. Do you intend to invest more time in Colombia / South America?

"Medellin, over 1/2 of the women were drop dead gorgeous. Probably sex workers? They were dressed conservatively and seemed dignified. I could be mistaken." Very exaggerated presumption. You cannot apply the American culture to the Hispanic culture 1 + 1 = 2 and translate correctly. It is more sublime than that.

[John Wayne]

Sounds like Jimsonweed needed someone on here to show him around a day or two to get him acclimatized.....

Sounds like to me his chicken got plucked a bit.....

That is what GT is for.... Avoid getting plucked....

[jimsonweed]

Riv: your point is well taken, but please note the question mark. How is a question a presumption? You were not among them, but a lot of people on here fell all over themselves explaining how Colombianas in Panama are usually sex workers. If I had listened to them, I would not have made the trip in the first place.

JW: my chicken plucked? If you are referring to finances, that really isn't an issue for me. I had difficulty finding adequate accommodations on short notice and felt the hotels were high priced for a third world **** hole, which Panama definitely is. There aren't many posts regarding travel in Panama, and I thought others might find the info. helpful. Obviously, many people aren't going to be as picky as I am regarding internet speed, etc., but that is for them to decide. The most important info. I could provide is avoid Panama, if possible. In my limited experience, I much prefer Medellin. If you have more detailed information about Panama City, I'm sure many on the board would love to have it. Please post it, so that others can avoid getting their chicken plucked.

[LastLion]

I love reports where guys dont hold back. Thanks Jimson. ALthough there are a lot of sexworker in panama from colombia, and even though I mentioned it, Rivardo is correct, panama and colombia also do a lot of business together. Many colombians go to panama due to the favorable tax exemptions there.

Anyways keep up with the posting JW is just giving you a hard time. There used to be some more people posting from panama and Jibster lives there but he hasnt posted in some time. he has a finca and a colombian wife, I wish he would return someday!

Panama city really takes advantage of foreigners, yes they have great business things, but I also found it expensive in town...

[John Wayne]

You are right LL, I was prodding a bit, and I hope it was taken that way, in a good spirit, which is how it was mint ......

I haven't been to Panama and spent time there from before this cyber mess started, been thru the canal many times though.....

[TheBatmanDude]

Great report jimsonweed, I enjoyed it. Glad you revealed all.

[Peg]

After reading all the commentary so far on Panama, am I to believe that everything I have read so far (and it has been alot) about Panama is all lies. I find it very hard to understand how a person visiting on short notice can make such a formidable conclusion about a country he probably knows very little about. Steering readers in that negative direction without lettup, I agree his opinion but not the best. I would be willing to bet Jimson is not an easy person to please regardless. Its a shame.

[MacMavenLtd]

I'm coming down to Panama in October and found a hotel listed on the internet in Panama City for 35.00 per night. The name is Hotel Discovery, Avenidd Justo Arosemenas. Can anyone give me a recommendation on this hotel.

[Cap'n Jib]

Can't speak for the 'Hotel Discovery'. When flying in or out of the country, I as well as my daughters, stay at the Hotel Roma. $65 a night depending the season.