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Mis Pueblitos

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Jose Kevo
Jose Kevo
First Reviewer
1 out of 5
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1
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4
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Mi Pueblitos

  • March 5, 2007
  • Rated 1 of 5 by Jose Kevo from Middle-of-Nowhere, Missouri
Mi Pueblitos

My Little Villages, which should translate Mis Pueblitos, was said to feature cultural replicas of various areas; namely in the styles of architectural influence and how these have shaped communities scattered across the country. Poble Españyol, located on Barcelona's Montjuic, had one of these types of parks that I thoroughly enjoyed despite criticisms for being nothing more than a tourist trap. If only the Panamá version would have been half as much in catering to tourism, without being nothing more than a hazardous trap!

This place goes down as the All-Time Bust of places I've been lured while on the road. The pitiful excuse of an attraction is divided into two sections. The entrance gate is coupled with the scant colonial features. The Afro-Antilles and Indigenous areas are across the driveway, behind the huge parking lot. In fact, you likely wouldn't even know they were there if it wasn't for the colorful banners, and suspicions that there had to be more than the traditional side.

The Caribbean gingerbread structures would have had potential if half the buildings weren't propped-up amidst falling down in various stages of decay. The few shops selling what was said to be "fine local handicrafts" were not only limited, selections looked more picked over than shelves on Christmas Eve.

Supposedly, the compound hosts cultural performances and events on weekend nights, but here's another thing to consider. The surrounding area is "said" to be extremely dangerous. I took a cab here on the way to the Causeway; driver cautioning about walking around beyond the park.

When it came time to leave, there was no hope catching an unoccupied taxi along busy Avenida de los Mártires without walking down the hill quite some distance to a taxistand, across the busy highway. Determination to get the hell out of there likely wouldn't be audacious enough to survive the walk after dark!

I was in and out of Mi Pueblitos in less than 30-minutes. Even if restoration became a priority, there would still be nothing worth stopping for. Save the $1-admission, and look at my photos because they captured about all there was to see.

-- Be advised that this place is packaged into numerous excursion tours as a cultural and lunch spot. In my opinion, finding Mi Pueblitos as part of an itinerary is enough to consider taking another tour that doesn't include here!

From journal Panamá City; the Capital Offenses

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