"Panama, why Panama, all they have is a canal?"

EMERALD MUSEUM

Run by the country of Columbia, this former bank turned museum is located in Plaza Francia in the San Felipe section of the city. Though small, the museum is packed with information regarding how emeralds are formed, mined and turned into jewelry. The tour guide was sweet and enthusiastic and spoke several different languages. I’ll admit that we only stopped in because it was free and you can use the restroom, but we did stay for the tour, browsed the adjacent shop and found the whole experience enjoyable. I thought it was worth the time just to be able to get a look at the former bank vault (now a life size diorama of a mine) with its heavy massive door. Overall it’s a great place to cool down and use the bathroom if needed.

GAMBOA RAINFOREST

We never did any of the prescribed tourist activities at the Gamboa Rainforest and Resort. We had some time to loaf and so we wanted to see what the big deal was all about. The resort’s lobby and grounds were impressive and the view of the rainforest was stunning. It was so eye pleasing that we decided to enjoy it further by eating lunch at the resort’s Corotu restaurant. Our sandwiches were excellent and it was surprisingly affordable for a touristy location. After lunch we took a leisurely stroll around the grounds then lounged in the lobby watching the eclectic mix of international guests buzzing about. It was a great inexpensive way to spend a lazy afternoon. Just watch out if you are driving to Gamboa from the city. There is a bridge, that was originally built for a train and only one car going one way can fit on it at a time, so proceed with caution and be prepared to wait your turn.

SUMMIT BOTANICAL GARDENS AND ZOO

Perhaps we were just visiting at a bad time of year, or maybe my garden expectations are very high, but we found The Summit Gardens and Zoo to be a bit….lacking. There wasn’t much in bloom so we mostly walked along scalding hot paths viewing various trees and bamboo. I can imagine that during the right time of year it is beautiful. The main draw is the Harpy Eagle exhibit. It is the national bird of Panama and in danger of becoming extinct. The Zoo has an entire conservation program and the eagles were pretty grand looking up close. I didn’t know anything about Harpy eagles before I went, so I did learn something. The other large zoo exhibit involved tapirs, which was okay. There was also an area with various cages that contained some sad looking animals. We did enjoy grabbing a couple of sodas and a shady piece of wall and watching the capuchin monkeys engage in all kinds of shenanigans. For only a dollar per person it’s a nice cheap activity but I would probably place it somewhere near the bottom of your to do list.

THE TOP OF ANCON HILL

This former military base turned scenic look out is a must for shutter bugs. It may take a bit of patience to get to the top of the hill as there is only one very narrow road that serves as both the entrance and the exit. Men standing at both the top and the bottom of the hill communicate via walkie- talkie and will let you know when it is safe to enter the road with your car. Walking up the hill is also an option, but that didn’t seem very fun as it is UP hill, but you may like the challenge. The breezes at the top are delightful and the panoramic views of the city are outstanding. You can take sweeping pictures of every section of Panama City from San Felipe to the Centro, to the canal. Although we didn’t do it, I imagine it would be a nice place to have a picnic lunch so you could enjoy the views all the more. There were benches and tables and bathroom facilities and it is free.

PLAZA FRANCIA SEA WALL WALK WITH RASPADOS

One of our most memorable afternoons was spent strolling along San Felipe’s sea wall enjoying our raspados. The raspados vender walked around Plaza Francia every afternoon. We approached him and asked him for dos raspados and he quickly went to work shaving ice into two medium sized cups. He then asked us what flavor we wanted. I chose passion fruit and it was very rewarding to find that the juice he poured over the ice was actual fresh squeezed juice and not some chemical sugary fake syrup that vaguely tastes like it used to be a fruit. The vender then took a sports drink bottle and drizzled something white and milky on top of the ice. I thought that this could have been cream, but I’m still not one hundred percent sure. Finally he picked up a water bottle that expelled a liquid that was yellowy orange. I still have no idea what that was, but the combination was intoxicating and it tasted better than any popsicle or snow cone ever could. It was hard to believe that they were only twenty-five cents apiece and if I had discovered the delights of raspados earlier, I might have tried a different flavor every day. We took our treats and strolled along the sea wall, savoring the luxury of unhurried time. Canoodling couples exchanged eskimo kisses under the flower draped arbor. Local women spread out hand sewn mola blankets that were almost, if not more beautiful than the wares they laid upon them. The whole experience was idealistically sublime.

MI PUEBLITO

We stumbled upon this tourist trap as we were taking a morning stroll around Ancon Hill. I already knew from reading lots of forums, that it was a complete tourist trap, but since we were there we decided to see just how bad it was. True to what I had researched it was indeed a bunch of souvenir shops built around what was supposed to be a replica of an authentic turn of the century town. Although free, it is a definite skip unless you need to stock up on some hand carved frogs or canal snow globes. There was only one other visitor there who was an expat from the United States who had recently moved to Panama after living the past several years in Costa Rica. As we are aspiring expats, we did have fun talking with her and picking her brain about the finer details of relocating to a Latin American Country.

INTEROCEANIC CANAL MUSEUM

Being self-professed museum nerds, this museum was one of the highlights of our visit. More than just a museum about the canal, the exhibits here covered everything from pre-Columbian pottery to Manuel Noriega. We easily spent almost an entire day wandering from floor to floor, room to room soaking in all the history and culture of Panama. We were surprised to find a Japanese tea ceremony being conducted on the bottom level. Friendly staff gave us bitter tasting tea along with little origami cups filled with sweets to go with the tea. They had some other Japanese culture exhibits and somehow at the time we found it funny to be learning about Japan while in Panama. The museum is well laid out and the exhibits are presented beautifully, and the only negative I can think of is that the plaques and information for the exhibits are written in Spanish only. Since I read Spanish better than I speak Spanish, I didn’t find this to be a problem, but if you know absolutely no Spanish, you may not find the exhibits as interesting. Even if you aren’t museum nerds, for only two dollars this museum located in Plaza Francia is worth a look.
*Just one extra side note. Much like the whole Casco Viejo verses San Felipe ordeal, the same applies to Plaza de la Independencia verse Plaza Francia. All of the tourist information in books and online called it Plaza de la Independencia but locals still call it Plaza Francia, taxi drivers included.

I released a rather exaggerated sigh as I gazed up at the hotel ceiling. I tossed and turned again and again but no matter the position, the bed’s springs continued to jab me. It was a long night with little sleep and now it was time to get up and start the day. I was feeling a bit grumpy as I stepped into the shower, but hopefully a nice hot shower would be just the kind of thing to lift my spirits. No luck. The water was frigid and so I did my best to get clean while touching the water as little as possible. I consoled myself by repeating the mantra, it’s okay the room is free, or so I thought.

I can be a tad obsessive compulsive when planning trips. Mainly I just like to do whatever is possible to minimize unpleasant surprises. I had accumulated enough credit card points to pay for seven free nights at the Country Inns and Suites, located on the Amador Causeway in Panama City. I was fastidious about calling both the credit card people and the Country Inns and Suites chain, assuring that the free night vouchers could be used at the Country Inns and Suites in Panama. Everyone assured me that it would be perfectly fine and would be as easy as can be. Our schedule included three nights at the Country Inns and Suites, a side trip to Isla Grande and then four more nights at Country Inns and Suites. I wasn’t too happy with the accommodations overall, but since it was free I shrugged it off. You can only imagine my surprise when I checked out after the first three nights and was told that the free vouchers were not acceptable and I would have to pay for my stay. I’m not the kind of person to get all angry and yelly when things like this happen, so I remained as calm and pleasant as possible while trying to understand why we couldn’t use the vouchers. The receptionist and the manager didn’t really go into detail or explain, they just said we would have to pay for our three nights. When I asked if there was someone they could call associated with the hotel chain or the credit card, they said no. I was taken a bit aback by the smug, bordering on rude attitude I was given, as up to that point everyone we had encountered in Panama had been so friendly and nice. I reluctantly handed over my credit card and then, thanks to the hotel’s free internet, I was able to book accommodations elsewhere and cancel all but one of the other nights at County Inns and Suites.

The Country Inns and Suites on the Amador Causeway is the perfect place for someone who is anxious about traveling to another country and needs the security of the familiar. Since it is a chain, the Panama hotel differs little from the chain in say, New York. This hotel is all about location, location, location as it offers fantastic views of the Amador Causeway. The tropical pool area is the perfect place to read a book or work on your tan. Guests can enjoy their complimentary breakfast lounging under the canopy in the outside seating area, with an idyllic view of the ships passing by on their way to or from the canal. Guests are also just a short car ride, taxi ride or a long walk away from the numerous restaurants and shops located on the Causeway. There is a computer room with several computers free for guests to use and a room with a washer and dryer just in case you need to catch up on laundry. All of these features make it a fairly comfortable place to stay, but it is hard to get past the inconsistencies. We stayed in two different rooms while we were there. One had horrible beds, no hot water and a view of the parking lot. The second room where we stayed just one night had hot water, better beds and a nice balcony with a view of the pool and Causeway. The rooms were always spotless, but the hallway, stairs and lobby needed a good cleaning. Several times I witnessed guests coming to check in only to find that the hotel was overbooked. With a smug, unapologetic indifference, staff informed the disappointed guests, that they were being relocated to the Country Inns and Suites in the chaotic center of the city.

I am certain that there are people who would really like the Country Inns and Suites on the Amador Causeway and wouldn’t mind paying over one hundred dollars per night. I was fine with the accommodations when I thought it would be free but even if I was able to get a free night stay on a return trip, I would gladly pass it up and stay at La Estancia instead.



*When we returned from our trip we did call the credit card people and they were able to speak with the hotel chain and worked everything out concerning using the points to pay for our stay. The credit card company refunded our money for the nights we ended up paying for so that worked out nicely in the end and I now know that if a situation like this occurs again I will call the exact hotel I will be staying at to ask if they accept the free stay travel vouchers.

http://www.countryinns.com/panamacanalpan

My eyelids sprang open like a pair of window shades as the aroma of bacon seeped under the crack of the door. The sounds of others starting their day lingered lightly in my mind. My bed was immensely comfortable and so I tried to beg my stomach for a few more precious minutes, but in the end my stomach won. I slid out of bed and set my bare feet on the cool tiled floor. The shower was perfectly warm and the water pressure was just right. My coconut scented shampoo will elicit found memories of Panama long after my vacation has ended.

The common area was already bustling. Some guests were yawning and bleary eyed, while others were bright and bouncy. Spread across the counter was an array of juices, fruit, pastries and thankfully, coffee. I piled some pineapple onto a plate, grabbed a cup of coffee and found a free table on the delightfully shaded balcony with a magnificent view of the bridge. A young lady with a dazzling smile greeted me good morning and asked what I would like for breakfast. I hadn’t expected this; apparently I could have whatever I wanted within reason. Frantically I scanned the plates of the other guests for ideas.

"I’ll have scrambled eggs and bacon," I decided. She nodded her head then whisked away and before I could even finish my pineapple chunks, she laid a plate before me covered with fluffy scrambled eggs and perfectly crisp bacon. As I chomped down on my first delicious piece of fried pork, I heard a rustling through the trees overhead. With each passing moment the rustling became louder and louder, soon the tree branches were shaking and bobbing. Then I saw them. Tiny little monkeys only a few feet away were ascending upon a bunch of bananas hanging from a nearby tree branch. They ripped and tore and filled their little monkey paws with squishy soft banana which they rapidly shoved into their mouths. When their breakfast was through they chased each other around for a bit, and then moved on swinging and jumping through the trees. A wave of pure contentment washed over me as I finished the last few sips of my coffee.

"What an amazing way to begin the day", I smiled.

La Estancia located in the Ancon Hill section of Panama City will forever be one of the best places I have ever stayed at. Even now, as we are planning a new trip to South America we muse at the possibility of taking a flight with an overnight layover in Panama City just so we can spend the night at La Estancia again. It would be like visiting old friends we say to ourselves, and that was exactly what La Estancia is like, staying with friends.

We will always think of Gustavo as our hero as he rescued us from our prior less desirable accommodations and even at the last minute, he was able to squeeze us into his lovely bed and breakfast. We slept in two different rooms during our stay and both were wonderful. They were clean and cheerful and had that brilliant way of making you feel comfortable, safe and at home. The common area was also light and merry with indoor tables, outdoor balcony tables and nice furniture in the common areas to lounge around on. There were books and magazines to read (in several different languages), complementary water and snacks, as well as snacks and drinks you could purchase for a very nominal fee. After a long day of sightseeing it was so refreshing to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, grab a couple of drinks and enjoy a peaceful evening loafing on the balcony. The place itself has a way of bringing people together and we had a great experience one night chatting with another American couple and their young daughter, sharing the tales of our adventures in Panama so far. We never met Tammy, and although we did chat with Gustavo several times, Peter was the person who was usually working when we were around. Sometimes when we are on trips I like to joke about brining certain people I like home as souvenirs, and Peter would definitely be sitting on my shelf right now if I did so. He was so gentle, warm and friendly and as helpful as could be.

If you read La Estancia’s website it advises that it is difficult to find as Ancon Hill can be a bit confusing to navigate. They even give you little cards with maps and the address to give to taxi drivers so they can bring you home easily. Since Lord Vader is a human GPS, we had no difficulty at all finding it ourselves, but we did find that it was easier for us, to park somewhere at the nearby Amador Causeway then take a taxi from there into the Centro or San Felipe.

I really can’t say enough about La Estancia. The location, the rooms and common area, the staff and the breakfast, make it one of the best if not the best place to stay while visiting Panama City and with rooms starting at $79.00 a night, it is also one of the most affordable. If you are going to Panama City, stay there.

http://www.bedandbreakfastpanama.com/

There is something about vacation that makes you less annoyed when people driving in front of you are moving slowly. Maybe you are just generally more relaxed or maybe it’s the different scenery. We were taking this laid back approach as we lingered behind a dump truck, making our way toward Panama City. Suddenly in the rear view mirror, we spotted a taxi that was approaching at a rapid speed.

"It looks clear, I think I can pass this truck," braved Lord Vader. The taxi seemed as though it was about to kiss our bumper. The road was narrow and there was just enough room for us to pass the truck. As we were going around the truck, we heard a noise to our left. When I looked over I saw the taxi, passing us as we were passing the truck. Let me state that again. We were passing the truck on its left and on our left the taxi was passing us! The taxi wasn’t even on the road. It was speeding through the grass and was precariously close to tumbling down into a ditch, and that was just a taste of what driving in Panama City is like.

Driving in Panama City was like Driving in NYC, if everyone driving in NYC had just consumed about ten shots of espresso. There are some very import things to be aware of, if you want to return your rental car in one piece.

1) Beware of the Diablo Rojos ( colorful public transportation buses) and taxis. They show no mercy. They have no time to deal with motorists and feel no sorrow in mowing you down, or causing dents in your car.

2) Do not drive somewhere and assume that you will be able to return to your original destination by retracing your steps. There are numerous one-way streets that may go on for a long time so you really need to have a separate route for getting there and getting back.

3) Go. Don’t slow down, don’t hesitate, and don’t try to read street signs by slowly rolling by. If you are lost, pull over, drivers in Panama City are going somewhere and they need to get there as soon as possible, they don’t care that you are lost and if you are driving too slowly, you will never survive.

4) All traffic signs including lights are mere suggestions. It is one of those rare situations where it is just safer to follow the crowd, if the line of cars you are in cuts across four lanes to make illegal left turns, just do what they do.

5) The areas around Ancon Hill, The Canal and The Amador Causeway are not that bad; you can easily drive around, and enjoy the scenery.

6) We never rode a Diablo Rojo while we were in Panama City, but we reduced our driving anxiety by taking taxis. For five dollars per trip you can take a taxi to anywhere in the city, and the taxis are safe and abundant. The type of ride is sort of luck of the draw. We took one ride in a cushy black SUV and another in a car without seat belts that we feared would fall completely to pieces before we reached our destination. The taxi drivers are aggressive but they can maneuver better than most stunt drivers. You’ll reach your destination quickly and unharmed. Most drivers spoke English so we never had difficulty conveying our destination. For an added bonus, if you have a really good driver, you’ll get the extra feeling that you’ve just taken a ride on Space Mountain.

7) Honk! Honk! Honk! Get used to that sound; you will be hearing it a lot. Don’t take it personally; everyone blows their horns all the time at everything. If you are driving, live it up and throw out the honks yourself. It’s a good way to relieve stress and since everyone is doing it you won’t have to worry about getting dirty looks or obscene gestures.

In a perfect world, there would be perfect flights that all arrive at their destinations at about 2:00pm. Then by the time you get your luggage and procure transportation it will be time to check into your accommodation of choice. After a flawless check- in you can freshen up and head out for an eventful night on the town. Unfortunately it is not a perfect world and thus we found ourselves on a plane that was landing in Panama City, at 10:30 at night. After getting our tourist visas, breezing through customs, getting our luggage and signing our rental car agreement, we were finally on our way at 12:30am. Fortunately "our way" wasn’t that far.

When we booked the flight we knew that it would be landing late at night. We also knew that our first destination, El Valle de Anton was a two and half hour drive away and we had no desire to go driving through an unfamiliar city at 12:30am searching for a hotel for the night. The most logical option was to spend our first night at a hotel that was as close to the airport as possible. I did some internet research before the trip and found the Riande Aeropuerto Hotel and Resort.

All of the staff waiting at the reservation desk were friendly, gentle and sympathetic when they saw our yawning faces. We were well past our bedtime and travel worn, and that was a good thing because our need for a bed distracted us from the fact that the hotel appeared to have seen better days. We followed a staff down musty smelling hallways covered in worn out carpet. It seemed as though someone spent a great deal of time and money to build a beautiful grand hotel, then once it was completed they went away and the grandeur has been fading ever since. Though shabby, our dimly lit room looked clean and so we slipped into our pajamas, climbed in one of the beds and went to sleep.

Overall I thought the Riande Aeropuerto Hotel suited our purpose well. We needed a place to crash for a few hours and although it was worn and musty, it was also clean and acceptably comfortable, yet I still couldn’t help feeling, that our $55.00 a night threadbare room with only one working light seemed like a sad neglected child who was starving for some love and attention. With the light of a new day and the renewed energy it brought us, we decided that it would be best to be on our way as soon as possible. I guess they must have had problems with hotel guests unable to use the shower controls because someone drew little arrows and the phrase "to open" on the shower wall in pencil. The water pressure was anemic and the water itself was cold. We did enjoy the little balcony attached to our room. While we each took a turn showering the other person stood out on the balcony and just soaked it all in. The weather was warm and tropical; there was green grass, magenta flowers, swaying palm trees and birds fluttering to and fro. It was definitely a change from the over cast, frigid, and slushy environment we had escaped from the day before. It felt as though the balcony was letting us know we had arrived and it was time to let the adventure begin, only the room kind of said, that we should wait and start our adventure after we arrived at our next and hopefully better hotel.

http://www.hotelesriande.com/aeropuerto/index.asp

• The surest way to scream, "I’m a tourist!" is to wear shorts. Locals wear pants. If you are a girl Capri pants are fine. Lord Vader and I ended up really loving our cargo pants as they seemed to work best in the environment, especially when hiking.

• Be aware that in small towns, ATMs can run out of money and it may take several days before the cash is replenished. We ran into this situation in El Valle where there is only one ATM in the town and it was out of cash, so we had to drive out of town to find another ATM.

• There are a lot of stray dogs and stray packs of dogs that roam around just about everywhere, but especially on the beaches. They were completely harmless, but try not to make my mistake and read Island of the Blue Dolphins while you are on the trip so you remain jumpy whenever the pack of wild dogs pass by. There were also quite a few stray cats. Some were exceedingly friendly and others were not. The dogs didn’t really bother with each other, but there were some cat fights, literally.

• If hot water is precious to you, you may want to conduct some further investigations before locking down a place to stay. We encountered two accommodations that did not have hot water even though they said they did. Since we didn’t really stay in either for that long, complaining seemed pointless.

• Not every accommodation offers you those free little soaps and shampoos so make sure you bring your own toiletries. Also there were a couple of places that did not have washcloths or puffy sponges or anything like that to wash yourself with so you may want to pack some durable quick drying washcloths just to be on the safe side.

• There is quite a lot of litter in Panama, especially at the beach. It was a bit depressing to be lolling in the crystal blue water and have a juice box or a potato chip bag float past. Like me, if you come from a background where you were taught to "give a hoot and don’t pollute" you may be playing litter patrol during some of your trip.

• Like most Latin American countries dinner is eaten late at night and something we found interesting, the malls close fairly early. I assume so everyone can go home and eat dinner with their family and friends. You also have to remember to ask for your bill when you want to leave a restaurant. "La cuenta, por favor," is what you need to say to request it. It’s a nice custom and I enjoyed not feeling rushed through my meals, but I must admit it took one long and awkward dinner waiting for about an hour wondering if the waiter was ever going to bring the check, to learn about this little detail.

• You do not need to be fluent in Spanish to travel in Panama, but you should be familiar with common phrases and words, especially words that have to do with driving and directions and food. Almost everyone we came across spoke English, and spoke it first to us without asking what language we spoke (I am very pale, freckled and blue eyed, so I guess they just assumed). You will have to read the occasional menu (although many were in Spanish and English), street sign or tourist sight plaque. With ipods and websites, it is incredibly easy to learn another language, plus it makes it easier to eaves drop at restaurants and other people watching sights.

• Casco Viejo was the name used in all of the guide books and on the websites I visited for the old, but not oldest part of Panama City. During the entire time we were in Panama and specifically in Panama City not one local referred to that area as Casco Viejo, everyone we met still calls it San Felipe.

• Yes the driving in Panama is crazy, but that experience deserves a journal all its own.

• We found Panama to be a very safe country and everyone was helpful and friendly to visitors. The only irritating situation we encountered was in Portobello. I had read about the local children offering to "watch" your car while you roam around the forts, so I was already prepared for the exchange. When we stopped at the first fort, as expected, a boy approached and asked if he could watch our car. We said sure and then walked around. When we returned to the parking lot he ran up to us with a whole group of friends tagging along behind. We gave him the customary five dollars, but then all of his eight or so friends started insisting that they ALL watched the car and they each deserved five dollars. We refused, and started making our way to our car. They kept yelling at us and running around us and holding out their hands insisting that they all should be paid. They even tried to block us from entering our car, but we sort of just ignored them and got into the car and drove away while they were still yelling and banging on the car. After we exited the parking lot, they moved on to harass someone else.

The audience held a collective breath as the acrobat applied her trade. Not only was she moving along the thin branch of an extremely tall tree, she was doing so while carrying her child. When her arm slipped each person gasped. They all held their arms loosely at their sides just in case they might have to catch her. She was so high up that one of the staff passed binoculars around so everyone could have a closer peek. Finally the dare devil mother reached her destination. Satisfied with her new location, she curled up into a ball and drifted off to sleep. A wave of enthusiastic applause rose up from the crowd. She didn’t seem to care that she had just spontaneously entertained an entire group of people from around the world, for it was all part of a normal day’s work for a mother sloth.

Located on the Amador Causeway, The Punta Culebra Nature Center run by The Smithsonian Institute is a sight not to be missed. We went thinking we would kill an hour, but found it so interesting and relaxing; we stayed for half a day. As we meandered along the two Dry Tropical Forest trails, we came across an armadillo, our dare devil sloth (and other less active sloths) and numerous iguanas and birds. The animals are given free reign of the grounds and the staff are enthusiastic about answering questions. There is a big pool with a sea turtle, a small indoor aquarium, a touch tide pool and an area where kids can touch coral and shells and other things that are bumpy, scratchy and slimy. Although small, the air-conditioned indoor museum offers a nice respite from the heat. It’s mainly for the kids, but I have to admit that as an adult I still love pushing buttons and pulling leavers and making things happen when I do so. There was also a short video which begged you not to pollute the ocean and asked you to save the whales. It was entirely in Spanish, but we got the basic idea and it gave us a chance to sit down and take a break.

Although it was definitely fun chasing armadillos, watching sloths and staring at iguanas eye to eye, I think my favorite part of that particular day was watching the crabs. At the back of the aquarium there is a large rock formation. When the tide comes in, hundreds of little crabs ascend the rocks to avoid being some other sea creature’s dinner. We grabbed a couple of grape sodas from a nearby vending machine and watched the drama unfold. As the crabs climbed up the rocks, they would stake their spot. As more and more crabs trudged up the rock, turf fights broke out. Now I wouldn’t admit it if you asked me to my face, but we may have improvised some dialogue between the crabs as we watched their gladiator combat.

Of course if you go to Panama, you’re going to see the canal, but I will freely admit that I had a much better time at the Smithsonian Institute. It was quiet, relaxing and you can learn a lot by talking to one of the multi-lingual staff. It’s a great place for kids since it offers plenty of open land giving them a chance to run around and burn some energy and they can see iguanas and armadillos and such in their natural environment absent of cages. If you want to witness some crab combat then make sure to be there when the tide is beginning to rise, and if you want to make it an overall good trip, stop by the row of nearby shops across the way for some after nature viewing ice cream.


http://www.stri.org/english/visit_us/culebra/index.php

Cost: children under 12 – 50 cents, Adults $2.00, Retirees $1.00

Hours: March –December: Tuesday-Friday 1pm-5:00pm/ Saturday and Sunday 10am-6pm

January and February: Tuesday-Sunday 10am-6pm

I imagine that his name is Felipe. He is a political prisoner. Dirty and half starved he nervously wonders what time of day it is, it’s difficult to tell when you are chained up in a dungeon. Suddenly the first trickle of water makes its way through the barred dungeon window, tracing a path down the damp stone wall. Soon water will begin pouring in, just as it does every day at high tide. Felipe is not worried about drowning, the water never gets that high, but his fate is almost worse, for at high tide, ravenous sea creatures enter with the water, looking to bite and nibble at Felipe’s exposed flesh. The salt water causes the wounds to burn mercilessly. His captures were truly creative for inventing such a torturous prison. One wonders if there was ever a point in time when Felipe examined his surrounding and thought,

"Wow, this space would make an excellent sight for a French restaurant."

I was instantly enraptured with the idea of eating in a former dungeon , so Las Bovedas was at the top of my list of restaurants to eat at while in Panama City, and it did not disappoint.

Appropriately situated in Plaza Francia, Las Bovedas is one of San Felipe’s most popular restaurants, and with good reason. Though at first thought, you may expect this former dungeon to be dark and dingy, the curved ceilings and light hued stone walls make Las Bovedas a cozy and intimate place to dine. The menu, which is carefully penned on a chalk board each night, is set at the end of your table by an attentive waiter. Though written in Spanish, it is easy to read as long as you have at least a basic grasp of Spanish food vocabulary.

For our "primero" selection, we chose a plate of assorted cheeses. Since we are very well acquainted with cheese we were able to identify brie, feta, and swiss. The fourth cheese however was a bit of a mystery. It didn’t matter though since they were all exceptional and it was more fun thinking that we had just eaten mystery cheese. To accompany our meal we ordered a bottle of wine. The wine list was extensive and offered a very nice variety, but since we were eating in a French restaurant it seemed only fitting that we order a bottle of French white wine. When the sommelier brought our bottle to the table he did a series of moves that looked as though he were performing a sommelier ballet. From picking the bottle up out of the ice to pouring each glass, his moves were graceful, fluid and dignified. It was a thing of art to watch him and I must admit that now when I order wine I’m always a bit disappointed as no one has ever been able to match his skill.

When our main courses arrived I was taken aback. This was my first visit to a French restaurant and I imagined that the portions would be small and dainty. Sitting in front of me was the biggest seared tuna steak I had ever seen with a hearty side of rice and a colorful array of steamed vegetables. All of the tastes were so fresh and if it is possible, they were both simple and complex at the same time. I was regretful that I was unable to finish it. In fact it was such a big portion that when I finally was done it looked like I had hardly eaten a bite. Our waiter thought this was cute and said something in Spanish that translated to,

"Poor girl that was too much fish for her." Of course one of the other reasons I didn’t finish my entrée was to save some room for desert. As it was one of our last evenings in Panama I went with the Tres Leches cake since I had yet to try it on our other culinary adventures. Lord Vader went with the Kahlua parfait. The pastry chef did a commendable job as he tried very hard to marry the various flavors in each of the deserts. This meant that neither of the deserts was overly sweet and each possessed a subtle symphony of flavors.

By the time the evening ended we were in such a blissful food coma, it didn’t really matter what the bill came to, we were ready to open our wallets and make a contribution with thanks for a perfect evening. I think the food coma helped because compared to many of the other restaurants we dined at in Panama, Las Bovedas was the most expensive, but still compared to what you might pay back home for such a meal, it was a pretty good bargain, especially considering the portion sizes. One cheese plate, a bottle of wine, two entrees, two deserts and two cups of coffee came just three dollars short of one hundred, and it was worth every penny. As we glided out of the restaurant’s huge doors I turned around and took a moment to reflect. I had just enjoyed an indulgent meal behind those thick stone walls, but perhaps given another time and another place it could have been me clad in chains dreading the torturous high tide.

ALBERTO'S

Located on the Amador Causeway in the Flamenco section, this Italian restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating. I highly suggest the outdoor seating as it includes a refreshing breeze and interesting views of people readying their yachts. They have an ample variety of Italian dishes, but as it was lunch time, we settled on a pizza. The crust was thin and the sauce was a chunky pomodoro. The four cheese pizza yielded six slices, which was more than enough to tide us over until dinner. Two iced teas and one pizza cost $11.50 and with good food and enjoyable scenery, Alberto’s makes nice diversion from all of your sight- seeing.

EL BARKO

With its casual open atmosphere and exceptionally friendly wait staff, El Barko is a great laid back dinner destination. Located on the Amador Causeway in the Flamenco section El Barko boasts a huge menu which is thankfully offered in both English and Spanish. I ordered the two fish two ways deal and was treated to a huge piece of Mahi Mahi in tropical sauce and an equally ample portion of Sea Bass finished teriyaki style. Coconut beans and rice accompanied the dish. The food was really yummy and we only spent thirty dollars for two drinks and two seafood entrees. If you go to El Barko, try to go on the weekends when the party Diablo Rojos are out and about. From the outdoor balcony of the restaurant you can watch as these buses complete with disco balls, party lights and a DJ sitting in the back, drop off revelers prepared to get their dance on at the nearby clubs. It’s some of the best people watching the city has to offer.

THE WINE BAR

Small plates and an abundant wine list make this restaurant a superb place to while away an evening. Initially we had intended to partake of some wine and one or two small dishes, but after consuming our olive tapenade and melon wrapped in prosciutto, we just had to sample more. Our waitress was very attentive and assisted us in narrowing down the large plates. In a fun and playful manner, she would not write down our choices until we said them out loud with proper Spanish accents. In the South American fashion, we took our time, slowly savoring the mushroom risotto and corvina in curry sauce. The restaurant had no intentions of trying to hustle us out of the door, for their desire was that all of their diners have a relaxed and enjoyable meal. A band played smooth jazz as we leisurely drained a bottle of white wine and watched the hustle and bustle of the causeway from our outdoor table.
At $70.27, The Wine Bar was one of the more expensive dining experiences we had while in Panama, yet it still seemed reasonable as we indulged in two small plates, two large plates and a bottle of wine. The food was so scrumptious, we vowed to return before departing for home, but alas, we simply ran out of time.

BUFFALOS'

Located on the Amador Causeway in the same center as El Barko, this low key restaurant offers a nice break if you want food that isn’t too challenging. It is the same fare you will find in most chain/bar type restaurants. The menu is in both English and Spanish and the wait staff is friendly and laid back.
I had beef skewers that were good, not fantastic, but good. Two entrees and drinks were under thirty dollars. This is a good place for pickier eaters who may not want to brave more local establishments and it’s also a nice break if you need to go somewhere and order something where you know exactly what you are getting. There are no surprises.

TGI FRIDAYS

Yes, yes I know we broke the cardinal rule of cool travelers by eating at a restaurant that we could easily eat at while at home, but we had a long day of driving, we were tired, hungry and it was so conveniently located inside of our hotel. There were some things worth mentioning that will hopefully keep me from being completely dishonored.

1) The waiters and waitresses at this particular TGI Fridays still wear the pieces of flair that our local chains have long since abandoned. If you’re a fan of Office Space this is good for a few line recitations and some snickering (not while the waiter or waitress is present of course).

2) Our local TGI Fridays took the Oreo Madness dessert off of the menu a long time ago, which is pretty much the only thing I ever liked. To my absolute elation, the dessert is alive, well and thriving in Panama. After we finished sharing an appetizer I was happy to see my old friend appear on my table and I dug into its chocolate cookie ice creamy goodness with reckless abandonment.

3) There was a live band that played 80’s songs as though it were the coolest most popular music reaching your ears today.

4) Finally, this particular TGI Fridays was located at the Country Inns and Suites on the Amador Causeway. The tables were outside allowing diners to enjoy a cool night breeze while illuminated ships lumbered to and from the canal.

TGI Friday’s is worth it if you are tired, hungry or you just have a longing for the familiar. Just be careful who you tell or you’ll get an earful about eating at "American" chains while visiting another country.