Panama, the Miami of Central America?

Panama City is simply interesting. It is very different from any city in Central America, is dynamic, the old struggles to keep up with the new, and the culture is very diversed. Also, the skiline is particularly impresive. From the distance, it seems to be a mix of Miami during the day and New York at night. One week is too short for a visit, but I did get a feeling of what is going on here.

I walked around and would say the city is divided in three parts:

1. Modern Panama, inspired by midtown Manhattan, where even the Donald has his mark here
2. Casco Viejo, the beautiful and enchanting historical site
3. Panama, where most locals carry on with their regular lives.

You can ask almost anyone here about his/her background, and it is like asking the same to a New Yorker - could be from anywhere. In Panama City's case, there is a large influence of West Indians, followed by other groups including Arabs, Indians, Europeans, and other Latin Americans in the composition of the general population. This is mainly a result of the construction of the Panama Canal in the early 1900's. Also, the Kuna and Guaymi are two of the main indigenous groups in Panama that come to the city. This is somewhat common in Central America, except in Costa Rica. To me, this is fascinating.

Three days is a pathetic time frame to fully appreciate the wonders of this city, but I got a general idea, and I had fun.


Panama City

This city is like no other I have seen in Central America, particularly because of the level of development. In Modern Panama there is costruction of new and tall buildings going on all around. Most of this has to do with the fact that the government now has full control over the Canal. Investors, analyze this!

From Calidonia to Punta Paitilla, there is Cinta Costanera, a modern highway going in and out of Modern Panama along the water. Better than an observatory in a tall building, I felt that the view from any of the three pedestrian bridges uncovers the dynamics of the city in all directions. Below there is the traffic jam, and in slow motion I could better appreciate a grey city growing in front of me, long ships waiting in line to cross the Canal to my right, the historic site in Casco Viejo behind me, and local Panama to my left. Personally, I think this is one of the best spots in Panama City to think and observe what is going on here.

Then there is Avenida Balboa, a secondary highway that runs next to Cinta Costanera. This one has nothing to help pedestrians cross the street. It took me a while to cross, and almost got killed. Once I was half way to safety, I felt like a squirel. When I reached the other side, I thought to myself "maybe this is how it feels for the common and less unfortunate men and women who are trying to keep the pace with the economy as it is".

At night I went to Calle Uruguay looking for a place to dance Salsa. The strip stretches for only three blocks, and the establishments are not necessarily local. In a way, the clubs and bars look like some places on Atlantic Avenue in Miami. I was there on a Thursday night, and every spot was half empty, so I am not sure how it really is during the weekend, although I´ve heard it can be good.

About the Red Devils, they are the city buses and have distinctive decorations from tire to roof. They are small, crowded, run fast, and have decorations even in the windshield, leaving a tiny space for the driver to see. The "Pavo" is the driver's helper, shouting the route and getting people into the bus. Saddly, these buses will eventually be replaced by modern bus units called MetroBus. They are nice, but will be more expensive. Currently, the fare is set at $0.25 anywhere within the city limits. It is gonna be a shame if they disappear, because the Red Devils give Panama City a unique character. Ah! The price of economic growth.

It seems to me that the current level of development might be too rapid for many to just swallow and adjust to. Money is pouring into the country to support new investment projects, but like in many other countries, unequal distribution and poverty are still major problems. I spoke to Rodrigo, a local in Casco Viejo, and he feels that education, health care and cost of living could be much better if in fact the economy of the country is doing that well. Not everything is bad, but he's got a point.

Casco Viejo

The Old Compound is the historical part of the city. Built in the 1700's, over time it became a slum. More recently, the local government has sponsored restoration projects, and eight years ago it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The entire neighborhood is beautiful, and some say it looks a little bit like Old Habana, but less deteriorated.

Casco Viejo is small and I practically covered almost every street and alley in two days. At night, the street lights give a brownish tone to the small alleys, blueish in the Plazas, and yellowish in most streets. The cafe's around the main plazas are good for a relaxed afternoon and evening surrounded by colonial buildings and churches, and the wall along Paseo de las Bobedas is a great spot for a walk and a view of the city lights.

This is also a great area to meet the locals and many other people from around the world. Here I met Bruno from Mexico and Paula from Colombia. Bruno works the "filigrana" art, selling jewlery that he makes from scratch. I took the time to learn something from him, and did good. Paula and Adriana run Frit-Arte, a coffee chop near Plaza de la Independencia. They also sell their own art that includes works with glass, paper, paintings, clothing, and jewlery. Here, you can find the best "arepas con jamon" in town! I also met Nanet, a musician and barista from California. She played "Chan Chan" by Buena Vista Social club with her guitar very nicely. Rodrigo is a local, and he gave me his views about the development going on in Panama and where to go for good local food.

Many buildings here have their own history. For example, Iglesia de San Jose has an altar that is covered in gold. In the 18th century, English Privatee Henry Morgan came to sack the city, as he did in many other occasions. In anticipation to this event, the priest of the church painted the altar all in black, and made Morgan believe there was nothing of value inside, so he left it intact. There is also the Arco Chato (Flat Arch) at the ruins of the Convento de las Mongas. The archs were built without any support and survived for over 300 years. The stability of the columns were an important factor in deciding to construct the Canal in Panama instead of Nicaragua. Then there are the houses. Some people like to keep their doors open for most of the day, and spend time outside with loud Salsa music while chatting with their friends during the evening.

Food around here is not cheap, so for a more affordable meal and a cultural experience, it is best to go where the locals hang out. The small restaurants are called Cafe or Fonda. I visited some of the small eatery places along Central Avenue and had very cheap and good food. I had "chicheme", which is a corn base drink with cinnamon. Another good dish is "tentacion", fried sweet plaintain with sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and butter. Tasty!


Central Avenue, Calidonia

The pedestrian mall on Central Avenue connects Casco Viejo with Calidonia. Here, I found a very local flavor and very affordable prices. This is a commercial neighborhood surrounded by old short buildings, and is well stocked with food and sun glass stands at every corner. Salsa and reggaeton music coming out of the stores makes the walk very pleasent, if you like these rhythms. Since Panama is very hot and humid, it is wise to buy coconut water for $0.25 or a Raspado (ice with syrup) for $0.50, or a fruit juice for the same price.

One day I spent two hours just watching people walking by. It is relaxing to sit on a bench here, drink coconut water, and take some pictures, or just watch people interact. Along and off the avenue, streets and alleys are loud and very lively, with people selling all kinds of things and foods, and shouting prices and greetings to one another. The street crossings are interesting, too. An ocean of people going from one side to the other in front of taxis and colorful Red Devils. Men pushing their coconut and fruit juice carts, shouting in distinctive ways to attract costumers. All of this and more is part of the daily life here in Calidonia.


The Kuna

The Kuna Yala are one of the major indigenous groups in Panama. They are very well organized, speak their own language in addition to Spanish, and have a strong presence in the city. Their villages are in the San Blas Archipelago, and they come to Panama City to sell their handcraft and for shopping. I was particularly interested in their character and way of dressing.

Women dress traditionally, whereas men, at least in the city, don´t. Their children also dress traditionally (only the girls), but it is becoming more common for them to wear jeans, tank tops, and sneakers. Their dresses and accesories are all the same, but different in colors and designs. The bracelets in their arms and legs are called Wini, and the colorful piece of fabric around the weist is called Mola. I bought one to hang on my wall, for whenever I decide to have my own apartment.

In terms of their character, they seem to carry themselves with a heavy dose of pride and strong confidence. They walk very fast, mind their business, don´t look around too much, and their body posture is always very straight. When it comes to pictures, they simply don´t like it. I asked for permission to take a picture of a family in their store, and even though they said yes, only the little girl looked into the camera and smiled. I wished I had had the time to go visit their village and learn more from them. Next time I will.

Another indigenous group that also comes to the city are the Guamies, who seem to be more approachable than the Kuna. Women wear a traditional one-piece long dress, whereas children and men wear regular clothing, at least in the city. Many of them cross over to Costa Rica to work in the coffee fields, and others sit silently on the streets in San Jose and Heredia and wait for people to give them money.

My visit to Panama was only for one week, but I got to see and do quite a bit. If you come, try to spend time at the salsa clubs, watch a beisbol game, and eat "tentacion" while drinking "chicheme". Go from Casco Viejo to Calidonia via Central Avenue for a flavor of the local culture, and watch the city from one of the pedestrian bridges over Cinta Costanera. Also, it would be nice to visit an indigenous village and explore the jungle. And of course, the Panama Canal is impresive. It is nice here!

Photo albums this week

• Panama City