It’s funny because my assumptions of what Panama City would be like were quite off. For starters, everyone I know who’s been there hasn’t been there in 2-6 years and apparently it’s developed quite well since then. And secondly, we’ve spend quite a bit of time in the PTY airport and it was just run down. Maybe the changes in the airport, even since I was last there 6 months ago, are representative of the changes happening in Panama City. When I walked off of the plane, I stopped almost immediately, looked around, turned and asked the flight attendant who got off behind me, “did they just rebuild this airport?!” Indeed it was freshly rebuilt. I think that’s what Panama is going for.
Panama City was one of the most important cities in the early days of the spanish explorers and Casco Viejo, known as “Old City” was burned by the famous pirate, Captain Henry Morgan. Now it’s a popular tourist spot, and in 2003 it was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The interesting European churches and architecture along with the pacific coast and Panama culture made Casco Viejo a beautiful part of town.
I’m told this used to be an area of frequent theft. I guess that would explain why there was a cop on every single corner. Perhaps because it’s the tourist area? I could imagine why there were a ton here and none near my hotel. A man told us it was because theft there is just that bad. Who knows.
Truth be told we wanted to see the rainforest but it didn’t stop raining until around 5, which is when the park closes, so I’m told. Either way it would have been later and this seemed like a much more relaxing way to spend the afternoon/evening we had. Our hotel was in the center of the city, which obviously doesn’t have the relaxed feel that we found here.
I was seriously tempted to run down and jump into the water with kids but I’m not so sure about the water in the area.
I had no notions of keeping up in soccer.
The Caribbean Hopper:
- Where and how we booked it
- Renaissance Aruba
- Radisson Decapolis Panama
- Exploring Old City Panama
- InterContinental San Juan
- Exploring Puerto Rico
- Gran Melia Golf Resort Puerto Rico
- Radisson Ambassador Plaza Hotel San Juan
- Conclusion
I lived and worked in pty in 06. Ended up buying a casa in the mountain town of Volcan. Had to sell out and return due to the crash in the USA.
Real estate was booming in pty.
They suffered like all in 08 but due to the US economy but bounced back much quicker and are still going strong.
The euro buyers could buy at the usd prices and made for some good deals.
The airport and the city have been re developed nicely.
I had a window seat on my approach to the city last feb and could see that many of the proposed projectos were completed.
Problem is this…it’s no longer the great cheap ex pat hide away. My ex pat friends living there say it cost like the USA.
Still a nice place to visit and overall the Panamanians are wonderful people. Just remember theft is just part of it in Latin am. I was reminded in Espanol,that translates to
” keep a eye on your papayas!”