The US State Department has issued a very negative report about Panama’s judicial and prison system. Anyone who reads or watches the news in Panama will realize this report comes as no surprise.

Filed under: Culture, History, News on February 26th, 2009 | 1 Comment »

January 9th marks the 45th anniversary of a riot that occurred in Panama which killed upwards of 21 Panamanians and 4 US soldiers. The riot was the result of a disagreement between Panamanian students and Panama Canal Zone police officers.

Filed under: Business, History, News on January 8th, 2009 | 2 Comments »

Panama has a pretty extensive holiday schedule. November and December are the two months with the most national holidays. It’s pretty tough to get much done between now and the new year due to all of the holidays.

Filed under: Culture, History, News on November 2nd, 2008 | No Comments »

The Black Christ Of Portobelo
Every town in Panama has their own patron saint, and Portobelo, a small town on Panama’s Caribbean coast, celebrates theirs today. The Black Christ is the religious symbol of Portobelo and has been since 1658. More than 30-thousand people are expected to partake in today’s celebration in Portobelo.

Filed under: Culture, History, News on October 21st, 2008 | No Comments »

Albert Einstein’s Head in El Cangrejo
Panama is known for having a rich blend of people from many countries, religions and backgrounds. Much of this diversity can be attributed to the construction of the Panama Canal. The Jewish community in Panama is quite large and the population has had a very distinct impact on the country.

Filed under: Culture, History, Living & Retirement, News on July 31st, 2008 | 6 Comments »

Festival Santa Librada – The Best Way To Get A Taste Of Panama’s Rich Traditions
The town of Las Tablas celebrates Santa Librada every July and if you’re in the area, it’s not to be missed. The town’s population swells during this popular weekend celebration, which is the second largest festival in Las Tablas, next to [...]

Filed under: Country Guide, Culture, History, News, Reviews on July 14th, 2008 | 2 Comments »

Character Abounds In Casco Viejo
Casco Viejo was founded in 1673 after pirate Henry Morgan sacked the original Panama City – Panama Viejo. Casco Viejo is sometimes called Casco Antiguo, and the Colonial Quarter. Walking through this beautiful neighbourhood gives you the feeling you could be in Havana or New Orleans.

Filed under: Country Guide, History, News on July 9th, 2008 | No Comments »

The most convenient way to get to the Amador Causeway is by taxi. From the downtown area it shouldn’t cost more than $5. Taxis are plentiful coming and going to the causeway, especially on weekends. 

Filed under: Country Guide, History, News on June 27th, 2008 | No Comments »

A Typical Panamanian Mola
Because of Panama’s unique geographical position between two huge bodies of water and its multicultural population, the country has an incredible amount to offer a tourist. Here are some of the things I think a visitor would regret not experiencing while in Panama.

Filed under: Country Guide, Culture, Food, History, News on June 26th, 2008 | 3 Comments »

“The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.”
–from the Bahá’í Writings.
There are more than four million of the Bahá’í around the world today, spread over 200 countries of all races and classes.
The Bahá’í believes that humanity is one single race and the time has arrived for it to become one family; that the [...]

Filed under: Country Guide, Culture, History on May 23rd, 2008 | 1 Comment »

Straw hats woven from the toquilla plant in Ecuador, like many other 19th and early 20th century South and Central American goods, were shipped first to Panama before sailing to the rest of the Americas, Europe and Asia.

Filed under: History on April 3rd, 2008 | No Comments »

I bet you thought that reggaetón came from Puerto Rico. Actually, it originated in Panama!

Filed under: Culture, History on March 28th, 2008 | 27 Comments »

Thomas Jefferson said, “I’m a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.”
Panama has enjoyed some lucky breaks over the past few years that the popularity and general perception of the country.  These occurances may have been the result of hard work whose luck was long overdue.  But an uncanny sequence of timely events created a [...]

Filed under: History on March 19th, 2008 | No Comments »

Summit National Park, also known as Summit Gardens, is a forest reserve turned park that is located a mere 20 minutes away from Panama City, in the Republic of Panama. Summit National Park is internationally renowned for having a truly impressive exhibit for Panama’s national bird, the Harpy Eagle.

Filed under: History on March 10th, 2008 | No Comments »

Chorrillo, located in the San Felipe district of Panama City in the Republic of Panama, is one of the most historically important areas of the city, but coincidentally also one of the most impoverished areas of the country.

Filed under: History on March 10th, 2008 | No Comments »