For those of us who live in Panama, getting even the simplest tasks completed can be difficult. Whether it be in government offices, the bank, or even the grocery store, we are often faced with under-trained employees and a lot of hoops to jump through. I recently had an incredible experience with a company in [...]

Filed under: Business, News on October 29th, 2008 | 2 Comments »

Panamanian police are warning the public about an escaped criminal that may have his eye on tourists visiting this country. 23-year old Jonathan Oda has a lengthy criminal record, and a number of his alleged crimes have to do with tourists visiting Panama.

Filed under: Country Guide, Living & Retirement, News on October 28th, 2008 | 1 Comment »

Panama’s Most Famous Tourist Destination – The Canal
For the first time ever, Panama has seen more than 1-million visitors in the first eight months of the year. Though these statistics are encouraging, will the trend continue even with the economic collapse being experienced around the world?

Filed under: News on October 27th, 2008 | No Comments »

Panamanian Back Catcher Carlos Ruiz
A back catcher from David, Chiriqui could be the next Panamanian to make this country proud. Carlos Ruiz is hoping his National League baseball team, the Philadelphia Phillies, will be the winners of the 2008 Baseball World Series.

Filed under: News, Sports on October 24th, 2008 | 1 Comment »

A Traditional Embera Greeting
A visit to a Panamanian Embera village will leave you feeling like you have stepped back in time. These friendly, smiling people live with less than you or I could imagine, yet they are some of the happiest people you could hope to meet.

Filed under: Culture, News on October 22nd, 2008 | 5 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 »

Panama Needs More Developers Willing To Preserve Nature
It seems all too often in Panama developers care little about the environment or preserving the natural beauty of this country. Trees get destroyed, land is razed and animals are forced out of their natural habitat. Luckily there are some builders in Panama that take their responsibility to [...]

Filed under: Business, Living & Retirement, News, Real Estate on October 20th, 2008 | 1 Comment »

Vote For Saladino For World Athlete Of The Year
Irving Saladino won a gold medal in the long jump event at the Beijing Olympics, and now he’s in the running for the 2008 World Athlete Of The Year. Saladino is considered a national hero in Panama, but does the rest of the world recognize his accomplishments enough for him [...]

Filed under: News, Sports on October 17th, 2008 | No Comments »

Yellow Fever Vaccine Now A Recommendation In Panama – Not A Requirement
A few months ago Panama’s Ministry of Health decided that travelers coming in to Panama from other Latin American countries would need to be vaccinated against yellow fever. This new regulation prompted huge line ups at the three sites in Panama where the vaccine could [...]

Filed under: News on October 16th, 2008 | 4 Comments »

Do Panamanians Earn Enough Money To Survive?
Panama’s minimum wage is much lower than in first world countries. The argument used to be that the cost of living is much cheaper in Panama than in North American and European countries. Though that still holds true in some instances, prices are skyrocketing in Panama. Should Panamanians be [...]

Filed under: Culture, News on October 14th, 2008 | 5 Comments »

Great Airline Discounts To Panama Are Now Available
Anyone who travels frequently between the US or Canada and Panama will tell you that airfare often costs an arm and a leg. I have been making the trip between Canada and Panama for more than 4 years and usually have to cough up about $700 US for [...]

Filed under: News on October 13th, 2008 | 1 Comment »

From Wall St. to Hong Kong, the markets are reeling
Sir Isaac Newton said, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”
With the global financial markets in turmoil, Panama could very well benefit. For many years Panama has been touted as an offshore haven. Grey area business types, tax planners and multinational [...]

Filed under: Business on October 10th, 2008 | 7 Comments »

Panamanian Margarita Henriquez (left) Wins Latin American Idol
Hot on the heels of Panama winning an Olympic gold medal in Beijing, Panama now has another great reason to celebrate. Margarita Henriquez, a resident of the Azuero peninsula, has won Latin American Idol. Panamanians are fiercely patriotic and with Henriquez’ win, you can feel the pride throughout [...]

Filed under: News on October 10th, 2008 | 3 Comments »

Lola The Monkey – A Well Known Attraction In Los Santos
Most foreigners and Panamanians living in the Los Santos province are familiar with Lola, a friendly, wild monkey that lived in a clearing on the side of the road just outside of Las Tablas. Unfortunately, Lola’s owner discovered her dead this past weekend.

Filed under: Country Guide, News on October 9th, 2008 | 1 Comment »

Should Foreigners Be Concerned About Rising Crime Rates In Panama?
In the past few months there have been a handful of incidents of foreigners being victims of violent crime. Though certainly Panama is much, much safer than most Latin American countries, should foreigners be concerned about their safety in Panama?

Filed under: Living & Retirement, News on October 7th, 2008 | 3 Comments »