travel in Panama – Page 6 – Innside Coffee Mountain Inn

January 2, 2013January 2, 2013

Diablo Rojos – a tribute

I have a side track from Santa Fe today – but it is Panama related. I just got off the phone with my friend, Nina, who was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama at the same time as me and later did her doctoral work at Tulane (and also married a Panamanian, like me). She is a Panamanian anthropology nerd -and directed a short documentary on – Diablo Rojos, or red devils. The film was nominated for all kinds of awards and looks at people, buses, art and innercity life through the viewpoints of several interviews. What’s really neat about Nina is that she has this way of getting to know people and finding wonder in things that many people may not.

The Diablos Rojo buses ran Panama City routes before being outlawed in 2011 (one reason was safety) and were replaced by the government run metrobus system. The Diablos Rojos were privately owned, and were notable as the owners would paint the exterior of the buses (old US school buses) with all kinds of colors, sayings, pictures of women and Jesus. The buses would run the downtown, barrio routes. Drivers would play reggae or hiphop, and people would be crammed into the buses. A pavo (turkey), or assistant to the driver, would hang out the front of the bus, shouting destinations and taking money. Since most people do not drive a car to work in the Capital, many Panamanians would travel back and forth from work using a Diablo Rojo. People loved the buses, people hated them, but you were never bored on a Diablo Rojo!

Today people buy a pre-paid metrobus card and ride on quiet, air conditioned buses. For all the convenience, you can’t help but feel like you’re missing something essential of the soul of the city.

December 23, 2012December 23, 2012

Where to stop on your way to Santa Fe? A his and hers story.

The drive from Panama City, Panama to Santa Fe de Veraguas takes 4 – 4.5 hours. (Get Directions to Santa Fe, Veraguas) To break up the trip, my husband and I often make quick stops to eat, rest, stretch (of course, we have different favorites). Here is a list of our recommendations.

Our favorite stops on the road to Santa Fe (From Panama City)

1. Quesos Chela and Altos de Campana

Her: I love Quesos Chela in Capira. They are a family owned business, making cheese and breads in small batches. They have an entrance right off the highway, as you are leaving Capira (off to the right), about an hour or so out the Panama City. They are well known for a Panamanian drink – Chicheme. A non-alcoholic blended drink made of corn, milk, and sugar served with ice. The drink is different than what you’re used to drinking-but it’s good. But if you have fussy eaters in your group (including yourself ;)), you might want to pick up one of their many more familiar for the tongue “chichas”, homemade fruit drinks, as well. You can also pick up fresh bread, cheese, and empanadas.

I like to combine this with a picnic at Altos de Campana National Park. The entrance is another 10 minutes or so down the road, off to the right, as you are heading through the pass. A 15-20 minute drive up the windy paved road will afford some really great views of the mountains to the marsh areas near Bejuco, and there is both a trail head and an overlook on the road that make good picnic spots. It is quiet, not much traffic and quite nice.

Him: The food is good, but it is too light for me.

2. Santa Clara, Las Veraneras

Both: We like stopping here.

Las Veraneras is a hotel/restaurant locally owned about 2 hours from Panama City. It’s right on the beach in Santa Clara (left turn from the interamerican, when you see Xoco’s restaurant) follow the main road until you come to the beach, then make a right, continue for about 150m. The restaurant is great for lunch at reasonable prices and location -unbeatable. They have a lovely, large open air restaurant with a palm roof on the sand beach. While we wait for the food to be ready, we have gone out for walks on the beach, and have also just sat and talked. Tip: If you are in a hurry, ask what they have that can be ready in 10 minutes. If they have a daily special, they’ll let you know.

3. La Pintada

Him: La Pintada is about 10-15 minutes from Penonome It’s a small rural Panamanian town with charm. It’s about 2.5 hours from Panama City.

Her: It’s a nice town, and if you’re not in a hurry, a good side trip.

4. Santiago

Both: Before you come up to Santa Fe, you can stop to get supplies in Santiago, the regional capital. It’s about 3-3.5 hours from Panama City. I don’t really like driving around in cities in places I don’t know well (countryside – I love). So we mention a few stops directly off the interamerican highway.

Banks. There are several banks with ATMs on the interamerican (one right next to the Do It Center (to your left near turn off to Santa Fe), one inside the Machetazo). There are no ATMs in Santa Fe.
Gas. There is a gas station after you have turned onto the road to Santa Fe and are leaving Santiago (to the left). Fill up before you come up. There are no stations in town.
Groceries, snacks, sunscreen. As you come into Santiago, there is a Machetazo off to your right, in the Galleria shopping center. It’s a good place to buy whatever you need.

5. El Mirador & Iglesia de San Francisco

On the trip up to Santa Fe, you will pass through San Francisco. It has a historical church dating back to the 1500s, and after you leave town, you will pass by El Mirador, a restaurant & cheese factory. They have great views and cheese, great prices, and just OK food.

June 30, 2012July 17, 2012

The little goat that could: transport by chiva

Transport by truck in Santa Fe, Veraguas — *Elias’s Chiva in Santa Fe, Veraguas*

Chivas (translated goats) is a term used to refer to small transport vehicles, most often pickup trucks with an area in the back where people sit. These are often used in rural areas to get between small towns on rough roads.

Transportation is a competitive business

In Santa Fe, there are two internal routes, one goes from Santa Fe-Guabal (though the Chivas are marked with Calovebora), the other makes a circuit of Santa Fe – El Pantano. There are a limited number of trips permitted on each route, and each driver or owner holds a cupo for the right to drive on that route. The national government sets the fare-you will not be overcharged on a chiva. In both cases in Santa Fe, there are several owners who operate on each route. They work up a schedule for which chiva operates when. Some drivers are the owners themselves, others are employees of the owners, and still others work out a deal with the owners for commission. As with any business where owners compete for limited resources, there are rivalries and also alliances between operators.

Did you know: You may occasionally see these chivas chain up. Chains on tires are used for mud, not snow in Panama.

How to take a chiva

If you’re near the center of Santa Fe, simply grab one near the central plaza. If you’re on one of the roads around Santa Fe, hail it. (How I hail a chiva: Turn around to face the truck. Make eye contact. The driver may toot his horn, this is asking, hey do you want to get on? Whether s/he does or not, stick out your arm (you’re saying, why yes I do want a ride)) If you have a stopping place that’s not the end of the route, tell the driver before you get on. Make sure they understand.
Climb in back. The driver may ask if you want to sit in front. I’m overly cautious, and as a woman, I prefer to travel with other people in back. Ladies, Panamanian men tend to be very flirtatious and male drivers often ask a pretty woman (like you obviously) to sit in front with them. I’ve heard some of the less generous women refer to these seats as the “bus slut” seats. I think this is very unfair, it’s a woman’s prerogative to look good if she wants to. And flirting can be fun, but just be forewarned that flirting may ensue. Bus slut or not, if you’re lugging around a big backpack, the driver may ask you to put it on top of the vehicle. Do this. If it rains, there will be a tarp that goes over it.
You can always ask for a stop by banging the outside of the vehicle. If other people in the back see you doing this, they’ll help you.
When you get off, don’t forget to wait for your luggage to be handed down. Pay the driver.

June 20, 2012July 17, 2012

Tipping Point

Tipping in Panama, Hotels and Food, Tracy Olson — Source: Tracy Olson, Flickr

Tips, Hotels and Good service – Panama

One aspect of visiting Panama that may come as a surprise to North American travelers is tipping – not expected in most of Panama. Think about it, a strange custom to much of the working world, where you tell someone the price of a service….which you proudly offer, and they pay you more!

Unlike in the US, tips are not factored as part of anyone’s pay in Panama.

when to tip?

It is a little more complex than this, here are a few rules of thumb I go by, the first two are hard won truths:

– There are some actions which are just part of being human. Don’t expect less from other people because you may make more money than them. A sincere and specific thank you is appreciated by most people.

-If people ask for a tip, they don’t deserve it.

-The exception is for people looking out for your car while leaving it in any area where you take a ferry (colon, bocas). If you’re not leaving it in a lot-you should, and you better tip a $1, because that car is going to be there as is the person after you’re gone.

-Tips for taxis are never expected. They will charge you more anyway than they should (sigh…).

– If you are eating in any restaurant, and plates under $8, a simple tip of $1 after a meal for excellent service would be a nice gesture, but it would not be expected. .

-If you are eating in a location where the plates are over $10, tip 10%.

-I always have this vision that people are expecting tips, that’s why they are showing me to my room and helping with luggage. This is the truth. People don’t expect a tip and don’t think less of you for not tipping. Tipping bellboys, maids, barbers, the people who put gas in your car, etc.. not necessary. If the person is going beyond their duties, yes, a small tip or probably more appropriate, a thank you is appreciated.

-As in the US, a tip to the owner of a small business is never expected.

May 20, 2012July 17, 2012

May, the month of the mango

The mangoes you may buy in supermarkets in the states are poor imitations of the sweetness, tanginess, juiciness of mangoes harvested locally. If you go to eat a mango, smell it, if you can’t smell it, it’s not worth eating.

When I first live in Panama, over a decade ago, I arrived in the month of May, the month when many fruits like mangoes and avocados start ripening. Children wander around with “mango mouth” the tell-tale rash around the mouth that come from eating mangoes too early or too much, or just having a reaction to urushiol, the poison oak compound found in the leaves of the mango.

Try some different kinds of mangoes. In any small town, you will find several types of mango trees…mango redondo, mango pelado, mango aguacate…it would not be uncommon to have over 20 classes of mangoes in one small town.