Budget and Fun: Panama´s lifestyle

National Theatre, Panama

Visit a world heritage site second only to Jurassic Park for $300 or less. Or just hike around the numerous jungles, caves and lake areas of the Panama Canal either for free or for $35 on a guided group.  Stroll at the Casco Antiguo Flea Market and end up at a free theatre play at the Anita Villalaz theatre. This is what Panama has to offer for the ones who are ready to take things easy.

For example… Here is the calendar of events for this month…

Music, Theatre, Art:

May 13th: BDB Duet in Concert at National Theatre. Spanish pianists Maria José de bustos Yuste and María José Barandiaran Rodrigálvarez playing with Panama´s National Orchestra. Free entrance! you can email: emb.panama.ofc@maec.es

May 13th to 30th: Theatre play at the Anita Villalaz at Plaza Francia. “Foto de Señoritas y Exclusas” (photos of ladies and the Canal Locks). Phone: 6523-0543. Tickets at Allegro and Argosy.

Until May 5th: “New Moon” art show by Mariana Lleonart Castro at INAC´s art gallery (Paseo Las Bovedas).

May 10th: Flea Market at Plaza Catedral, San Felipe.

Business News:

May 6th: Soft opening of “Tomato” restaurant at Calle 4ta! Fresh Salads, soups and pizza.

Eco Trips: great outdoor experiences!

May 8th to 10th: tour to Coiba Island, Panama´s “Jurassik Park” and UNESCO site. Join for $200 or $250 per person. Includes: lodging at camping site, food, drinks and snorkeling equipment. Call: 970-0239

May 9th: Trip to Bastimentos Island at Bocas del Toro. $175. More info: 6687-2047

May 17th: Hiking at Lake Madden, Canal jungle. $25 per person, including transportation. Ph. 6747-0046 or www.clubecoaventura.com

May 24th: Hiking at Camino de Cruces. This is the old trail that the Spanish used to take to cross merchandise from the Caribbean to the old city of Panama. Mules would go through it loaded with gold and at some point they would change to boats at the Chagres River. Cost: $35. Includes: guide, transportation, snacks, boat and event TShirt. Info: www.ecoviajerospanama.com

May 24th: Underground tour to the caves of Bayano lake (also at the Panama Canal area). More info at: 261-5043

May 31st: Tour at Chagres river, kayaking. More info at: www.panamaoutdoors.com

Panama´s mega investments continue… recent photos

Panama mega investments are going forward full steam ahead. With the Presidential elections coming up next week, the current President Martin Torrijos Espino is eager to cut the ribbons and inaugurate it. Check out this recent aerial photo showing the big park extending through the coast.  This long strip of green connects “modern Panama” with the old colonial city of Casco Antiguo.

The mega green park will change Panama´s quality of lifestyle

Budget and Romantic: 10 Great things about Casco Antiguo

Casco Antiguo Santo Domingo Beach

1. You can walk everywhere.  And if you are entrepreneurial, you can even set up your business here and forget about the car almost all week round.
2. Plenty of choices on restaurants, more coming on bars (all at walking distance)
3. When walking around, most likely you´ll end up saying Hi to at least five people in the street.
4. You can volunteer in different areas, from urban agriculture to art workshops for local children.
5. Free concerts and cultural activities in general everywhere, from Jazz Fest to balcony theatre at Plaza Herrera
6. The beach and surrounding water views: it is a great place to walk around. Someday soon it will be clean enough to get in there, although most locals already do!
7. People are nice to each other, especially the “bien cuidaos”
8. Music in every corner. Sometimes too loud! but I know now that when it isn´t there I miss it (or immediately think there is something wrong in the picture)
9. Avenida Central and Salsipuedes at a few steps away. To walk around Salsipuedes, find really weird stuff no one has anymore and bargain.
10. The art of strolling around hand in hand with your loved one. Nothing like sharing a $0.50 raspao at Las Bovedas (lots of sugar!) while enjoying the beautiful sunset.

Panama´s healthcare 50% less than USA

Health insurance and general health care seems to be one of the most stressful issues in the United States today. With hundreds of thousands of workers laid off last year, and health problems on the rise – many of them without coverage, people are looking outside for options.

Martes Financiero at La Prensa last Tuesday published a comparison chart of what Panama has to offer. For example, Bypass in the States can cost up to $133,000 dollars. Replacing a knee might be $53,000 and even cosmetic intervention can be up to $16,000.  Health insurance, even with international cover (and depending on your health situation) might be as low as $70 per month.

But what about quality? While public health care is a national disaster, private health is competitive at an international level. A wide number of doctors that attend privately have studied in the States, some even exercise there (especially surgeons), operating regularly at hospitals in Houston.   US hospitals like John Hopkins have now a branch in Panama.  However,  a bypass hin Panama costs $10,500, a knee replacement is $5,500 and facial surgery is $2,500.

It seems that Panama is almost 50% cheaper than the States and quality isn´t compromised.  Dental work seems to be also popular.  According to the article, there are companies like Medical Tourism Panama and Pana- health are dedicated to provide services to the foreign patient, from travel arrangements to accomodation, transportation, and of course, hospital services.

Cuba and Panama: a powerful combo

Obama is lifting finally parts of the Cuban embargo. While you are thinking on traveling to Cuba, read this first….

Since colonial days Panama and Cuba have had strong bonds and almost similar development. They where both the “trade” places of excellence during the Spanish Gold (and slave) trade, which attracted people from all around the known world to make business. If you look at both historic cities, Havana and Casco Antiguo (also known as Casco Viejo) they are the only two “colonial” cities in the region that display a wide range of architectural styles. Everyone else is pure Spanish Colonial (Cartagena, San Juan, Antigua, just to mention a couple). This was not pure luck, it was the reflection of the people who lived in them.

Panama´s Casco Antiguo is a vibrant and more accesible mini jewel version of big Havana: colonial buildings sit wall to wall with Caribbean wooden houses, with Art Deco buildings, Republican buildings from the time of the Panama Canal and even fusion: there are several buildings that are French- Caribbean and so on. For the last ten years, the old Casco Viejo has been undergoing a revitalization

The Cuban – Panama culture
Music. This is a picture of Casa de la Musica in Havana.

process, which allows you to own a piece of history in the form of a charming restored condo or a commercial space. Casco Antiguo is business friendly place, welcoming all entrepreneurs to open bars, hotels, restaurants and much more. And is only a few minutes away from a cosmopolitan city and from primary forest.

Cuba and Panama are both defined by the word crossroads. This has shaped both cultures the same way: deeply Caribbean. Dance, food, speech, superstitions. Panama´s geography turned it into a business hub, more likely to be described as Costa Rica meets Hong Kong. With a conservative banking system, a Canal and diversified economy, it lead the region for the last couple of years growing at incredible rates comparable only to China. Even in this market, it will continue to grow over 3%, leading the region. Democracy is steady, a dollarized economy.

Watching photographs of people from Cuba and from Panama you´ll get a sense that you are looking at the same DNA pool. And probably you are! Panamanian and Cuban relations grew stronger – strange enough – during our military regimes. Both Omar Torrijos and Fidel Castro where great friends, and Cuban troops

Old Havana
Colonial city of Havana. Only Casco Viejo and Havana have this mix.

would visit Panama to train in our jungles. Roberto Duran, Panama´s most famous boxing glory visited Castro flying in Torrijo´s private plane and was welcomed and invited to dinner with Castro himself.

One of the main differences in our cultures, though, is product of a simple fact: Panama´s history never had any violence in its upbringing. None of our independences or separations where product of a big or long revolutions where thousands of lives where lost in a conflict that lasted several years. This seems to be the case of every Latin American and Caribbean country. When thinking about it, Haiti´s case comes to mind. While the first country to declare independece from its colonial state, it has sunk into the deepest of poverties because of its prolonged state of civil war. Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala and many islands of the Caribbean followed the same path… with the same unfortunate results. Cuba had its Cuban revolution and a prolonged period of being on “survival mode” because of the US Embargo which Obama is finally lifting slowly. But Panama had none of that. Therefore, our people are non violent, non confrontational. While we might be loud as any Caribbean guy would be, aggression just isn´t part of our culture.

Playful Style
Buses in Panama and in Cuba show the playful culture of the Caribbean

We are the “happy go lucky” of Latin America, and is a lucky country indeed as everything Latin America has, Panama has it as well… just in a “boutique” portion. From rain forest to cloud forest, from abandoned crystal clear beach (and rocky tan beaches too) to a caotic modern Panama City with restaurants offering great cuisine, from a 300 year old colonial quarter to a rustic town in the country side where homes are still made of clay with a technique that gathers the entire town in a celebration in order to build it, Panama is where everything can be experienced one bit at a time in less than 5 days. From here, you can take a direct flight to Havana and transport yourself to the past. Dance at Casa de la Musica (please, do not visit Tropicana, is not worth it), eat at any Paladar or walk the Malecon. And between the two you´ll get the most complete understanding of what the best of Latin Culture has to offer.

Panamanian Bus

Casco Viejo Panama
Panama´s colonial city is vibrant with businesses, festivals and welcomes new residents. You can buy a fully restored apartment, some of them property tax free.

Jazz Festival Casco Antiguo

Art Events at Casco Antiguo
Colegio del Cuerpo during Dance Festival Sobresaltos.

Children at school trip
Casco Antiguo is an outdoors classroom where Panamanian children learn about the country´s history and their own roots.

Where to Stay in Casco Viejo?  What to do?

Panama will continue to grow according to United Nation´s Report

Panama´s Growth according to United Nations

United Nation´s economic agency for Latin America and the Caribbean called CEPAL (Comision Economica para America Latina y el Caribe / Economic Comission for Latin America and the Caribbean) published in its website their growth projections for the region for 2009.  According to their economic study, Panama will grow over 3% this year, leading the region´s development and surviving the crisis better than its peers (at least for 2009).

In Casco Antiguo, things are moving along on all fronts. Several new businesses have opened, this time mostly locals: two new stores and a beauty salon, all of them in San Felipe. Doña Daisy, formerly on Calle 1era is now at the Santa Familia complex in Avenida A and Calle 5ta, a few steps away from the Canal House Hotel.  At Las Bovedas in Plaza Francia, a small handcraft store opened for tourist: it offers coffee, drinks and hand painted crafts, mostly fans (under this hot summer you come to appreciate!). The beauty salon is called Virginia, and is at the very entrance of San Felipe: you´ll see it to your left as you go up the bridge.  Friendly owners and nice creative nails. Washed and blower my long hair for $8.

Seeing these guys go forward with their businesses makes me think about that 3%.  A cold number for many, but very significant when you dig in and you get to see the faces of who make it possible. This is what gives you hope, for although times are and can be tough, there is nothing as surrounding yourself with positive energy.

Casco Antiguo Local Art Life

Slowly, organically, through patience and passion, Casco Viejo has grown to be Panama´s point of reference not only to experience the roots of the country but for most art events, concerts and shows. Artists roam the streets looking for gallery space or for a studio, even if in an unrestored building. Casco´s special social fabric where the poorest and the richest live side by side, getting along well and collaborating to make this a better neighborhood has also a lot to do with it. Also, the government´s help through the Oficina del Casco Antiguo, the Municipality, and the Historic Patrimony offices have been fantastic.

For Example: just last week Casa Góngora (which has become a regular spot for concerts Wednesdays and Fridays and an art gallery for emerging artist all other days) was showing pieces of sculpture Xenia Judith called “Esencia y Figuras” (Escence and Shapes). The same week, the Oficina del Casco Antiguo inaugurated another low income housing that will provide locals that are currently living in condemned buildings that need to get restored with beautiful housing, so they can continue to live in their own neighborhoods. Right in front of Casa Francia (this is the name of the new restored project, next to the iconic Boyacá at Plaza Herrera) you have the Danilo Perez Foundation, which is a music and jazz school for local kids. These locals at the same time are the source of inspiration and “salsa” of the hood. A perfect circle closes and feeds each stage to a renewed cycle.

I have to say they did a wonderful job rehabilitating the old Casa Francia. Plaza Herrera is becoming slowly one of the most interesting plazas in the neighborhood. Almost four fully restored social buildings housing locals that are actively contributing to the neighborhood with their businesses (from food, to seemstres, to haircuts, shoe repair shop and more). Other projects have started construction nearby, expanding this wave of rescue of the Caribbean patrimony of Casco Antiguo. But it doesn´t stop there, as Plaza Herrera is also home to the Danilo Pérez Foundation, a recently created jazz school at the old Music Conservatory building, right in front of Boyacá.

International music star, Danilo Pérez, and local developer Conservatorio S.A. entered in an agreement where the developer donated space to the foundation in this beautiful building for ten years. Children from the area are already attending to classes, some under scholarships and some incredibly talented ones had even gotten fellowships to study at the New England Conservatory.

Not bad for a 300 year old colonial city, only 15 streets and 3 avenues!

Surviving the crisis with a Panama Hat

During Panama´s Annual Jazz Festival in Casco Viejo 2008

With a diversified economy and a strong, conservative, banking system, Panama is on the move to protect the country as much as possible from the current economic crisis. For the last three years, Panama positioned itself as one of the fastest growing economies in the region, with numbers as far as 10% a growth reached only by countries such as China.

Worldwide, this year has been very different for everyone. But Panama’s advantage over the region may survive based on its diversified economy and mega projects that are being fueled by the government to support the system while times get tougher.

On the big scheme, as reporter Yolanda Sandoval from La Prensa notes in her last article “Liquid Transfusion: in the hands of Multilateral Agencies”, last December, the ACP (Canal Authority of Panama) signed credit with five multilateral agencies for over two thousand million dollars to finance the Panama Canal Expansion. 2,300 million Dollars only with the Inter-American Development Bank. This mega project is already gaining momentum, and is expected to employ most of the construction workers that may be laid off from the real estate industry.

From our experience, even in real estate, niches such as Panama’s colonial town Casco Viejo (a UNESCO protected World Heritage site also known as Casco Antiguo) are still thriving. Hotels are being built; projects are being completed and delivered. Every commercial space seems rented and there is demand for more. Investors are attracted by the limited supply of unique real estate and the influx of tourism, as one of Panama’s most visited sites.

Panamanian banks are also being proactive. The Inter-American Development Bank has approved a loan for 500 million dollars to finance a program called Liquidity Program for Sustained Growth. This financing will be part of a stimulus package that the Panamanian Government has announced as a first front to counter the effects of the crisis. The Government package includes 1,110 million dollars to incentive credit to investments.

Private Banks have also gone out to lobby funding. Global Bank got a credit line through the Inter- American Development Bank and IFC. About 25 million dollars will be earmarked for micro and middle size companies. Banco General, one of Panama’s leading banks, received financing from the Inter- American Development Bank for 80 million dollars to support the growth of their long term clients, especially mortgages.

The article also points out that as competition for money gets harder, the region will be competing with Asia, Europe, and the United States; international financial institutions will consider seriously how governments have preserved their social policies. Being actively involved in commercial exchange will be a big positive point. Because of its geographic location and facilities, several international agencies are already setting headquarters in Panama which will benefit the country when applying for funds. The General Secretary of Iberoamerica (Secretaria General de Iberoamerica) inaugurated their branch and next May the International Monetary Fund will have a new Regional Center for Technical Assistance to Central America, Panama and Dominican Republic.

The biggest threats for the region are unemployment and deceleration. But as Enrique Iglesias current Secretary General for Iberoamerica said in his interview to La Prensa, “the fundamental piece is the recovery of banks”. At least here, Panama seems to be an easier case.

Panama´s Macro Infrastructure Investment at Full Speed

With Presidential elections coming up in May, Panama´s current government seems to have given green light to speed things up. Major projects like the expansion of the Panama Canal and the Cinta Costera seem to be moving faster each day. The Cinta Costera,  even if not fully finished, has already started to wear it´s green clothes: palms, bushes and trees are already planted, ready to inaugurate.

For Casco Viejo, Panama City´s colonial quarter and end tip of the Cinta Costera, it is all good news. On this side of the cinta, the new pipes for the sewer treatment are being placed. Soon, the Cinta Costera´s park will touch Casco Antiguo nearby the Mercado del Marisco (Fish Market) allowing direct access to a fantastic outdoors area.

For Casco Antiguo residentes, this will be an added plus to their lifestyles. Already living in a 300 year old colonial city with the human scale of a small town but embedded 10 minutes away from modern Panama, residents of Casco Viejo have only to walk two minutes to get to a beach. As the Bay cleanning project advances, they´ll be  the first ones to benefit from it´s surf spot at the point of Las Bovedas.  Already a popular surf point for locals, as the current female surf champion Samantha lives in San Felipe and surfs there regularly.

With the Cinta Costera, they will now have a fantastic strech of park for outdoors activities,  everything within ten minutes walking.

As traffic and cost of living raises, Casco Viejo is probably one of the few places in Panama that offers bits of city and town living at the same time, no car necessary, unless you want to explore the jungle or to travel to the country side.  This is making it attractive to a younger profile who is not finding any exciting options at their home countries. The United States alone, announced over an 8% unemployment rate.  Moving oversees to start a new business or just to keep a low profile seems to be getting more popular along young professionals.

Dance Open Doors to Children at Pioneer Program in Casco Antiguo

Colegio del Cuerpo in Casco Viejo, Panama

To spark change through dance. To transform children forever, from inside out. Any casual observer would see a beautiful modern dance troupe that could have easily been from New York. But it wasn´t just “any troupe”. It was Colegio del Cuerpo.
Colegio del Cuerpo is a dance troupe from Cartagena that was born in the poorest area of Colombia´s historic town. It was founded by Alvaro Restrepo, taking children from the streets and opening the doors of art to them. Ten years later, the company is worldclass. Interesting, well trainned, produces beautiful and meaningful ballets. After their presentation in Panama last year at the Sobresaltos Dance Festival in Casco Viejo, the Oficina del Casco Antiguo worked with them to set up a similar program in Panama´s historic city. It was a dream for the fifteen kids who originally participated in Sobresaltos.

But also a vital element for those involved in the revitalization of Casco Antiguo. Currently Panama City´s second tourism destination, the historic area is thriving. Hotels are being built, restaurants and bars are very often busy, and art festivals or miscellaneous events are now part of the colonial city´s fabric.  Locals are an important part of this development, and art is one of the best ways they can express themselves and collaborate with the best of their culture.

Last week, the official inauguration of the program took place at Plaza Bolívar, at the current Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Colegio del Cuerpo did a great show in front of a large number of kids, now all future dancers.  To see Alvaro Restrepo say at the end: “my dancers where your age when they started” and to see the results right there, was simply incredible.

Colegio del Cuerpo in Casco Viejo, Panama