Blog.PanamaForum.com

Welcome to the 15th issue of the Panama Forum Newsletter!

Drumroll….. this week we passed our 2,000 members mark. Woot! Woot!

Thanks Panama friends for your continued support and especially for your participation in our online discussions.

Have fun this weekend and enjoy Panama!

TOP PANAMA THREADS:

• Cost to live in Panama?
  How much can you expect to spend per month to live in Panama?
• Best Dentist in Panama City
  Do you have a favorite dentist in Panama? One that speaks English and does great work at affordable prices? Please share.
• Best Location in Panama to Live?
  Which city / location in Panama is the best to live and why? Make your pick and find out what others think.
• Residency for Investors or Businesspersons
  Any residency related questions. From the easiest, fastes to the cheapest way to get a Panama Visa. Share and learn.
• Boquete
  Insightful opinions and experiences of living the good life in Boquete. Read and rejoice.

PANAMA NEWS:

• Work On The New Panama-Colon Highway 30% Complete
  Construction has started on the pilings that will support the new bridge over the Chagres river. They continue to advance at a good pace because they are working 24 hours a day with continuous shifts.
• HP-1302 Crashes On Takeoff from Albrook
  A Piper Seneca small private airplane with registration number HP-1302 crashed shortly after having taken off from the Marcos A Gelabert (Albrook) airfield this morning at about 11:30 am. Aboard were the pilot and a mechanic. Both survived the crash with minor injuries, mostly to their hands.
• Immigration and Banking Reforms Approved By Cabinet
  The new laws (by executive decree) to reform immigration and banking in Panama were ratified by the Executive Cabinet yesterday.  With regards to the banking reforms, the changes will “adapt and adequate Panamanian norms to international standards, through the fortification of the Superintendent of Banking.”
• FARC Clash with Panamanian Border Police in the Darien
  Just when people were thinking the security situation in the Darién province had been controlled, a new confrontation between Colombian FARC insurgents and Panamanian police units occurred yesterday.
• Panamanian Lawmaker Busted with 50 Kilos of Smack
  This Saturday Panama’s First Anti Drug Prosecutor reported the arrest of a Substitute Deputy from the Panameñista political party to Panama’s National Assembly, Fausto Misselis González, for the crime of possession of illegal substances. The arrest occurred last Thursday when the politician and three other people with him were surprised with 50 kilos of heroin, eight kilos of cocaine, and an unspecified amount of marijuana.

Mmmhhhh… a cold coconut on a sunny beach in Panama? Yes, anytime!

Photo by thinkpanama.

Hello fellow PanamaForum members!

This week, the murder of a union leader led to violent protests and riots throughout Panama that left at least 14 police officers injured and more than 300 construction workers arrested:

“The demonstrations were part of a week-long, nationwide protest by the National Union of Construction Workers (SUNTRACS) that on Tuesday resulted in the death by gunfire of union leader Airomi Smith.

A union leader […] hinted at a possible general strike by 80,000 workers that would affect 1,000 construction sites around the country.”

Fortunately, things have calmed down and at the time of writing (Saturday evening) the streets here in Panama City are calm and safe. However, there is still a general feeling of uneasiness luring about in the streets, and I hope that all parties involved come to a satisfactory solution quickly.

Be safe, take care, and enjoy Panama!

TOP PANAMA THREADS:

• Travel Advisory
  With the late rioting and protests going on… is it safe traveling to Panama right now and in the weeks to come? Is it such a big deal, or does it happen all the time? Panama loves to protest.
• Panama sounds right for us!
  Indeed it does. Share your advise and Panama knowledge with new member kidchico, who is considering moving to Panama.
• Best beaches of Panama
  Where are the best beaches in Panama? What are the costs of hotels close to the beach? Find out and join in in this discussion here.

PANAMA NEWS:

• Panama construction workers clash with police
  Thousands of construction workers protesting the death of three colleagues and demanding higher wages clashed with police Friday in Panama City leaving dozens of people injured. Angry workers brandishing clubs, rocks and crowbars confronted riot police armed with tear gas and rubber bullets, blocking traffic on several busy streets.
• Panama workers clash with police
  Nearly 300 protesters were arrested in Panama as construction workers clashed with police for the third day running over the shooting death of a fellow worker earlier this week. It was the latest in a series of clashes since the fatal shooting of a construction worker from the SUNTRACS union during a demonstration on Tuesday over safety conditions.

These twins in Bocas del Toro bring pure sweetness to my heart.

Photo by Depature Lounge.

Diablos Rojos (Spanish for “Red Devils”) are former US school buses that are colorfully decorated and that mostly have famous people and religious phrases painted on them. These buses are privately owned and yes they drive around like the devil would!

Photo by josemazcona.

A mesmerizing view on the Panama City Bay taken from Miramar Intercontinental Hotel.

Photo by Iperher.

Hi PanamaForum.com friends!

I hope you enjoyed the Carnaval this week. But if not, there is always next year. The 2009 Panama Carnival will take place from February 20 - 24, 2009.

Enjoy Panama and have fun!

TOP PANAMA THREADS:

• Cheap town, not far from a city and beach
  Veronica is moving to Panama and wants to know how and where to find a nice house for rent. Can she live the good Panama life on €800 a month? Join in on this discussion.
• Peak price time at Royal Decameron
  The Royal Decameron rates seem to peak for the week of March 31 and are cheaper on either side of that. Anyone knows why that is so? GordonS would be happy to know.
• Agriculture As A Business
  Farming business in Panama? Yay or nay… and why? Share your opinion.
• MRWOOHOO Just moved to Panama
  Woot! Go to this thread to welcome MRWOOHOO to Panama.
• Costs of liquor
  Is it cheaper to buy a bottle of something like Crown Royal at the airport duty free or at some vendor in the city or suburbs? Do you know?

PANAMA NEWS:

• Mechanical failure caused Panama spill
  Decal Panama says this month’s bunker fuel leak from a storage tank on Taboguilla Island was caused by a “mechanical failure”. Spill was retained by floating boom. The accident happened on Friday near the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal.

• The Original “Diablo Rojo”
  A whip-snapping devil oppresses Congos, or African slaves, in the Congos y Diablo carnival ritual in Nombre de Dios, Panama. The devil represents Spanish conquerors in the rite, which dates to colonial times.
• Panama Jazz Festival - The Panama Suite
  One of the big announcements that took place during the Panama Jazz Festival was the release of a commemorative CD celebrating five years of Jazz in Panama; a nifty album performed by The Panama Suite. The Panama Suite is a three-movement composition that combines urban sounds with Panamanian folkloric elements in a big band setting.

Beautiful butterflies in a garden in Boquete.

Photo by Bill and Mavis.

Hi friends,

For those of us who enjoy Carnival… paradise has arrived!

What do people do during Carnival and what is it all about?

It’s 100% about having fun! That means dressing up, dancing, drinking, eating, getting drenched in water, meeting fun people, WOW

The Panama Carnival (or Carnaval in Spanish) has been celebrated since the early 1900s. It’s performed all over Panama but the largest celebrations take place in Panama City and Las Tablas (Los Santos province). Parades, floats, lively and beautiful costumes can be seen on main streets, like Via España in Panama City. Revelers can enjoy live music from famous Latin American artists like Sergio Vargas. During daytime the party is on the streets and in the evening it continues at discos, night clubs, bars and hotels.

What’s been going on in Panama City?

Day 1 (Friday - Feb 01)
The 2008 Carnival Queen was selected on Friday, and she is:

Liseth Díaz (center)
Many popular hotels offered festive events, with live music and lots of dancing and fun.

Day 2 (Saturday - Feb 02)
Carnaval parade on Via España! There were lots of people enjoying the music everywhere (music style is mostly salsa, Panamanian and Afro-Cuban).

Day 3 (Sunday - Feb 03)
At midday there are mesmerizing pollera parades throughout Panama (polleras are Panama’s traditional costumes).

Day 4 (Monday - Feb 04)
More parades! Be sure to get a taste of the yummy street food as well.

Day 5 (Tuesday - Feb 05)
This day is the most celebrated of all… and the parades show it. Enjoy impressive costumes, masks and decorated floats. Partying ends in the early hours of the morning.

On Wednesday you can sleep late… banks and some shops open at midday.

Some great Carnival links:
http://www.carnavaldepanama.com
http://www.panama-guide.com/article.php/20080125174142255
http://www.panamatours.com/Magazine/carnaval2003.htm
http://www.thepanamanews.com/pn/v_12/issue_05/news_01.html

Enjoy the 2008 Panama Carnival and have lots of fun!

TOP PANAMA THREADS:

• Electronics protection
  Protecting electronic devices from humidity, heat and salty air. Interesting thread.
• Need help from Panama City
  Kurfuerst1 needs someone to pick up key chains from the Hard Rock Cafe in Panama City for his collection. He pays the shipping.
• Squatters Rights
  Can someone claim your property if you haven’t been living there for months or years?
• Alternative Energy in Panama
  Solar panels, wind turbines, geothermal energy? Sure. Join this discussion.

PANAMA NEWS:

• Panama Canal Fuel Spill Triggers Environmental Alert
  The Pacific Ocean entrance to the Panama Canal was put under environmental alert after thousands of gallons of ship’s oil spilled during a routine pumping operation, Panama Maritime Authorities said Saturday.
• 2nd February 2008 (MI6)
  A 78-year-old building that houses the Cultural Institute of Panama will be transformed into a hotel for the filming of the new James Bond film “Quantum of Solace”. Shooting will also includes scenes set in the northern province of Colon.
• U.S. Commerce Secretary touts free trade
  Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez used a trip to Indiana to urge Congress to approve free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea, saying the pacts would open up new markets for American companies’ products.