Government Minister, Milton Henrquez, has confirmed that Panama will be cutting off ties with Mi Bus, the Colombian company that has been managing the Metro Bus system, in order to create a nationalized transportation system. Mi Bus has received a lot of complaints like long wait times and over crowded busses from…
I was out of town during last months Young Expats in Panama (YEP!) trip to Isla Grande so I was pumped to be able to make it to this one. The cost was just over $100 and included transportation (I don’t have a car so this was a big perk for…
According to an article that appeared on Telemetro, there have now been 80 cinematic productions that were recently filmed in Panama. “In the last year and a half there have been 80 foreign film projects of varying sizes that have been shot in Panama, which has lead to a $30…
I’m officially the owner of a used bicycle that I purchased from someone on Ecuentra24! I enjoy riding bikes but I have been hesitant to purchase one in Panama City because the only place to really safely ride one is at Cinta Costera or the Amador Causeway so I used…
Abner Benaim’s documentary Invasion has been submitted as an Oscar nomination in the Foreign Language Film category – making it the first time a film from Panama has been chosen for the honor. The documentary explores the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama where the U.S. practiced unnecessary force to oust Panama’s dictator Manuel Noriega.…
I recently returned to Panama from a two week trip back home to Louisville, KY and every time I go back I face a little bit of culture shock. None of these are serious cases of culture shock but are just some of the funny things I’ve noticed when heading back…
The Egyptian government announced last month that they would be doing the first major expansion of the Suez Canal in its 145-year history. In order to celebrate this major announcement they decided to create a series of special edition stamps featuring images of the Suez Canal. But the designers got their…
Thinking of buying real estate in Panama? Here’s an infographic by Panama Offshore Legal Services where they show you what you can get with a real estate investment, including comparisons between location, size, and types of properties:
After having an awesome trip to Medelln, Colombia last year I have been wanting to return to Colombia to check out the capital city: Bogotá (it took me forever to pronounce this correctly but the correct way to say it is bo-go-tah). Flights from Panama City to Colombia were previously very…
Quietly tucked away in Panama City’s San Francisco neighborhood lies Magno Barber Shop: The ultimate place for a guy to get a good haircut in Panama. [adrotate banner=”18″]When I first moved to Panama three years ago I dealt with transitioning into a new university, new internship, and a new life in…
The official 2015 trailer has been released for The Day After Festival, Panama’s top electronic music event of the year. This will be the third year that the festival descends upon Panama City bringing in some of the world’s top DJs. It will take place over three days at Figali Convention…
Panama’s Servicio Nacional de Migraci³n confirmed that this October there will be another immigration fair known as Crisol de razas , which literally means melting pot. The immigration fair allows foreigners in Panama to get a visa and work permit in just a few days. https://twitter.com/migracionpanama/status/501393400726573057 This will be the last…
Hundreds of people lined up at the 24 de Diciembre Gymnasium in Panama City on Saturday Aug 16 to get vaccinations, spaying, and neutering services for their dogs and cats. The day was put together by the Alcalda de Panam¡ together with Spay Panama, a non-profit organization that provides mobile low-cost…
I use prepaid Digicel service as my cell phone provider in Panama because they have the fastest and most affordable data plan ($14.95 for 3GB a month). And while I enjoy using the cheap service it does come with a really annoying feature: PROMOTIONAL TEXT MESSAGES! Previously I would get at…
Today marks the 100th year the Panama Canal has been operating since its inauguration on Aug. 15, 1914! The Panama Canal is often called one the “7 modern wonders of the world” and it generates over $1 billion a year for Panama. The current expansion of the Panama Canal is 72% complete and…
The preliminary plans have been revealed for line two of the Panama Metro. The second line will go from the San Miguelito to Nuevo Tocumen with a possible extension to Filipillo. It will be 21 km with 16 (17) stations and the entire line will be above ground. The biggest…
Panama’s National Air Service (Servicio Nacional Aeronaval – SENAN) destroyed 6,808 marijuana plants on San Miguel Island in the Archipelago of the Pearl Islands on Thursday July 20, 2014. SENAN indicated that there were two helicopters that led the operation where they detected the marijuana in the La Guinea neighborhood on…
I have been living in Panama for over three years and just recently discovered a way to instantly save 20% on medications at the pharmacy. Here is how: I needed to purchase some more allergy medicine so I headed to the pharmacy at Super 99 to restock. I asked for…
Panama’s former dictator, Manuel Noriega, is suing Activision for using his name and likeliness in their video game Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. Noriega did not give permission to use his image and claims the game portrays him as ‘a kidnapper, murderer and enemy of the state’, and is…
Juan Carlos Varela was officially sworn in as the president of Panama on July 1, 2014 at a ceremony that took place at the Rommel Fern¡ndez Stadium with an estimated 17,000 attendees. Varela won Panama’s election on May 4,2014 with 39.2% of the votes. His biggest campaign promise has been to implement…
Why pay for a taxi when you can travel in Panama City like a local! I’ve put together a guide on the easiest and fastest ways to get to some of Panama City’s key points of interest by using the Metro and Metro Bus. Using public transportation can save a…
I’m not much of a beer drinker, but I do love a cold Cerveza Panama every once in a while – and according to a new report, Panamanians like to drink a cold cerveza A LOT. A study conducted by the Contralora General de la Repºblica has revealed that between…
Sunday, June 15 began the first day that riders of the Panama Metro would have to pay the $0.35 fare to use the service. The Metro was inaugurated on April 5 and since it’s opening it has been completely free for users to ride. It was announced on May 14…
I just retuned to Panama from a two week trip home to Kentucky and I thought I would share one of the biggest complications I used to face when going home: setting up prepaid cell phone service. In Panama setting up a prepaid cell phone service is a breeze. Just…
Air travel throughout Latin America can be very expensive compared to the rest of the world. I would love to be able to travel more but due to the high cost of airline tickets I haven’t seen much outside of Panama. I visited Medellin, Colombia last year and paid a…
Donde José has closed, but you can check out his new casual dining restaurant LO QUE HAY. Once I found Donde José discreetly concealed behind an unmarked door in an outlying corner of Casco Viejo, I asked myself “how did this 16-seat eatery become Panama’s highest-ranked, most ambitious restaurant in…
May 22, the Young Expats in Panama group threw another great party! This one took place at the sleek and modern Aloft Hotel, which created a great ambience to mingle with fellow expats and locals in Panama. Check out the above photos to see how the event played out! Don’t…
If you have read my other posts, you would know I began taking Spanish classes at Casco Antiguo Spanish School a few months ago. I finished up the program I was doing last weekend so now I am off on my own. But am I fluent in Spanish yet? The…
Panama continues to be the “Hub of the Americas” with the newly announced non-stop flight to Denver, Colorado. The route will be operated by United Airlines with a Boeing 737-700 aircraft that has space for 118 passengers. The service will begin on December 3, 2014 and flight time will be…
The government announced today that the cost to use the Panama Metro will be .35 cents a ride (.70 round trip) and charges will begin on June 15, 2014. https://twitter.com/rmartinelli/status/466717108416413697 The Metro was inaugurated on April 5 and since it’s opening it has been completely free for users to ride. President Martinelli…
On Saturday I went to the Live Art Party at Onplog in Casco Viejo. I hadn’t been to Onplog for a while but it is a very neat space in Casco. The ceilings are low and when you walk in it basically feels like the coolest basement you have ever stepped…
The Panamanian tourism sector is focussing on the Caribbean side of Panama this year, which is a part of the country that remains largely undeveloped compared to the Pacific side. There will be three new hotels being constructed in the Colon province. One of them will be part of the…
Panama can be a frustrating place to live or visit if you don’t know a word of Spanish. There are plenty of English speaking Panamanians and foreigners living here but the average Joe you will encounter throughout the day most likely knows very little English. Will you be able to…
Panamanian airline company, Copa Airlines, was selected as the best airline in South America at the fifth annual Flight Stats awards. The award seeks to recognize the best airlines in the world and one of the reasons Copa was chosen for their flight punctuality. Copa Airlines president, Pedro Heilbron said…
Starting on Tuesday, May 6th users found breaking the Metro rules will be fined, informed Metro legal advisor Mara Arosemena. According to Decree No. 261, people found littering, smoking, or eating inside the stations or trains will receive a fine. Also prohibited are traveling with animals, with the exception of…
Juan Carlos Varela was announced as the new president of Panama on Sunday, May 4 and will serve the 2014 – 2019 presidency. He will succeed President Ricardo Martinelli who served as president from 2009 – 2014. https://twitter.com/JC_Varela/status/463140277658873856 https://twitter.com/EstrellaOnline/status/463131185095663617 This was a very close election with Varela obtaining 39.2% of…
I’m from Kentucky so I was a little down that I would be missing the Kentucky Derby festivities again this weekend. One of my friends had the brilliant idea of going to Panama’s horse racing track on Derby day to have our own Derby celebration. I texted all my friends…
Panama’s historic district, Casco Viejo, is once again being threatened to be removed from the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Casco Viejo was added to the UNESCO list in 1997 and until recently has been in good standing with the organization as the area has slowly gone from a…
When I first moved to Panama I went through a lot of awkward and different situations that I wasn’t used to back home in Kentucky. Here are some of my favorites that I can laugh at now: Plantains are not bananas My first trip to the supermarket was the most…
Instead of heading to the interior of Panama during Semana Santa like everyone else this weekend, I decided to stay home in the city and be productive. I’ve made a few tweaks and changes on my blog, did laundry, and binged on Netflix for a few hours. One of the…
