One month since I left my beloved familiar and friendly continent Europe for a new, completely unknown adventure, in a country where I barely knew someone and of which I knew even less.
35 kg of baggages, that's all I phisically took with me from home, and a lot of memories. Another house moving, again! When I got here I was more scared than I had ever been: it wasn't just a relocation to a new place on my own -I had already done that many times and I actually like the feeling. Honestly, it was especially the fear not to keep up with the new job I would have started 3 days after my arrival. I was feeling that I didn't really deserve that position and I was scared I would have deceived all my colleagues and most of all my boss, that gave me such a great opportunity to work with him. I was so scared that my mom, for the first time, came with me for the 10 first days !!!
Thank God, everything went so far so good !
Panama City is just amazing: a mix of modern and old. There is everything a young person needs to have, inside and outside the city...Pacific and Atlantic/Caribbean oceans at 3 hours ride distance, Central and South America at some hours distance, and especially beautiful wild sea/country landscapes right outside the city, where you can escape during the weekends and surf.
For the moment I have just spent a couple of days at the beach in the Pacific side and I was glad to see that leaving the city means really to explore the local culture. The rest of the country, yet to be explored, looks also incredible! Can't wait to visit San Blas and its indigenous region, Chiriquì, Santa Catalina, Isla Iguana, Bocas del Toro etc. etc.
Here the pictures and explanation about the top-7 parts of the city that I have liked the most.
1. Casco Antiguo
It is the ancient, colonial city of Ciudad de Panamà, located in the right corner of the city. It is curious to know that the real former old town ("Panamà Viejo") was actually in the opposite side of the city -now surrounded by skyscrapers- but the pirate Morgan had burned it in the 17th century and it was then re-built in another better located side of the city: the current one.
Casco Antiguo looks like a little fortress. I love it because you can appreciate many contrasts: you walk among beautiful Spanish colonial buildings, some totally elegantly renewed and some which are still very old, where poor people live, with no roofs or no good structure. Also, from Casco Antiguo you look at the city and have the best skyline ever! I can't help watching again and again the Panama City skyline. By day it is of a pastel colour, by night its buildings are illuminated by coloured and flashing lights.
My favourite place from which I admire the city are the rooftop terraces of the many nice bars located in Casco Antiguo, in the company of a delicious margarita. There are also a lot of other things to do: from the National Theatre (a little opera house), to the culture house, to great restaurants.
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| Claire and I in Casco Antiguo |
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| One of the markets in Casco Antiguo - now just relocated to a new place |
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| Catedral Metropolitana de Panamà - Santa Maria la Antigua |
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| Tantalo rooftop |
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| View from my favourite rooftop bar in Casco Antiguo |
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| Casa Gòngora |
La Cinta Costera is a long walking and bike path which connects Casco Antiguo with Punta Paitilla, inaugurated in 2009. The perfect place to have a walk by day but especially by night. You can go for a run after office, having the sea and palm trees on the one side and the skyscrapers in the other side. There are many facilities and people will be there running as well, so you won't feel alone and you will always find activities to do there: people doing yoga lessons on the grass, or playing tennis/basketball, doing excercises...For example, I signed up for a class of folkloric/country Panamanian dances every thursday with locals, and it is so much fun!!
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| El Mercado del Marisco - seafood market |
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| Jogging by night |
One of the biggest engineering workd on earth, the Panama Canal, is just 10 minutes away from the city. It has just celebrated its centennial and one of the locks, Miraflores, is the perfect place to get to know more about its history and see at some meters from you the huge container ships crossing the canal. To know, if you speak Italian, check out here my recent article with the curiosities about el Canal de Panamà.
4. Cerro Ancòn
It is a 200-mt hill between the city and the Canal Zone, with a huge Panamanian flag on its top. It has been under the US jurisdiction for most of the 20th century, and for Panamanians it is actually a very important symbol representing the re-taking possession of the Canal Zone from the United States, after the signature of the Torrijos-Carter treaty (1977). Surrounded by green, you can enjoy a gorgeous view of the city's skyline, as well as the logistic infrastructure around the canal.
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| On Cerro Ancon, with my friends =) |
Some streets away from Casco Antiguo, right after Santa Ana square, there is a little artisan market called "Salsipuedes", which means "get out of here if you can". Tourists normally don't go there because the whole area is not considered safe at all, and they usually go to the ones in Casco Antiguo, which are, of course, much more expensive!!! That's why when I was using my Reflex I realised every local was watching me and not very well ehehe. But everything turned out well and I made awesome deals and negotiations in the market. Among the things, I was able to buy the long folkloric fuchsia skirt and yellow shoes that I needed for my country dance classes ;)
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| Sal sipuedes |
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| Plaza Santa Ana |
During weekends, you can either leave for the whole weekend to the seaside or spend just a day at the beach, in places at 1 hour and half from the city. You can go there by bus with local people for 2 dollars or by car on your own/with friends.
I have been only to Coronado and El Palmar and both have been a good occasion to escape the city and relax! On Saturdays I started to go surfing with a little group of girls and we are actually pretty good ;). In just one day, you regenerate youself! After the surf, you can take a siesta or have a fresh ceviche or a fresh fruit "batido" at the beachfront bar.
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| After surf @ El Palmar |
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| Coronado
7. Diablos rojos
Last but not least, I wanted to show you a very typical Panamanian symbol: los Diablos Rojos (="Red Devils"): the typical bus of the city which are all different from eachother, personalised with the name the owner gives it, with trumpets, decorations etc. They are known for driving fast like crazy -it reminds me of Buenos Aires' buses!!- and I admit I never tried them. By night they don't have ANY lights on, and it literally could happen every kind of thing to you if you get in, especially if you are a tourist! Also, I live next to my job and I usually move by foot or taxi (very cheap)...But before I leave Panama I will surely try el Diablo Rojo !
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