Is Panama The New America
Panama fun facts.
1 - Panama has NO hurricanes
2 - Panama has a thriving Metropolitan city in Panama City
3 - Panama has secure banking institutions
4 - Panama has a climate for everyone, city, beaches, mountains
5 - Panama uses the US Dollar as its currency
6 - Panama is a short flight from many major cities in the USA
7 - Panama has many English speaking folks, Spanish is the main language
8 - Panama welcomes foreigners to live and work.
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Saturday, April 7, 2012
Last weekend of summer
Day 188 Saturday (Sabado) - Playa Coronado
Here in Panama we are officially at the end of the summer or dry season, and this year we are also right in the middle of Easter.
This is the last long weekend for many months and the folks started flooding the interior of the country on Thursday, especially along the beaches.
Friday was one of 3 days throughout the year that no one can purchase alcohol anywhere legally in the country as it was Good Friday. Yet it did not stop folks from stocking up on Thursday.
The scene in Coronado where we live is as expected, all three grocery stores are packed with people and traffic is just plain bad. Police are everywhere to keep us all safe.
Since banks are all closed Friday and Saturday; the lines on Thursday were 50 people deep at times, just to get in the bank. Yours truly wanted to capture a picture of the banking scene for my blog, but as soon as I snapped the photo, bam, police were on me to give them my camara to delete it. I guess that was a no-no.
Tomorrow should be pretty interesting trying to get back into the city as everyone will head back at once. Kind of like Thanksgiving in the states. As for us, we will watch it all unfold.
Happy Easter or ¡Felices Pascuas
Friday, April 6, 2012
Jellyfish everywhere
Day 187 (Good) Friday (Viernes) - Playa Coronado
We walk the beach almost daily and we always see a jellyfish washed up here or there, but today they were washed up in abundance. We are thinking the seasonal change that is occurring could be part of the reason.
Well here are a few tidbits to explore.
Jellyfish are amongst the most abundant inhabitants of marine waters. Most jellyfish sting and are equipped with stingers to procure food and protect themselves. While jellyfish do not actively attack humans, when their tentacles come in contact with human flesh, their stingers are released as part of their natural defense mechanism. Even though most jellyfish stings are completely harmless to humans and do not pose a serious risk, it is important to know the basic first aid required for a jellyfish sting before you step into jellyfish infested waters to swim, surf or dive. Please be aware of the specific species of jellyfish known to inhabit the waters you are entering, so that you can be prepared with the treatment required in case of a jellyfish sting. Read more: http://www.jellyfishfacts.net/jellyfish-safety.html#ixzz1rHwQTg3c
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Panama pet day
Day 186 Thursday (Jueves) - Playa Coronado
Beggin strips - 3oz $1.49
Eukanuba dog biscuits - 12oz $3.00
Regal holistic dog food - 4lbs $9.25
Moving your dog to Panama - priceless
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
It's the monthly CASA event
Day 185 Wednesday (Miercoles) - Playa Coronado
A little late on blogging today as we had no electricity for about 4 hours. Same thing happened yesterday for about 1 hour, and the day before on and off for about 1 hour. Who cares, we have no agenda and it really is not a big inconvenience and it does eventually come back on.
So today was our monthly CASA event, it was a breakfast and a good time to meet new members and talk to members you already know. Plenty of food and coffee was served and the turn-out was not bad. Many folks are still here but are heading back within the week as snowbirds go back to where they came from, but for the rest of us, it is more peace and quiet.
A little late on blogging today as we had no electricity for about 4 hours. Same thing happened yesterday for about 1 hour, and the day before on and off for about 1 hour. Who cares, we have no agenda and it really is not a big inconvenience and it does eventually come back on.
So today was our monthly CASA event, it was a breakfast and a good time to meet new members and talk to members you already know. Plenty of food and coffee was served and the turn-out was not bad. Many folks are still here but are heading back within the week as snowbirds go back to where they came from, but for the rest of us, it is more peace and quiet.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Fruit of the day
Day 184 Tuesday (Martes) - Playa Coronado
CIRUELA - Part of the plum family. So we see all these trees everywhere and of course your instinct is to pick some and bite into it, but not having any clue of what it is you hesitate.
Come to find out CIRUELA is part of the plum family. In its green colored state it is pretty sour, but as it reddens, as depicted below, it becomes a bit sweeter. There is a pit in the middle and they do not get much larger than what you see in the picture below. We saw one of the security guards picking these today and started asking questions so we could learn about what they were. Now we all know.
CIRUELA - Part of the plum family. So we see all these trees everywhere and of course your instinct is to pick some and bite into it, but not having any clue of what it is you hesitate.
Come to find out CIRUELA is part of the plum family. In its green colored state it is pretty sour, but as it reddens, as depicted below, it becomes a bit sweeter. There is a pit in the middle and they do not get much larger than what you see in the picture below. We saw one of the security guards picking these today and started asking questions so we could learn about what they were. Now we all know.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Panama Prepares New Incentives for Tourism
Day 183 Monday (Lunes) - Playa Coronado
There are always pro's and con's when it comes to giving tax incentives or not, Panama is no exception. read on.
There are always pro's and con's when it comes to giving tax incentives or not, Panama is no exception. read on.
A bill is being prepared that introduces incentives for organizing conventions and 20 year tax exemptions for hotels investing at least $20 million and who register within three months after the law’s approval.
This week, the National Assembly made public bill number 125 which "establishes rules for incentives to tourism in Panama", after a year of talks between the private sector and government.
On becoming law, new hotels in the capital district who have invested at least $20 million will be exempt for 20 years from import duties on materials, furniture and equipment. To qualify for the exemption, new premises will have to register within three months of the law’s enactment.
The domestic private sector had asked for tax benefits not to be reactivated after the expiration of the last period stipulated by tourism law number 8 of August 1994, which was valid until December 31st, 2008, a request which has been ignored in the proposed law, reports Prensa.com. This led to investments reaching close to $2 billion between 2006 and 2008, when investors bet heavily on the development of tourism.
"Regarding the idea of reviving benefits for construction in the capital city (if only for a short period), some hoteliers are talking about a possible saturation. With the opening in the coming months at least 15 hotels, representing about 5,000 new rooms, worried hoteliers believe that by promoting incentives they will encourage more construction which at the moment is not needed," reported Prensa.com.
On becoming law, new hotels in the capital district who have invested at least $20 million will be exempt for 20 years from import duties on materials, furniture and equipment. To qualify for the exemption, new premises will have to register within three months of the law’s enactment.
The domestic private sector had asked for tax benefits not to be reactivated after the expiration of the last period stipulated by tourism law number 8 of August 1994, which was valid until December 31st, 2008, a request which has been ignored in the proposed law, reports Prensa.com. This led to investments reaching close to $2 billion between 2006 and 2008, when investors bet heavily on the development of tourism.
"Regarding the idea of reviving benefits for construction in the capital city (if only for a short period), some hoteliers are talking about a possible saturation. With the opening in the coming months at least 15 hotels, representing about 5,000 new rooms, worried hoteliers believe that by promoting incentives they will encourage more construction which at the moment is not needed," reported Prensa.com.
Source: Prensa.com
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Draining a Beer Truck
Day 182 Sunday (Domingo) - Playa Coronado
98.3 FM , a Panama radio station, announced today that a beer truck has jack-knifed and can't be towed away until the beer had been removed from its tank.
Over 100 people have showed up at the site where the accident occurred to help drain it.
and last but not least...APRIL FOOLS!!!!
Now for my American friends Happy April Fools Day, BUT, since we are living in Panama there are different origins to all of this foolishness. Actually in Latin America December 28th is the day similar hoaxes occur (Dia de los Inocentes), and of course some hoaxes are funny and harmless and some not so much.
But it is always great to put a shocking smile on someones face on this traditional foolhardy day.
98.3 FM , a Panama radio station, announced today that a beer truck has jack-knifed and can't be towed away until the beer had been removed from its tank.
Over 100 people have showed up at the site where the accident occurred to help drain it.
and last but not least...APRIL FOOLS!!!!
Now for my American friends Happy April Fools Day, BUT, since we are living in Panama there are different origins to all of this foolishness. Actually in Latin America December 28th is the day similar hoaxes occur (Dia de los Inocentes), and of course some hoaxes are funny and harmless and some not so much.
But it is always great to put a shocking smile on someones face on this traditional foolhardy day.
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