Panama
4. The city
Except for the traffic I’d say that the city has all features like any US city, also in terms of availability and pricing of goods (probably due to the free trade zone and the canal). One saliant detail is the sewer. This has been so badly managed that there are various places around town where you will find yourself wondering why you came to Panama in the first place. Unfortunately there’s such a spot rather close to my appartment in Paitilla, so that if the wind is in the wrong direction it’ll be hell and I’ll be everywhere but my appartment.
There’s an area in the city that’s called "the causeway". Along this strip of artificially created land is a spot called Punta Culebra. It’s wonderful to be admiring the sea from Punta Culebra. This is my spot.
I can see all the little sailboats silently resting before sailing onto other pacific destinations, I can see containerships passing by, going into the Panama canal. The sun is steadily setting while the water is restlessly but rhythmically swelling and dropping between huge boulders in front of me. A natural respiration that is perpetual and continuous, sometimes quietly, sometimes more aroused.
Aside from a nice spot like this, Panama city has it’s desperate areas as well. In Santa Ana and Chorillo you will find people pissing openly on the street with their dick hanging out of their pants as if it was some sort of forgotten body part. In some areas the wealthy and the poor may run into each other. The casco viejo area is being restaurated to it’s old glamour, with some very nice restaurants and bars popping up. I once entered a restaurant apparently minutes after someone with a gun had been near the place making trouble.
Barrios
Bella vista: cool, for clubs/restaurants, lots of facilities/shops
Cangrejo: touristy, esp. via veneto (at night lots of hookers)
Paitilla: too many appartment towers, sometimes bad sewer smell
Costa del Este: suburbian
Casco Viejo: old style colonial, nice ambiance
Santa Ana: poor, possibly dangerous
Cunundru: dangerous
Chorillo: too many suburbian appt. bldgs, supposedly dangerous
Altos del golf: uptown, with some really nice houses. I have yet to get some friends in that area …
