Panama
10. The girls
Well, about the girls here in Panama, that’s just crazy. Email me if you want to know more.
11. Sports
Tennis
Found two tennis pros with whom I’m trying to keep my tennis going. Very nice guys ! I found them at the national training center and they have red gravel courts !!
Centro fred maduro (in Llanos de Curundu, not far from Allbrook bus terminal): 6 red gravel courts + 1 red gravel centercourt, $5/hr per person (light: add $5/hr), tennis pro: $20/hr, incl.
court fee but not light. membership (non federation members) for 1 month $35, 3 months $90. This tennis center is the FPT (Panamian tennis federation) headquarter.
Hotel miramar: 4 hardcourts, only available for hotel guests
Allbrook: 4 hardcourts ($5/hr per person)
Windsurfing, Kitesurfing
For this I went to punta chame. There’s some wind there for sure. There’s not much out there in terms of accomodation and entertainment, but it does have a small (shitty) hotel with a windsurf shop next to it where they also give courses for kitesurfing: 6 hrs course @ $250 and windsurf board rental $35/hr, but this is for a big board, small boards are not available for rent. Supposedly there’s also windsurfing in Playa Arenado, but I haven’t had a chance to go there yet.
Working out
I’ve been frequenting this gym in Paitilla called PowerGym, walking distance from my appartment. It’s properly equipped, and then I mean particularly with female decor. The babes in this place can be INSANELY good looking, while there are very few guys. Needless to say, my fitness is steadily improving as I’m more hooked to this place than to any of the many hookers around town. At $8/day, $4 for a huge protein drink and $60/month (excl. $30 for obtaining a pass) I’m not complaining. There’s another franchise of this gym on Via Argentina, but it’s not that well populated with good looking women.
Hiking etc.
If you’re interested in some outdoors activities, try contacting the PEX (panama explorer’s club, tel. 215 2330). They’re very friendly and organize events/trips every so often at cost. Another organization like that is http://www.elretopanama.com/
12. Shopping
There quite a few huge shopping malls (multicentro, los pueblos, multiplaza, allbrook, ..) with mostly clothes (no books, music or magazine stores, few computer or a/v stores). If you want to shop in
the free trade zone, you need to pretend you’re a wholesaler to get some samples perhaps, haven’t tried this so no clue if it will actually work. A really good department store is called "El Machetazo" right across the street from Hotel Caribe in Calidonia. They got about everything really cheap.
Computer stores
Panafoto (calle 50 @ frederico boyd):
well stocked, reasonable prices (little higher than USA)
Multimax (calle 50 beyond ave. brasil): more specialized on computer gear, prices like USA
Computechnology (via espana @ caja de ahorros, 214 3355, www.compu-bot.com): 2nd hand stuff
Tecnodirect (Colon 2000, next to Panafoto): cheap ? (yet to check)