One of the most important factors driving any real estate market is that mysterious commodity commonly labeled “ Lifestyle”.
Lifestyle in Panama
Defining the lifestyle of any real estate market is challenging because the judgments involved are more intuitive than factual. More anecdotal than empirical.
One of Panama’s greatest strengths is that no matter what your looking for in a lifestyle, you will find it in this fast growing Central American paradise.
Panama City offers a sophisticated but relaxed setting, while the mountains of Boquete feature natural wonders and some of the best weather on the planet. Modern beachfront condo communities offer a swining Riviera like appeal, while Panama’s vast countryside offers low cost acreage and a rural lifestyle.
Panama is the hub of Central America. Its Ex-Pat community includes immigrants of every nationality. Your lifestyle choices are as unlimited as the diversity of this remarkable nation.
When choosing your next lifestyle, why limit your options? You’ll find them all in fabulous Panama.
Email us at The Panama Club
+507-836-6542 / 43 (Panama) | 1-(305)-503-9957 (USA)
Although Panamanians are generally smart, loyal and kind people, the seriously high stress levels are disabling city residents! The noise level averages in Panama City will red line a decibel meter. Are the frazzle meters red-lining in Panama City too? And remember the frazzle theory is: while frazzled we cannot concentrate or think clearly.
Panama City’s transportation issues make many people feel unsafe and anxious. Perhaps partially because the “red devil” buses providing mass transit throughout the country are historically extremely hazardous as they careen through the streets, honking.
These city streets make people feel anxious, because the operating system for the Panama City taxi cabs allows anything on four tires to be a cab and to charge whatever they want. Traffic lights are at a minimum and auto inspection standards to take the wrecks off the roads are nonexistent. With the majority of crossroads having no traffic management, drivers all honk their way through most all the intersections and pedestrians are always in danger.
Panama City streets are full of racing, brightly painted buses and smelly, 1970’s Toyota’s with no seat belts, doors that spring open on a whim and windows that don’t work; spouting smelly smoke out of their unsecured tailpipes, and honking endlessly, while the driver debates his inflated fee with you at the top of his voice. Is that good? It doesn’t look, smell or sound like paradise to me.
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+507-836-6542 / 43 (Panama) | 1-(305)-503-9957 (USA)
[This is a companion piece to the article entitled .Panama Montecristi Fino Hats .where I discuss the pros and cons of purchasing a fine Panama hat in an unblocked state.]
If you have ever walked into one of those stores with big signs reading Persian Rugs: 50% to 75% Off and tried to get a handle on the value of these fine works of art and products resulting from months of labor by great artisans where knots per square inch and quality of the material were touted as evidence of great value and where the upshot was that this $5,000 rug could be yours for $1,800 (followed by make me an offer), then you can understand the potential discomfort in purchasing a Panama hat. Before getting into some of the particulars, I will begin with my conclusion
If you dont know Panama hats, know your Panama hat seller. Said another way Flim-flam is too easy and runs amok with these hats so be very careful. Now, here are some things to consider when shopping for a Panama hat:
1. A ,Panama, hat is a reference to the straw material that a hat is made from. It is neither a style nor a quality, but rather a hat – in any style and of any quality – made from the plant carludovica palmata, which grows in the coastal lowlands of western South America (not in Panama). Therefore, wide ranges of hat styles in a never-ending range of qualities are rightly sold as Panama hats. The rub is that a fair price for a Panama hat can be $5 or $5,000.
2. A knowing shopper usually begins by examining the fineness of the weave. These hats are hand woven, primarily in Ecuador, and the straw itself can continually be made thinner, or finer, by dividing the strand of straw in half. Every time the straw width is halved (via fingernail), the amount of work required to weave the hat is multiplied four times. Obviously – on this basis alone – a fair price for this handiwork can be dramatically different from one hat to another.
3. No matter the fineness of the straw, the work of the weaver needs examination. Look for tightly woven consistency in the straw the fewer the gaps, holes, or bumps, the better. Look for evenness in the weave. The rows should be straight and resemble, what you may know from woolen or cotton fabrics, a small herringbone or diamond pattern.
4. The color of the hat, per se, does not have a large bearing on the price, however there are some important things to consider. In the North American market, one mostly finds Panama either in natural straw or bleached white. (Colored straws are achievable via dying and these hats do turn up in stores.) Many people like the white hats, but the buyer should know that the bleaching process weakens the hat and it will likely not last a long as the unbleached natural straw. In natural straw hats, the more consistent the color is throughout the hat, the better. But remember that this is a natural material and differences in hue (sometimes slightly more gray or more reddish) are to be expected. Each hat is unique.
5. Not all hats advertised as Panama hats are in fact Panama hats. The phrase, Panama hats, is not regulated. Materials from all over the world, some of which closely resemble carludovica palmata, are sold as Panama hats. Some of these materials are quite nice and the hats are fairly priced. Others are not. Buyers beware.
Without the experience of comparing one hat to another, much of what is discussed above will have limited service to the novice Panama shopper. When someone comes into one of our Village Hat Shops and wants a quick education with regard to these hats, we simply line up a half-dozen or so hats in various qualities and much of what is discussed above becomes readily apparent. Because, however, each hat is hand woven and unique, quality is therefore always different from one hat to the next. This exercise in relativity is not the last word on value and fair price. Most people need to see many hats and know this fluctuating market well before feeling comfortable with a purchase that may run hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars.Therefore – if you dont know Panama hats, know your Panama hat seller.Fred Belinskywww.VillageHatShop.comwww.Panamas.comAdditional Reading:The Panama Hat Trail by Tom Miller. Adventure Press, National Geographic.Panama: A Legendary Hat by Martine Buchet. Photographs by Laziz Hamani. Editions AssoulineEl Sombrero De Paja Toquilla: Historia y Economia by Miguel Ernesto Dominguez. Banco Central Del Ecuador.Tejiendo la Vida: Las artesanias de la paja toquilla en el Ecuador by Maria Leonor Aguilar de Tamariz. Centro Interamericano de Artesanias y Arrtes Populares, CIDAP.Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fred_Belinsky
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Canal Expansion (Source) By Jaquetta White: The Port of New Orleans could be a leading beneficiary of the recently approved plan to expand the Panama Canal, the agency’s chief executive said. “Anything that happens that allows bigger, better and faster ships to come through the canal works for us,” said Gary LaGrange, the port’s president and chief executive. Panamanian voters on Sunday approved a referendum to modernize the 92-year-old canal. The project will double the canal’s capacity and allow more vessels, including super-sized container ships, to pass through. The Port of New Orleans has long been in support of the plan because it will open the door for more trade opportunities with Asia. Asian cargo generally is not shipped directly to the Port of New Orleans or other Gulf ports because today’s trans-Pacific cargo ships are too big to fit through the Panama Canal. Asian cargo is commonly shipped to the twin ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, which combine to create the busiest container port in the country and third-largest in the world. But as trade with Asia has increased, those ports have become congested, leading shippers to search for new routes. Expanding the Panama Canal could provide an alternative entry into the United States, industry experts say. (more)
One place the cargo could go is the Gulf Coast, said Jim Kruse, director of the Center for Ports & Waterways in the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University.
“It would certainly help Houston and New Orleans,” Kruse said. “The canal is running pretty much at capacity. It should increase trade just because it will increase the number of vessels that can come through.”
Under the plan, a set of new locks will be built along the canal to add a new lane of traffic. The canal will also be dredged to accommodate ships with a 50-foot draft. The canal is now dredged only to 39½ feet. The changes will oblige not only large container ships, but tankers and break-bulk vessels, said Alberto Alemàn Zubieta, who heads the Panama Canal Authority.
“We will take away the restrictions that are posed on the maritime industry today by allowing bigger and deeper vessels to go through the waterway,” Alemn said.
The project is expected to cost $5.2 billion and take eight years to complete. Construction will begin in 2008.
The expansion in Panama places new emphasis on the port’s need to expand its Napoleon Avenue container terminal, LaGrange said. The port has proposed building a terminal on a 60-acre tract adjacent to the Napoleon terminal.
“I think there’s going to be some significant decisions made the next three or four months,” LaGrange said. “It has always been a general discussion before, now we’re getting down to the nitty-gritty.”
If you are interested in doing business in Panama or doing business with Panama you will want to make the right contacts, hire a competent, English speaking lawyer, and have someone on your side who knows local customs and politics. VIP Panama takes pride in connecting its clients to the right luxury living accommodations, the right business arrangements, and the most discrete entertainment when required.
Email us at The Panama Club
+507-836-6542 / 43 (Panama) | 1-(305)-503-9957 (USA)
PANAMA CITY, Panama — Known for its famed waterway, Panama’s capital boasts more than just a spot to watch the ships cross through the engineering marvel.
Visitors can chose between a swim in the Pacific or the Caribbean, hear tales of pirates looting the city’s original site, find bargain shopping, sample tropical fruits and try their luck at the horse races in Panama City.
OUTDOORS: Head to the Amador Causeway and snap photos of Panama’s downtown or the Bridge of the Americas, where traffic crosses over while ships cruise through the canal. Once part of the off-limits Canal Zone guarded by the U.S. military, the Causeway has become a favorite of locals and tourists. The thin strip surrounded by the ocean houses duty free shops, restaurants, hotels and dance clubs. Construction signs and sites make it evident that there’s more on the way. Kiosks sell hammocks, guayaberas, hats and molas, brightly- colored fabrics with elaborate, hand-sewn designs of the Kuna Indian tribe.
By day, 20-somethings and families catch the cool of the ocean breeze while biking, in-line skating, or jogging along the Causeway. It’s a strenuous and humid walk, so renting multi-seat bikes at the stretch’s entrance works best.
For a day of diving, snorkeling and other water sports, head for Taboga Island, on the Pacific coast. Ferries bound for Isla Taboga leave from a Balboa pier and the Causeway each morning and return in the late afternoon.
MUSEUMS: Check out any of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute’s stations. Visit one of the island sites, such as the Barro Colorado Field Research Station, for a boat ride across the canal’s Gatun Lake and a chance to see a half-dozen native monkey species in their natural setting.
At the Marine Exhibition Center in Punta Culebra, view sloths, pelicans and other tropical forest-dwellers along with an unfettered view of the ships crossing and the rhythmic pounding of waves crashing on jagged rocks. Both kids and adults will be mesmerized watching the crab-eating shark and hearing the boas slithering in the dry forest walk within the park.
CUISINE: For breakfast, sip a frothy cafe con leche, made with locally-grown coffee beans, or cinnamon tea. Beer connoisseurs should look for local brews Soberana, Balboa and Atlas, which have a light taste that’s thirst-quenching in the sticky climate.
Pencas offers a view of the ocean and authentic Panamanian cuisine, which is inexpensive even at many upscale eateries. On the restaurant’s menu are mini-tamales wrapped in plantain leaves, pesada de nance (a cereal-textured fruit dessert with bits of white cheese), dorado en salsa de coco (fish in coconut sauce) and ojaldas (a fried bread).
On Wednesday nights, Pencas features a troupe of foot-shuffling folk dancers and a live band complete with accordion. As the show wraps up, dancers and some of the servers extend their hands for a dance with audience members. When I told our waiter that I didn’t know the steps, he turned to my mom and asked “Does the lady dance?”
HISTORY: History buffs should explore the remnants of Panama’s colonial past to learn about its history in the quest for riches in the Americas. Just a taxicab away from most points in the capital city is Panama la Vieja. In 1671, Panama la Vieja was sacked by pirates, led by Sir Henry Morgan. Red-brick streets, a cathedral spire and crumbling walls, arches and buildings of the Spanish settlement era remain.
Guided tours telling of the colony’s former grandeur and demise are available.
Some miles away is the Casco Viejo, an old colonial neighborhood with narrow streets and pastel-colored buildings in the midst of renovation. Its architecture resembles New Orleans’ French Quarter.
Just like locals have for centuries, watch the sunset from the Paseo de las Bovedas, a sea walk along an old Spanish military fort that served as a prison. Other sites include the Catedral Metropolitana, El Teatro Nacional and the unguarded Church of the Golden Altar.
GAMBLING: Place a bet on the horse races at the Hipodromo Presidente Jose A. Remon on a Thursday afternoon and mingle with locals and visitors. The horseracing park also opens weekends and holidays.
NIGHTLIFE: Hit the Causeway or the city’s financial district for some dancing, dining and drinking.
ELSEWHERE: Panama City also connects travelers by plane, bus or boat to other provinces. You can spot large green plantain leaves and dozens of noni plants heading out of the capital city.
– The province of Colon is where gold and silver from the Americas passed before being transported to Europe. Explore the cannons and the lush green Spanish fortress in Portobelo.
– Bocas del Toro offers scuba diving and national parks for trekking.
– Baru volcano is Panama’s highest point at 11,408 feet. Close by is the alpine town of Boquete, in the province of Chiriqui.
Copyright C 2005 Deseret News Publishing Co.
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.
Email us at The Panama Club
+507-836-6542 / 43 (Panama) | 1-(305)-503-9957 (USA)
