Panama
19 08 2007After almost 19 months, we’ll be back in Panama end November.
It’ll be great to meet Thorwald, who’s converting a trawler into a luxury diving yacht.
It’ll be goo to visit the City of Knowledge technoparque, especially now that the European Union comitted 7,7 million Euro to it the coming 7 years.
in January 2006, I was stunned by the property development, but things didn’t quite cool down, on the contrary. Just Google “Los Faros de Panama” to have an idea of the kind of buildings which are constructed en masse in Punta Pacifica, on the Amador Causeway and around Punta Paitilla. I feel more comfortable in the Allbrook, Clayton and El Cangrejo neigbourhoods.
Some people complain about the lack of culture in Panama. That the history of Peru or Bolivia would be much more intriguing. I strongly disagree. Through Thorwald’s site I stumbled on the details of the Darien Colony that the Scots tried to set up in 1698. It became a big disaster, and the bankruptcy of Scotland, eventually driving Scotland in the arms of England. You can find the detailed story here.
Yes John, I look forward to seeing you too. Indeed, development is continuing at a fast pace although some big project have been cancelled or restructured. I think we ‘ll have a boom for at least another 5+ years. After that I think you’ll can start looking for bargains
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The City of Knowledge is also booming. The United Nations are moving all their regional headquarters here and more and more organizations are seeing its benefits. Livig in Panama is just ‘easy’.
As to the culture of Panama or lack of it? Well, such people should read some books. There’s more indigenous groups here than in any other Central American country. All the gold from Peru came through Panama and you can still see the marks of that fascinating history. Yes, the Scott were here too. What a disaster it was. Read more about it and Panama’s history in a book called ‘The Golden Isthmus’ by David Howarth (1966).
No country in the region has a cultural mix like Panama. The Chinese, the descendants of the people from the West Indies, Jews, Arabs, Spanish, it’s all one big potpourri living together.
Yes, Panama has its problems too but not more than any developing country in Latin America. And, the roads are a LOT better than those in Costa Rica !!