Panama So Far

So, I'm in Panama right now - or more accurately, Panama City. I'm staying with a good friend who has become a better friend - Willy Smith, the former editor of Linux Gazette and now one of the people behind Lalic Services - I've even been to the office at Edificio Inteligente, where the elevators are less than... inteligente.

I've taken a few pictures so far, but not many because my stay so far has been mainly with Willy and his wife, who I have now met in person for the first time. They've been really great, but I need to be out on my own (and they understand that), so I've organized an apartment for the next 26 days - I leave for their this afternoon, but Willy and Dawn won't be strangers.

So over the next few weeks, I'll be exploring Panama - Gary Garriot, formerly of the UNDP, suggested that I try to find a third generation Panamanian - someone who had worked on the canal. That would be interesting to do, but I'm not exactly sure how to go about it - but seeing the Panama Canal would be a good first step. Though I hate looking like a tourist, I'll have to go check that out.

One of the weirder things to get used to is the fact that the currency of Panama is the U.S. dollar. After dealing with Dominican Republic pesos, Costa Rican colones and Nicaraguan cordobas with really high exchange rates, everything seems pretty cheap here. The reality, after doing the math, is that it is. Less than $2 US gets you anywhere in Panama City, and I found out that a 'Good tip' yesterday is $0.25. It's odd that the country with the most convenient currency seems so odd to me now.

A decent hotel room goes for about $25/day. That's not too bad, and there are cheaper places - but the amenities aren't there. If you're coming down to spend the full 30 days that the Panamanian visa gives you, you can get monthly rates. Figure lodging for the month will run you about $860, after taxes - with a kitchenette.

Willy also has told me that many stores offer discounts to travelers - just show your visa, and some stores will give you 10-12% off. That's good to know. Walking through the streets is hot work, but on Via Espana I have noted quite a few stores which have almost everything one would need.

The next entry will be from the hotel - maybe today, maybe not. Willy and I have some exploring to do which involves a computer store.