Thomas was one of our first tenants in Casa Padrós, at the back of the ex music Conservatorio building, in Plaza Herrera. Originally from Holland, Thomas has travelled all around and spent quite some time in Panama all the way from Bocas del Toro to Casco Antiguo taking fantastic pictures. We´ll be featuring some of his work in my blog. If you happen to like any of them, please contact him at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomasgriffioen/page3/ or thomas.griffioen@gmail.com They are all so good, I´m having trouble to pick my first feature! but my favorite one is the one with the lizard. I think it´s [View Full Entry]

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Today, at La Prensa there was a very short article with huge positive impact: Caterpillar Signed Contract with Panama. In less than a paragraph, it mentions that this heavyweight company will move its regional offices to Panama with an investment of 25 million dollars and an impact of 300 jobs. They´ll be installing their offices in the ex- Canal Zone, now called AAEEPP .... (?) which apparently means area Económica Especial Panamá Pacífico.... well, basically in my world that is 15 minutes away from Casco Viejo. Yes, I know, we are the center of the world, the rest is just the [View Full Entry]

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These graffitti pictures were done also by Cisco and Above. I didn´t realize they went into the Santa Familia building, which we are turning into a huge nursery for our urban agriculture project in Casco Antiguo. Couldn´t be more appropiate, you can read this huge "one man´s junk.... another man´s treasure" written in the walls of the old school. I wonder if we have done enough to really teach that to our children!!! Once they asked me what would be the best strategy to make children and the general public use the trash cans better or more often. I firmly believe [View Full Entry]

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So much stuff happening this week I completly forgot about Earth Day!!!! well... I guess my wedding was quite an important event too. Nevertheless I found two seconds to take these pictures, which I thought it was very important to highlight because they are the voice of the next generation asking to raise awareness on all the global issues that they will inherit from us. Marching in Panama is one of the most popular school activities. It is almost the equivalent of being int he "cheerleaders" team (which we don´t tend to have) or for the boys to be in the [View Full Entry]

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This past weekend was the best weekend ever. I got married right here, in Casco Viejo. It was a simple, fun wedding. Ceremony at the beach with caribbean congo dancing and then a reception at Canal House . Something like Tailand/Hawaii meets Panama style. All my decoration was fruits and flowers so it could all be reused or non pollutant. Very relaxed, the perfect setting for a life together full of exciting things! So for all of you who are thinking on something really special, here is a small peak of the party… Of course, for those of you who like [View Full Entry]

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Diversity is Panama´s strongest feature. We have so many cultural influences! and not all of them are properly celebrated. So we are very glad to announce the openning of a special gallery where you can acquire art from Portobelo, which is located in our Caribbean Coast at Colón Province. These pieces where done by local artists lead by Panamanian photographer Sandra Eleta ( http://www.answers.com/topic/sandra-eleta-1?cat=entertainment or see photos at: http://www.fotografiasdepaisajes.com/modules.php?name=Encyclopedia&op=content&tid=57 ) where they express mostly through their "congo" culture. The "congos" of Portobelo is an interesting culture dating from the Spanish colony where slaves had to disguise their beliefs into dances and [View Full Entry]

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Buying real estate in Casco Viejo is a very different experience from buying anywhere else in Panama City. This is not a mall with thousands of equally looking, lined up products, but a boutique shop with trully special items made to last a lifetime. How to make the right decision? What to look for? Where is the best investment? Am I looking for a home, for a retirement or vacation apartment, or for a project? It is an important choice and there are so many things to consider! My best advice: If you are planning your travel down soon, take a [View Full Entry]

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It is a fact: if you want to get a neighborhood to really change, you have to get the women involved. And once they "get it".... it is a beautiful thing to see. Especially among a local population not used to get organized and/ or to think ahead. But once motivation and the right tools are in place, wonderful things happen, and this is how a neighborhood can get trully integrated into the revitalization process rather than just see it happen from a distance. At any scale, this is the right step towards a better future! Today I just passed [View Full Entry]

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It is official, KLM is already flying back and forth on direct flights to Panama. I just downloaded something called the timetable, where you can play around with the dates and destinations and it´s quite fun. Europe used to be so far away! Remember when poor Columbus had to spend months and months, almost ruin a country and loose a lot of lives in the way just to get to Dominican Republic? Today, we are there in less than 14 hours and hopefully no lives at steak. But KLM isn´t the only "Dutch" around! Netherland´s most celebrated artist, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van [View Full Entry]

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Casco Viejo has beaches. This is Casco´s most guarded secret. It actually has several beaches, this one below being one of the biggest and most used, especially on Sundays when the local softball, beisball or soccer leagues show up with their group of fans. The entire Sunday becomes a bundle of screaming: "corre, corre" (run, run!) "dale, dale" (hit it, hit it!) or ayala vida! ( polite version of: #%&#). Carne en palito everywhere, pollo asado and beer to cheer both winners and loosers. How was it that Panama lost it´s beach lifestyle, I don´t really know. I am glad, though, [View Full Entry]

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