Blogs from Chiriquí, Panama, Central America Caribbean - page 19

I went to Chiriqui Hospital in David for a nagging respiratory problem. Cost breakdown: Dr. visit with a specialist in internal medicine -$35. X Ray - $20. 4 prescriptions - $101. Subtract the Symbicort inhaler and the other 3 prescriptions were just $30. I found my doctor from searching sites and blogs from other expatriats on (what else) the internet. When the pharmacist fills your prescription, he hand types the instructions on a typewriter and sticks it to the box. For the xray and other tests area, the receptionist manually fills out a form in triplicate with old loose carbons inserted. She must have a grip of steel from all that work. Then you pay at cashier window. My xray technician was dressed in a blue and white hawaiian print shirt, blue jeans, and blue Bongos, ... read more

Got a calling card and talked to Llamo Lindo owner Omar Lopez. Been at Llamo Lindo Hostel for 2 nights now and this place is great. 12 bucks a night, including breakfast. It's far enough away from main traffic noise, but close to Volcan conveniences. Omar is a great host and when word gets around this place will get popular. As popular as a hostel in a non-tourist town can get. Hopefully, this blog exposure will help Senor Lopez drum up some business. The place is huge, at least 8 bedrooms, some very large. One family stayed last night. Other than that it's been me and Omar. (that's him watching TV in the one video) I may just live here. http://www.hostalllanolindo.com/en.html Call Omar at 6514-0094 if you want a nice stay in Volcan. There is a ... read more

After an hour or so at the David bus station it was time for the local bus up to the mountains. It's sort of stupid hanging at foreign bus stations with $6500 in cash and $5000 in gold coins, but when they don't accept travelors checks and you can't open a bank account....besides, I'm so cheap and have it stashed in so many different spots, they'd have to kill me and strip me naked to get it all. I highly recommend the money belt and making your own false bottom shoes. I bought a little plot of land almost 3 years ago in Volcan, a town in the mountains with a great view of the highest peak, a volcano. I haven't seen this lot since then, and I'm sure it is an overgrown mess. I hope ... read more

I am writing to share my experience with a Panamanian Hostel in the city of Boquete. Namely, the unprofessional conduct of the owner of Hostal Palacios, 'Pancho.' We checked in with 4 people in our traveling group. 2 were staying a day longer before heading out. We had paid for 2 private rooms. Because Pancho charges a fee ($3 a bag) for bags left after checkout (12 noon) and our bus was not until 3, we left our two backpacks in our friends room because they were staying another day. Upon returning to the hostel after hiking around, we did not even close the door behind us before Pancho started a tirade, practically throwing a fit because we were "stealing" from him by not paying him to store our bags in our friends room. We have ... read more

Hallo meine Lieben Ja, wir haben noch einige wunderschöne Tage in Bocas del Toro verbracht. Wahren dann auch wirklich noch tauchen, was super viel Spass gebracht hat. Unser Hostal war schoen, sauber, mit eigenem Bad und TV. Leider hatten wir aber einige unangeneheme mitbewohner, welche wir vorallem in der Kueche immer wieder angetroffen haben. Ein mit Drogen so was von ueberladener Amerikaner, der mit seiner Machete und seiner Steinschleuder nicht unbedingt das Gefühl von Sicherheit vermittelt hat. Einiges haben wir erlebt mit ihm, seiner Frau und seinem Sohn, was doch arg beängstigend war, dass wir froh waren, nicht dabei sein zu muessen, als die ganze Situtation eskaliert ist und der Typ mit seiner Machete auf seine Frau los ist und ihr schlussendlich mit der Steinschleuder einen Stein ins Gesicht gepeffert hat aus ca 1m Entfernung, sodass ... read more