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Published: January 12th 2009
Hello everyone,
Where shall I start? Well I bought new contact lenses but they didn’t arrive yet. They are hard contact lenses and the one for my right eye is special. They are being made in Mexico and sent by courier. It costed me less than the half the price compared to The Netherlands, which is a good thing. I also went once to the ophthalmologist to check my eye pressure, everything was fine! I already got my money back from Delta Airlines, and after all I lost only about € 30. They didn’t charge US$50 because of cancelling the ticket and I also got back the money I paid as tax, which was € 67. The best thing was that I demanded them to pay me back in Euro’s, which they did. I got the money back in US Dollars, but with an exchange rate of US$ 1,38 for € 1, compared to US$1,33 when I bought the ticket in Germany.
In my last blog I said that the minimum wage here was US$250 per month, but was actually US$310 for 2008 and teachers earn more than US$500.
In May there will be presidential elections in Panama and
the campaigns started already. Political signs are everywhere to be seen, where you see the candidates speaking to poorer people, or hugging them etc. hahaha. When they get elected they forget about those people, lol.
On my birthday, December 22nd, I was in Panama City. I stayed three days with my friend Eybis there and she took me on a little “tour” around the place together with her mom. She knew that I was coming to the city and she invited me to stay over. I also did the airline refund thing this day; I had to go twice but got the money two weeks after.
Panama City has about 800.000 people, but including the metropolitan area like San Miguelito and further, it surpasses 1 million. It’s considered the most modern city of Central America which probably is true. It “is” a quite modern city, although I don’t find it “that” modern as they sometimes say. Traffic jams are a common thing here, even after they opened two new highways in the city: Corredor Sur and Corredor Norte, where you have to pay toll. Even on these highways there are traffic jams at peak times. Panama City has dozens
of skyscrapers and there are still many being built and many to be built. This all means more traffic and the current infrastructure won’t be able to handle it. The only solution is a decent and affordable system of public transportation, which they don’t have in the city. They use old school buses in the city, locally called “diablo rojo”. Many of them are nicely painted and decorated on the outside.
Eybis works for the Public Ministry and took me in her car on a “tour” through the most dangerous area of Panama City, which are some neighbourhoods in San Miguelito. Of course she did this during the day and because she also worked for the detective before, she knows the place and has been around often. The place didn’t look that poor at all, but a bit rough and chaotic. It’s definitely a place you shouldn’t go to if you don’t know anyone there. We went to the ruins of Panama Vieja, which was the first city actually built by the Spanish back in the 16th century. It was the first capital city of Panama. Today some of the ruins still stand, it’s located on the east of the
current city center, near the suburbs. They also took me through El Chorrillo, a poor neighbourhood which has a very bad reputation for being unsafe. Due to it’s location close to the Casco Antiguo (Colonial Panama City), there are several police patrolling the area to protect tourists visiting the colonial area. The colonial area is very very nice, a complete contrast compared to al the high skyscrapers you see elsewhere in the city. All narrow streets with colonial houses and their balconies. Eybis has an uncle who works in the colonial area and we visited him for a while and we ate nearby.
At night I went to Hotel El Panama, in the casino where I had some drinks together with Eybis and Jimmy, another friend. I invited about three other friends to come, by sending them an sms, but they couldn’t make it. I told them one day before so I expected that not all of them could make it. Eybis is trying to get me on a tour to Coiba island because she has a friend who does those tours, which is great! Also she’s going to arrange with another friend so we can visit Chagres area one
day. Eybis’ mom is from Nicaragua and she goes back often. She says I can go with her anytime, or even by myself and her family will take care of me.
I went back to Chiriqui where I spent Christmas together with another friend, Gustavo, and his family. He invited me to come over and I stayed a few days at their place which is in Boquerón...a small town in Chiriqui, only 15 minutes out of David. I also stayed a couple of days here back in 2005. They are very kind people. The father drives a taxi which is quite a good source of income in Panama. Also Gustavo drives the taxi many times when he had holidays. He is studying law and going to his last year. We went twice to a local party, where they play “Tipico Panameño” music. This is a Panamanian rhythm with influence of the Colombian cumbia...but it’s different. The Tipico has more rhythm, more “sauce”. Some of the most famous Tipico artists are Samy y Sandra Sandoval, Ulpiano and also Dorindo. At one of the parties I had a chance of taking a picture with Sandra Sandoval, a very sexy singer who
is famous for her moves on the stage. Tipico is very easy to dance. If you can dance salsa, then you can dance tipico too. What I like about these parties is that the people there are very relaxed and they really come to enjoy the music and have a good time. When asking someone to dance, it’s difficult that they’d say “no” to you, which is normal at Antillean parties nowadays (I went to one in Zoetermeer when I was in NL, I asked four times to four different girls they all said no. In myself I said F#&% you all, WTF are you all thinking? LOL).
Gustavo himself likes the music of Dorindo and he know’s people in the band, who I also got to know. There is also one song where they say his name and since then I started teasing him that he has something with Dorindo, hahaha. In Panama people like to “tease” you....actually teasing is not the correct word, here they say “vacilar” or “joder”. You have to be careful with what you say and how you say it, otherwise they’ll make something about it and start messing around with you. But it’s only
something for the moment, not something they’ll carry on with for long...it’s all a joke and it’s funny. Of course you do that only among friends or people that you know a bit.
New Year’s I spent with the Villarreal family. We went to Ernesto’s grandmother, father’s side, where the whole family was. His uncles came from Panama City with their kids too, so all uncles, aunts, cousins etc. where there. Here I met two of his uncles for the first time, and his cousins from Panama City. The others I knew already, including his two little cousins Abdel and Keishmer who are like my little brothers, especially Abdel because he grew up at the house of Ernesto and is always there when I come to Panama. At 12 o’clock everyone said happy new year to each other, with hugs etc. and they started shooting some firework. After this it was time to eat!!! Panamanians, like Curaçaoans, eat a lot!!!! A lot! A lot of rice many times mixed with guandú which is a kind of bean locally grown all around Chiriquí. There is also the tamal, which is very similar to the ayaca. They also eat a lot
of pork meat (ham), ceviche (seafood in like a sour soup)...that’s just to mention some of the things people eat here during the end of the year. And actually they eat many of these things all year around! During the day of January 1st, I went to Las Lajas beach with Jorge (Maria’s brother) and a friend of him. We went early because the beach would become very busy but that wasn’t the case. The beach itself is not the kind of beach I like, but the water was clean and clear so I went in the water. After the beach we went to a river nearby to swim and take the salt off.
Little Ernesto Jesús celebrated his first birthday with a big party, with Mickey Mouse as theme. The party was held at a place near the house. It was a busy day; some other people came to help Ernesto and Maria with all the things that had to be done. First I carried some stuff to the place, then I helped putting the decorations on the ceiling etc. Two of Ernesto’s colleagues at work came to give a hand: Odalys and Edgar...who came with his girlfriend Yarlisa.
Ernesto is manager at the Pizza Hut in David and, of course he brings pizza home regularly. Also Ernesto’s cousin, Nancy, helped with the preparations. The party was nice and great, I was asked to walk around and take pictures, which I did of course. It was a long and tiring day. At the party I finally met Davis for the first time, who is another very good friend of Ernesto. We have both heard about each other several times but we never met because he lives in Canada and comes only during this time of the year, while I came here both times in July. Actually I met him for the first time in December while we were going to Panama City but it was for very short. Davis plays semi-professional baseball in Canada and will probably start in Big League this year with the Blue Jays. Glenda, Ernesto’s mom, was glad to see him because she didn’t see him for more than a year. Davis is from Coclé province but always stayed at the house when in Chiriqui. Only one of Glenda’s “sons” was missing at the party, which is Luis a.k.a Chino, a nephew of Glenda who
lives in Panama City but grew up with her. I met him both times I came to Panama before, the first time he was staying there for a few weeks. Glenda always says that she has 5 sons: Ernesto of course, Luis, Abdel (Ernesto’s little cousin who also grew up there), Davis and I....hahaha!
The next day we went to Gualaca, a town in Chiriqui, where they have one of the best swimming spots in the province called Cangilones de Gualaca. It’s a river which flows between eroded rocks of about ca. 5 meters I’d say. It’s cool to jump in the water from the rocks here. Edgar and Kelly, another colleague of Ernesto, were jumping but at first I didn’t dare to do it. After I did it a few times from lower altitude, I tried it from a higher rock too.
I came to Panama City again for about a week. Abdiel invited me to stay at his place for a few days and I went there. He lives in Don Bosco, a neighbourhood not far from Tocumen Airport. I know him because in 2005 I stayed in Don Bosco at Luis’ (a.k.a Toto) place...he’s my best
friend here in the city. Abdiel went out with us during that time, but he always arrived later. Together with his crazy cousin, Adelaida a.k.a Laly, we drove around a little bit through the city. We also went out one night. Abdiel is apparently arranging everything so we can go to Las Tablas (Los Santos province) in February for carnival...which is great! I stayed a few days there and then Luis picked me up and I stayed at this place. His birthday was yesterday on January 11th.
In Panama they developed a lot of strange and unique words which I they don’t use anywhere else, for example:
* yeyé: people with a lot of money and with an attitude, or people without a lot of money but have an attitude as if they have a lot of money, hahaha. Other words that derive from yeyé are: yeyesada, yeyesita, yeyesito, yeyesón etc.
* rakataka: someone criminal, or looks like a criminal
* chombo/chomba: big, coloured people
* güaro (or just “waro”) : rum (Carta Vieja, Seco Herrerano)
* chupar or libar: to drink excessively. “Chupata” is a word that derives from “chupar”; it means: a heavy drinking session, many people
drinking together. (Panamanians generally drink a lot...I don’t!)
* chántin: house
* rirri: (good-looking) girl
There is a city called Arraiján (arrai-ghaan), which is a weird name. It comes from “at right hand”, which the Americans used to say back in time because there was a miiltary base or something at the right side of the road. Hahaha.
So far I’m having fun in Panama and I still don’t think I will change my flight date to back earlier to Europe, it will remain mid May. Of course sometimes it’s a bit boring here because you’re not doing something everyday (visiting places etc.) but I still enjoy spending time with my friends here...and just enjoy the fact that I’m here! Volleyball started now in David, twice a week, so I will be there for sure. I’ll have to try to inform about volleyball in Panama City too. That means I’ll be busy doing something and besides, I have my laptop with me and there is internet at Ernesto’s house and I can fly Flight Simulator online again!!! I still have the same plans regarding places I want to visit in Panama and I will do so. Nicaragua and
Costa Rica are both on the list now, will see if I can make it to both....otherwise it will be only Nicaragua.
Now that Christmas and New Year has past, there are many activities coming in Panama. People do know how to party here. This month the Feria de Flores y del Café in Boquete, Chiriqui which I will go to. Also Feria de La Chorrera, which I might go to. Karen, the sister of my mate Jimmy lives in La Chorrera so we might go there and stay at her place for 2 or 3 days. In February it’s carnaval, I’ll be in Las Tablas, Los Santos province and maybe also Chitrٞé which is in Herrera province. In March it’s the Feria de David in Chiriquí province. Beside all this, there will be more smaller events to enjoy. Another very common thing in Panama is that people buy a few crates of beer, some meat and other food and they just have fun in front of their homes. They put out some chairs, music, neighbours and friends all arrive and they just sit there and eat, drink, talk, laugh and have fun. This happens mostly during weekends. When you
drive through some suburbs of Panama City, such as Villa Lucre where Luis and I were going, you see this happening in every street! They call this “parkear”, which derives from parking....it basically means you just “park” with your people, you just “stand” with them.
Anyway, that’s all for now....I wrote long enough already. Have a nice day and all the best.
¡Saludos desde la Ciudad de Panamá!
Elton
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Chito VLieg
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Heavy
Ahora Elton , panama ta mustra bunita hom. mino a verwacht no semper mi ta tin e impreshon di un luga pober . Anto ki wega tin ke peiki ta geel bisti? Bo no a pone ko den su kurpa ahinda? :p