This picture is the pair of shorts that gave up the ghost on this trip. They wore through in several places. On one hand it was disappointing to leave them, as they mad a great fashion statement when worn with colorful boxers.
Here are some final thoughts:
Education – Panama has one of the worst education systems in the world. Their neighbor to the north, Costa Rica, has one of the highest literacy rates in the world. Perhaps we are reading too much into it, but the Costa Ricans are rightfully proud of country. The Panamanians don’t seem to have much pride at all. It’s dog eat dog. Trash is left everywhere. Customer service, we heard from many people, is not a thing. Customers are a distraction. To be sure, this is not what we experienced in the inns and restaurants we visited. We were told that most students get a few hours of schooling each day. Teachers are often poorly trained, and schools are chronically under-funded. On the bright side, they are making some progress, now ranked 129.
Casco Viejo – The old city is being rejuvenated in a big way. When done, it will be beautiful, having what has been described as an “old Havana” vibe. Several factors are motivating this work: 1) $$$ – almost all of the rehabilitation projects are being funded by investor holding companies, not individuals planning on making a life there. 2) The pope is visiting for a few days at the end of January. The churches are all being re plastered and painted. They look great. 3) As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, several million dollars are provided each year to conserve and restore.
Our prediction, this will become a very desirable tourist destination in the next few years. Unfortunately, most of the benefits will go to the already moneyed, both Panamanian and external.
Caste System – We didn’t really do a deep dive, but Panama has a clear delineation between the haves and the have-nots. The “relaxed” banking laws bring in major dark money. One of the huge new exclusive areas is 70% wealthy Venezuelans who escaped with their money before things got bad.
We were told that there are 7 very wealthy families that control what happens in Panama. This includes the families that run Copa Airlines, Abuela Rum, and the largest Supermarket chain. Presidents typically steal millions, then are thrown in jail for a few years after they serve. Due to the ease of hiding assets, they come out with fortunes.
Driving out of Panama City, and to a lesser degree, the other larger cities we saw, there are vast areas of tract housing as well as dense areas of shacks. The tract homes look to be about 400 square feet. The shacks are smaller.
We were told that the houses do have small bedrooms, and usually multiple generations sleep in them together. This has lead to the development of “hourly” hotels, for adults to have conjugal visits in privacy.
At the clear bottom of the food chain are the indigenous peoples. There are 7 different groups in Panama. The government claims to be helping, but there is little evidence. They seem to live in the country, and the homes are often shacks, with see-through walls, dirt floors, and chickens and dogs running around. It is hard to imagine what it is like in the rainy season, or if a wind comes up.
U.S. Legacy – It’s hard to really know, but there has been an uneasy relationship between Panama and the U.S. for at least a century. When we declared independence from Colombia, it wasn’t for altruistic reasons. It was to build the canal. There were people killed in protests over the canal (both sides). We invaded Panama when Noriega was running drugs for Pablo Escobar.
Now that we turned the canal back over to Panama, it seems lie there was a similar dynamic as when the Soviet Union collapsed. We assumed everyone would want to run things the way we like them run. Instead, it was every man for themselves.
Most People are Really Nice – Despite the above comments, everyone we met seemed friendly and nice. The country has much natural beauty. Definitely worth a visit. Just be prepared for obvious class and material differences.
Post Card from Ellen
I always wanted to see how boats could go through a land mass. I knew about the Erie canal from living in upstate New York but, connecting the Atlantic to the Pacific has always intrigued me for some reason. The tour was good and worth going on. It is not as dramatic or spectacular as it is an engineering feat! I am very glad I went.
I am a bit sad though about how Capitalism is so blatant in this country. I am a capitalist generally, but I also believe in a social net that didn’t appear available here. I couldn’t help wondering how and when socialism or social democracy got such a bad rap for my generation or the one that brought me up.
As I travel under the Trump presidency , I find myself wanting to apologize more for US policies, but I also find how little others care about the US in general, which also hurts my American pride a bit. I enjoyed being an American, but it was always a bit naive on my part! The Peace Corp is in Panama, did you know!
This was a great trip for Steve and me. We have been fortunate to have had the chance to embrace unemployment by traveling and then finding new jobs when we returned 3 years ago. Leaving, coming back, and wondering what to do next, along with ageing has had challenges. St Paul is our home. Many things have changed, friends have evolved, we haven’t moved now for over a year and may someday find a more permanent docile. Meanwhile our travel adventures will hopefully continue!
Thank you followers your comments really mean a lot!
That’s all for now folks
– Ellen and Steve
Have enjoyed going on this tour with you! Thx for the posts and the pictures!
As the sun sinks slowly in the West, we bid fond adieu to our dynamic duo Ellen and Steve as they prepare to return to the twin chilly cities, tanned rested and ready for their next adventure.
Thank you for inviting us in so hospitably to share your rich life – both joys and sorrows – on the road and canal – exploring the fauna and floral in rural and urban jungles and seas with so many diverse residents of Panama. We were privileged to tag along for the ride and enjoyed your cultural, gustatory, environmental, and geopolitical epiphanies.
Our emotional roller coaster of happiness and regret at the conclusion of this experience can be assuaged only by the hope of future Most Excellent Adventures.
Keep On Keeping On!
Yes, Steve, The shorts have had it.
Ellen and Steve,
I have enjoyed learning from you both about your trip and your reflections.
See you when you get home. Thank you for sharing your adventure with us.
Travel and learning are so important.
This seems so typical of Latin American countries, in my experience. It certainly is true of Argentina, where presidents rake in the dough, get prosecuted after they are out of office, but get off scott free most of the time with their money stashed in foreign banks. The divide between wealthy and poor is also very common in Argentina. Costa Rica is such an anomaly…they got off on the right foot many years ago! It was also our experience that the people are almost always kind, funny, and companionable. I have recently begun to compare the United States to a Latin American dictatorship, unfortunately! It is so much fun to read about your travels!
I very much enjoy your on-the-ground observations. Thanks for fitting your blog into your busy days.
Glad to hear you enjoyed your trip, but after reading your posts I think I’ll cross Panama off my bucket list (it wasn’t anywhere near the top anyway).
You guys should think about traveling full time again and making money with a travel blog site. When I value am headed to a new area in Asia, I seek out spots that are not ‘commercial’ where I can get a feel for a place. (As and example, I like TravelFish.org although I’ll admit I don’t know if they’re making money at it)