Crossed Wires

While I was waiting at Roatan airport yesterday I fell into conversation with a Talkative Texan. Happily, the conversation did not include any discussion about the upcoming election as his enthusiastic talk about how many guns he had left me in no doubt about who he would be voting for. However, our chat did include the ‘where are you heading?’ bit. When I said I was going to Panama City he went into raptures about what a great place it is; great party city, great marina, great restaurants and so on. In particular he mentioned Hunt’s Oyster Bar, his description of which sounded so mouth watering that I made a note of the name. His monologue, singing the praises of this city, lasted a good five minutes.So one of the first things I did when I arrived here (a place where there is brilliant Internet for a change) was to Google ‘Hunt’s Oyster Bar’ only to find that it is in Panama City, Florida. Americans really need to get out more!

The real Panama City is a bit of a ‘Wow!’ of a place.

The centre is like Manhattan without the noise (I won’t say ‘without the Americans’ because there are a number of them here) or Hong Kong but with a lot more space. I am staying in the financial district where I am told there are 54 different banks and where some of the buildings are stunning.

It’s Saturday and yesterday was a public holiday (Flag Day) celebrating independence

although I’m not sure from whom – the Spanish in 1821 or the Colombians in 1903 and it’s so quiet. (Incidentally, when I typed ‘celebrating independence’, predictive text first came up with ‘celebrating indolence’ which probably refers more to Roatan than here!).

For such an apparently vibrant city, there is no hustle and bustle, few cars and not so many people although, of course, it may be different on a working day.

Most of the people I did see, however, were clearly enjoying themselves.

Very close to the high rise blocks is where the fishing boats unload their catches

which are then sold in the market. Both public and ‘trade’ can buy a vast range of pescados here.

The old part of Panama City is probably the biggest tourist attraction in this area although it’s definitely not teeming with either tourists or tacky gift shops. There are some, of course,

selling locally made handicrafts and, bizarrely, Panamanian car number plates ! And, inevitably, some selling …

Most of the tourists I saw seemed more interested in looking at the colonial architecture

some of which has been beautifully restored. (NB. Flags everywhere). This little oasis in an otherwise very modern city is by no means as powerfully stunning as Old Havana but there are some lovely renovated buildings here