Finally talking about what is happening right now is really a pleasure and, therefore, the topic of today is Panama!
We left Costa Rica 10 days ago (from the depressing San Jose, seriously: don't go there) for the party place of Bocas del Toros, located in the region Bocas del Toro. What does this lack of imagination from countries of Latin America means? Quick examples that come to mind are Oaxaca (city), Oaxaca (state) Mexico or Panama (City), Panama (state), Panama (country). I mean... Really? Can't do better than that? And I'm not even talking about the impressive number of city called San Pedro (oupsy, I actually did...).
Any how, going back to an Island in the Caribean is always something... surprising.
First thing first: people seems weirder on those islands (I'm not bullshitting you, we did 3 of them). People are difficult to approach, and they can be aggressive toward you (being insulted in Caye Caulker, Belize, or even got a little cigarette burn on my forearm in Bocas del Toro). They all know each other and, if being in the tourism, are super nice with you.... til' they understand they won't get any money from you, and then, they give you the attitude.
Finally, you have those parties, usually held on a regular basis (every 2 or 3 days) where you usually can't really approach locals til' late in the night when everybody is pretty much drunk. But even then, you'd better be walking on eggshells. The day after this kind of party, the city will behave like a ghost town with people walking goalless.
Another particularity of central America, and even more in Panama, is the Chinese presence. We've seen them owning shops and even restaurant so far, but here, on Bocas, they virtually own EVERYTHING! They are the one building new stuff, having the casinos, the backpackers (even though they hide it pretty well by paying up some locals to run the place, it was obvious the Chinese were behind). I still don't have an explanation for that but locals seem to dislike it doing nothing to prevent it (and of course, I've never seen 1 Chinese during the night parties).
Then, we headed to Panama city (being stopped at night at an immigration office in the middle of the country, I still don't get that...) which was a surprise of wealthiness. Big towers, big cars, big malls, it's like USA all over again. But as a reminder, the numbers say that 40% of the population lives below the poverty line...
Anyway, stunning city if you have $$$ to put on the table and if you have a car (as the pedestrian way are just here to look nice... Wait, they aren't even nice!).
Finally, a little word about prostitution as it appears to be very present in the capital. You can't even stop in the street to eat something without someone proposing the specials services of some Colombian girls, and it seems very difficult to get in discotheque for free without being surrounded by wh*re (literaly). Definitly NOT a place to party...
We are ready to cross the border with Colombia which should be the hardest/longest/most expensive we will have to deal with.
Francois & Damien
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