Panama City: Day 7 & Map of Recommendations

The laundromat: the highlight of my day! All thanks to the owner/guy who worked there who I chatted with for about an hour while my clothes were in the dryer. Mostly about his home country, Venezuela, but also about the other countries I'm going to in South America, Trump, world affairs. Venezuela OOF things are bad there. He said there are 50 murders a day, so over 1000 per month. People will steal GUM from you. Condoms, cigarettes, obviously your phone too, but GUM?! He said with $100 I'd feel like a millionaire there. It was a complicated discussion for me to follow 100% but I think I got about 75% of it and at the end he told me "hablas Español muy bueno," which is not true but made me very happy regardless. He was just doing most of the talking and I can understand a fair amount of what I hear (if the speaker slows down a bit. I do have to say "Más despacio" o "más lentamente" and "repita por favor" every once in awhile when I don't understand something.) and I can read and write decently enough but speaking, I'm getting a lott better but I'm not good yet. I said that and he said I was much better at Spanish than he was at English, which was definitely true, he only spoke like 3 words of English, which was greattt for me. One of my biggest frustrations here and in Mexico City has been that I am fairly confident I'm saying the right thing, definitely close enough, but without the perfect accent, and I'll get blank stares or people will just start speaking English. I told the laundromat guy that and he said that's probably because I'm a gringa and most who travel don't know how to speak Spanish at all so they just look at me and assume the same, and don't even try to listen to me. I thought that was a very good point because when I am one on one with someone, they can understand what I'm saying and we can have (almost) a conversation. Unavoidable, I just have to put myself in more situations like that one or hire a tutor if I want to learn. Trump-wise, this is just one of I think 6 conversations I've had so far about Trump but they're all about what you'd think they're about EXCEPT this one: he said Trump's Venezuela plans should have a positive impact and he was glad Trump was taking them. Not going to go into the plans obviously, google does a better job than me.

Probably the most key phrase to know in Spanish if you are traveling has to do with ordering food or coffee: Me da un/a [item], just as an fyi. You can also say Dame (da me) but me da is more polite. Learned that in Spain years ago. You do not say "me gustaría un/a," which is what I would have thought you say because it is the translation for "I would like a..." like you'd say in the U.S.

I don't have a picture of the laundromat, which I should, because that would be a 9/10 on my scale, being a picture of a laundromat! What I do have is my map of stars in Panama City.

Starting from the top.

Panama Viejo: If you are interested in ruins. I didn't go.

Miraflores: Not the schools (escuelas), I just starred the wrong thing directly next to Miraflores Locks: Amazing.

El Cangrejo: The neighborhood with my hotel, the most convenient of the two El Trapiches, traditional food, ITSMO Brew House, and Mentiratas Blancas, fave coffee shop (pretty Western). My laundromat is also across the street, maybe you'd get lucky and meet the same guy I did.

Next cluster of stars: Bunch of random stuff, none of which I can recommend, I just starred a bunch of things because I wanted to walk around this area near the skyscapers. It's good walk and it's safe, I would recommend it. You see people's homes and a couple very interesting skyscrapers, including one that is literally twisted, windows and all, it's twisted all the way up and down, with a triangular yellow dome at the top, very cool. I would also recommend this area for hotels, because it's close to the coast line, and a (healthy 1 hr New Yorker speed) pretty walk down to Casco Viejo, the other big cluster of stars.

Allbrook: Ignore, just the name of the bus line I used.

Ancón Hill: Almost did this. This area had been controlled/owned by the U.S. since it took over building the Panama Canal, but we didn't develop it at all and the rest of the city grew up around it. As soon as we gave it back to Panama in 1977, citizens hoisted a flag up there =) Would have seen city views, interesting animals, and had a nice 30 minute hike if I did this but I'll be back!

Star to the right of Ancón Hill: A bakery I stopped in on my semi dangerous except it was 7:30 am walk to Casco Viejo. I'm not going to recommend this because of the danger, unless you're a burly man/group of men, OK, email me. Although it was quite good, it's the only Panamanian bakery I went to, so maybe they're all good!

Casco Viejo/Super Gourmet: Super Gourmet is a solid but Western-toursity-feeling deli, good egg sandwiches. This area also has Unido Casco Viejo which I preferred for coffee. Mostly this area is good/great for walking around, and there is a bar scene developing.

Cinca Costera loop: The loop jetting out from Casco Viejo and an awesome walk with a view of the whole city and Frank Gehry's Biomuseum.

The Causeway: Almost walked this, did not, but it's supposed to be very cool and have nice islands nearby, and is near the Biomuseum too.