Last Sunday a large group of us were all sat around a cropping of picnic bench tables ordering buckets of Pilsner. One of the first timers here asked about how much he should expect to spend and Kevin, who lives up the road and comes about every week said: “I don’t know really, I always order a few beers a plate of fish and ceviche and always end up paying about $10. In the end after a few crates of beer– I’m not sure how many beers our group of thirteen drank, but we all had a plate of fish and ceviche and it was a $138 bill. I probably shouldn’t be telling you about the best cevicheria Read more
Taking a stroll through the Casco Viejo neighborhood of Panama City has the uncanny ability to erase pictures of traffic, glaring casinos, and smoggy busses from your mind. This once severely dilapidated neighborhood in Panama City has been quickly renovated and revived in recent years and has taken on a whole new feel. Among other places to visit, Casco Viejo is known for being the historical center of Panama City. This charming district is reminiscent of the French Quarter in New Orleans in that it is loaded with French Colonial style architecture and charm. The President’s mansion, French Embassy, Museum of Natural History, Canal Museum, cathedral and multiple art galleries, shops and restaurants inhabit Casco. One could easily make Read more
Rio Celeste is a wonder of nature hidden in the northern part of the country within the Volcan Tenorio National Park close to the towns Guatuso and Bijagua in the province Alajuela. The neighbor town Fortuna gets tons of tourists visiting the nearby Arenal volcano. Rio Celeste, however, is in a rural area and visited by few tourists.
Rio Celeste is no ordinary river. Clear water runs races through the forest and then two rivers meet and sulfur and calcium carbonate mix to create a single bright, shocking turquoise river which then feeds several hot springs and a large waterfall. To get to the waterfall you’ll have to hike about an hour and a half through the national park Read more
I’ve never been so strapped that I had to get an emergency wire, but as we all know travel and living abroad can be unpredictable so having a solid backup plan is advisable and not too hard. Fortunately for us there are many services that offer support for emergency cash while abroad taking some of the fret of life abroad. For North Americans, Ecuador is a convenient place to transfer money. The currency is in US dollars, so no conversion fees. And in major urban centers like Quito, Guyaquil, and Cuenca there are a palethora of banking facilities making for easy receiving of your cash. Money transfer can be expensive though with high transfer fees in some occasions, but with Read more
If you visit the beach in Costa Rica, it is not uncommon to see foreign retirees spending their time sunbathing or taking a stroll around town. What makes Costa Rica retirement so popular? What are the laws regarding retirees entering the country? Should you buy or rent? Will you have access to proper health care?
The laws about entering the country are quite simple. The US and many other countries are granted 90 days stay in the country without getting a visa. If this is the case, all you need to do is travel to a neighboring nation and get your passport stamped, after which you are free to stay for another 90 days. Visitors from certain countries Read more
Many of those who decide to relocate to Panama are very surprised once they arrive and begin to settle in their new home. Panama is a different country than the U.S. and one should expect living in a different country to be just that. Different.
An element to consider when living in Panama is the major change of pace. Panamanians do not exhibit the constant sense of urgency in most tasks that Americans would. The phrase “manana” which means tomorrow has become a joke of sorts in that when someone in Panama tells you they will be there or do something “manana” it doesn’t necessarily mean tomorrow, but actually just means not today. This is where patience must come Read more
Panama is known for many things. The canal, wonderful climate, and beautiful beaches are just a few great aspects of this beautiful country. Panama City, however, is typically known for its own different sect of attributes. Casinos, beautiful girls, and the club scene are, in my opinion, the top three. When considering places to party in Panama you will never run out of clubs and bars to visit as it seems new ones are popping up every week.
A new hot spot among places to party in the city is Zona Viva. Zona Viva is not a single club, but a flood of bars, restaurants and dance clubs which always seem to be packed after 12 a.m. on any Read more
If you come to Quito, the place to stay is in the Mariscal. Gringolandia it is, but it is the happening place town. All the good bars, the ethnic varieties of food, the extensive travel agencies and outfitters, etc, not to mention its central location between the airport to the north and the historical city to the south. Calle Calama one block over from calle Fosch(the center of it all) is home to the best restraunts, bookstores and clubs. Pretty much the hub of it all. Villa Cayetano location on Calama puts the guest in the thick of it all with a natural, open ambience, quality rooms, reasonable rates, and plenty of amenities.
Jaco is famous as Costa Rica’s wildest party beach. The beach at Jaco isn’t great for swimming – it’s too rough. The waves are big, and have called to surfers all around the world for years. Nearby Playa Hermosa has some of the best waves in the country for surfing, and a black sand beach. There is now an annual surf tournament at Playa Hermosa. When the surfers are done for the day, the party begins at night. If you’re looking for young partying surfers and backpackers, foreigners and Costa Ricans coming down from the city, then Jaco is where you want to be. Lots of celebrities choose Jaco as a vacation spot. You never know who you might Read more
On a recent trip home to visit the states a few people asked me about what currency is used in Panama. The concept of Panamanian currency is simple yet a little confusing. The official currency in the Republic of Panama is actually the Balboa. But don’t start panicking yet. The Balboa and U.S. dollar are virtually the same thing and work equally in Panama. There are no Balboa paper notes as with the dollar (at least none that I have ever seen) and the coins or cents are known as “centavos”. If the price of something in Panama is listed with a B. before, such as B.25, then the price would be $25 U.S. dollars. Panamanian coinage is Read more
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