June 24, 2025 • 21 mins
The Besties share their most surprising discoveries from their recent first trip to Panama. They reveal unexpected aspects of Panamanian life that weren't evident from their research before visiting, some are:
• Panama's modern, clean subway
• Spanish language proficiency is more essential than expected, especially outside tourist areas
• The extent of Panama City's skyline
• The Albrook Mall is massive and bustling, unlike many declining American shopping centers
• Strong Caribbean cultural influence evident in food, accents, and customs
• Diverse population with Spanish, indigenous, and Afro-Caribbean representation
• Extensive road and transportation infrastructure development underway
• Safe tap water in Panama City, unlike many other Latin American destinations
Stay tuned: they’re definitely going back to Panama soon to continue their exploration.
References in this episode:
Afro-Antillean Museum of Panama (Museo Afro-Antillano de Panama)
Get Angie’s eBook:
We’re Too Old for This Shit! The Inquisitive Older Woman’s Guide to Joy http://joystrategy.co/ebook
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hey Ang hey, les what's cooking.
Good looking Well.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Well, quite a bit how much time you got.
No, I'm good.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
I'm good, we're going to be talking about something
very interesting, so I'm excitedabout that.
I'm happy about that.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, we'll bringhim in.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Who are we?
Who are we?
Who are we?
Well, welcome to anotherepisode of Black Boomer Besties
from Brooklyn.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
I'm Angela, that's Leslie, my best friend of almost
50 years.
We are two60-something-year-old women who
have decided to commit to beingmore bold and more joyful, and
we invite you to come along withus.
Today, we're going to betalking a little bit about this
(00:55):
amazing trip that we had inPanama.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Leslie and I were there some weeks ago Hasn't been
that long and we wanted toshare with you the most
surprising things that weexperienced in Panama, things we
just did not expect in thecountry of Panama.
So you all know that we've beentalking about Panama for a
while.
We finally got there, which wasgreat and amazing Amazing and
we've done our own bit ofresearch on Panama.
Before we even went there, westarted looking at videos.
(01:35):
We joined some groups thattalked about Panama and expats
in Panama.
So we had a pretty decent,comfortable feel of what we were
going to encounter when we gotthere.
Yet, and still there were somesurprises.
So, ange was like what weresome of the surprises that you
had when you came to Panama?
So I have a few.
I don't know that you've heardall of them, but what was your?
(01:59):
I mean, I know this is silly, Imean we don't have to
categorize it, but what was themost surprising thing?
We'll just say that what wasyour most surprising thing about
Panama?
Which?
Speaker 1 (02:10):
is a subway, there's underground and above ground,
wow, um.
But because it was clean, itwas it, it was, um, modern, and
(02:34):
it was only 35 cents.
You pay two dollars to get thecard and there are people there
to help you.
There, you, there are peoplewho work at the station.
You pay $2 to get the card andthen you put money on the card
and so it's $0.35 to ride thewhole day on the card.
(02:59):
Well, I mean, you could stay on, is what I'm saying.
Once you get off and come backin, it's another $0.35.
You could stay on, is what I'msaying.
Once you get off and come backin, it's another 35 cents.
But my sister and I, at thestation manager's suggestion, we
rode it to the end.
You did, yes, on the elevatedside and, oh my gosh, we talked
(03:19):
to people.
There was a young man on itwhat?
Who had a T-square, and mysister we both are learning
Spanish.
There was a young man on it whohad a T-square and my sister we
both are learning Spanish.
But she asked him oh, are youstudying architecture?
And he said, yes, he only spokeSpanish.
And so we cobbled togetherenough words to speak with him
(03:51):
and clean.
And it was just a shock,because what does it take to
have people decide to have aclean subway system?
We didn't see anyone cleaningit, and not only the trains were
clean, the stations were cleanand the tracks were clean like
wow, have you seen the new?
Speaker 2 (04:00):
so that's hey hey, hey hey, I'm just saying Too
soon.
I'm just saying Too soon, wehaven't been away long enough
yet.
Too soon.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
So that was a big shock to me.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
It was a pleasant surprise, and I think you did
kind of squeal about that theloudest.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
So I think so.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
I have two things that were very surprising.
Equally, equally surprising,I'll say.
My most surprising thing is youneed to know how to speak
Spanish in Panama.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
It does help.
I don't think you need to knowListen.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Okay you go.
I thought that you can kind ofget by, that it's helpful but
not mandatory, depending onwhere you want to be and where
you want to roam.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
In the stores in Panama City and in the very
tourist areas and stuff there'smany Spanish speaking people,
but I don't know, Englishspeaking people, but that's not
where we're going to live.
You know, obviously we're goingto be around there and all.
But when you leave the city,and even in some outskirts or
some parts of the city, itreally helps to have a
(05:16):
proficiency in Spanish.
And I would say that Iunderstand a lot more than I
speak.
But even I was struggling, alittle bit more than I thought I
would be.
You know I thought I had alittle more fluency than I did,
and especially because we spenttime in the other areas.
Right, yeah, I would say thatwas the most surprising thing.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Yeah, keep learning Spanish yeah, most people that
you hear on YouTube say that youcan get away with not knowing
Spanish and even though, as yousaid, in Panama City, you can,
um, you can get away with notknowing what Spanish but it's
(06:03):
not comfortable.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Exactly, and it depends on how you want to
interact with the people.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
I don't want to be this gringo outsider.
Yeah, blingo, you mean.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Well, I don't, you know, that term is new to me.
I don't want to be a blingo,black, gringo Outsider in Panama
.
I want to be part of thecommunity and I think if I
learned Spanish that wouldfacilitate that a little bit
more.
Very clearly, I'm a tourist andI'm American and all of that.
(06:36):
So I'll never be able to shedthat, nor would I want to.
But I think that because we'renot going to stay in those
tourist areas, you know we'lllive in the city, likely or near
the city, but I want to be ableto explore.
So I think that I'll have alittle better time of it Keeping
(06:57):
up with my Spanish.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
I agree, I agree.
So I think that was my numberone.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
The other one that's almost up there with it is that
it's not my turn.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
No, we're not going.
Like you got, you got.
No, we're not doing that.
We're not being fair.
Is that what you're saying?
We're not being fair.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Okay, the other thing .
All right, you're scratching togo, so go ahead.
Ange, you know here's thecompetition in me, because
you're going to say what's onnear the top of my list.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
But no, no, no, no, no, no competition, no
competition.
Another thing that wassurprising we went to a mall,
the Albrook Mall.
It was so freaking huge wespent most of our time finding
each other.
Um, it was, it's huge, likeI've never been to mall of
(07:56):
america, or, but I'm just sayingit was massive, wow.
And I think because maybeplaces like Amazon and so on are
not, you know, kind of heavilyused there, from what I could
see, it's still malls are stillthe places where people go to
(08:18):
shop and to socialize and so on.
So it was great.
It wasn't an empty kind ofdeserted place at all.
They had good food in the foodmarts, but it was massive,
massive.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Okay, that's my number two.
Was it an uncomfortable,massive or tolerable, just like
oh wow?
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Well, if you're a shopper like you, it's amazing,
it's like whoa oh my.
God, oh my God, oh my God.
But I was trying to findsomeone.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but the duty-free shopping that we
did in Cologne that wasoverwhelming to me.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
That was a lot.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
That was overwhelming .
It's an outdoor.
It turned into a horror movie.
It's like you're walking andwalking and by this time you
have bags in the stores and thisand that.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
But the prices are great.
Yeah, yeah, the prices weregreat.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, For somethings gold is high everywhere.
It's not cheaper.
Oh, maybe that would be my nextthing.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Oh, are you jumping in front of me?
Okay, so the next, the thingthat I was next most surprised
panama city looks like miami,with the skyscrapers it does,
and the modern skyscrapers Imean it was like glass and
shaped and there's a sphere,shaped one, and there's
(09:45):
hexagonal, and it's like looklike, exactly, you took it and
then you turned it.
It was yeah, that it was likethe skyline is awesome.
It really looked like my remindme of like Miami, or so.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
It was very extensive .
I thought it was going to bejust in one area.
Yes, but even coming from theairport there's so many
skyscrapers and it extends for agood portion of the Pacific
side of the country.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Yeah, that was pretty surprising.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
All right, so I'm going to finish up on the gold
one.
Okay, I was surprised at how,because everyone says, oh, you
got to go get gold in Panama.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Gold is really inexpensive?
Speaker 1 (10:38):
No, not anymore.
Yeah Well, I heard that gold isgoing up.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
The price of gold is really-.
And that's what we saw.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
And that's what we saw.
And that's what we saw.
So watch the gold numbers.
But right now it's high.
I don't know what it iscompared to other places, but it
was much more expensive than.
I expected, and we went to10-carat, 14-carat, 18-carat
places.
And it was pretty consistentlyhigh.
(11:08):
Anyway, okay, your turn.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
You don't need to convert US dollars.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
Oh, you didn't know that.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
I heard, but I was certainly prepared to exchange
change into Balboas Right right,and you didn't have to at all.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
Yes, not at all.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
It's a one-to-one.
That was really surprising tome.
Yes, in fact, I had heard thatand I'm like that doesn't make
sense.
It's got to.
Why, come on?
Why are they using US dollarsand stuff?
They're using US dollars.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
They're using US dollars.
The only place you'll see theBalboa is in some coins that are
circulating, but you also seequarters and nickels and so on.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Right, yes, I came home with some coins.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
As we say, paper money.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
It's only US dollars.
That's crazy, that's true, thatwas surprising.
I know my turn.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Go.
No, I'm kidding, you are twoyears old.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
I know I can't my turn Go.
No, I'm kidding you are twoyears old.
I know You're two years old.
I was surprised by themagnitude of Caribbean or, as
they say, antillean influence inPanama City.
I would have expected it inCologne, because that is on the
Caribbean side, because that ison the Caribbean side and, by
(12:28):
the way, if you get a chance, inPanama City there is a museum
of Afro-Antillian museum, whichis incredible, incredible it's
small.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Where is it?
Speaker 1 (12:41):
It's intimate.
It's in Panama City, I thinkit's in El Cangrejo or close to
it, because it wasn't far fromthe hotel.
We took an Uber, but it wasless than $4 or something like
that food.
(13:14):
What was interesting is when Iheard some English speakers,
some English speakingPanamanians they had Caribbean
accents.
It was either Jamaican orBarbadian accents.
That's interesting, yeah it wasso interesting and this guy at
the hotel that one of the hotelsthat I stayed at he was saying
something to me and as he walkedby he was, as he walked away he
(13:34):
was saying goodbye or something.
I was like wait a minute,that's not like a Jamaican.
So I called him over and hesaid, yes, his grandmother was
Jamaican.
And he said they had the ruleto speak English inside and
Spanish outside.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
So they have that advantage of having English
almost as their first language.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
Yes, and they learn Spanish in school, so they are
completely bilingual, which is abenefit now you know what I
mean and especially in touristareas where you want people to
speak English.
So that was a really pleasantsurprise.
Yeah, and I had some of thebest, best oxtail I've had for a
very long time and it wasn't$30 for the plate of oxtail, it
(14:19):
was.
It was delicious, yes.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Okay, can.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
I give a shout out.
I'm going to give a shout outto Daiquiri 23.
That's where I got the oxtail.
It was so, so good.
It's actually owned by anAmerican man, black guy who owns
it, but I guess he's got someJamaican or Jamaican descended
people who are in the kitchen,because the food was really on
(14:46):
point and the oxtail was was topnotch.
Check it out.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
Okay, okay, all right , your turn.
I was pleasantly surprised howeasy it was to get into the
country through customs.
Ah yeah, it was reallyincredible.
I guess I should haveanticipated it, because they
want.
You know, americans have a goodreputation in Panama, so you
(15:10):
know.
But we really just walkedthrough.
They didn't ask very manyquestions, although they did
tell my partner you're on thewrong line, you need to be on
the panamanian side.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
he's like I'm here with her, okay yeah, it was
really straightforward, it wasvery easy.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Yeah, yeah and again just likewise, getting out of
the country was very easy aswell let me tell you, compared
to when you're going to jamaica,panama was a breeze.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
I'm just saying, I'm just saying listen I'm a
jamaican I'm telling you thetruth panama was a breeze.
There they just seemed to bereally efficient and um there,
you know, there, there weren't alot of um unnecessary or um,
just just lines.
They had enough lines toaccommodate the people.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
I don't feel like they were lacking in security.
Exactly that's what.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
I mean, they didn't cut any corners, they just were
really efficient at how they didwhat they did.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
All right, you got another one.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
I think I have one more.
This one is really.
It's making me feel good.
There was so much road andtransportation construction.
They are waiting for us.
They are getting ready forcompany.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Yes, yeah, they are getting ready for company.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Yes, yeah, the streets and the new roads going
out of Panama City were, oh mygosh, the rotaries, and they
really and and re-extending ofthe metro.
And extending of the thing hesaid that these roads are all
new because there's so much newtraffic.
These roads are all new becausethere's so much new traffic.
(16:57):
They're anticipating peoplecoming and wanting to live
further and further out from thecity and they are ready,
they're getting ready for meHallelujah.
I know, I know it was really.
I was surprised to see howmodern the streets were and the
(17:20):
you know just getting around,how easy it was.
I don't see myself driving inPanama anytime soon, though.
That was ooh.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
That was a little rough.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
It was like people just get in anywhere, like what,
but I'm here, but I'm here Wait.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
But they are on the right side of the road.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Ah, okay, yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
Yeah, so that would not and that helped me for when
I'm crossing the street.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
I knew which way to look.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
Yeah, that's true.
So my feet didn't get clipped.
The last one I have is thevariety of food I have food on
my list also Every part of theworld.
Food from every part of theworld, Different price ranges.
I mean you may be surprised athow expensive some of the food
(18:13):
options are, but you can alsoget food from Fundus for $5 for
a big plate of food.
So it depends on where you go,but you can.
There's food from Peru.
There was this Caribbean sushiplace.
There's food from the MiddleEast, from the Caribbean, of
(18:36):
course, panamanian food.
It's just like a.
It's a metropolitan city.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
It's a very diverse foodie, I would call it a foodie
city.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Yeah, we have plenty of options.
That's right.
You know plenty of options.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
So we're going to be going back.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
Yeah, we're definitely going back.
And there's food too,definitely.
Did anybody say food?
No, I'm not sure how to phrasethis, but I was surprised at how
diverse the Panamanianpopulation is.
Ah, okay, population is Interms of their coloring.
(19:20):
Some have very obvious Spanishinfluence very fair skin and
very straight hair, and thenthere are others that are very
brown and dark, with more curlyhair.
It seems to be a very diverse,yes, indigenous in their, you
know, wearing with more curlyhair.
It seems to be a very diverse,yes, indigenous in there, you
(19:41):
know, wearing their traditionaloutfits or beaded more of like
an Indian type.
I was really just surprised athow different the natives were.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, and that goesto show it's in Central America
, it's close to South America,it's still Latin America.
(20:03):
I didn't get a sense of thatdiversity from the Panamanians I
know here in the States.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Right and compared to Costa Rica?
How did you feel aboutdiversity?
Speaker 2 (20:15):
The people were a little more homogeneous there.
For sure, yeah, for sure yeah,yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Um, I felt like there's one more that I oh.
One more that I wanted to addis that drank the water, no
problem oh yes we got bottledwater, but we also had tap water
in restaurants, Right, noproblem whatsoever.
(20:43):
This again is Panama City.
I don't know how it would bewith different water systems in
other parts of the country, butthis is my experience in Panama
City.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
That's true, that's true, all right, yeah, very good
, les, wow Okay.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
That's it, that's all .
That's true, all right, yeah,very good, les Wow.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
Okay, that's it.
That's all we got guys, allright.
So you wait till we go back.
We're going to come back, we'regoing to be a little browner,
we're going to be more.
Habla mas espanol.
Ooh, and all the things All thethings, all the things.
Yeah, we'll tell you all aboutit.
All right, see you next time.
All right, this has beenanother episode of Black Boomer
(21:21):
Besties from Brooklyn.
Hey Ang hey, les what's cooking.
Good looking Well.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Well, quite a bit how much time you got.
No, I'm good.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
I'm good, we're going to be talking about something
very interesting, so I'm excitedabout that.
I'm happy about that.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, we'll bringhim in.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Who are we?
Who are we?
Who are we?
Well, welcome to anotherepisode of Black Boomer Besties
from Brooklyn.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
I'm Angela, that's Leslie, my best friend of almost
50 years.
We are two60-something-year-old women who
have decided to commit to beingmore bold and more joyful, and
we invite you to come along withus.
Today, we're going to betalking a little bit about this
(00:55):
amazing trip that we had inPanama.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Leslie and I were there some weeks ago Hasn't been
that long and we wanted toshare with you the most
surprising things that weexperienced in Panama, things we
just did not expect in thecountry of Panama.
So you all know that we've beentalking about Panama for a
while.
We finally got there, which wasgreat and amazing Amazing and
we've done our own bit ofresearch on Panama.
Before we even went there, westarted looking at videos.
(01:35):
We joined some groups thattalked about Panama and expats
in Panama.
So we had a pretty decent,comfortable feel of what we were
going to encounter when we gotthere.
Yet, and still there were somesurprises.
So, ange was like what weresome of the surprises that you
had when you came to Panama?
So I have a few.
I don't know that you've heardall of them, but what was your?
(01:59):
I mean, I know this is silly, Imean we don't have to
categorize it, but what was themost surprising thing?
We'll just say that what wasyour most surprising thing about
Panama?
Which?
Speaker 1 (02:10):
is a subway, there's underground and above ground,
wow, um.
But because it was clean, itwas it, it was, um, modern, and
(02:34):
it was only 35 cents.
You pay two dollars to get thecard and there are people there
to help you.
There, you, there are peoplewho work at the station.
You pay $2 to get the card andthen you put money on the card
and so it's $0.35 to ride thewhole day on the card.
(02:59):
Well, I mean, you could stay on, is what I'm saying.
Once you get off and come backin, it's another $0.35.
You could stay on, is what I'msaying.
Once you get off and come backin, it's another 35 cents.
But my sister and I, at thestation manager's suggestion, we
rode it to the end.
You did, yes, on the elevatedside and, oh my gosh, we talked
(03:19):
to people.
There was a young man on itwhat?
Who had a T-square, and mysister we both are learning
Spanish.
There was a young man on it whohad a T-square and my sister we
both are learning Spanish.
But she asked him oh, are youstudying architecture?
And he said, yes, he only spokeSpanish.
And so we cobbled togetherenough words to speak with him
(03:51):
and clean.
And it was just a shock,because what does it take to
have people decide to have aclean subway system?
We didn't see anyone cleaningit, and not only the trains were
clean, the stations were cleanand the tracks were clean like
wow, have you seen the new?
Speaker 2 (04:00):
so that's hey hey, hey hey, I'm just saying Too
soon.
I'm just saying Too soon, wehaven't been away long enough
yet.
Too soon.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
So that was a big shock to me.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
It was a pleasant surprise, and I think you did
kind of squeal about that theloudest.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
So I think so.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
I have two things that were very surprising.
Equally, equally surprising,I'll say.
My most surprising thing is youneed to know how to speak
Spanish in Panama.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
It does help.
I don't think you need to knowListen.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Okay you go.
I thought that you can kind ofget by, that it's helpful but
not mandatory, depending onwhere you want to be and where
you want to roam.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
In the stores in Panama City and in the very
tourist areas and stuff there'smany Spanish speaking people,
but I don't know, Englishspeaking people, but that's not
where we're going to live.
You know, obviously we're goingto be around there and all.
But when you leave the city,and even in some outskirts or
some parts of the city, itreally helps to have a
(05:16):
proficiency in Spanish.
And I would say that Iunderstand a lot more than I
speak.
But even I was struggling, alittle bit more than I thought I
would be.
You know I thought I had alittle more fluency than I did,
and especially because we spenttime in the other areas.
Right, yeah, I would say thatwas the most surprising thing.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Yeah, keep learning Spanish yeah, most people that
you hear on YouTube say that youcan get away with not knowing
Spanish and even though, as yousaid, in Panama City, you can,
um, you can get away with notknowing what Spanish but it's
(06:03):
not comfortable.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Exactly, and it depends on how you want to
interact with the people.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
I don't want to be this gringo outsider.
Yeah, blingo, you mean.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Well, I don't, you know, that term is new to me.
I don't want to be a blingo,black, gringo Outsider in Panama
.
I want to be part of thecommunity and I think if I
learned Spanish that wouldfacilitate that a little bit
more.
Very clearly, I'm a tourist andI'm American and all of that.
(06:36):
So I'll never be able to shedthat, nor would I want to.
But I think that because we'renot going to stay in those
tourist areas, you know we'lllive in the city, likely or near
the city, but I want to be ableto explore.
So I think that I'll have alittle better time of it Keeping
(06:57):
up with my Spanish.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
I agree, I agree.
So I think that was my numberone.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
The other one that's almost up there with it is that
it's not my turn.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
No, we're not going.
Like you got, you got.
No, we're not doing that.
We're not being fair.
Is that what you're saying?
We're not being fair.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Okay, the other thing .
All right, you're scratching togo, so go ahead.
Ange, you know here's thecompetition in me, because
you're going to say what's onnear the top of my list.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
But no, no, no, no, no, no competition, no
competition.
Another thing that wassurprising we went to a mall,
the Albrook Mall.
It was so freaking huge wespent most of our time finding
each other.
Um, it was, it's huge, likeI've never been to mall of
(07:56):
america, or, but I'm just sayingit was massive, wow.
And I think because maybeplaces like Amazon and so on are
not, you know, kind of heavilyused there, from what I could
see, it's still malls are stillthe places where people go to
(08:18):
shop and to socialize and so on.
So it was great.
It wasn't an empty kind ofdeserted place at all.
They had good food in the foodmarts, but it was massive,
massive.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Okay, that's my number two.
Was it an uncomfortable,massive or tolerable, just like
oh wow?
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Well, if you're a shopper like you, it's amazing,
it's like whoa oh my.
God, oh my God, oh my God.
But I was trying to findsomeone.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but the duty-free shopping that we
did in Cologne that wasoverwhelming to me.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
That was a lot.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
That was overwhelming .
It's an outdoor.
It turned into a horror movie.
It's like you're walking andwalking and by this time you
have bags in the stores and thisand that.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
But the prices are great.
Yeah, yeah, the prices weregreat.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, For somethings gold is high everywhere.
It's not cheaper.
Oh, maybe that would be my nextthing.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Oh, are you jumping in front of me?
Okay, so the next, the thingthat I was next most surprised
panama city looks like miami,with the skyscrapers it does,
and the modern skyscrapers Imean it was like glass and
shaped and there's a sphere,shaped one, and there's
(09:45):
hexagonal, and it's like looklike, exactly, you took it and
then you turned it.
It was yeah, that it was likethe skyline is awesome.
It really looked like my remindme of like Miami, or so.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
It was very extensive .
I thought it was going to bejust in one area.
Yes, but even coming from theairport there's so many
skyscrapers and it extends for agood portion of the Pacific
side of the country.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Yeah, that was pretty surprising.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
All right, so I'm going to finish up on the gold
one.
Okay, I was surprised at how,because everyone says, oh, you
got to go get gold in Panama.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Gold is really inexpensive?
Speaker 1 (10:38):
No, not anymore.
Yeah Well, I heard that gold isgoing up.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
The price of gold is really-.
And that's what we saw.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
And that's what we saw.
And that's what we saw.
So watch the gold numbers.
But right now it's high.
I don't know what it iscompared to other places, but it
was much more expensive than.
I expected, and we went to10-carat, 14-carat, 18-carat
places.
And it was pretty consistentlyhigh.
(11:08):
Anyway, okay, your turn.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
You don't need to convert US dollars.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
Oh, you didn't know that.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
I heard, but I was certainly prepared to exchange
change into Balboas Right right,and you didn't have to at all.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
Yes, not at all.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
It's a one-to-one.
That was really surprising tome.
Yes, in fact, I had heard thatand I'm like that doesn't make
sense.
It's got to.
Why, come on?
Why are they using US dollarsand stuff?
They're using US dollars.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
They're using US dollars.
The only place you'll see theBalboa is in some coins that are
circulating, but you also seequarters and nickels and so on.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Right, yes, I came home with some coins.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
As we say, paper money.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
It's only US dollars.
That's crazy, that's true, thatwas surprising.
I know my turn.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Go.
No, I'm kidding, you are twoyears old.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
I know I can't my turn Go.
No, I'm kidding you are twoyears old.
I know You're two years old.
I was surprised by themagnitude of Caribbean or, as
they say, antillean influence inPanama City.
I would have expected it inCologne, because that is on the
Caribbean side, because that ison the Caribbean side and, by
(12:28):
the way, if you get a chance, inPanama City there is a museum
of Afro-Antillian museum, whichis incredible, incredible it's
small.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Where is it?
Speaker 1 (12:41):
It's intimate.
It's in Panama City, I thinkit's in El Cangrejo or close to
it, because it wasn't far fromthe hotel.
We took an Uber, but it wasless than $4 or something like
that food.
(13:14):
What was interesting is when Iheard some English speakers,
some English speakingPanamanians they had Caribbean
accents.
It was either Jamaican orBarbadian accents.
That's interesting, yeah it wasso interesting and this guy at
the hotel that one of the hotelsthat I stayed at he was saying
something to me and as he walkedby he was, as he walked away he
(13:34):
was saying goodbye or something.
I was like wait a minute,that's not like a Jamaican.
So I called him over and hesaid, yes, his grandmother was
Jamaican.
And he said they had the ruleto speak English inside and
Spanish outside.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
So they have that advantage of having English
almost as their first language.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
Yes, and they learn Spanish in school, so they are
completely bilingual, which is abenefit now you know what I
mean and especially in touristareas where you want people to
speak English.
So that was a really pleasantsurprise.
Yeah, and I had some of thebest, best oxtail I've had for a
very long time and it wasn't$30 for the plate of oxtail, it
(14:19):
was.
It was delicious, yes.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Okay, can.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
I give a shout out.
I'm going to give a shout outto Daiquiri 23.
That's where I got the oxtail.
It was so, so good.
It's actually owned by anAmerican man, black guy who owns
it, but I guess he's got someJamaican or Jamaican descended
people who are in the kitchen,because the food was really on
(14:46):
point and the oxtail was was topnotch.
Check it out.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
Okay, okay, all right , your turn.
I was pleasantly surprised howeasy it was to get into the
country through customs.
Ah yeah, it was reallyincredible.
I guess I should haveanticipated it, because they
want.
You know, americans have a goodreputation in Panama, so you
(15:10):
know.
But we really just walkedthrough.
They didn't ask very manyquestions, although they did
tell my partner you're on thewrong line, you need to be on
the panamanian side.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
he's like I'm here with her, okay yeah, it was
really straightforward, it wasvery easy.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Yeah, yeah and again just likewise, getting out of
the country was very easy aswell let me tell you, compared
to when you're going to jamaica,panama was a breeze.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
I'm just saying, I'm just saying listen I'm a
jamaican I'm telling you thetruth panama was a breeze.
There they just seemed to bereally efficient and um there,
you know, there, there weren't alot of um unnecessary or um,
just just lines.
They had enough lines toaccommodate the people.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
I don't feel like they were lacking in security.
Exactly that's what.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
I mean, they didn't cut any corners, they just were
really efficient at how they didwhat they did.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
All right, you got another one.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
I think I have one more.
This one is really.
It's making me feel good.
There was so much road andtransportation construction.
They are waiting for us.
They are getting ready forcompany.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Yes, yeah, they are getting ready for company.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Yes, yeah, the streets and the new roads going
out of Panama City were, oh mygosh, the rotaries, and they
really and and re-extending ofthe metro.
And extending of the thing hesaid that these roads are all
new because there's so much newtraffic.
These roads are all new becausethere's so much new traffic.
(16:57):
They're anticipating peoplecoming and wanting to live
further and further out from thecity and they are ready,
they're getting ready for meHallelujah.
I know, I know it was really.
I was surprised to see howmodern the streets were and the
(17:20):
you know just getting around,how easy it was.
I don't see myself driving inPanama anytime soon, though.
That was ooh.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
That was a little rough.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
It was like people just get in anywhere, like what,
but I'm here, but I'm here Wait.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
But they are on the right side of the road.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Ah, okay, yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
Yeah, so that would not and that helped me for when
I'm crossing the street.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
I knew which way to look.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
Yeah, that's true.
So my feet didn't get clipped.
The last one I have is thevariety of food I have food on
my list also Every part of theworld.
Food from every part of theworld, Different price ranges.
I mean you may be surprised athow expensive some of the food
(18:13):
options are, but you can alsoget food from Fundus for $5 for
a big plate of food.
So it depends on where you go,but you can.
There's food from Peru.
There was this Caribbean sushiplace.
There's food from the MiddleEast, from the Caribbean, of
(18:36):
course, panamanian food.
It's just like a.
It's a metropolitan city.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
It's a very diverse foodie, I would call it a foodie
city.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Yeah, we have plenty of options.
That's right.
You know plenty of options.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
So we're going to be going back.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
Yeah, we're definitely going back.
And there's food too,definitely.
Did anybody say food?
No, I'm not sure how to phrasethis, but I was surprised at how
diverse the Panamanianpopulation is.
Ah, okay, population is Interms of their coloring.
(19:20):
Some have very obvious Spanishinfluence very fair skin and
very straight hair, and thenthere are others that are very
brown and dark, with more curlyhair.
It seems to be a very diverse,yes, indigenous in their, you
know, wearing with more curlyhair.
It seems to be a very diverse,yes, indigenous in there, you
(19:41):
know, wearing their traditionaloutfits or beaded more of like
an Indian type.
I was really just surprised athow different the natives were.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, and that goesto show it's in Central America
, it's close to South America,it's still Latin America.
(20:03):
I didn't get a sense of thatdiversity from the Panamanians I
know here in the States.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Right and compared to Costa Rica?
How did you feel aboutdiversity?
Speaker 2 (20:15):
The people were a little more homogeneous there.
For sure, yeah, for sure yeah,yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Um, I felt like there's one more that I oh.
One more that I wanted to addis that drank the water, no
problem oh yes we got bottledwater, but we also had tap water
in restaurants, Right, noproblem whatsoever.
(20:43):
This again is Panama City.
I don't know how it would bewith different water systems in
other parts of the country, butthis is my experience in Panama
City.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
That's true, that's true, all right, yeah, very good
, les, wow Okay.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
That's it, that's all .
That's true, all right, yeah,very good, les Wow.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
Okay, that's it.
That's all we got guys, allright.
So you wait till we go back.
We're going to come back, we'regoing to be a little browner,
we're going to be more.
Habla mas espanol.
Ooh, and all the things All thethings, all the things.
Yeah, we'll tell you all aboutit.
All right, see you next time.
All right, this has beenanother episode of Black Boomer
(21:21):
Besties from Brooklyn.
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