Panama Jammin 5 - Bocas Bound

I'm back with a brand new video! This one is for everyone!!!

Panama Jammin from Boquete Panama to Bocas del Toro.

You will travel apprx 3.5 to 4.5 hours (depending on weather, your driving and stops) over the Talamanca Mountains (the Cordillera de Talamanca range in southern Costa Rica extends to the Costa Rica border with western Panama. Its highest peak, Chirripó Grande, rises to 12,530 feet (3,819 metres)).

East of Boquete the road that links the Pan-American Highway to the Caribbean Coast is one of the most beautiful drives that can be made in Panama!!

The road gradually goes up in the mountains from the Pacific side to reach the cloud forest through giant ferns, orchids a bromeliads. If the weather is fair, there is a superb point of view from the top.

Coming down on the other side -- on the left and right -- there are small Guaymie indigenous villages in the middle of amazingly exuberant vegetation -- you finally reach the blue waters of the Caribbean sea and the little town of Almirante (means admiral). 

You can't technically "drive" to Bocas del Toro -- In order to reach Bocas you will end up in Almirante.  

Bocas del Toro is a series of islands, reachable only by boat or plane. Generally most transport will get you to the main island Isla Colon or Bocas Town.

Almirante is Panama's banana cultivation center and the starting point of the fast boats that join the mainland to the Bocas del Toro archipelago. A bit further west the road arrives in Sixaola, on the Panama border with Costa Rica.

I for one, really enjoyed the ride. I will add this one to my list of the prettiest drives I have been on. 

Please check out the video below.

Panama Jammin 5 - Bocas Bound from Devon on Vimeo.

Next up -- our last stop
Two glorious days in Bocas del Toro

Panama Jammin #3 - BEAUTIFUL Boquete, Panama

We made it to Boquete and we wanted to stay!! 

Our bus pulled into Boquete on day #2 at about 5pm. We had planned to meet with Bernie (a friend of a friend) who was going to give us some background about Boquete and explain some facts about Panama's popular retirement /pensionado program. We arrived a little late so the meeting was rescheduled for the following morning at 8am.

We were a bit tired from riding anyway so we checked into our rooms at The Haven (LOVED💜 the hotel and the rooms - highly recommend) and made our way to an upscale restaurant for dinner. (I have forgotten the name of the restaurant but it was VERY nice as well -- they even had California Chardonnay!) 

Early the next morning we all attended the relocation meeting at the hotel. Some of us were able to go with Bernie (due to space available in his vehicle) on a guided tour of Boquete.

and some of us......well...

Following the Panama relocation meeting, some of the Panama Jammers decided to hike THREE HOURS to a nearby waterfall 

Rod, Diana and volunteer taxi driver

Boquete Panama (pop 6,000) is small town located on the Caldera River at an elevation of 3,900 ft in the western-most Province of Chiriquí, about 60 kilometres (37 mi) from the border with Costa Rica. The surrounding Chiriquí Highlands are home to coffee plantations and the Barú Volcano National Park.

Boquete is only 40 minutes from David (Panama's 3rd largest city). It is also only about an hour from the beach. Boquete has basic necessities but most people make the trip to David for more extensive shopping (they have all the major stores, popular US restaurants and a BIG mall).

We rode to David in one of the local buses (a clean & comfortable chicken bus) which had a tricked-out interior & dashboard.

About 30 minutes into the hike they encountered the broken bridge

Boquete is one of Panama's Top Expat Havens

The climate in Boquete is cooler than that of the lowlands (no heat or air required). It's scenic location, temperature (daytime temps in the 70's and 80's with cooler nights), and natural environment make it popular with Panamanians and attracts tourists and retirees from all over the world. (It's proximity to Costa Rica also makes it a popular destination for Costa Rica expats making their 90 day Visa Runs)  The expat population of Boquete is somewhere between 3,000 - 5,000, depending on "who" you talk to. International Living has been responsible for bringing many expats to Boquete.

The Jammers called a taxi to take them to the falls and by the time they arrived

 the driver had decided to hike with them. 

when you don't have proper hiking shoes and you hike on muddy trails -- some covered with streams 

you return with shoes that look like this!

We liked Boquete so much that we added an extra day to our trip so that we would have more time there. There were several Jammers that were still undecided as to where they wanted to settle down for retirement. This would give us all a chance to explore more of the area and hopefully see some houses (house tour in next video). 

Our guided tour with Bernie through beautiful Boquete was spectacular and even made a few of us who have settled in Costa Rica reconsider exactly WHERE we wanted to live!

Check out the tour below

*Note - If you are considering moving to Panama, the Panama Jammin Tour is a great way to do your due diligence for Panama 

Panama Jammin 3 - Beautiful Boquete, Panama from Devon on Vimeo.

Panama Jammin Video 1 - Meet the Crew

In the beginning...

Panama has a good sized expat population and is a popular relocation and retirement destination for many people. If you are considering moving abroad and settling in Central America, Panama has probably come up on the list of possibilities. And so it was with our group. Half of our group has not yet decided on a permanent location and the other half, although happily living in Grecia, had wondered about how it would be living in the Boquete or the Bocas del Toro area of Panama (as we had not visited first hand). 

After a fun and successful bus trip to Earth University, our group decided we would like to repeat the experience, and this time we would like to explore Panama!!

We met for discussion over a box of Sangria and left the details up to Jeanetta Owens Of La Terraza Guest House and La Terraza Travel to put together the perfect trip!

The Result --

An exciting fun-filled Seven Day adventure tour that took us down the Pacific Side of Costa Rica by Jaco and Manuel Antonio to Panama and back up the Caribbean Side through Puerto Viejo. All hotel accommodations and border crossing details were made for us, down to a private water taxi to take our group to and from the island of Bocas del Toro. All we had to do was show up (on time) for the bus departure at 6:00am. 

And speaking of the bus, it didn't hurt that we had Miguel the best damn driver (and dancer) EVER! 

Miguel makes the Panama trip weekly, knows all the good spots and excursions and was a load of fun! I would ride with him again, anytime!

So sit back and enjoy the ride. I will include commentary and video for highlights of our stops. 

The Panama Jammin Tour is being fine tuned and will be available for booking in the coming months.

I will let you know how you can make reservations for yourself and/or your group, so stay tuned.

In the meantime

Let's get this party started!

Please enjoy meeting our group and a portion of Day 1.

Panama Jammin - Meet the Crew from Devon on Vimeo.

Does anyone else realize that this is the FOURTH video I have done this week?

Your girl will be takin a much needed break for the next few days!!

But I'll be back with Video 2 next week

Have a Great Weekend!

Back from Panama - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #2

What a wonderful time we had --

but now we're back from Panama with LOTS of photos, videos and info to share.

Our plan (right now) is to complete the Costa Rica Q&A video first since it is a bit overdue. 

The Panama info will be released in parts and will be entitled

"Panama Jammin" -- The Series

So stay tuned!!

(the series will also include some information obtained regarding relocation to the Boquete, Panama area - for those who may be considering living there.)

Panama Vs Costa Rica - My Panama Wrap up

The sunny weather, beautiful beaches and magnificent rainforests, lower cost-of-living, modern amenities and good healthcare have been drawing expats to both countries for years. I think it is safe to say Costa Rica started attracting retirees and adventure seeking individuals before Panama became the newest darling of the relocation crowd.

Panama is physically larger than Costa Rica with 75,420 square meters of land as opposed to Costa Rica’s 51,100 square meters, but they are both small countries. Costa Rica has more population with 4,755,234 people vs. Panama’s 3,608,431 which makes it a little more dense. Their main cities, San Jose in Costa Rica and Panama City in Panama, are close in population with 1.515 million residents in San Jose and 1.426 million in Panama City. Panama City is the business center of Central America and is much more developed than the capital of Costa Rica. Source

Source

Panama's Unparalleled Pensioned Program

In 1987, Panama’s government introduced the Pensionado Program. To this day, it’s one of the world’s most popular retiree residence programs, with the most appealing benefits you’ll find anywhere in the world today. Not only does it allow pensioner expats to live in Panama for as long as they like (I heard on our recent trip that this recently changed to 90 days), but it also entitles members—or pensionados—to a wide range of money-saving discounts.

Pensionados in Panama get 10-50% off on everything from hospital visits to entertainment to travel…including flights back home from Panama! Even your restaurant meals are cheaper when you’re a member.

here's the rest of what you can get if you move to Panama

Costa Rica's Benefit Program:

In the past, the vast majority of tourists and persons seeking to retire in Costa Rica were much older than they are now. Back then, there was only the famous pensionado plan (now defunct) designed to attract retirees from the States. The requirements were minimal and had many benefits, including free car import provisions and even a special license plate for pensionados.

But then, beginning in the late 80’s, the typical tourist changed to include a somewhat younger and more energetic age group, many of which were looking for a residency situation that included investing in business ventures and more eventual retirement. These persons were true pioneers. They pushed forward the frontiers of tourism throughout Costa Rica, and especially in areas that were heretofore relatively undeveloped.

Now, of course, there is a great multiplicity of persons wanting to obtain residency here for a diversity of reasons, and for some the first question is how to make a living here. Others want to know about the best places to live in retirement. The answer for both: it depends.

For the former, it depends on their qualifying for legal residency. For the latter, usually persons with pensions qualifying them for residency, it depends on how big their pension — read “fixed income” — is. If it is more than $2,500 a month, they can lead a reasonably middle class existence in Costa Rica without counting pennies; if it is closer to the average Social Security pension of $1,000, then the big question becomes HOW and then WHERE to live. Source

So, with that being said, we had a wonderful time in Panama and although the cost of living is significantly less than here in Costa Rica, we found one HUGE difference that made all the difference for us, and that was the PEOPLE!  The Pura Vida spirit we have come to love was totally missing in Panama. It may not be that all the people in Panama are unfriendly but that is the impression we were left with. In the stores, the restaurants and even meeting people on the streets, there was not a feeling that anyone really wanted to help you or answer any questions. It was like you were intruding and unwelcome. On several occasions we asked questions and were met with blank stares and then an answer of "no", right after which, they quickly turned their backs on us and went back to what they were doing. 

It's just the opposite here in Costa Rica. The people are friendly and welcoming. When we walk down the street everyone who drives by us waves. People have gone out of their way to help us by answering questions, finding people who spoke English (when we could not communicate in Spanish) and even physically taken us to places when we did not know how or where to go to find something. No kidding, this happens all the time!

I did not hear "con mucho gusto" one time in Panama (meaning "with pleasure" and a term I have gotten very used to hearing). In Costa Rica it is said a million times a day. 

We'll stick with Costa Rica - because money isn't everything! 

It's the PANAMA CANAL baby! - Our final day in Panama City

Everything must end....

And so we ended our visit to Panama City with a trip to the Panama Canal. If you have not been there --GO! It is pretty amazing. We thought we would be in and out in an hour but after we got there we became fascinated with all the boats and ships coming through. Watching the locks open and close and the boats disappearing lower and lower in the water.

The Panama Canal (Spanish: Canal de Panamá) is an artificial 48-mile (77 km) waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. There are locks at each end to lift ships up to Gatun Lake, an artificial lake created to reduce the amount of excavation work required for the canal, 26 metres (85 ft) above sea level, and then lower the ships at the other end. The original locks are 33.5 metres (110 ft) wide. A third, wider lane of locks was constructed between September 2007 and May 2016. The expanded canal began commercial operation on June 26, 2016. The new locks allow transit of larger, Post-Panamax ships, capable of handling more cargo.

We also met a nice couple from Wisconsin who were passing through on their way to Costa Rica for a 15 day vacation. We sat outside on the upper level watching the boats/ships, drinking beer and wine and chatting with them for a couple of hours. It was a beautiful day! I LOVE to travel!

We made it!

Just a side note. In 2013 we scheduled a 15-day Panama Canal cruise on my favorite cruise line, Celebrity Cruises. The departure date on the Celebrity Infinity was 3/29/15. Around this same time, we were exploring making the move to Costa Rica (for 2016) but had not yet visited. We made the decision to reschedule the cruise for a later date (April 2017) and visit Costa Rica instead.

To be honest, I completely forgot about the rescheduled cruise until I received an email reminder that the "final payment" was due. I quickly replied that we had moved to Costa Rica and I would need to cancel the cruise and BTW we were planning to fly to Panama City on Jan 18 and would see the canal at that time. The cruise line said they would refund our deposit (that made me very happy because I figured I would lose the deposit - it was a small deposit but hey, money is money!). A flight from Costa Rica to Panama City is about $150 round trip. Our 15-day Panama Canal cruise was $6,737.50 (balcony -  Aqua Class aft cabin 1141) not including airfare. We had one of the best cabins on the ship (not a penthouse) for viewing the canal and we were planning a BIG party in our stateroom.  I had arranged for a knowledgable speaker (on the subject of the canal) to be in our cabin during the pass through. We were going to celebrate retirements, birthdays and anniversaries. We were very excited!

But get this....I was checking online the other day to see if I could find a video of our originally scheduled cruise from 2015 -- just to see what it looks like from the ship (wondering what I might have missed) and I came across the article below...

Funny how things work out sometimes!

The Centers for Disease Control says 112 passengers and crew were sickened by norovirus aboard the Celebrity Infinity, which carried some 2,000 passengers on a 15-day trip that began in Fort Lauderdale March 29 and arrived back in San Diego on Monday. Celebrity Cruises, however, put the total at 100 and has said those who fell ill responded to shipboard medication. Norovirus can be transmitted from contaminated food or water or an infected person.

During its 15-day cruise it made stops in Columbia, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and went through the Panama Canal. 

The Infinity was disinfected and departed for Fort Lauderdale, Fla., with new passengers Monday afternoon. Royal Caribbean is the corporate owner of Celebrity Cruises.

A view from the top

Below is our Panama Canal Video 

It's the Panama Canal baby! from Devon on Vimeo.

I'm adding this 2nd video for myself (for old times' sake) than anything else, so that I have it for reference. If you are interested in seeing the Panama Canal from a cruise perspective -- here's the way it would have looked from The Infinity Aril 2015 (email subscribers click here for link)

 I'm not going to lie. I LOVE cruising too (Smiling)
Choices!

I have put this one to bed
Panama Canal

The historic, Casco Viejo - Our Panama Visit Day 2

Ken & Ife Grady (Black Expats Exploring Panama)

One of the biggest perks for me when traveling, is meeting people. Meeting native people is a joy and also very helpful because it gives us an opportunity to see the location through the eyes of someone who lives there and you have the opportunity to discover places off the beaten (tourist) path. As we travel through Latin America that will not always be the case due to the language barrier, but in that situation, meeting a couple of US expats is the perfect solution! You can now get the perspective of what it's like to be a US American living abroad. 

For us, that is exactly what happened on our recent trip to Panama. We met up with Ife & Ken Grady. They have been in the Panama City area for about 6 yrs (I think that's how long) They are happily living life there and loving it! 

Ken and Ife have a website called Black Expats Exploring Panama and also do tours. If you are in the area please give them a call. 

The couple was nice enough to meet us in Casco Viejo and take us around and give us a mini tour of the area. We sat down over lunch to chat about life in Panama. One of the things we discussed was the cost of living. And, yes it's true, It is much cheaper to live there. Their rent is $200 a month less than ours (for a comparable property), their electricity bill runs $16 while ours is $140 - $160. Also the government subsidizes the (propane) gas for its residents. They pay $6 for a can that lasts 2-3 months. We pay $14 for a can that lasts 3 wks. The list goes on. I will post a more in depth comparison in my Panama wrap up.

For now, back to Casco Viejo

The Casco, the southwestern tip of Panama City, overlooks the Pacific entrance to the canal, where huge container ships hover. It’s just three avenues wide and nobody uses addresses. Architecturally encyclopedic, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997.

Along with stylish hotels and apartments they’re building affordable housing, a travel agency, a bakery, restaurants, artists’ residences, a hostel, and a community center. Their hotels employ mostly neighborhood people trained by a local foundation. There are several US expats who own property and businesses in Casco. 

Reminds me a lot of La Antigua, Guatemala except Casco Viejo is only in the beginning stages although real estate prices have been going up steadily - Cha Ching!

Ken Grady

Ken & Ife also introduced us to (US expat) Alyce Sherman, she and her husband Rich are the owners of a cute boutique hotel called Casa Sucre. They bought the property when on vacation in Panama. We got a personal tour of the inside and an explanation of their intricate and detailed remodel project due to the building's Unesco classification.  Alyce was very kind to give me an original floor tile. The building was renovated in 1873 but the hand painted tile is much older (see video below) 

"Located in the historic Casco Viejo neighborhood of San Felipe, Panama, Casa Sucre Boutique Hotel and Coffeehouse is a renovated 1873 Spanish Colonial home with five bedrooms and three apartments for those visiting our historic city.  Incorporated into the historic building is a 1,000 square foot coffeehouse featuring the coffees of the Boquete region of Panama.    At Casa Sucre Coffeehouse we feature fresh roasted coffees from the major fincas (farms) in Panama such as Finca Lerida, Pomona Estate, Cafe de la Luna, Hartmann Farms, Hacienda Fennarrio, and Bajareque Coffee to name a few of the many specialty coffees of Panama.The building which houses the boutique hotel and coffeehouse was built in 1873 and goes by the historic name of Casa Sucre. "Sucre" is the French word for sugar or candy (sucrerie)"

Calle 8 y Ave. B Casco Viejo​www.facebook.com/cscoffeehouseCasaSucreCoffeehouse@gmail.com(507) 698-22504 or (507)393-6130

It is a lovely hotel. You just might want to see if you can reserve a room there, if you get to Panama City! I had no luck when I tried, but will try again in the future. It will be worth it!

Ife Grady, Alyce Sherman (owner) and me @ Casa Sucre

Casco Viejo - Panama Day 2
Email Subscribers click the link below or view on the site

Casco Viejo, Panama Day 2 from Devon on Vimeo.

Dinner at Beirut - Our Panamá Visit Day 1

Copa Airlines Wednesday Jan 18, 2017

This was Border Run/Visa Run #3. We booked a non stop afternoon flight to Panama City. The thought was, to spend a somewhat leisurely morning making sure we had everything we needed before heading off to the airport (and for once avoiding getting up at the crack of dawn). I generally schedule early flights so that we have more time at our destination but that usually just means -- we arrive prior to check in time and often have to wait before getting into our rooms.

Our flight was scheduled for 12:43 pm (which by the 3 hr prior to departure rule) meant we actually got picked up at 9:30 am. So much for a leisurely morning!! We did have time for coffee!

Easy Breezy at the airport

The airport check-in went quickly and smoothly. We had already completed the web check in and had our seat assignments. We had passports in hand along with bus tickets on Tica Bus (proof of onward travel from Costa Rica is required - although not always requested - at immigration upon return to Costa Rica). At the Copa airline check in desk we needed only our passports to depart. After going through 2 other security check points we were finally on our way to the gate (no hair searching or shoe removal).  Time elapsed...approx 30 minutes, which leaves a lot of waiting time.

There are many nice shops at the Costa Rica airport. I wish many of the items were also available in local stores. However, to waste some time, I stopped into one of the the duty free shops where I found a new perfume that I liked. I decided to buy it and cross off "perfume" on my Panama City shopping list. Except, I did not know that they actually attach the purchase information to your passport in the computer. I was asked for my final destination, after which, the perfume was placed it in a sealed plastic bag marked "do not open until your final destination". On the immigration handout sheet which must be completed both coming and going, I had to list the item and the value. When we arrived in Panamá I handed it over to the agent and he waved me through.

Going forward I think I would only use the duty free shop on my way out of the airport!

Bristol Hotel Lobby

Expedia.com

Our airline tickets, hotel reservations and airport pick up were all done on Expedia. I have used them before and find the service to be easy and reliable. The hotel reservation was discounted and included free "full breakfast" ea day, and a King Suite in the new tower of the hotel on an upper floor (in the TripAdvisor reviews I read that the new tower had the best decor etc).

Breakfast (excellent food and service) at our hotel also included coverage of the orange clown which played quietly in the background. Even in Panamá there is just no ignoring the Drumpf!!

The Bristol Hotel (located in the Bella Vista district) 

The room was ready when we arrived. (there is a 1-hr time difference between Costa Rica and Panamá ET, the temperature was hot and humid - neither were unbearable)

We did get a room in the new tower (but just barely) as there are 24 floors and we were on 12 (which I think is the beginning of the new tower). We really liked the hotel though. The view was nice and we had no complaints.

The Allbrook Mall

Once checked in, we decided to get the shopping out of the way first. We took our 1st Uber ride to the Allbrook Mall. With over 700 stores, this mall is HUGE. We only explored a tiny part of one portion of the mall. I did not see as many familiar stores as I had expected. There was however, store after store of clothing, shoes, accessories and household items for very reasonable prices.

We were searching for tank tops for Lavanson in size extra large (almost non existent in Costa Rica) - we were unable to find more than a few items in XL in any of the stores in Panama City.  I was looking for some light, comfortable pants, capris or walking shorts. I did not find any that I liked in the stores we went in. Even though we were unsuccessful, I give the Allbrook an A because it is a very nice mall, it's pretty and has a lot of stores. So many stores can become a bit overwhelming. You will need to spend a lot of time (days) there if you want to check out even half of the stores.

Dinner at Beirut

Later we ate dinner at Beirut, a lively, neighborhood Lebanese restaurant down the street from our hotel. Lavanson ordered their traditional drink called Arak, (an alcoholic drink made with anise). I tasted it and it had a very strong anise flavor and reminded me of medicine. Lavanson gave it a good try but did not finish the whole drink (he enjoyed the beer much better). For dinner Lavanson had their sampler plate and I had calamari a margarita and a glass of white wine (which I did not like - Chardonnay is rare in Costa Rica and apparently in Panama as well).  The restaurant came complete with hookah pipe and belly dancers. Cost for dinner and drinks $40.

Pretty cool.

 Right across from the restaurant @ calle Vía España

The show

A little Beirut in Panama City from Devon on Vimeo.

Stop back tomorrow as we meet new friends and visit Casco Viejo (the old city) 

Panama City - We LOVED it!! - Our Life in Costa Rica

THIS is Panama City!

Upon our arrival at Tocumen International Airport, the pilot jokingly announced "welcome to Miami"

Panama City, the capital of Panama is a modern city framed by the Pacific Ocean and the man-made Panama Canal. The urban population is only about 430,000 which really surprised me because the city is HUGE and you would think the population would be in the millions. I guess Panama City, like so many other cities, swells with day time workers who return to the areas surrounding the city to live (the population including urban areas is about 880,000). 

The most cosmopolitan capital in Central America, Panama City is both vibrant metropolis and gateway to tropical escapes. Many worlds coexist here. Welcoming both east and west, Panama is a regional hub of trade and immigration. The resulting cultural cocktail forges a refreshing 'anything goes' attitude, more dynamic and fluid than its neighbors. 

Unflinchingly urban, the capital rides the rails of chaos, with traffic jams, wayward taxis and casinos stacked between chic clubs and construction sites. A center of international banking and trade, the sultry skyline of shimmering glass and steel towers is reminiscent of Miami. In contrast, the peninsula of Casco Viejo has become a thriving colonial neighborhood where cobblestones link boutique hotels with underground bars and crumbled ruins with pirate lore. Source

Here's how this trip went down. This was our 3rd Visa Run since arriving in Costa Rica on June 1, 2016. Since we do not like crossing into some of the border towns, we instead choose cities (or countries) on our "must see" list and make our crossing to those areas instead. It is much more enjoyable and kills 2 birds with one stone.

How fortunate we are that there are some pretty cool countries within a short distance of Costa Rica. 

For this trip we selected Panama City. Panama City had been on our short list of places to retire (there are a LOT of reasons to retire in Panama - more later) so it was nice to see it up close and personal. It is also only an hour away by plane (like making the trip from SFO to LAX). The fares on Copa Airlines are pretty reasonable (plus you can check 2 bags at no additional cost and the planes are modern and very nice). Copa also serves a meal (remember those?) on this short flight. 

We decided to stay for 3 days. We wanted to do some shopping, visit the Panama Canal, check out Casco Viejo (the old city) and meet up with a couple of expats we met online. I am happy to say, we met all of our goals! 

Oh, and we used Uber for the 1st time! I signed up for Uber about 2 years ago, when I was still working but never used it. In Panama City, it worked out really well. The cost was never over $5 to go just about anywhere in the city. We only paid about $5.50 to go to the Panama Canal. I recommend you use this as your form of transportation if you come to Panama City, although there are Yellow Taxis everywhere. Panama City also has a convenient Metro system. 

You will also find the cost of hotels in Panama City to be fairly inexpensive as well - we chose to stay at a 5-Star hotel, well because I also like to treat myself when we travel (it's a mini vacation) and I really enjoy staying at nice hotels. It's sort of "my thing"! And why not? If that's not your thing, not to worry, there are many reasonably priced hotels in the area including name brands like Hyatt, Marriott and Hilton. All are very nice. 

BTW- I could not do any of this if I had retired in San Francisco on a fixed income. Just sayin!

Here's a short video of the drive through the city (using Uber)

Our trip to Panama City from Devon on Vimeo.

Email subscribers click link above or watch on the website

Stop back tomorrow for more of our Panama City trip

We're Back! - Our Life in Costa Rica

Lots more to follow