News > May 2007

May 20, 2007 Richly Retired: Panama Lures Pensioners South
May 20, 2007 Panama's Health Tourism Boom
May 20, 2007 Panama's Economy Set to Surge With Canal Expansion
May 19, 2007 The Panama Canal Expansion Equals a Brighter Future for Panama
May 19, 2007 Booming Market, Stable Economy, and Celebrities. What's Next?
May 19, 2007 Quotes from the Press: Panama Makes an Impact Around the Globe

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Panama City: See it now

05/04/2007
BY Ceci Connolly
The Washington Post

It was sticky hot, and I was grungy after a morning exploring the cobblestone passageways of Panama City's Casco Viejo, a 300-year-old cross between the crumbling charm of Old Havana and the restored glow of New Orleans' French Quarter.

In my baseball cap, khaki shorts and sweaty T-shirt, I was dressed for a sidewalk hot-dog stand. But a Panamanian friend had been raving about S'cena, the new Mediterranean-style restaurant in this colonial-era part of town, and when I stumbled upon its entranceway, it seemed the food gods were summoning me.

Still, I felt a little sheepish as I passed the first-floor jazz bar and stepped into a scene of sophisticated serenity: white tablecloths, fresh flowers and waiters in pressed shirts. I braced myself for dirty looks and a dreary table near a swinging kitchen door. Instead, the owner greeted me like a lost cousin, whisking me to a prime table and gently draping a linen napkin across my lap.

But I wasn't the only one getting VIP treatment. They were calling the guy in the next room "Mr. President."

"No, no," the waiter whispered, "it is the president -- of Panama."

Somehow, it all made sense. After just a few days in Panama, you start to recognize faces, and the prospect of sipping a midday chardonnay a few feet from the country's most powerful man doesn't seem so far-fetched.

I had seen ads touting Panama City as the next super-swanky Miami, and I was prepared for velvet-roped lines and South Beach-style snobbery. Heck, Jenna Bush was clubbing here just before I arrived last fall. So, not having to deal with a waiter with an attitude was a relief.

But I can see why it gets the Miami comparisons. Tucked on Panama Bay, the city offers a hip urban vibe and a distinctive skyline. It has sunshine, seafood and shopping opportunities galore. And although Panama is part of Central America, its rhythm and stylish Latin inhabitants have a Caribbean flavor.

There are notable disappointments. Panama's tourism industry sometimes struggles to meet the demands of travelers. (The man at the Avis counter had no idea how to get downtown, and cabdrivers were no better.) And though the country has many exquisite beaches, none is within walking distance of the hotel strip, as they are in Miami's South Beach.

But, ultimately, the beauty of Panama City is that it hasn't become Miami yet. It's much more welcoming and manageable. And now is the time to go -- before the Panama Canal gets its third set of locks, before Donald Trump finishes his 65-story tower and before the prices shoot just as high.

Temporary glitches

The woman behind the Louis XV desk at the Hotel DeVille looks puzzled. "No, I'm sorry," she tells my fiance, Manuel, and me. "I do not have a reservation for you." After arriving late at night in a foreign city where we do not know a soul, this is not the greeting we want to hear, especially because the lobby of this boutique hotel hints at a pleasant stay -- Persian rugs, plush sofas, soft lighting and newspapers on every table.
"It's not a problem," the woman chirps before I can pull out our confirmation slip. "I can take care of you." It is a scene that will be repeated over and over in Panama -- a glitch followed by an enthusiastic fix. Our room, with 20-foot-high ceilings and exposed wood beams, has all the modern amenities of a five-star hotel, except it's larger and much more affordable. There's a desk with Internet access, piles of feather pillows and soft robes for us both.

We head back downstairs to the hotel's groovy new Ten Bistro, where the gimmick is $10 entrees. (Yes, Panama's currency is the U.S. dollar, so dinner is a bargain.) After two flights, bad directions and a missing reservation, a decent meal and a big goblet of wine are just what we need.

But there's a problem: The restaurant is closing at the very un-Miami hour of 10 p.m.

This being Panama, the problem evaporates as fast as it appeared. The manager keeps it open just for us, guiding us to a table aglow with orange candles. The soothing palette continues overhead, with glorious bird of paradise blooms sprouting out of suspended glass vases. And to top it off: a chilled bottle of a crisp, absurdly inexpensive Chilean sauvignon blanc.

Engineering marvel

Even today, 93 years after completion, the Panama Canal is an awesome engineering feat, guiding ships the 50 miles from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean.

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