Panama

[synthia]

Panama has ranked number one as a retirement destination for Americans for the last six years. It has an American-level infrastructure, and many people who have retired to Nicaragua or Costa Rica move to Panama for the reliable electricity and plumbing that allows you to flush toilet paper!

[Amelie]

Reliable electricity and plumbing, plumbing maybe but electricity? OK it was approx 8 years since we were there but the electricity was extremely dodgy, in fact so dodgy when looking for a place to live it was a premium to rent or buy somewhere with a generator, yes even those 40 storey buildings.

Paitilla was young but forever having power cuts, I am sure things have moved on since then, so I hear anyway. I wouldn't guarantee it though!!!

[synthia]

I don't remember any loss of power when I was there four years ago. But that could just be my memory. Here in Nicaragua they are pretty common.

[Amelie]

Your building must have had a generator

[synthia]

I don't remember any outages, anywhere, in David, or any of the other towns I stayed in.

[Amelie]

Isn't David gorgeous, nice to get out of the city. We stayed at various places out that way on visits to CR. I remember the Panamonte and a little stall selling hot chocolate nearby.

Whilst in Panama we stayed in El Cangrejo, Bella Vista and then back to El Cangrejo because our children were going to The Oxford School. My favourite apartment was in Bella Vista just off Parque Uracca, opposite the Mirador Hotel (brand new then) can't remember the name but it was full of Jews and we had to get a written letter from the local Rabbi for us to live there.

We had friends with a couple of boats so we went fishing lots normally out Contadora way, finding a deserted beach to have a fresh fish lunch. We also visitied Kwadule, one of the Sanblas Islands, our maid was from there, it was gorgeous.

This was 8 years ago so it seems that things have improved since then, I should hope so, we left shortly after they closed the old Paitilla airstrip and moved it to where the new mall is. I hated it while we were there but now I think back and realise it was a great learning curve for us all. The power cuts were just part of it, I guess with the Americans moving out from the canal they realised that they had to get their **** together finally lol.

[synthia]

Watch, I'll go there next time and there will be power cuts galore!

[steve cross]

What is the crime rate like in Panama City? Is it safe walking around at night? How about the court system? Is it corrupt like Mexico where they can lock you up and throw away the key? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[synthia]

I've been here in Panama City for three weeks, and we only had one power outage, and that was in Casco Viejo, where the infrastructure is a bit older.

Well, I just had my handbag taken. I left it on a table in Subway and stood with my back to it while I refilled my drink. I was right next to the machine, and didn't think anything of it. Didn't even notice it was gone until I decided to buy something else.

The police came almost immediately, and said they would come back and look at the video, and tomorrow the manager is going to let me watch the video. I think she wants me to see just how careless I was.

Fortunately, my passport, credit cards, and most of my money were in a neck pouch.

I don't know about the court system, but apparently sentencing is light an people get out early. I've been told that police corruption has been pretty much eliminated here. They are certainly the friendliest cops I have ever met. Everyone complains about corruption, but then everyone in Boston complains about it, too. Come to think of it, no one complains in Florida. It's sort of expected.

Anyway, it depends on where you live. For a while I was out in Casco Viejo, and there were police everywhere, so I felt fine walking at night (not late, though). However, I wouldn''t go to any street in that neighborhood with a number higher than 13.

Now I'm in El Cangrejo, and I walk around in the evenings and feel fine. Taxis are cheap, which helps.

Panama has gotten much more expensive since my first visit here four years ago. For instance, rents are outrageous. I've been told that apartments that rented for only $550 about two years ago now are rented for $1400. I met a young woman doing a university internship here, and she was paying $550 for a room in a large 'share house'. There is high rise construction everywhere.

[steve cross]

Thanks for your quick reply Synthia. Sorry to hear about your purse, I think that sort of thing happens all the time no matter where you live. I'm more concerned about violent crime, here in Toronto it used to be fairly safe to walk around anywhere at night but not anymore. Gun violence carried out by gangs ( mostly teenagers ) is the " new norm ". The court system is a joke, bail is almost guaranteed even for violent crimes and when criminals are finally " brought to justice " they normally get a slap on the wrist. I'm sorry to hear that prices have jumped so much recently, all the websites I have gone to still indicate that real estate prices are still relatively cheap ( though not as cheap as 4 or 5 years ago ). I've been thinking that in ten years from now I would still be able to buy a modest condo in the city for around $150,000-$200,000 range but if rentals have jumped so much then maybe Panama City will be out of my reach. Has anybody else recently stayed there and found a dramatic jump in prices? Anyway, gotta go, hope to hear from you ( or anyone else ) soon.