Final thoughts on Panama

We’ve just eaten another great dinner in Panama. Shared a plate of oxtail wonton tacos— over the top delicious! — followed y sea bass in a coconut and sea food cream sauce for me and a garlic sauce for Tom. The meals here have been superb.

Panamanians are very proud of their country’s accomplishments and are a bit puzzled by, though not fearful of, Trump’s threat to take back the Panamá Canal. The economy appears to be thriving, based on agricultural exports, growing tourism, and services like banking. The old historical city center is undergoing a renaissance.

There was something of an apartheid system when the US operated the canal. Americans lived and worked in the Canal Zone. Locals did not enter the Zone unless specifically authorized. All of that left with the American handover of the Canal in 1999. Despite the historical discrimination, Panamanians like Americans.

The Chinese have invested significantly in Panama, but the Panamanians have wisely begun to expand their range of investors.

A delightful and satisfying visit.Read more