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Panama

Why We Had to Run for the Border Before We Could Drive in Panama

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One of the challenges of expat life is that you're constantly running up against the unintended consequences of your actions. Last November, after eight months of relying on public transportation in Panama, we broke down and bought a car. Yes, day-to-day life was perfectly fine using cabs and buses, but we weren't seeing much of the country. After all, that was one of the reasons we were here! I knew that as non-residents we couldn't get Panama drivers licenses. I also knew that we could …

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Mil Polleras Parade in Las Tablas, Panama

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On Saturday, January 12, 2013, our small town blossomed with thousands of women and men in fancy dress. No, I'm not talking about a masquerade ball, I'm talking about the pollera. The pollera is the local, hot-weather version of the fancy velvet and lace dresses imported from Spain during the height of the Spanish influx into Panama. And the Mil Pollera (thousand polleras) event gave women all over the country the chance to strut their elaborate, traditional dress. This is the third year …

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Las Tablas, Panama – What does it REALLY Cost to Live Here?

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What's it cost? That's the question on nearly everyone's mind when they think about retiring overseas. Even if you've got a big budget, you still want to know the sorts of expenses you might run into in a new place. Naturally, your expenses and mine will never line up perfectly. You might be happy in a smaller, less expensive house. Or maybe you like to eat out five nights a week. But after tracking our expenses for eight months here in Las Tablas, I can give you a realistic picture of …

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How Las Tablas, Panama Celebrates New Year’s Eve

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We just celebrated our first New Year's in Las Tablas, Panama, and this town certainly knows how to throw a party! Our evening started at about 10:30 PM. A Panamanian friend had invited us to join his family for dinner at that fashionably late hour. When we arrived, we found the entire neighborhood partying in the street. Neighbors were going back and forth with plates of food -- it's important to share on this date. Several people arrived at our friends' house carrying covered plates from …

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Pedasi, Panama, a Cheerful Beach Town on the Azuero Peninsula [VIDEO]

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Recently we spent part of a day in Pedasi. Located on the east coast of Panama's Azuero Peninsula south of Chitre and Las Tablas, Pedasi is close to excellent surfing beaches. Pedasi's home to more restaurants, B&B's and guest houses than its small size warrants, because it attracts surfers and other tourists from all over. The day clouded over before we made it out to the beach, but here's a little video of the town's park. It contains a spiffy little gazebo, and some interesting …

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Cerro Canajagua — Las Tablas, Panama’s Highest Mountain [Video]

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On Sunday, December 2, giddy with our newfound freedom as car owners in Panama, my husband and I decided to drive up to Cerro Canajagua. It's the tallest mountain in the Las Tablas area, at 886 meters (2907 feet). My husband has wanted to get up there almost since we arrived as expats. Some of his Panamanian cycling pals rode their bikes up to the top one day. After living in Florida for 24 years, my husband hasn't developed the hill-climbing ability to bicycle up (although he's working …

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