Panama
Shopping in Panama – Malls to Craft Shops
Dec 26th
There are many niche craft stores that offer a huge variety of wood and products made of straw, items that are well decorated with needle work, there are also beautiful paintings that are sold and the native Molas are also very popular amongst the tourists.
These Molas are the blouse panels that are used by the native women to make elaborate patterns on their traditional dresses. These are also sold as craft items. They are hand made items made by the native Kuna Indians so these are ideal gifts that you can carry back for your loved ones at home.
Most of the shops open early in the morning at about 9 am. They remain open till about 8 pm in the evening. The shops are usually open from Monday to Saturday though there are shops that remain open on Sundays as well, mainly in the more populated or touristy areas.
So you’ll never miss the opportunity to shop because the stores are open throughout the week.
The mainland of Panama has shopping centers that are large and modern equipped with all facilities for the modern buyer. The shops are such that it will surely attract the most discriminating of all buyers.
There are innumerable places to shop but the main shopping centers and malls where you can really shop till you drop are:
Panama City Mall- this is considered to be a paradise for all consumers. It offers a huge variety of departmental stores and specialty items for all. You can get almost any thing from here. Right from gift items, clothes, accessories, shoes sport goods, you just have to name it and you will surely find it here.
There are brands that are famous for their quality and range and you can choose from amongst the brands like Dillard’s, Sears, Express, Bon Worth, Hibbett’s Sporting Goods, and Your Earth. There is also a food court a theatre where you can really enjoy. There are also special events held on a frequent basis and these are really enjoyable.
A shopping trip to Panama is incomplete if you don’t visit Alvin’s Island- It bears a fifty year old coastal tradition and you can really find anything you’re looking for here. This particular store has several outlets that are spread all over the city catering to a variety of needs from sportswear and clothing to collectibles and gift items.
Anderson Seafood Market- this is one of Panama’s best markets if you’re into seafodd at anything fresh from the Gulf. No need to have food from the beach side restaurants when you can shop for fresh fish and sea food that can be prepared at home.
Learn More About Panama Before Traveling
Dec 24th
There are many stories that speak about various sources from where the name Panama has been derived from. Many of the people speak about the name being derived from an indigenous language that is unspecified. The name might have been taken from the words that might mean “an abundance of butterflies” or even “an abundance of fish”.
There is another funny tale that speaks about the indigenous kuna word “bannaba”. The meaning of this word is “farther that way”. This word stands for the directions that the indigenous kuna people gave to those who came to find gold in this area. Panama is also the name of a particular variety of tree that is found in the land of Panama.
Politics in Panama
The type of government in the land is that of a presidential representative democratic republic. The President is the head of the state and he is in control of the government and there is a pluriform multi-party system. The government exercises all the executive powers. Both the government and the National assembly have all the legislative powers but it is the judiciary that is absolutely independent of both the legislature and the executive.
The divisions of Panama
The land of Panama is divided into 9 provinces and the 75 districts or municipalities. Chiriquí, Darién, Bocas del Toro, Panamá, Herrera, Ngöbe-Buglé, Los Santos,Colón, Coclé, Provincial-level comarcas, Emberá, Veraguas and Kuna Yala.
Geography of the land
Panama is located right in the center of the American continent bordered by both the North Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The isthmus forms the connection between the two land masses and it is indeed a strategic position. It was by 1999 that Panama had the controlling power of the canal. There is nearly an impenetrable forest that lies in the Darien Gap that is in between the lands of Colombia and Panama. It is due to this that there is a break in the Pan-American Highway that would have other wise completed the road link between Chile and Alaska.
The demographics of the land
The culture, language and customs of the Panamanians are mainly Caribbean Spanish. There is a wide mixture in the population that is mostly made up of mestizo or the mixed Spanish, Amerindian, Chinese and African descent. The native and the most popular language is Spanish and then comes English that is spoken the many West Indians. Majority of the population lives in the Panama City-Colón metropolitan corridor.
Most of the people are Roman Catholics but some of the other religions in this land are the Protestantism, Judaism, Buddhism, the Bahai faith and Hinduism to some extent. Immigration of the Jewish people started from the latter part of the 19th century and it is basically due to this that there are about three synagogues in the city of Panama. Besides the Jews there are also the South Asians, Muslims and the East Asians. There are also the native people in this land and they are the Emberá, Kuna,Ngöbe, Wounaan, Buglé, Bribri and the Naso (Teribe).
Panama is a fascinating country that is full of life, vibrancy and color and so not only the visitors and the tourists but also the residents feel the sheer beauty and the warmth of the land.
