This site tells the story of our current adventure, living in Casco Viejo, Republic of Panama. We hope you find it interesting, maybe entertaining, and if you are also planning a visit or move to Panama, even informative.Tumblr (3.0; @ptynotes)http://blog.panamanotes.com/<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4ntdsOIwo1rvb5q4o1_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4ntdsOIwo1rvb5q4o2_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4ntdsOIwo1rvb5q4o3_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4ntdsOIwo1rvb5q4o4_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4ntdsOIwo1rvb5q4o5_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><h2>Adventure Time!</h2> <p>We mounted our ATVs for a fun little excursion into the hills above El Valle yesterday. We had some thrills (Jane really liked the steep hills and water crossings), enjoyed some great scenery and the friendly people (especially the kids) enroute to our destination, a waterfall. After a hike to the waterfall we returned to the overlook for some fresh squeezed pineapple juice, then back to El Valle and a late lunch at Ty’s Sports Bar.</p>http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/23837353725http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/23837353725Sat, 26 May 2012 22:44:58 -0400PanamaEl ValleTravel<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4lvsu1lAw1rvb5q4o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><h2> Mountain Color</h2></p>http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/23767422240http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/23767422240Fri, 25 May 2012 21:22:06 -0400PanamaTravel<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4k9b2hthO1rvb5q4o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><h2>Wags - checkin’ things out</h2></p>http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/23717487843http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/23717487843Fri, 25 May 2012 00:18:38 -0400WagsPanamaTravel<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4i4a7XRpK1rvb5q4o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><h2> Lunch Time</h2></p>http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/23641198461http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/23641198461Wed, 23 May 2012 20:34:55 -0400Santa ClaraTravelPanama<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4ggshbBw91rvb5q4o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><h2> Beach Day</h2><p>Spent today at the Santa Clara beach - had a good lunch and took a dip in the Pacific (Wags was first one in) then back to our mountain retreat.</p>http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/23589149447http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/23589149447Tue, 22 May 2012 23:09:53 -0400Santa ClaraPanamaTravel<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4cog41Se01rvb5q4o1_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4cog41Se01rvb5q4o2_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4cog41Se01rvb5q4o3_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4cog41Se01rvb5q4o4_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><h2>Welcome to El Valle</h2> <p>Kids art on a wall as we entered town.</p>http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/23456242639http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/23456242639Sun, 20 May 2012 22:04:04 -0400El VallePanamaTravel<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4ar6yS2vN1rvb5q4o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><h2> Our Mountain Casita</h2><p>We’re in the mountains at Altos del Maria. We last visited here back in 2006 on our exploratory trip to Panama. It was about a two hour drive from Panama City and bcause of the elevation (2500 feet) it’s cooler and wetter. It’s also very quiet - will see if that’s a plus or minus. Tomorrow we drive over the mountain to El Valle for the Sunday market.</p>http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/23383940276http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/23383940276Sat, 19 May 2012 21:08:58 -0400PanamaTravel<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m492bf8JeC1rvb5q4o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><h2>Heading West</h2><p>Tomorrow we will be heading to the “interior” (Panama speak for leaving the City). Because of all the construction we thought it would be a good time to do some in-country traveling so we will be crossing the canal on the Bridge of the Americas and heading West. First stop, near El Valle, for two weeks and then farther West to the Chiriqui Province.</p>http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/23329145905http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/23329145905Fri, 18 May 2012 23:14:03 -0400TravelPanama<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m459anAQZw1rvb5q4o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><h2> Construction Zone!</h2><p>While Casco has always had a lot of construction going on, it has generally been focused on buildings under renovation. The impact is usually limited to traffic jams during deliveries and closed sidewalks in front of a particular building. It’s different now - the government is doing major work on the streets, so this is what we have going on in front of our apartment. Everyone is hoping the finished product (new brick streets with underground utilities) will be worth the inconvience.</p>http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/23203994313http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/23203994313Wed, 16 May 2012 21:54:23 -0400Casco Viejo<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m41oakNfpM1rvb5q4o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><h2>Tiny Pana Art</h2></p>http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/23085251561http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/23085251561Mon, 14 May 2012 23:27:56 -0400ArtPanama<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3xuqozFPT1rvb5q4o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><h2>On a Casco wall.</h2></p>http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/22941674750http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/22941674750Sat, 12 May 2012 21:56:56 -0400Street ArtCasco Viejo<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3o2xz2mcz1rvb5q4o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><h2>Hangin’ Out!</h2> <p>If only I could keep the sun out of my eyes.</p>http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/22599139677http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/22599139677Sun, 06 May 2012 15:17:17 -0400Casco Viejo<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3o39pCTIA1rvb5q4o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><h2>What’s it like?</h2> <p>If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like living in Casco Viejo and my infrequent writings and photos haven’t really answered that question then you might find <a href="http://www.loscuatrotulipanes.com/index.php/casco-viejo/whats-it-like-to-live-in-casco-viejo/" target="_blank">this little muse</a> by Matt Landau (friend and neighbor) interesting. </p>http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/22599530873http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/22599530873Tue, 01 May 2012 15:25:25 -0400Casco Viejo<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/40796803" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0"></iframe><br/><br/><h2>World Music Panama</h2><p>Just returned from a concert at the 2012 edition of World Music Panama. Manuel Miranda, a Peruvian master with the flute, and various Andean pipes had a little bit of everything - folk, rock to jazz - in his two hour concert. A very nice evening out.</p>http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/22594403298http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/22594403298Sun, 22 Apr 2012 13:32:32 -0400PanamaMusic<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3o3iuFmSo1rvb5q4o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><h2>Passing Through</h2></p>http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/22599838095http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/22599838095Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:30:30 -0400Panama<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3o3pxjQps1rvb5q4o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><h2>Fútbol</h2> <p>Last week Panama hosted a women’s under 20 soccer tournament for teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean. We got to see some good soccer and as a bonus the USA team won and will now play in the Women’s Under-20 World Cup in Japan later this year. So … What’s different about attending a fútbol match here in Panama? The thrill of hearing our national anthem on foreign soil. Lots of nonstop noise, especially when the US played Panama. Parking at the stadium only a dollar, and what would a game be without a beer - difference here it only costs you $1, same for a Coke or bottle of water.</p>http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/22600084491http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/22600084491Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:34:34 -0400PanamaSports<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3o3u1wPPB1rvb5q4o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><h2>Just a wall</h2></p>http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/22600227273http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/22600227273Sat, 03 Mar 2012 15:37:37 -0500Casco Viejo<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3o45t7u4i1rvb5q4o2_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3o45t7u4i1rvb5q4o3_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3o45t7u4i1rvb5q4o4_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3o45t7u4i1rvb5q4o5_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3o45t7u4i1rvb5q4o6_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3o45t7u4i1rvb5q4o7_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3o45t7u4i1rvb5q4o8_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><p><h2>Casco’s Steeples</h2></p>http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/22600656490http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/22600656490Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:44:44 -0500Casco Viejo<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3o4fhcsDs1rvb5q4o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><h2>Mariscos Mercado</h2></p>http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/22600984395http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/22600984395Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:50:50 -0500Casco Viejo<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3o4jfX70W1rvb5q4o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><h2>Big Bouga</h2></p>http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/22601127389http://blog.panamanotes.com/post/22601127389Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:52:52 -0500Panama