#1: ob la di ob la da reports on how one of the most important ecological areas of the country is  being destroyed "Red Frog Beach, Bocas del Toro: Paradise in Panama?"

For how long will we have to fight our own stupidity? Well, in case you haven't heard, looks like the whole Republic of Panama is being sold. And a tiny corner of it, Red Frog Beach in Bastimentos Island (part of the province of Bocas del Toro), is being devoured by bulldozers and chain saws as part of a shady mega-project that wants to replace indigenous communities and modest local homes with condos and swimming pools. This is not cheap fiction, my friends.

Those of us opposing the approval and development of the project (whichever happens first, corruption trickles down to even the tiniest of places) don't have a lot of money or power to step in and immediately make a difference, but we do have information, we do have a very strong will and consciences that cannot be bought. We also have contacts. I mean you, reading from the comfort of your home or looking over your shoulder at your office so no one catches you checking out a blog from some girl in Panama. You with e-mail addresses of people from around the world, you writing blogs, sharing links…Read More!

#2: Martin's Panama Weblog visits El Valle de Anton:

This weekend I had my last *snief* trip in Panamá. I went with the bus in the beautiful valley called El Valle de Anton. The valley is an extinct volcano which broke out last millions of years ago with such a force, that it blew off the top. What remained was a crater with a diameter of approximately 5 km which contains now a small village. They have lots of sights there, thermal springs, a mountain shaped liked a sleeping indian women, a zoo, fine food, waterfalls, jungle treks and much more. Read the complete post…

#3: Rob Rivera.com on "Love Motels":

Wow, that sounds dirty… the “love motel.” These establishments have been in Panama for as far back as the 60’s, primarily for american soldiers who wanted a place to take their catch of the night without having to go to their barracks. Nowadays they’re some of the most lucrative businesses in Panama, yet they have a rather shitty reputation for some people. I’ve heard people say, and I’m paraphrasing here, that push buttons are places “only for dirty old men to take their mistresses so they can cheat on their wives.” To this, I wholeheartedly disagree. Read More…

#4: Chiriqui Chatter reports on the "Rio San Felix & Playa Las Lajas Disaster"

Below you will find an email I have received with information on the status of impending disaster for the residents in the Playa Las Lajas area. This is not a good recommendation for those thinking of investing their lives and their futures in Panama. This is a follow up to my entry requesting help.

Linda’s email is a Panamanian example of Nero fiddling while Rome burns. Any investor that looks at what is going on and has been going on for some time now in Playa Las Lajas, would have to conclude that there is a serious problem with the lack of action displayed at all levels of the Panamanian Bureaucracy. Continue reading…

#5: Heidibella in the Tropics shares her recipe for a perfect Sunday: The Stack

Perfect Sunday breakfast: THE STACK. Very simple to make, yet very easy to mess up.

Three very important tips:

• Start with room temperature ingredients! This is very important because pancakes call for melted butter and if you mix it with cold eggs, your butter will solidify again.
• Use good quality vanilla extract, not imitation. It will make all the difference.
• When you add the liquid to the batter, don't mix it to death! Mix just a few strokes, 10 at the most. It's ok if it's lumpy. In fact, it SHOULD be lumpy. Head over to her blog to get the recipe…

#6: Asi es la Vida en Panama (ES) writes up a real-life-parody on the often delayed police response in certain areas of Panama City: "Como llamar a la Policia," or how to call the police in case you are a victim of a robbery in your house, or other crimes.

#7: CaDs Online (ES) reviews a cultural phenomenon in Panama: Taxis en Panama (Taxis in Panama).

"In any way we describe them, we wouldn't be far from reality. Although this is a generalization and being the fact that I have taken taxis and the drivers were quite qualified, it is true that most of the  drivers in Panama City drive like crazy, always stressed and in a hurry. Who knows why.

The case is that those characters ignore traffic rules and traffic lights do not exist for them. They seem to be immunized before the law, because they never pay indemnification to the owners of the cars they crash or to the people they hurt." Read more…

#8: Panama FAQ and  The Great Panamanian Gin Shootout

On our recent trip to Chiriqui I stumbled over Gin Holandesa and Gin Kondor which I haven’t seen before. Intrigued I decided that in the interest of science I needed to do a taste test of Holandesa vs. the tried and true Gin Caballito. I wanted to do a test of Kondor, but my wife warned me that I might wake up without a stomach. Judging by the price $2.35 for a 70cl bottle (about $1 less than the others) I decided to skip it. Although I know feel that was a mistake.

Let’s examine the contenders…Get the complete story now!

#9: Pana-Jane explains her first encounter with a Nurse-Shark "The True Tale of the Sapa Fish"

So we hollered at the launch guy and he came to pick us up in the launch and as I clambered up into the boat I scratched my shin and it instantly started bleeding and yet I couldn't stop from going on and on about how I had SEEN A SHARK! And that is when the launch guy said, "Ah, but they don't do no harm; he just be a sapa. They no harm you unless you grab it's tail. He just waiting for lobsters or crabs to come by." and I laughed nervously, but I saw it. Sapa or no sapa.

That didn't stop me from snorkeling the next day and almost swimming straight into three jellyfish.

#10: GonzaloHorna.com (ES) is the blog written by Panamanian song writer, guitar player and singer Gonzalo Horna. With a dynamic design and colors full of life, this blog is the stop #1 for all his fans. Head over there and listen to his songs and learn about future presentations.