Pana-Blogs Report · Global Voices
Melissa De León

#1: From Panama FAQ: Panama's Tap Water – The Best in the World?
This might surprise people coming from the US and Europe as I often see them logging bags full of bottled water back to their hotels. But the drinking water in Panama is not only safe to drink, but it is also the best tasting water I have ever tried.
Now back in Panamá after nearly 2 years in Denmark I am really crazy for the water. It is so refreshing that you will sometimes here the expression the Champagne of the Chagrés. Read the complete post!
#2: From Private Sector Development Blog "The Economic Impact of the Panama Canal"
Noel Maurer and Carlos Yu have a new working paper on: What Roosevelt Took: The Economic Impact of the Panama Canal, 1903-29. Unsurprisingly, they argue that the United States, not Panama, benefited the most from the canal’s construction. (Didn’t everyone know this going in?) They then draw a warning for other developing countries:
Panama’s experience with the Canal, therefore, holds warnings for modern underdeveloped countries that seek to rapidly develop through the construction of large infrastructure projects, be they pipelines (as in Central Asia and Africa) or “land bridges” (as in Central America). The spillovers from such projects may prove disappointing. Continue reading…
#3: El Blog de Hoja de Bijao is a recently founded project which compiles all things cultural happening in Panama. From Art Exhibits to writer's workshops, and great photography of Panama City. Head over there and find out what's going on…
#4: Al Aire Libre (ES) plans the ultimate adventure: El Camino Real! If traveling from the Panama-Costa Rica border to the Panama-Colombia border without using the "Panamerican Highway" sounds exiting, keep reading and get the details of this adventurous project.
La ídea es usar los senderos existentes que unen las comunidades del interior de nuestro país (Panamá) para crear una ruta que nos permita caminar desde la ciudad de Panamá hasta la ciudad de David sin usar la Vía Interamericana.
La ruta ya existe, solo tenemos que encontrarla, caminarla y marcarla. El plan: ir uniendo los puntos en el mapa. Vamos a hacer un calendario con fechas para planear por adelantado los fines de semana que usaremos para probar cada uno de los tramos que van a ir uniendo las poblaciones que forman los puntos en el mapa. Una de las mejores herramientas que tenemos hoy día, además de los mapas, es Google Earth. En la imágen de este post hay una vista satelital de un sendero al noroeste de Santiago, en Veraguas. Este sendero se puede seguir por kilómetros con Google Earth. Luego solamente hay que buscarlo en el mapa, ir a caminarlo, y marcarlo.
The idea is to use the existant trails that connect the communities in the Panamanian countryside, in order to create a route that allow us to walk from Panama City to the city of David in the Chiriqui province without using the Panamerican Highway.
This route already exists, we just have to find it, walk it and mark it. The plan: find the landmarks and trace them in the map. We will prepare a schedule with dates to plan in advance to visit different parts and towns which are part of the trail each weekend. In nowadays, in addition to the maps, we find great help by using Google Earth. In the image that accompanies this post we can appreciate a satellite view of the trail at the north-west side of Santiago, Veraguas. The trail could be traced continuously many kilometers using Google Earth. Now we just have to find it in the map, walk it and mark it.
#5: From Rob-Rivera.com, R.I.P. for Noriegaville :
This will have more than one politician doing cartwheels on the marble floor of the 3-story condo we payed for with our tax payer dollars, but check out our blogosphere’s econo-savvy representative from the democratic republic of Denmark and you’ll read news of political site Noriegaville.com calling it quits. If you don’t know Noriegaville, then this was it in a nutshell: real news. If you visit the site’s catalogue you’ll notice vigilantilism of all things politics in Panama, and how people of power take advantage of those without leverage. It was great stuff to read, always spearheaded by one Okke Ornstein. He’s kind of like Columbo, but Dutch. The reason why I’m writing this entry (other than to give the man his props) is because Okke’s reasons for departure are quite clear in the site’s last editorial:
Panama, as said, is a developingdemocracy and that applies to potential advertisers as well. They’re still afraid of controversy and debate or anything that others call “fresh air” and “outside the box.” So, no advertisers really dared venture on Noriegaville’s pages, and that has in its turn prevented further development of the site…
#6: From Heidibella in the Tropics, a delicious recipe to prepare "Macaroons"
Want gooey and sweet? Coconut macaroons are sure to sooth the craving. These cookies are way too easy for how good they are. They look fancy enough to serve at a cocktail party, and they're fun enough to have as dessert after casual barbecue. Try them! If you're a coconut-nut, you'll love them. Get the recipe now!
See you next week…