[leadplayer_vid id="547D1264B1AF3"]
The video doesn't do it justice.
It is also affordable.
This real estate is in Puerto Armuelles Panama.
For more information on the properties please, visit Corazon de Oro.
There you will see
It is a good place to start your research.
However, it is very hard to get a sense of a place via videos and the Internet.
No amount of research can replace a visit.
In the meantime, we are happy to answer your questions about these Panama properties and living in Panama.
[leadplayer_vid id="55FC757DB0767"]
Robin organized the trip.
A couple he knows, Annie & Danny, own a finca (farm/ranch) in the hills behind Puerto Armuelles. They live on the ranch some of the year, but live in town during the school year. They have caretakers and other workers take care of the ranch during the school year.
We gathered at Annie and Danny's house in San Vicente, where they also have a horse stable. From there we rode down the street a short way to the beach.
Then we veerred onto a wooded trail, for another short jaunt.
We headed up the river, up and down paths, we crossed streams a few times. Heading up and to the west/northwest.
I'd been that way on horseback before, but not for awhile.
Before we knew it we had arrived at Annie's finca. I think it only took us about an hour to get there, maybe less.
Already, I knew I would be sore the next day. I don't do much horseback riding these days.
A snack and then a hike.
The first hill was the steepest. We lost a couple of people who had expected to do a hike. It was a pretty steep hill to do in Converse All-stars.
After that, althougth we keept going up and up, it wasn't quite as steep. We went through cow pastures and enjoyed the views.
It was even better when we went as high as we could. .
This Photo Shows Only A Section Of Our ViewWe could even see Puerto Armuelles. We could pick out our friend Liz and Ron's house in Las palmas neighborhood.
We headed back down after drinking in the sight.
At the farm house we ate lunch and were asked if we wanted to milk a cow.
Como no. Why not!
I had never milked one before. It is much harder than it looks. I barely got out a stream.
But Annie could make the milk bucket sing with the streaming jets of milk.[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSMK9ecoN70[/youtube]
Then came by daughter's favorite part of the trip.
She really wanted to gallop. Her, my, and Robin's horse obliged.
We had a blast. When we could we encouraged our steeds to go as fast as they could.
We had streams to cross, a few patches of mud and varying terrain. So were always able to go a speed, but when we could we did.
It really was very fun. My daughter was thrilled.
The gallop down the beach was particularly wonderful.
Next time, I think we will organize a trip with more time on the beach.
For more on Puerto Armuelles Panama, click here.
January 23, 2013
Activity Is Bubbling in Puerto Armuelles, Despite Its Relaxed Lifestyle
He was primarily interested in looking at beach properties, or something within easy walk of the beach.
While we focused our investigations on the beachfront neighborhoods, I drove him through a number of other neighborhoods, so that he could get a better idea of the whole range of lifestyle possibilities available in Puerto Armuelles in order to understand a little better what makes this unique town “click”.
It’s always fun to watch people’s jaws drop when they discover that this place, which they had heard so little about, is actually a bustling (for Panama) urban village of 20,000 or so residents.
It’s situated right on the ocean, has a cohesive downtown, and boasts literally dozens of unique neighborhoods, each with its own social class, style, and housing density. These range from smallish downtown houses, right up to hacienda style ranches at the fringes of town.
When our tour arrived at the beach, I realized that in the short time since my last tour, there were already more new developments.
This was just in the beach neighborhoods to the north of Puerto Armuelles. Specifically, between the Corazon de Jesus and the Cucuy neighborhoods; a ten minute walk down the beach apart.
The quality of these projects was quite high. By far the most exhilarating construction to date in Puerto is in its final finish phase in the Coronado neighborhood. Don and his wife Sandy are putting the finishing touches on a huge volume, barrel-vaulted beach house that truly inspires the visitor. I won’t even try to describe it here. I’ll go back with my camera and get some photos to post.
Tsunami Inn Has A Great Location On The Water In PuertoAlso, at long last, there are nice places for folks to stay overnight when they are checking out Puerto Armuelles.
The Hotel Tsunami Inn is finishing the first of their second phase of construction. They are adding four new brightly painted guest cabanas to the existing three built last year. Folks who stay at Tsunami Inn especially appreciate the great location right off the beach, and the pool only steps outside the private cabanas (Be careful not to fall in, before you’ve had your morning coffee).
For more about the Tsunami Inn, visit this post.
The owners of the Tsunami Inn, Bob and Scott, continue to host a casual get together for horse shoes by the pool every Sunday afternoon.
Plus, they recently inaugurated a pickup softball game every Thursday afernoon at 3:30.
I missed the first game, but I heard that Tsunami Inn provided all the baseball gloves, bats, and balls, and that twenty folks showed up for the very first game. I will definitely be there this coming Thursday to join in the fun.
Green & Blue Ocean Views From The Property
Best of all it is priced at less than $50,000.
It is located in the San Vicente neighborhood of Puerto Armuelles Panama.
There you will discover a video, more photos, and more property details.
Puerto Armuelles is the only true beach town in Panama.
Our list has expanded to include more than hotels.
Our list includes
If you have questions, ask them below or on our contact us page.
Click here to learn what to do while you are in Puerto Armuelles, go here for activities.
January 11, 2013
This "Welcome To Puerto Armuelles" Sign Is By Coco's Place (a hotel)No matter how much you search the Internet.
Only 1 of the 3 hotels has a website.
Lack of information is why I get so many emails and calls from people trying to find a place to stay in Puerto Armuelles.
To help us all, I have gathered the contact info for all the hotels.
Personally I like to see what a plaee looks like before I fork over money to stay there.
For those who feel the same, I will post photos of the hotels without websites. Reyn took photos of Coco's Place already.
As I have mentioned before, I will post information on other accommodations and rentals in Puerto Armuelles as well.
For instance, there is a very good bed and breakfast in town. There are also a number of short term and long term rental options.
It is taking an amazingly long time to gather information on all the rentals. Therefore, I will be posting information on these as I get them.
Full information is very hard to get in Panama - even on rentals in your own town!
We always recommend that you rent before you buy.
January 5, 2013
Students Fight Over Raising of Panama Flag At U.S. Balboa High SchoolYou cannot buy any alcoholic beverages in Panama on January 9th.
It is Martyrs' Day (el Día de los Mártires).
Like many holidays in Panama, it is a dry day.
However, in order to have a 3 day weekend, this year Panama is commemorating the day on Monday, January 7th. (And will most likely be doing so every year)
The riots were really about the tensions between the Americans in the Canal Zone and Panamanians.
The Canal Zone was a 553 square mile territory surrounding the Panama Canal.
There was a fence built around the zone to separate the US territory from the rest of the Republic of Panama.
After this event many called it the "fence of shame".
Panamanians were tear gassed or shot at for pulling on or climbing over this cyclone fence of shame.
"In Panama there exists today another Berlin Wall."
is how Colombia's ambassador to the Organization of American States described the fence a few days after the riots ended.
It is an involved story.
It started over the desire of Panamanians to have the Panama flag fly along side the US Flag in the Canal Zone. The Zonians (as they were called) were generally against it. Panamanians were for it.
In January 1963, President John F. Kennedy issued an Executive Order for the 2 flags to be flown together in the Canal Zone. Then Kennedy was killed.
One month after President Kennedy's death, Canal Zone Governor Robert J. Fleming, Jr. issued a decree that crippled Kennedy's order.
He decreed that the US flag would no longer be flown outside Canal Zone schools, police stations, post offices, or other civilian locations where it had previously been flown.
He did that so Panama's flag would not be flown either.
The governor's order angered many Zonians. They thought not flying the US flag was the first step to the US renouncing its sovereignty over the Canal Zone.
Some kids at Balboa High School, a US school in the Canal Zone, raised the American flag.
In response, some kids from a nearby elite Panamainan high school, tried to raise the Panama flag at Balboa H.S. They wanted to make a point of the two flags flying side by side.
The school officials were okay with it. The student body at Balboa High school was not.
A scuffle broke out among the students from the 2 schools and the Canal Zone police.
During the scuffle, the Panamanian flag was torn.
This infuriated Panamanians everywhere. Riots broke out.
The result was some very tragic deaths, including an 11 year old girl.
One eventual result was the US giving up control of the Panama Canal.
A new treaty was signed in 1977. Control of the Canal was transfered to Panama on January 1, 2000.
The US had been in charge of the Canal and the Canal Zone since the 1st treaty was signed in 1903.
For those who want more details about the Martyr Day riots and why they happened, click here.
The link above is to maestravia.com. There you can read excepts from both Life Magazine and the Panama newspaper, La Prensa (translated), which more fully explain these events.
Another good source of information on the event was done by Eric Jackson. View it here.
Yes, it is just fine.
It is simply a holiday. Many Panamanians I talk to are vague about what the holiday is about.
Those that profess to know what happen mostly tell me that 3 or 4 Panamanians were killed by American soldiers They are unclear about why. Those folks don't seem to hold any anger about the event.
Of course, the feelings and knowledge of the event may be clearer in Panama City where it happened. (FYI, I asked people in Puerto Armuelles, where I live.)
But 49 years later, for many Panamanians it is just another welcome day off work.
Photo source (top photo): Life Magazine via maestravia.com
Have you done any of these?
As you eat each one, make a wish. 12 wishes for the New Year.
They also say that the grapes will predict how your year will be. For instance, if your 2nd grape is sour, then February will be a bad month. But if you get a sweet grape, that month will be a sweet experience.
Then count the number of seeds.
You use the number of discarded seeds to determine your lucky lottery numbers.
The lottery is very popular in Panama.
Don't forget to clasp some money in your hand while you are eating your grapes!
Having money in your hands at midnight will help ensure you will have money throughout the coming year.
This will ensure a new year full of travel.
It gives you good luck throughout the new year.
It will attract love in the new year
It will attract wealth for the New Year.
Sometimes people also pour water on a pound of rice. I am not sure what this signifies. Perhaps another cleansing ritual.
This will get rid of bad energy from the old year
The benefits of doing this are 3-fold: prosperity, work and health.
One of Panama’s unique New Year traditions is that of the Muñecos.
These life sized effigies are an old Panamanian tradition. These "stuffed people" are called many names:
They are stuffed with firecrackers. Then are lit and beaten at the stroke of midnight.
According to folklore, by beating and setting the effigies aflame, the sins and evil spirits of the old year are destroyed. Making way for good fortune in the new year.
The fire crackers are said to help drive the evil forces away, since ghosts are afraid of light and noise.
The Muñecos are usually made to look like well-known politicians or movie stars from the outgoing year. For instance, Fidel Castro, Irving Saladin (Panama’s first Olympic gold medalist, 2011), Celia Cruz, Betty la Fea, etc.
Sometimes people attached strings to the Muñecos so that they can sit on their porch and have the doll "wave" its hand to passer-bys.
Muñecos are especially common along the Pan-American Highway.
This ocean swim will "clean out" the bad things of the previous year and bring in good things of the New Year.
This year we are going to try to do as many of these rituals as we can.
Although I hope doing them at midnight is not required. We are usually asleep well before then.
Please share your Panama New Year experiences in the comments below.
Did we miss a ritual?
December 31, 2012
In Panama, any holiday is considered the perfect day to enjoy friends, family, eating, and drinking - lots of drinking.
Dinner traditionally includes:
The whole family gathers to enjoy each other and to wait for midnight to arrive.
The sound of fireworks announces the midnight hour.
Then, family members embrace each other and enjoy the dinner they have prepared.
After dinner, people visit and/or call each other until the wee hours.
The young people often go out to the bars and clubs. On New Year's Eve (and during the holidays) the Zanahoria law is suspended.
The Zanahora law dictates that bars close at 3:00 am.
However, the party is just part of the New Year rituals and traditions of Panama.
Panama has a number of interesting and unique New Year rituals and traditions.
Please comment or ask questions below.
