I suppose you might be wondering what the food is like down here in Panama. I mostly eat the local food while enjoying my retirement in Panama. Don’t miss much the food from back home because it didn’t seem so healthy when you think about it. When you retire you have to think more about your health and you have the time.
I eat out a lot with friends at restaurants in Panama City. It’s not that expensive. You can dine for about $20 for a full dinner. You will find that people like to go out a lot, celebrate, party, sing, drink, and eat together. It’s quite cheap to eat out in Panama, if you want it to be. I eat a lot of fresh fish, tropical fruits and okay, yes, beer. Add to that, the coffee is fantastic here. It’s grown on the slopes of Volcan Baru, Boquete, hand picked. I suppose you would call it organic coffee but it is delicious. No more Nescafe, on my Panama retirement. It’s so good in the morning as I take my coffee, read the newspaper and then head on over to my computer to check up on things, read emails etc.
Okay, so let’s talk about the Panama cuisine. As I mentioned, there’s a lot of fresh seafood ( a favourite is the exquisite Panama Seviche which is white fish and/or scallops). The fish is marinated with fresh lemon juice overnight, and then you add chopped green chilies, a dash of chili or Tabasco sauce, sliced onions, tomatoes chopped and cup of olive oil garnished with a little chopped pimiento and fresh coriander. It’s so damn good and tasty. Served cold. Cooking generally uses herbs and spices for taste. There’s also heavy Spanish influence to the cooking you will find.
Some of the food I’ve found that’s really popular here in Panama are tortillas which consist of ground maize and then fried. Tamales are a local specialty, the corn is boiled, crushed with spices and then either pork or chicken is added, wrapped in a banana leaf and then boiled. Other things I like to eat are patacones, green fried plaintain. Empanadas are, well, pastry stuffed with cheese, meat or chicken and I try not to eat too many of them because I’m sure they’re responsible for expanding waistlines. Then there’s Tajadas which are plantain sliced length ways and baked with cinnamon. And, I cannot forget Carimañola, made from ground, then boiled yucca, which has minced meat and boiled eggs inside and then fried, Are you hungry yet?
Other food we eat in Panama, which very popular recipes are things like Escabeche of corvine, Ceviche de pollo, Ceviche de corvina al curry, Ceviche de garbanzos, Arroz con pollo, Carimañolas and for dessert, there is my favourite Panamanian dessert Flan de caramelo, which is like a crème caramel custard. Also for dessert, I favour the Pie de limon which you might have already figured out is Lemon Pie.
I’ve tried a little cooking myself and have become somewhat of a skilled Panamanian chef. It’s a hobby you could try taking up if you decide to retire to Panama. Thought I’d write about the food in Panama because it’s a part of my retirement. A big part of daily life, in fact, for me and for you if you decide to retire in Panama. I guess later, I could write about some of the restaurants in Panama where you can eat some of this delicious food. Gotta go, dinner is served!
Showing posts with label Panama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Panama. Show all posts
Friday, July 17, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
The Future of Panama Retirement
I suppose you’ve been wondering what I’ve been up to lately, enjoying my Panama retirement and reading the news of the long cold winter north of here (feeling just a little of that "schadenfreude" - just a little), specifically in North America and the global economic crisis. I’m sipping my coffee, a coffee grown in Panama, on the slopes of Volcan Baru. It’s organic coffee here. They don’t use chemical pesticides for the coffee, all the weeding is done by hand. It’s a delicious, smooth coffee with a slightly nutty flavour. Mornings in Panama.
If you’re wondering about the effects of the global financial crisis in Panama, the country is actually not doing badly. I’ve been reading that the government expects economic growth and a budget surplus this year. Not like everywhere else. During the last five years in Panama, the economic growth in Panama has been positive. This prospering in Panama was assisted by the booming Panama real estate market, the profits of the Panama Canal, tourism and the booming banking business here in Panama City. However, it is expected there will be a drop in tourism to Panama as tourists cut back on their vacation spending.
The unemployment rate might be soaring in other countries such as the United States, but here in Panama, the unemployment rate was 6.5% last year. In 2004, the unemployment rate sat at 14%. So things look relatively good for Panama. The government here is experiencing a surplus for the third year consecutively – not like the other governments of other countries around the globe. I’ve been reading about this in the newspapers.
However, obviously, Panama real estate is experiencing a slump. Panama real estate was fuelled by North American and European buyers, but lately, they are not coming to Panama to purchase property because of their own declining economies. As a result, prices of real estate properties in Panama is declining. As recently as a year and a half ago, people were buying properties in Panama for $200,000 and then selling them six to 12 months later for double the price. There is now a bounty of high priced condominiums which can’t be sold because the numbers of buyers looking for Panama property is just not there currently.
There has been a decline in the number of ships passing through the Panama Canal. The Panamanian government collects tolls from the shipping that pass through. But because of the world wide recession, there are less cargo ships these days travelling through the Canal. In the meantime, Panama has been expanding the Panama Canal locks to allow larger ships to pass through. This mega project has created thousands of new jobs for Panamanians and is an investment in the future of Panama.
Another good fact is that since end of the Noriega regime in 1989, Panama has experienced peace. Peace and stability are great forces when it comes to a country prospering economically. I’ve got no time for dictators. That’s why I chose to retire in Panama.
There are still people who are suffering economically though, selling fruit on the roadside or stealing scrap metal to resell because economic prosperity has not trickled down to enough to the people who need it. Like many parts of the rest of the world, wealth sometimes remains concentrated in a few hands. The cost of food is going up as well, but this is an international problem.
Problem for all the baby boomers who had hoped to cash in their retirement funds and sell their houses is that most of their retirement funds were invested in the stock market and they lost a lot of their cash. Also, selling houses in North America is not worth it right now because you couldn’t get the price you want for your house. Most of the baby boomers have decided to put off their decision to pack up and leave and buy a house or condo in Panama till they get a better return on their investments. Getting a loan from the bank is almost out of the question.
Looks like a lot of people are waiting for the recovery.
I’m glad I decided to retire to Panama when I did. I’ve been here a few years now, speaking Spanish like a native, living in an apartment in Panama City. I’ve looked around for some Panama properties to purchase, but I’m holding out till I find the perfect spot. I want a house on the beach for my retirement in Panama and with the prices declining for Panama properties because of the lack of buyers, I’m ready.
If you’re wondering about the effects of the global financial crisis in Panama, the country is actually not doing badly. I’ve been reading that the government expects economic growth and a budget surplus this year. Not like everywhere else. During the last five years in Panama, the economic growth in Panama has been positive. This prospering in Panama was assisted by the booming Panama real estate market, the profits of the Panama Canal, tourism and the booming banking business here in Panama City. However, it is expected there will be a drop in tourism to Panama as tourists cut back on their vacation spending.
The unemployment rate might be soaring in other countries such as the United States, but here in Panama, the unemployment rate was 6.5% last year. In 2004, the unemployment rate sat at 14%. So things look relatively good for Panama. The government here is experiencing a surplus for the third year consecutively – not like the other governments of other countries around the globe. I’ve been reading about this in the newspapers.
However, obviously, Panama real estate is experiencing a slump. Panama real estate was fuelled by North American and European buyers, but lately, they are not coming to Panama to purchase property because of their own declining economies. As a result, prices of real estate properties in Panama is declining. As recently as a year and a half ago, people were buying properties in Panama for $200,000 and then selling them six to 12 months later for double the price. There is now a bounty of high priced condominiums which can’t be sold because the numbers of buyers looking for Panama property is just not there currently.
There has been a decline in the number of ships passing through the Panama Canal. The Panamanian government collects tolls from the shipping that pass through. But because of the world wide recession, there are less cargo ships these days travelling through the Canal. In the meantime, Panama has been expanding the Panama Canal locks to allow larger ships to pass through. This mega project has created thousands of new jobs for Panamanians and is an investment in the future of Panama.
Another good fact is that since end of the Noriega regime in 1989, Panama has experienced peace. Peace and stability are great forces when it comes to a country prospering economically. I’ve got no time for dictators. That’s why I chose to retire in Panama.
There are still people who are suffering economically though, selling fruit on the roadside or stealing scrap metal to resell because economic prosperity has not trickled down to enough to the people who need it. Like many parts of the rest of the world, wealth sometimes remains concentrated in a few hands. The cost of food is going up as well, but this is an international problem.
Problem for all the baby boomers who had hoped to cash in their retirement funds and sell their houses is that most of their retirement funds were invested in the stock market and they lost a lot of their cash. Also, selling houses in North America is not worth it right now because you couldn’t get the price you want for your house. Most of the baby boomers have decided to put off their decision to pack up and leave and buy a house or condo in Panama till they get a better return on their investments. Getting a loan from the bank is almost out of the question.
Looks like a lot of people are waiting for the recovery.
I’m glad I decided to retire to Panama when I did. I’ve been here a few years now, speaking Spanish like a native, living in an apartment in Panama City. I’ve looked around for some Panama properties to purchase, but I’m holding out till I find the perfect spot. I want a house on the beach for my retirement in Panama and with the prices declining for Panama properties because of the lack of buyers, I’m ready.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Panama Retirement
This is Panama Joe. I’m starting this site because it’s all about retirement in Panama, my chief interest at the current time.
I got sick of living in the rat race of the big city in North America. Got sick of the cold winter, I figured that out one winter three years ago. It was a cold, frosty morning and I’m not into “frosty” by the way. I was outside ready to go work for another day in the rat race. It was bloody cold. The first thing that happened was my car door was frozen shut. Finally got that open. I turn the ignition on. Damn engine stutters before it finally chokes on. Turn on the heater full blast. It’s blasting more of that frosty cold air. Get the window scraper out. All the windows are covered with that Jack Frost nonsense. Start scraping and scraping and scraping the windows. Nothing but a stupid struggle. It’s all seeming more and more pointless. Takes me 15 minutes to get the damn car ready just so I can make it to work on time. I’m tired of this shit. Don’t get to work on time.
I’m 54 years old. A guy that’s getting fed up with it all. Sick of my job. Sick of this winter weather and all this damn frosty stuff. During that mind numbing 9 – 5 shtick, I open up the internet and mindlessly search for winter getaway vacations. Obviously, I needed a break from the winter. Don’t know how much longer I can put up with this and winter’s only just started. We’ve got another five or six months of this shit. So I’m browsing through this winter escape website. All the usual destinations, Mexico, the Bahamas, Cuba, Barbados, Jamaica… And then I see it. Panama. Something cool about that. I hadn’t heard of anyone going there before. Must not be a common vacation destination. I click on the link. Prices just about the same as everywhere else. I open up another web browsing tab and search for pictures of Panama. I find other sites with information about Panama. I start passing the hours at work, surfing sites about Panama. Suddenly I find myself back at the vacation destination site for Panama. My fingers are doing the clicking. Suddenly, I’m booking a vacation for one week in Panama at an all inclusive resort in Panama. My credit card is being entered by my fingers which are doing the walking all by themselves. The submit button is pressed. An online receipt is before my eyes. I’m printing the online receipt. I’m walking over to the printer like a zombie. Picking up my online receipt from the printer. My vacation is booked.
Approximately two weeks later, I’m on an airline Panama bound. Leaving the frosty winter behind and landing in the hot humidity of the international airport of Panama City.
That was how it all began. I spent a week in Panama at an all inclusive resort and besides laying around the pool and the beach, I spent a lot of time in the City of Panama during that week, falling in love with everything that Panama had to offer. The Casinos, the nightclubs, the food, the people… A few trips later, one even in the hot humid rainy summers of Panama, I’m thinking to myself, what the hell am I doing, continuing to slave away at some stupid mindless job that I hate, waiting for retirement to kick in so I can bundle up indoors when winter comes with the heat turned up high and thinking of when I can plan my next escape to Panama.
The idea then dawned on me to take my early retirement package and head on down to Panama to spend my retirement in comfort.
And this is what this blog is all about – my retirement in Panama and how you too can retire in Panama. And when I’m feeling a little too warm in Panama, I just think back to that frosty winter morning when I had to scrape the Jack Frost stuff off the windows of my car. The thought gives me a little chill as I suddenly recall reality and look along the beach I find myself laying on as I am living the life of my retirement in Panama.
I got sick of living in the rat race of the big city in North America. Got sick of the cold winter, I figured that out one winter three years ago. It was a cold, frosty morning and I’m not into “frosty” by the way. I was outside ready to go work for another day in the rat race. It was bloody cold. The first thing that happened was my car door was frozen shut. Finally got that open. I turn the ignition on. Damn engine stutters before it finally chokes on. Turn on the heater full blast. It’s blasting more of that frosty cold air. Get the window scraper out. All the windows are covered with that Jack Frost nonsense. Start scraping and scraping and scraping the windows. Nothing but a stupid struggle. It’s all seeming more and more pointless. Takes me 15 minutes to get the damn car ready just so I can make it to work on time. I’m tired of this shit. Don’t get to work on time.
I’m 54 years old. A guy that’s getting fed up with it all. Sick of my job. Sick of this winter weather and all this damn frosty stuff. During that mind numbing 9 – 5 shtick, I open up the internet and mindlessly search for winter getaway vacations. Obviously, I needed a break from the winter. Don’t know how much longer I can put up with this and winter’s only just started. We’ve got another five or six months of this shit. So I’m browsing through this winter escape website. All the usual destinations, Mexico, the Bahamas, Cuba, Barbados, Jamaica… And then I see it. Panama. Something cool about that. I hadn’t heard of anyone going there before. Must not be a common vacation destination. I click on the link. Prices just about the same as everywhere else. I open up another web browsing tab and search for pictures of Panama. I find other sites with information about Panama. I start passing the hours at work, surfing sites about Panama. Suddenly I find myself back at the vacation destination site for Panama. My fingers are doing the clicking. Suddenly, I’m booking a vacation for one week in Panama at an all inclusive resort in Panama. My credit card is being entered by my fingers which are doing the walking all by themselves. The submit button is pressed. An online receipt is before my eyes. I’m printing the online receipt. I’m walking over to the printer like a zombie. Picking up my online receipt from the printer. My vacation is booked.
Approximately two weeks later, I’m on an airline Panama bound. Leaving the frosty winter behind and landing in the hot humidity of the international airport of Panama City.
That was how it all began. I spent a week in Panama at an all inclusive resort and besides laying around the pool and the beach, I spent a lot of time in the City of Panama during that week, falling in love with everything that Panama had to offer. The Casinos, the nightclubs, the food, the people… A few trips later, one even in the hot humid rainy summers of Panama, I’m thinking to myself, what the hell am I doing, continuing to slave away at some stupid mindless job that I hate, waiting for retirement to kick in so I can bundle up indoors when winter comes with the heat turned up high and thinking of when I can plan my next escape to Panama.
The idea then dawned on me to take my early retirement package and head on down to Panama to spend my retirement in comfort.
And this is what this blog is all about – my retirement in Panama and how you too can retire in Panama. And when I’m feeling a little too warm in Panama, I just think back to that frosty winter morning when I had to scrape the Jack Frost stuff off the windows of my car. The thought gives me a little chill as I suddenly recall reality and look along the beach I find myself laying on as I am living the life of my retirement in Panama.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Panama Joe's Retirement
Hola! And welcome to Panama Joe's Retirement Site.
Am hoping to provide my readers information about retirement in Panama. Enjoy the reading and enjoy the visit. Hopefully I can provide you some good ideas about retirement in Panama.
Am hoping to provide my readers information about retirement in Panama. Enjoy the reading and enjoy the visit. Hopefully I can provide you some good ideas about retirement in Panama.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Contact
Got any questions? Comments? Great retirement destinations? Just wanna talk about Panama Retirement?
Email me at PanamaJoe@ymail.com
Email me at PanamaJoe@ymail.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
