May, month of the black ethnicity, is enthusiastically celebrated by black civic and folkloric groups in Colón who take advantage of the time to present their culture, contributions to the nation's history, way of thinking, music and, above all, their famous cuisine
About Me
- Marina Ehrman
- Panama, Panama, Panama
- Greetings from Panama! My name is Marina Ehrman and I have been a professional tour guide and promoter for Panama Tourism and Travel Company since 2005. I love what I do and am proud to share what my country has to offer. It is filled with endless leisure and commercial attractions, friendly happy people who open their doors to all visitors. Panama is a country of incomparable natural beauty with a variety of tourist attractions, beautiful beaches in the Pacific and Caribbean. The tropical climate year round with its diversified flora, fauna and indigenous groups make it one of the most important of Ecotourism in Latin America. I invite you to know our country’s history, culture and also enjoy the cuisine, folklore and traditions that only a place in the world can provide………Panama! Contact me and I’ll organize your visit and will be happy to welcome you in Panama. For more information on Panama, follow my Facebook page and my blog. Visit www.panamatourismtravel.com
The Black Race Proudly Celebration
May, month of the black ethnicity, is enthusiastically celebrated by black civic and folkloric groups in Colón who take advantage of the time to present their culture, contributions to the nation's history, way of thinking, music and, above all, their famous cuisine
Painted Hat
In our country, men in the countryside use a type of hat commonly known as the "sombrero pintao" , or painted hat. They are usually made using natural fibers from plants such as rush, a type of reed, bellota, a type of miniature palm frond or pita, similar in appearance to the aloe vera plant, which are suitable for our climate. The dark color for the stripes is obtained from the chisná plant, whose leaves are boiled along with the fibers to be dyed. This whole process is carried out by hand, using techniques passed down from generation to generation.
The quality of these hats is defined by the number of times the fiber had to go around to make the hat, so the simplest hats have 15 or less rounds and very fine hats with 16 to 24 rounds, which are much more expensive. For example, a painted hat with 16 rounds can cost from about 150 to 500 dollars.
In the rural countryside other types of hats are made using different materials, such as the white hat in the central provinces, the reed or cream colored hat in Veraguas, Los Santos and Coclé and the hat from the spinning palm, in northern Santa Fe de Veraguas.
The hats are divided according to how they are colored, or painted. The Mosquito style has many black spots on the braids. The Blanco, also known as the "ñopito" hat is totally white, and according to the taste of the buyer, may have a small black coloring on one side of the crown. The Junco is very durable, named so because it is made naturally with rush fiber. The Pintao is one of the most popular, named not because it is made in the town of La Pintada, but because it is decorated with a combination of white and black colors.
The hat known as Pepita de Guate is woven by inserting the black bellota fiber in between the white bellota strands.
The Talco style is similar to the "pintao," but the difference is that the former has a double row of black decorative fibers instead of one. The so-called Tumba Hombre, perhaps referring to the swirling women's skirt that dizzied men, has a combination of round black spots on the base, crown and brim.
In addition to these, there are other types of hats, such as the Reatilla, Talco Plumilla and Talco Encontrado.
These hats have managed to become an important part of typical dress for male Panamanians. Our women also use them, for example when wearing the common dress of the pollera Montuna, as well as when they get dressed up to attend the cantaderas, festive singing and performing parades.
There are no protocol parameters for its use, as it can be used both as a garment for a gala occasion, and also for daily use, without disrupting the custom or folk pattern for use of the traditional hat.
The way to wear the hat and fold its brims reveals a cultural expression, as well as the mood of its user, according to the following peculiarities:
1. Fold the front and back brims of the hat: a characteristic made famous as the Pedra style of wearing the hat, which attributes the wearer to being a successful person at a stage of splendor and pleasure in his life, and also synomynous with masculine charm and fighting skills.
2. Fold only the back brim of the hat: its wearer is considered an intellectual person with vast knowledge in a certain area of science or knowledge.
3. Fold only the front brim of the hat: indicates that he who wears this style is a ladies' man, ready to conquer a woman.
3. No fold on the hat brim: no particular interpretation is ascribed to this style, which is used during outdoor work to protect from sunlight.
4. No fold, with the front part of the hat tilted forward: the person wearing it is feeling low, dismayed, distressed, and is very commonly used by those in grieving.
Visit Coiba: Granito de Oro Island
A small islet off the northeastern coast of Isla Coiba named Granito de Oro has emerged as one of the most popular stops for visitors interested in snorkeling the abundant waters of Coiba National Park and picnicking on one of the most pristine beaches in the world.
Its steep volcanic outcropping forms a structure which holds the beautiful white sand in place and creates a reef structure which shelters a large variety of beautiful marine life. It is the aquarium of Coiba, offering easy access to eels, turtles and large schools of fish.
Granito de Oro offers the casual snorkeler a diversity and volume of marine life that many avid scuba divers spend their lives trying to see. The waters surrounding it have been called one of the top 10 diving destinations in the world
Guided Fishing at the Panama Canal
Fishermen are always impressed by the abundance and variety of fish in Gatun Lake at the Panama Canal. This lake is home to species such as peacock bass, tarpon, snook, and many others. Since these fish are so plentiful, there are no limits or restrictions.
One of our fishing guides will take you and your party on a private guided tour of the lake and show you the best spots.
Surrounded by the peace and tranquility of lush tropical forests, this is a great tour for friends, families, or individuals to enjoy the bounties of nature that Lake Gatun Panama offers.
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International Access Code to Phone Panama
| How to dial Panama Tourism & Travel ? |
International Access Code to Phone PanamaTo Dial internationally, you must first dial your country's special code to access international phone lines. Each country has a specific code. It doesn't matter where you are dialing around the world, to get "out" of your country you must first dial your country's international access code.For example,
To call from the USA or Canada to Panama Tourism & Travel dial 011 first:
011 (507) 6694-11-09
How to Dial from inside PanamaFrom inside Panama you can call us by dialing 6694-11-09 only.List of International Access Codes to dial any international phone numberFor your convenience, here is a list of countries and their international access codes.
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New Panama Canal Administrator
The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) Board of Directors announced the appointment of engineer Jorge Luis Quijano as the new Panama Canal Administrator. Mr. Quijano will succeed Alberto Alemán Zubieta, who has been at the helm of the Canal for the past 16 years and whose term will end on September 3, 2012.
Jorge Quijano´s professional career at the Panama Canal began in 1975 and after several promotions he was appointed Maritime Operations Director in 1999. The Operations Department is the largest one within the Panama Canal and it is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the infrastructure and equipment of the waterway.
Since September 2006, Quijano is the Executive Vice President of the Engineering and Programs Management Department in charge of the Panama Canal Expansion Program. He heads a group of about 500 professionals which is specifically responsible for contracting and managing the Locks Design and Construction contract, the Atlantic and Pacific entrance channels dredging contracts, the contracting of four dry excavation contracts to create a new 6.1 kilometer inland channel in the Pacific end of the Canal, the Lake level dredging to be performed by ACP´s workforce and other smaller contracts. As such, Quijano leads an integrated program management team made up of a consultant and ACP’s own professionals who have the responsibility to direct the execution of the entire Expansion Program.
FAQ: What’s the basis for the Panama’s economy?
Panama is a primarily service-based economy. Services include the Panama Canal, logistical services, tourism, the largest free trade zone in the Americas, and an international banking center with over 100 banks. Because of the high quality of life, many companies are making their Latin American corporate headquarters in Panama. There are also tax incentives and special economic zones for businesses and corporate headquarters.
Bananas, shrimp and coffee are the major agricultural exports.
Bananas, shrimp and coffee are the major agricultural exports.
FAQ : Is Panama a typical Latin American country? What’s the Ethnic makeup?
Panama is not typical at all. Don’t expect to see mainly the typical mestizo (descendants of a combination of Spanish and Indian) population like in the rest of Latin America. There's saying that Panama was "born globalized." The population of 3.3million people has diverse origins: Spanish descendants, blacks (brought in from the Caribbean to build the Canal), indigenous cultures, and important immigrant populations from North America, Europe, China, India and Middle East.
Of special note and a a tourism attraction are the are seven living Indian cultures: Gunas in the Guna Yala Islands on the Caribbean, Embera and Wounaan in the province of Darien, Ngobe Bugle in the provinces of Chiriqui, Bocas del Toro & Veraguas; and Teribes & Bokotas in Bocas del Toro province.
FAQ : Are there any required vaccines? What about mosquitos?
There are no required vaccines or shots. Believe it or not, you are unlikely to see a mosquito your whole trip! Panama may be a tropical country but mosquito control is effective. Exceptions would be if you are in the rainforest after dusk or hiking or overnight in the jungle, in which case insect repellant is advised.
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