Buses from the Devil Himself

by Iva Skoch on

One of the coolest things I´ve seen in Panama so far is the crazy bus-art. Now, it´s not uncommon to see buses painted wild colors all over Latin America, but Panamanians have this stuff down to fine art.

Just about every local public bus is in the style of an old American school bus, but painted the craziest colors, festooned with religious sayings and multiple chromed horns. And, if the bus is lacking two large chromed rear exhaust pipes running up the rear corners of the bus, pumping diesel fumes into the sky, it just won´t do. I can´t think of a cooler thing to look at while stuck in Panama City´s insane traffic jams. The detail of the paintings will take your breath away… even more than the horrific exhaust fumes blanketing this modern city.

They call them “red devils,” but the government is banishing the devil. This blog reprints a story from the Miami Herald saying that the buses will soon start disappearing, this year.

Ola from Panama

by Iva Skoch on

Sorry I have been incommunicado for a while. My trip to Costa Rica and Panama has turned out to be a lot more remote than even I expected. I am finally back to civilization–or whatever you want to call a place with an internet connection and hot water–in Bocas del Toro, Panama. I already miss Costa Rica though.

I am still adjusting to this whole civilization thing. My last week, in the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, was bliss. So remote that the eco-lodge where my brother-in-law and I stayed was 3 miles away from the end of a road, which itself was accessible only by four-wheel drive. We had to walk to the lodge along the beach. No visual pollution, no sound pollution, just the sound of monkeys, frogs and the waves breaking over the shore….

Arriving in Panama after time spent in Osa was, honestly, a shock. My expectation was that this was going to be like Costa Rica, but less developed. Not so. So far, I don´t see how Panama can be compared to Costa Rica. Bocas is light years away from eco-tourism, for example. It is already over-developed in many ways (other than the ridiculously slow internet cafe I´m using right now). Lodges charging $200-350 per night. Loud backpackers everywhere, music blasting from all directions, hammers on construction sites, motorboats criss-crossing the ocean from island to island…There was even a massive Club Med cruise ship docked here last night (with everyone wearing matching white shorts, white boat shoes, medium blue monogrammed polo shirts).

It feels like Myrtle Beach more than ‘Costa Rica 15 years ago.’ Am I missing something here?

Costa Rica: No gypsies and hippies allowed

by Iva Skoch on

It is not easy to be a backpacker these days.

I was buying air tickets from New York to Costa Rica (but out of Panama City) over the phone yesterday, using a free voucher. I am glad that I did it over the phone, otherwise I would have been spared this brilliant conversation.

After booking, the Continental operator informed me that a yellow fever vaccine was recommended and that I should have access to $500 in cash. OK, I think I can manage that.

Then, she said I will not be allowed on the plane in New York unless I can prove how I’m getting from Costa Rica to Panama. What? Isn’t the fact that you have no idea how you’ll travel around the entire point of backpacking?

To take it even further, she recited that in Costa Rica “entry is denied to gypsies or those with hippy appearance.” I kid you not.

Are they for real?

Mexico Named Best Place To Retire

by Martha Edwards on
Been to Mexico? I have a few times and I love it. It’s not just the hot weather and the gorgeous beaches — Mexico is a really friendly, vibrant place with a lot of energy and culture. At least what I’ve seen of it. Anyway, I digress. The point of this post is to write about how Mexico was named the best place to retire by an annual retirement index in International Living magazine. It used to be that Panama held this coveted title, but housing prices have since sky-rocketed — I hope this doesn’t happen to Mexico too!


Want to see what all the fuss is about? Check out our Travel Guide for Mexico. Not interested in Mexico? Learn more about Australia or South Africa.

What are some other great places to retire? Ecuador, Italy, Australia, Malta, Spain, South Africa, Malaysia, France and Thailand all made the list. The US came in at #19, while the UK ranked at the very bottom.

I couldn’t find a copy of the whole list — I wonder if my native Canada made the cut? There are definitely some retirement-worthy places here too. But given the choice between Mexico and the prairie winters, you know which one I’m going with.

(Of course, there are plenty of great places in the U.S. to retire. Check out Money & Finance’s great retirement spots in the U.S. and decide if any of them are for you.)

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What Is Panama Like?

by Iva Skoch on

I am planning a trip to Panama. Not sure why. I don’t know much about the country but I have a free Continental voucher to use up and they fly there directly from New York. That’s a good enough reason for me. Plus, it sounds like a pretty interesting place.

I am sure many of you have been there already. I hear that Panama is trying to brand itself as the new, wilder (and possibly more dangerous) Costa Rica. Any recommendations? Any must sees and must avoids? Are there good diving/rafting opportunities?