In 2012 the government of Panama passed a law designating August 14 as its day. During this month various zoos celebrate this frog by sponsoring special activities and informational programs. We went to the event at Summit Park which is located a short distance outside Panama City. This cute little poisonous golden frog is a…
Photos and text by J. Robertson Miller, 2023 June 23 In Spanish it is called Calzada de Amador. This is a place to visit. You can watch ships enter and leave the Panamá Canal, eat at restaurants which have lovely views of the water, see Panamá City from a different perspective and take boats…
Photos and text by J. Robertson Miller This tree is easy to recognize once you know what to look for. It grows in Central and South America and the Caribbean islands. Panama, the name of our country, may have come from the indigenous word for this tree. However, not everyone agrees on this. Theories abound.…
text and photos by J. Robertson Miller 2023 September 22 Art exhibits are worth a visit, even ones that may not seem interesting at first glance. You can always learn something if you have an inquiring mind. This one was absolutely amazing. How do you depict lost memories or what it is like to be…
Photos and text by J. Robertson Miller Each year the fair has a theme. This year it was dedicated to the indigenous peoples of Panamá. This post will cover books. Another post discusses the 7 indigenous nations. Held at the Atlapa convention center, the book fair spread over 2 floors and lasted 6 days. Book…
by J. Robertson Miller 2023 Panamá City is a happening place. This time we went to the Numismatic Society Show held at the Sheraton Hotel. It was well attended. Displays of gold and silver coins, commemorative coins, stamp collections, gold artifacts, and misprinted dollar bills, all in locked cases and under the watchful eyes of…
by J. Robertson Miller, 2023 This beautiful church is also a landmark. International Tourist ranks it as the most visited church in Panamá City. The parish is called Parroquia Nuestra Señora Del Carmen, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish and the church is Iglesia del Carmen or Carmen Church. Iglesia is the Spanish word for…
by J. Robertson Miller, September 2023 On Saturday, Angel Barsallo drove Danae, Tom and I to the Museo Parque Arqueológico in El Caño, not far from Penonomé. We drove into the countryside past local houses. The road ended in a cul-de-sac turn-around that was also the parking area. It was a typical Panamanian day: hot…
By J Robertson Miller, 2023 What is called the Panamá hat is actually from Ecuador. Various stories tell how this mis-naming came about. However there is a hat, made in Panamá, called the Pintao hat or the sombrero pintada. Only a few hundred artisans practice the craft of making these hats. In 2017, UNESCO declared…
by J. Robertson Miller, 2023 Panamá City is multicultural. Throughout the year various groups hold festivals to showcase their foods and cultures. In March, the Greek community held its fiesta at the Greek Orthodox Church. It was a fundraiser so there was a small entrance fee. Everything was decorated in the traditional blue and white…
