We lived there about ten years ago. There used to be a funny restaurant there called La Cascada. It was the weirdest place I've ever seen. Every time I went in there, when the hostess would seat us she would whisper to our party, "The first drink is on the house." It was an "outdoor" restaurant, but it was completely enclosed by a clear plastic tarp. The decor was unlike anything I've ever seen. There was a fake waterfall in the middle of the place (hence the name) and the restaurant was completely decorated in plastic animals. All the tables were equipped with a little red light which you were to turn on if you wanted your waitress. The portions were enormous. The food wasn't fantastic, but for sheer quirkiness, I loved to go there. I can't remember the name of the street it was on, but it was on the same road as the American Embassy (Avenida de las Americas?). Look them up if you want and entertaining, informal evening out.
From [email removed] Mon Mar 31 09:48 EST 1997
To: [email removed]
Subject: Re: maine.eats
Content-Type: text
Content-Length: 10405
Panama
Whitewater Rafting
Chiriqui River Rafting Company ( 236-5217) Mr. Hector Sanchez
**better # 236-5218
PSC 4, Box 1386, APO AA 34004 (Iann Sanchez is Hector's
Son)fax:236-5217
Email: [email removed] or Box 1686, Balboa, Ancon
Panama
- the Rio Chiriqui Viejo (Chiriqui River) ..fly to David for $45 or
Drive the 7 hours
(still 2 hours away from David) $90 each from David or $150 each
from Panama City
including one night at a B&B, food & transportation, (4 or 5
hours rafting)
- Chagres River (near Panama City, pre-dawn to 7PM rafting day)
(not as challenging)
- the Rio Chiriqui (Chiriqui River) is too low from Jan-April; mule
put-in&boatride take-out
Expediciones Tropicales (Phone # ??) Mr. Scott Muller, cheaper &
newer (or so he says)
- Rio Chiriqui Viejo $200 (near town of Boquete, in Chiriqui) (fly
to David for $45)
- Changuinola River $1200 (helo put-in, boat ride take-out to
Bocas del Toro; Scuba/fish )
Aventuras Panama (507) 260-0044 Carla & Javier Romero
Fishing
Martin: "Picanti" 228-0237
Ivan Cohen: "Mango Fish" one of the best boats, phone 236-5066, 4575,or 4949 fax:4950
Club de Yates y Pesca de Panama 227-2166, 0145, 3157, 2894 APDO. 0427 - Panama 5
*Balboa Yacht Club (28-5794/2313 or 5196 ) at Fort Amador beside canal ($150-$300)
Yacht and fishing club of Panama (25-3911)
Contadora Marina (50-4033 ) $40 round trip airfare to Contadora Island / Paitilla
Ron Green $375 work: 230-0761 Home: 230-1110 Lomounba
Chuck Abernathy (61-0763); Tom Giles ..? ; another boat 230-0761
Pinas Bay (Pacific)... Peninsula de Azuera (by Cobia Island)
Tropic Star Lodge (264-5549) (Very $$ & a full week long live aboard) Hannibal Bank, Coiba
Cap't Gene Kelly 516 668 2019 (Cobia Explorer) $$
Jerry Dunaway (the Hooker & the Madam) (281) 844-9995 $$
Pinas Bay's Tropic Star Lodge 64-6071 11 boats (800) 682-3424 or (407) 839-3637
Rodman boat dock @ Rodman Naval base 011-507-283-3147
Capt'n Tomas Golder 612-4462 (for a sailboat &/or diving)
Pacific Club (69-6071); Macarava Fishing Co. (34-1278 or 52-5967)
Taboga (Inrenare) (50-2082) leave from Balboa Pier 18 $5 round trip#232-5736
other taboga #'s: 228-6069, 232-5395; Dive @ Uraba, Taboguilla & Morro de Taboga
Diablo Spinning Club; Veracruz has big open canoes
Tropic Tours (507)264-7895 -$50- Peacock Bass on Gatun Lake
Trout near Volcan Baru by Boquete, Hato del Volcan, Bambito & Cerro Punta
Coiba: Blanca Beach+Penal Colony,by Jicaron,Jicaron,Rancheria,the Contreras+Canal de Afuera
Boquete:Hot Springs 'Los Pozos de Caldera' 45-min walk from Caldera;eat La Conquista
(trucha); Hike the Quatzels trail thru the rainforest (Cerro Punta to Boquete) !!
Best restaurant in Boquete is "Joe's Place" (its new), but Mario is the Cook.
Hotel Panamonte $38-$50 (70-1327) (Inga Collins)
Volcan Baru 6-hr 16-km hike
Bocas del Toro on Colon Island (40 waterfalls); Aeroperlas: 263-5363 or 269-4555
Chirique Grande-to-Bocas or Bocas-to-Almirante Watertaxi's available
Diving & ecotourist resort: Mangrove Inn (Turtle Divers)
Hotels: Pension Peck 79-9252, Las Brisas (78-9309, 9428 before Hotel Thomas) and Bahia
Boardinghouses: La Delicias, Las Brisas y Pek
Dining: Eat at the Market or Don Chicho's on the main street or .. Las Delicias, Red Lobster, El
Lorito, Bohio Boca Toreno, Todo Tropical, Bahia, Anic flor and Kun Ja.
Best Places: "Coral Islands" near Cayo Zapatillas, "Cristobal" in San Cristobal Island, "Hospital
Point" in Cayo Nancy, and Mangrove Point" @ Mangrove Inn (Colon Island).
Escudo de Veraguas is 3 hours by boat east
Behind Cayo Zapatillas is a sunken ship & submarine caves & "Wild Cane Key" vertical drop
Diving: Turtle Divers (757-9594) & Bocas Diveshop (757-9279)
San Blas (Kuna Yola=native name) best Island are Achutupu (dog), Kagantupa & Coco Blanco
Aerotaxi: 264-8644 or 2950; Alas: 265-4555
El Porvenir Island: Obaldia's Port ( Main airport) close to Wichubwala (Hotel Anais $75/$25)
Wichub-Wala Island: Anai Lodge 39-3025-39-3128 or 20-6546,0746 (best hotel in San Blas)
Ailigandi Island: Hotel Las Palmeras 22-3096 $18
Nalunega Island: San Blas Hotel
Playon Chico: Iskardup 69-6017 fax:69-1604 & there also is an ecotouristic resort
Achutupu Island: Hotel Uaguitupo 63-3077 fax:63-3089 Ecotours; (has a shipwreck)
Sidra River: Kuanidup 21-6026
Nargana Lodge Hotel (visit Tigre Island), Sugtupu
El Valle de Anton (Sunday 7AM craft market) also has a great Zoo (El Nispero) &
greenhouse/Plant Nursery $1 (Mr. Pablo Caballero)
two great waterfalls: El Chorro de las Mocas (on Rio Anton) and El Macho by Dona Chabela
bridge (on road to La Mesa) ($1 fare)
Thermal Water Wells near Anton River product of Caldera del Valle volcanic structure ($.25)
Canopy Adventure 287-3363 or 5807
Food: Hotel Club Campestre (swiss), Santa Librada, Pension Delia, Fast Food Restaurant
(Toledano), El Greco Hotel, Potosi Cabins Restaurant
Lodging:El Greco 993-6149, Club Campestre 993-6146, Potosi Cabins 993-6181, Las Mozas
Cabins 260-1592, Santa Librada 993-6149, Pension Nina Delia, Monkas'
Beaches: Contadora Island, Isla del Rey, Taboga Island, Punta Chame, Gorgona Beach,
Coronado Beach, San Carlos, Corona, Farallon (province of Cocle), Santa Clara (Cocle) Sea
Cliff, Rio Mar, El Palmar
Shopping: Stevens Circle in Balboa, near Panama Canal Comm. Finance Bldg & Balboa H.S.
the Linens shop on 4th of July Ave. (drive around back & blow horn)
Reprosa's Jewelry
Food: Corvina al ajo (white fish).. try Corvina Ajillo & Ceviche
National dish San Cocho (spicy meat & Veg stew) try Ropa Vieja
Cafe Boulevard Balboa (** very good, very cheap restaurant) get Corvina Ajillo or Higado
Higado=liver, Higaditos de Pollo=Chicken Livers, Aceitunas=olives, Aguacate=avocado,
Ajo=garlic, Alcachofas=artichokes, Almejas=clams, Anchoas=anchovies, Anguila=eel,
Atun=tuna, Calamares=squid, Camarones=shrimps, Cangrejo=crab, Caracoles=snails,
Cerdo=pork, Huachinango=red snapper, Jamon=ham, Langosta=lobster,
Langostino (Cigalas)=crayfish, Mejillones=mussels, Menudo (Mondongo)=tripe,
Ostiones (Ostras)=oysters, Pulpo=octopus, Trucha=trout
Manolo's Cafe (breakfast, across from Hotel El Panama) *Very Good... on via Argentina
Siete Mares on Cl. Guatemala Cangrejo ($$ ** great seafood) 264-3032, 0205
La Cascada (Avenida Balboa, by American Embassy), Cafe Napoli, Argentine Steakhouse,
the Marina (at Club de Yates Y Pesca on Blvd. Balboa)
Salty's in the Ceasar Park Hotel ($$$.. good sorbet presentation), Le Bistrot (Florida)
Angle, Ruben's, Casco Viejo, La Toja, Restaurant of the Americas, Lesseps, Las Bovedas,
Millenium, Martin Fierros (via Argentina also) lots fried food-has sister restaurant too! Re-used?
Restaurant @ Panama Viejo & Jazz Nights at Las Bovedas Thurs.
Las Tinajas - Close to Federico Boyd Boulevard
Afroantillean food in Boca town (bad neighborhood)
Bars's: Pavo Real, Sahara (Calle 50th)
Disco's: Baccuss, Patatuz
Drink's: Beer is 3%, Seco Herrerano and Carta Vieja Rum (Ron Cortz)
Chicha (Fresh Fruit, Sugar & water) try Chirimoya, Guanabana, Guayaba, Jicama, Mamoncillo,
Nisperos, Pitahayas, Tamarindo, Tunas, or naranja=orange, pina (anana)=pineapple,
tomate=tomato, toronja (pomelo)=grapefruit, lima=lime, limon=lemon, mango=mango,
mandarina=tangerine, banana (platano)=banana, melocoton=peach, cerezas=cherries
outside the city: Vera cruz has Royal beach and Rincon de Filo *very good
Punta Chume on the bay *not that good
Los chez by turn off to Playa Coronado
Rio Mar (good Bass) just pass San Carlos (a tire marks where to turn left)
San Carlos *good Liver @ restaurant just past gas station on the right
Stantiago (great place) try portales for seco Herrerano by the cuarto, Mar Carbe is good,
restaurant by triangle is alright and very cheap
Panama Tourist Bureau (IPAT) at Atlapa Conv. Center, Via Israel (next to Marriott / Cesar Park
Hotel) 26-7000 or 4002 (8:30 to 4:30 M-F)
also at Int'l Airport 38-4356 (8-11 everyday)
Inrenare (32-4325) in Paraiso (8-4, M-F)
Reisa Tours 507-225-4721; Eco-Tours 263-3077; fax (507) 263-3089
Barro Colorado (Smithsonian 227-6022) Tues. And Sat.
Good travel agents on Via Argentina in El Cangrejo also try...
(Chadwicks 272-2741 in Balboa by YMCA, Cigar store for Cubans there too!)
Carson 287-3096; Gordon Dakto 272-5132
Air: Aeroperlas 63-5663, Aerotaxi 64-8644, Alas Chiricanas 64-6448,7759& 75-0916, Ansa
26-7891,6898,6896, Chitreana de Aviacion 26-4116,3069, Parsa 26-3803,3883, Transpasa
26-0843; Continental 263-9177
David: Aeroperlas 75-4389 (Aeropuerto Enrique Malek 75-2951)
Jim Robertson, canal operations engr (H) 272-5741 or 2467 (W) 272-4295
SGT Jen Espenshade 287-5301
Jose Garcia De La Torre (Metal Dector) (H) 223-8342 (W) 269-2133 (Chiriqui) 775-4008
- Diving... Scuba Panama 261-3841 or 261-4064 Ave. 6C Norte, CL. 62A (8-12 & 2-6)
(Pacific=Darien, Perlas Islands) (Caribbean=Portobelo Coast, Bocas del Toro, San Blas)
- Summit Botanical Gardens and Zoo ($0.25) close to Miraflores Locks
- Bicycle rentals:Alquiler de Bicicletas Moses 28-0116 $2.5/hr (Baboa/causway+Fuerte Amador)
- Sky Diving Panamerican Skydiving Club 226-1975 Mr. Eloy Cruz
courses on Saturday at 9AM at Parque Omar-Jumps on Sunday, gather at El Piloto restaurant at
Paitilla Airport in Panama City prior to take-off for Calzada Larga airstrip near Madden Lake
- 4-Wheel Safari - Panama Expedition, Inc. (507) 264-1338
Push-Buttons cost around $10-$20 for 2 hours or...
go to Calle J. "calle Jota" or Avenida Justo Arosemena near the Benidorm Motel and by the
Ancon Office of Personnel try "La Gruta", "La Gloria" or "El Gato Fenix" ("Club Phoenix",
"La Fenix") ("Ancon Inn" in downtown is closed), "Ovalo"
$$$ = "La Palace", "Josephine's Gold Club"(new), and "Josephines" ("La Mina" is closed too)
"Blue Goose" out of town to north; Visit Costa del Sol Hotel to see what's off-limits,
also some in David are very cheap
Animals: Turtles: Carey, Canal, Green, White Turtles
Monkeys: Hoover, Marmosets, Spider, "Auyador", "Titi", "Cariblanco" (White-faced), Babillas,
Cucharons, Sloths
Cats: Black Panthers, "Manigordos" fat hands or Ocelot, Jaguar, Jaguarundi, Puma (Cougar)Panama