Arriving at the Panama City airport was the typical “dazed and confused” part of the trip. Not to say it isn’t fun or different in it’s own respect, but still slightly nerve-racking. I split a taxi with some stranger from Chicago, so the fare was much cheaper. We got to my hotel and the cab driver gave me $3 for the change (yes, they use our money!). So I said, “No, cuatro” “Cuatro” Ha! And so he finally gave me extra dollar. Numbers… that’s part of my high school Spanish that I’ll never forget!

After checking in to the hotel, I took a short nap. Very nice after a red-eye flight. We had a meeting in the hotel lobby with the local guide in the evening, and then went to dinner. I had “yuca mole”? Not sure how to spell it, but it was yuca plant and onions and surprisingly good. After, we walked to the grocery store to stock up on anything that wasn’t on the menu for the islands trip. Panama looks like Miami, not that I’ve been to Miami, but the Miami I’ve seen on TV, movies and in pictures. It’s kind of old and dirty, but still beachy. The buses here are called Diablo Rojo, red devils, and they aren’t a regulated form of public transportation. It’s a very interesting, if not slightly dangerous, concept. Apparently, drivers don’t necessarily own the buses, but they give a cut of the bus fare to the bus owners and the rest they get. So, their motivation is… get there faster and with the most people on board. :) And they have great advertising and marketing, they paint their bus all crazy colors and have music playing. Now that’s grass roots marketing.