Thought you misread that? Not a chance. Burying sardines in tiny coffins is one of the fabulous and wild traditions of the Panama Carnival! Starting this weekend, you need to get ready to have a serious party at the Carnavales Panama 2012.

One of the elaborate gowns used by the Carnival Queens

If this is your first Carnival, here’s a quick rundown on the event here in Panama. The event happens every year starting on the Friday and ending on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. If you participate in lent, it’s like one last chance to get all the party out of your system beforehand. And while Carnival celebrations like this happen all over the world (I’m sure Rio de Janero comes to mind), Panama is home to one of the largest in the world.

Carnival will be celebrated across the whole country, but the largest celebrations will be taking place in Las Tablas and Panama City. Las Tablas is only a 3.5 hour drive from Panama City, in the Province of Los Santos, so if you’re not able to find a room to stay then it’s an easy daytrip.

Each Carnival celebration includes a Carnival Queen. And these lucky women adorn the celebration with the most incredible gowns: each costing $8000-$12000. Did we mention that they each have at least 4 of them? (Makes us feel better about the last Conway shopping spree we did.) First things first, it’s recommended that you pick a street: “Calle Arriba” or “Calle Abajo”. Each has their own breathtaking queen to follow, so you can join in the crowd of followers or “Tunas”, hundreds supporting their queen and good-naturedly getting into the competitive spirit against the opposing Queen.

The crowd getting a good soaking from the Mojaderas

Other traditions of the Carnival include the “mojaderas”, where the crowds get an instant cool down from the sun as they are doused with water by water balloons, buckets and even fire hoses. On the Monday night of carnival, it’s said that all men of Panama (including husbands) are given the freedom to “howl” through the streets, and Tuesday is the day of giving burial to those sardines. The whole thing is filled with traditional music and dancing, incredible costumes and mind-blowing floats.

If you’re ready to enjoy a great Latin America party, all day and all night, make sure to take in the Panama Carnival this year.

Each beer from the wide selection of imports is matched with the appropriate glassware. So when you switch from a dark ale to a lager, you’ll also be trading in your goblet for a tall, tapered Pilsner glass.

A picture of the owner in a Santa suit and inscribed mugs destined for regulars hang above the long wooden bar. There is an inviting booth at the end, but know that every Wednesday it will be taken by the Bavaria Club. Conversation gets better with each beer, and the crowd is friendly and chatty.

Anything from the German-Swiss menu is pretty much delicious. Eat through the bratwurst and the bretzel and try the schnitzel, accompanied by some of the best homemade mustard in Panama.

Although it has its share of regulars, the crowd is mixed, from families dining in the side room to executives  letting off a little steam after work, all in search of a güten laid-back time with good food and drink.

Steinbock’s closes promptly at midnight, so last call means last call.

Telephone: 270-2784
Location: Via Cincuentenario, Casa 50
Hours: Tuesday through Friday,5:00 to midnight and Saturday, noon to midnight

And they’re going to be pulled together into one fabulous event this month in the little town of Boquete. The likes of New York, Boston, and Manchester all have great events dedicated solely to the appreciation of a good pint and it’s about time we got to have a little taste of that here in Panama.

On February 29 everyone will be donning their best cowboy hat and heading over to The Rock restaurant in Palo Alto. The night will include tasting beer from all over the world, challenging the passionate beer-lovers to fill up their beer passport, along some perfect food-pairings selected by the chefs to suit the specific beers and their regions. And when you taste something you like, feel free to get a whole glass and enjoy the tunes.

If you’re serious about beer tasting or really just want to learn more, there will be information to help you fully experience the nuances from beer to beer. A local Artisan Brewer will be there to further help you with the tasting process and introduce you to a brand new artisan beer. And what’s a good event without some quality sponsors and freebies.

As for the music, you won’t have seen finer in Panama on the Country Scene. With the live country band that features 2 talented vocalists, Randy Pigott and Steve Bliss, you won’t be able to resist breaking into a line dance or two-step. Spanning the scope of the genre, listeners can expect everything from classic Willie Nelson to grooving Rascal Flatts.

An exciting new event in the region: how can you go wrong with a little country, a perfect pour and some great eats!

Presented by Jon Day Music and The Rock Boquete: February 29, 2012 from 6-10PM, with the live music starting at 7PM.  www.therockboquete.com

Why choose the city of Chitré to build Cubitá?

I would have to mention the time when I served in the position of Chief Financial Officer for Verdeazul Group, a development company in charge of projects such as the Bristol Hotels, Buenaventura, among others. From the group, I learned how to uphold the quality of a luxury project, through hard work and attention to detail. Through this learning we advanced with the planning for the project Cubitá. At that time my wife and I made the decision to conceive a project of our own somewhere in the country outside of Panama City, to live a different experience, leaving the capital, and to have a more relaxed lifestyle. For the 1^st time in 2008, we took a trip to the region of Azuero. We conducted an extensive tour of the peninsula. Chitré, in the province of Herrera, definitely impacted us in a profound way. Subsequently, we further investigated Chitré and realized it was a city that was experiencing a commercial expansion. From then on we traveled often to Chitré as we immediately fell in love with the warmth of the people, the rich traditions and above all the “country living” atmosphere that the area has to offer. Every morning we woke up to the sounds of nature, something very difficult to achieve in the capital city.

What led to the conception of Cubitá?

Cubitá today is the result of a team effort with the contribution of several diverse ideas. However, all was born with that first trip my wife and I made to Azuero. Gradually, in subsequent visits, we realized that, despite this cultural richness offered by the region (an unparalleled cultural wealth), there were no educational facilities or any options for those who would seek to understand the culture of the peninsula. At first we wanted to build a tourism project, a structure that includes a hotel of a higher standard than existed at that time.

So we can say that Cubitá was born first as a Hotel?

That’s right. The first thing was to find a good concept, a word that sums up everything that the region represents for us. Through various readings, facilitated by Professor Milciades Pinzón, we found the word “Cubitá”. Professor Pinzón argues, in his book “Con los Cutarras Puestas”, as on his blog and other websites that the region should not be called Azuero, because that was the name of a Colombian who never knew the region; instead, the region should be known as Cubitá, which was the name of a group of pre-Columbian people who inhabited the area close to the La Villa river.
So we decided to christen the project with the name, Cubitá, as a way of paying tribute to the deepest roots of the peninsula, and recognition of the rich tradition and history.

Once the name Cubitá was found, what was the next step?

Our priority was to find a suitable location for the project. We soon found a spot which although exceeded the dimensions required for the construction of the Cubitá Hotel, was the catalyst to provide complimentary residential and commercial components. Our next step was to ascertain the feasibility of such an ambitious project, so commenced with the appropriate inquiries and Government bodies. We realized then that Herrera and Los Santos, in the past had a large population which had migrated to the capital city and that at any given time would intend to return to their home soil, either for retirement or vacation and would require to purchase homes with a quality in which they would now be accustomed to from the city. We were also aware that a lot of people, lovers of the Azuero region, whether or not natives, may want to have a home in the region to spend a few months of the year which gaining the income generation from the rental program for the remainder of the year. So our hotel, we knew immediately, would offer a property management service to owners, providing security, maintenance and peace of mind that their property is in good hands.

Does the project Cubitá also have a shopping plaza?

It does indeed; The Plaza complements the hotel and residences. We thought it would be very comfortable and convenient for guests to have a shopping mall within the project area itself.

The Cubitá project, located in such a rich region such as Azuero, is inherently different, but what more can you tell us about the hotel? For example, what other features make it unique?

The hotel’s design is inspired on pre-Columbian elements and the colonial architecture of Azuero. We take into account all materials that relate to such periods, such as: tile, brick, stone, clay, and how these elements were used in the construction of structures of the time. We wanted to make a replica of a “Interiorano village” (a local village). That is how the idea was born for ​​a central courtyard inside the hotel, with a chapel and a gazebo in the center, emulating the way that many of the Azuero villages were designed by the Spanish, with its central park and the church in the forefront. To complement this idea we included a small traditional mud hut and a sugar cane mill, through which guests can live the experience of how the houses were built of mud and had fresh cane juice on tap. Finally, we came up with the construction of a museum where there will be displayed, replicas of handicrafts, clothing and other objects alluding to the region. Our ultimate goal is that guests are immersed in a truly “interiorano” atmosphere and live an authentic azuerense experience.

What about the international market? What feedback have you received from foreigners on the Cubitá project?

A few months ago, we participated at the International Home Show in Toronto, Canada, and Canadians strongly agreed that Cubitá had a very authentic personality and identity. The attendees viewed the project’s unique features and expressed that it has not been cut from the same cloth as all the others. With all the included benefits of the hotel facilities Cubitá has to offer, there is no other product on the market for the price. This is a fantastic project for the international market, something with an original heart and soul…

Azuero, we know, is the region that is home to all this cultural richness, but on the other hand, from the perspective of human development and trade, where do you see Chitré in 5 years?

Chitré is changing and growing rapidly but, more importantly, it is doing so with order and without losing the warmth and atmosphere of a small town. Here just across the street from our office, there has recently opened a Do it Center store. A little further down the road, is the hardware store Cochez; just 150 meters further to the other side, a new Novey hardware store is planned; at the entrance of Chitré is the new shopping mall Paseo Central, including the supermarket Rey, Madison Store (with 10,000 m2 of shopping areas), a Lumicentro lighting store, an Farmacias Arrocha and a food court that is comparable to the capital city. We are experiencing a time of economic growth that is definitely tracing a direction that will give Chitré another face in the future and that despite this commercial boom, the town of Chitré retains the essence of the people we highlight and love. It is for these reasons that Chitré was chosen by the Gorgas Memorial Institute as the best city to live in the Republic of Panama: the city has good hospitals, clinics, banks, bilingual private schools and other amenities. Rest assured, whoever invests in Chitré will take advantage of a fantastic opportunity.

Performing artists: Babasónicos, Hello Seahorse, Omar Rodríguez López Group, Las Robertas y Alfonso Espriella, and the best local musicians such asl: Son Azul, Grannada, Radicales Libres, La Tribu, Polyphase, Señor Loop, Carlos Méndez, Javier Medina, Llevarte a Marte y los Yegueros.

Tickets available  in Blockbusters and www.tuboleto.com pre-event $20 or $30 the day of the event.

The event will be recorded for Red Bull Panamerika, a Mexican radio show and transmitted locally through Radio 10 (88.1) and all over Latin America through partner stations. You can also tune in online at redbull.panamerika.fm

But, how about some quick facts you might not already know about the famous musician?

• A child prodigy, Sir Elton John was playing the piano by the age of 4, and had was awarded a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music at the age of 11. (He dropped out before finishing his final exams!)
• While his official nickname is Rocket Man (taken from his second hit single), Rod Stewart calls him Sharon.
• His song, Candle in the Wind, released in 1997 as tribute to the late Princess Diana, is the highest-selling single in history. More than 30 million copies were sold around the world.
• Sir Elton became the first Western pop star to tour the Soviet Union in 1979
• He once had a promotional balloon, advertising an upcoming tour for Rod Stewart, shot out of the sky.
• He can be quoted as saying: “It’s very important to have two tiaras when you’re on the road. You never know when you’ll be invited to something really formal.”
• His charitable foundation, the Elton John Foundation for AIDS has raised over 100 million dollars since the early 1990s.
• The artist has had more than 50 Top-40 Singles and has sold more than 250 million records!

Did we mention he’s coming to Panama City this February?

Now is the time to use your own music-inspired creativity. The rock group, Baja Zero, has put the call out to the youth of Panama to do a little inspired innovation. Youth, between the ages of 12 and 20, can submit video inspired by the group’s song “Imagina”. Participants can use photos, drawings, animations and video to build their video submission. The contest does specify that professional video and photographs cannot be used – but record-away on the home video camera or your cell phone.

The ambitions of the competition are commendable ones: increase opportunity for national cultural creativity in Panama and convey a positive message. The song itself has strong themes of love, peace and freedom, and the competition takes it a step further to focus on the environment and peace for humankind.

Established by the OEI (Organización de Estados Iberoamericanos) and the INAC (Instituto Nacional de Cultura), and further backed by MEDCOM Corporation, the competition has some clout in the artistic community. And, as extra motivation for participants, they are offering some amazing cash prizes: $5000 for first, $3000 for second and $1500 for third place winners. Two special categories have also been created for the younger participants and with a focus on special needs: 1. Culture of Peace and 2. Culture of Peace using Sign Language. (Submissions in these categories need to be by participants between 12 and 15 years old).

The submissions will be judged on Creativity, Use of Media, Editing and Message. The videos can be submitted until March 2, 2012 and the winners will be announced on March 30th. Full details and submission instructions can be found at: Baja Zero Official Site

We pull into the circle driveway of the Riverside Inn, a perfectly pastoral  cottage with blue shutters surrounded by a beautifully tended garden of mountain flowers. The cool evening is already settling in, and from the inn’s valley vantage point, we take in the stunning mountainscape of Panama’s Chiriqui highlands. Stretching our legs, we wander around to the backyard where a whitewater river flows, traveling downstream for less than a mile before reaching Boquete town.

Friendly staff welcome us into the main lounge where a fire is already crackling in a large stone hearth surrounded by large comfortable couches. Original art covers the walls, all part of a carefully designed homey sophistication, accented with decorative rugs, silky throw pillows and imported exotic furnishings.

Each of the Inn’s six guestrooms is different, but all are elegantly decorated with clean creamy tones and rich carved woods. There are the Bajareque and Jardin Junior Suites with king-size beds; the Arco Iris Double Suite with two queen-size beds; and the Baru and Maracuya Loft Suites with king-size beds on the ground floor and twin beds nested in a private mezzanine level, an especially welcoming option for families.

Our room is the incredibly spacious Orquidea Master Suite with its own private deck overlooking  the river. The bathroom is also oversized with a tiled hydrotherapy tub, beautiful fresh-cut flowers, and fluffy towels and bathrobes. In addition to the king-size bed covered with a downy duvet, soft pillows and throws, we have all the necessary amenities to stay lazily cooped up if we wish: satellite television, a DVD player and stereo, a coffeemaker and a direct line to room service.

Instead, we head to the wooden deck off  The Rock restaurant, the hotel’s newest addition and take a seat next to an impressive iron fire pit. Pleased to discover a selection of homemade artisanal beers, we ease into the evening with flavorful pints of “Ickle Me Pickle Me” American Pale Ale.

Swanky music drifts out from the dining room, mixing with the nature sounds of trilling night birds and the soothing gurgling of the river. As the sun goes out in a lavender sky, we move inside to the sleekly contemporary dining room, enclosed by floor-to-ceiling glass walls, without sacrificing our nature views.

Everything on the bistro-style menu, prepared by classically-trained Chef Oliver Blond, is enticing. Our meal begins with crispy sea bass wafers with a sweet chili dipping sauce and the braised duck breast with caramelized apples followed by a crunchy Caesar salad, a seafood Jumbalaya and a fresh Boquete trout filet with fried leeks. Although quite full, we can’t resist at least tasting the strawberry balsamic taco and banana coconut spring roll. We retire to the lounge for some afterdinner conversation and cordials, joining a German couple traveling with their children. The children, long worn-out from flying kites all afternoon, are fast asleep in their Loft Suite, but the parents, like us, are taking advantage of the self-service honor bar. Our new friends are off to a whitewater rafting adventure the following morning. Inspired, we decide to join them and turn in for our early departure.

Our destination is the Chiriqui ViejoRiver, originating in Cerro Picacho to the northwest of Volcan Baru, that travels through mountain towns, plains and virgin forests. The river is quick moving but the rapids gentle enough for our level of inexperience and the children in our party. The trek is a little over six miles, an exhilaratingly action-packed three hours. We pass spectacular waterfalls and canyons, dodging boulders and mighty river spray. While picnicking on the banks, we spot giant iguanas and birds we’ve never seen before. By the time our guide drops us at the hotel in the late afternoon, we are ravenous for an early dinner of sancocho, the Panamanian version of chicken soup, and The Rock’s focaccia Angus burgers. We fall into bed full, happy and exhausted.

The next morning, we laze around watching cartoons with  the children in the sunroom before wandering down to the Boquete fairgrounds where beds of petunias, marigolds and bromeliads are still blooming a month after the annual Boquete Flower and Coffee Festival. In town, just across the river, we stock up on the valley’s specialty coffees and fresh-made jams and hail a two dollar cab for the short ride back home to the hotel.

We could picture slipping into a relaxed mountain-town life but for now are satisfied with the knowledge that we’ll soon be back to the Riverside Inn, which has proved more than true to the tradition of warm country inns.

GETTING THERE

A six-hour drive from Panama City or a 45-minute flight to David and 30-minute drive to Boquete. The Inn is located three quarters of a mile from downtown Boquete, just over the new Caldera River Bridge.

ACCOMMODATIONS

One Master Suite with king-size bed

Two Junior Suites with king-size bed

One Double Suite with two queen-size beds

Two Loft Suites with king-size bed

and twin beds

FACILITIES & AMENITIES

The Rock restaurant

Honor bar

Wireless Internet

In-room coffeemaker

Direct TV

DVD player

Stereo

Hydrotherapy tub in the master suite

Complimentary continental breakfast

Room service

Activity concierge

ACTIVITIES

Coffee Estate Tours

Whitewater rafting and kayaking

Birdwatching

Nature hikes

Canopy Tours

Spa Treatments

Horseback riding

ATVs

Biking

Golf nearby

CONTACT INFORMATION

Tel: (507) 720-1076

Email: reservations@riversideinnboquete.com

Website: www.riversideinnboquete.com

The first exhibit, Evolution, is showing until January 22,2012.  The exhibit reveals a wide collection of art in different medias by Panamanian artist, Mark Lee.  Mark’s work includes iron sculptures, ceramics, oil paintings, charcoal and ink drawings.  Drop in for a visit to see if you can determine for yourself why the exhibit was named “Evolution” (no hints from us!).

The second exhibit is available until February 12, 2012:  Lo geométrico y lo orgánico en la abstracción (The Geometric and Organic Abstraction).  The collection features the artwork of a number of renowned artists from Yugoslavia, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Brazil, Columbia, USA, Honduras, Costa Rica and, of course, Panama. 

For anyone who is new to the art scene, the use of geometric and organic shapes is a key visual element in art, as much as color. Organic shapes are associated with things from the natural world, like plants and animals.  Conversely,geometric shapes or forms correspond to regularly-named shapes, such as circles, triangles or rectangles and don’t often appear so precisely in nature.    Example: a triangle is geometric  whereas a pear-shape is organic.  Treat yourself to this exhibit and see if you can identify some of each in this beautiful collection of abstract pieces.

The Museo de Arte Contemporaneo (MAC) is open Tuesday – Sunday, 9am-5pm and Thursdays from 9am-9pm.  (The museum is closed on Mondays and national holidays.)

For international visitors, the admission prices are: adult $5, youth $3 and children $2.

For local visitors, the admission prices are: adult $3, students/seniors $2 and children $1.

This creative and entertaining production features the unlikely relationship between Matthew and the monster in his closet, Yuju.  Matthew, like so many children is terrified of the monster in his closet.  But when he meets Yuju, the closet monster, he discovers that, inversely, Yuju is afraid of the child in his closet.  Together, the two unlikely friends set out to prove that you don’t need to be afraid, just because someone might look different from you.

A new twist on something so common and relevant to children, the production conveys a wonderful message of acceptance and overcoming differences.  Written by Panamanian playwright, Jonathan Prosper and directed by Abiel Tapia, the production is sure to please both adults and children alike.  Full of original music, the show is under the Music direction and composition of David Colindres.   It’s sure to be something unique to catch at the theatre this year.

Monstruos en el Armario will be presented every Saturday and Sunday from 7 January to 12 February.  Saturdays at 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM,and Sundays at 11:30 AM, 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM.

The ticket price is $ 7.00 for general admission.

Scenes Theatre is located in Plaza Balboa (Punta Paitilla), just above the Mc Donald’s and next Raly laboratories. For more information, 394-4815, 264-0977 (Monday to Friday), 6030-6887,6981-3475 or e tbambalinas@gmail.com