Day 365 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. Celebrate The New Year! It is time to celebrate - you have spent 365 days learning about things to do in Panama! Tonight at midnight burn your Judas Doll (muñeco) leaving all the negative things in the past, reflect on 2017, make your list of things to do in Panama next year, and ring in the New Year with friends, family and and the most fantastic fireworks display that lasts for hours! Stay with us and see what we have for 2018 ~ Happy New Year!

Day 364 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. Read a Book by a Panamanian Author! Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and drama - playwrights, poets, novelists, journalists and more. Panama places a great deal of emphasis on traditions, education and knowledge making the literary history quite extensive. Early published works date back as far as the mid 1500's. There are a many options to choose from when looking for literary work by a Panamanian Author. Ricardo Miró is considered to be one of the most important poets from Panama. María Olimpia de Obaldía was a decorated poet and the first woman to become a member of the Academia Panameña de la Lengua. Sit back, relax and enjoy the Panamanian storytell

Day 363 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. Cheer on the Judas Doll Competition! Attend and/or enter your Judas Doll (Muñecos) in the local competition. This tradition of making Muñecos is so popular that a competition between the communities of Chame and San Carlos takes place every year at the end of December at the Jardin Popular of Sajalices in Chame, The maker of the best Judas Doll could win $300!

Day 362 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. See the Country in a Seaplane! Photo:seaplanespanama.com Discover the tropics of Panama from the sky in a Seaplane! Fly over and take in the unforgettable views of the pristine coastlines, crystal blue waters, gaze at the lush tropical landscapes and enjoy the unforgettable views of the isthmus. An easy way to get to your yacht, private fishing lodge, beautiful private resort, or simply take a scenic aerial tour of the islands. Did you know....? Panama has 5,637 kilometers of coastline and more than 1,518 islands.

Day 361 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. Play at the Largest Inflatable Park! Join in the fun for children AND adults at the largest inflatable park in Panama. Tiki Park has water slides and obstacle courses and other fun things for the the whole family. Age appropriate attractions are available for children under 6 years old. The park is open daily from 10am to 5pm and is located in Rodeo Viejo, San Jose.

Day 360 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. Learn About the Importance of Bees and Honey! Take a tour of a bee and honey (miel in Spanish) farm in Panama to learn about the new and different perspective on nature and the importance of bees in the lives of humans. Boquete Bees believes, "Honey is the real gold of the Panamanian Isthmus." Enjoy a sweet treat and taste over 40 varieties of honey - who knew there were that many? Did you know...? - Bees have been producing honey from flowering plants for 10-20 million years. - Bees pollinate 70 of the top 100 human food crops. - Out of the 20,00 species of bees only 4 produce honey - It is believed eating local honey can help with pollen allergies

Day 359 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. Enjoy your Christmas Fruit Cake and Ron Ponche! Enjoy the day of celebration and relax with family and friends but don't forget to indulge in the traditional desserts of bowls of fruit and Christmas Fruitcake washed down with a Christmas eggnog drink called Ron Ponche. According to HowStuffWorks, "Culinary lore claims that ancient Egyptians placed an early version of the fruitcake on the tombs of loved ones, perhaps as food for the afterlife. But fruitcakes were not common until Roman times, when pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and barley mash were mixed together to form a ring-shaped dessert. Prized for its portability and shelf life, Roman soldiers ofte

Day 358 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. Prepare Your Christmas Feast and Celebration! Photo: The Visitor Panama In Panama, the Christmas celebrations are a blend of Spanish, U.S.A., African and indigenous customs. Christmas Eve is the height of the celebration. It is spent cleaning the home and preparing food. Panamanian families gather in their home, often making the rounds to homes of family and friends, listening to music and illuminating the sky with fireworks waiting for midnight. Christmas is ushered in by wishing everyone a Merry Christmas - in person or by phone and presents are opened. Many people also attend a church service. The feasting begins with traditional Panamanian food s

Day 357 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. Ride the First Metro in Central America! Metro de Panama, the rapid transit network connects the city center to the San Miguelito district in Panama City. It is the only metro system operating in Central America. The metro started serving the public on April 6, 2014. It is currently a single line of 15.8 km and 14 stations. Every day around 180,000 passengers travel by metro train. The average speed is about 50 km and a full journey it takes 26 minutes. At the moment, there are plans for a total of 8 lines to be completed by 2040. The standard adult fare is 35 cents with discounts for students and senior citizens. Avoid the traffic and travel the

Day 356 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. End the Day With a Sunset Cruise! A "Sunset Sailing Cruise" is a perfect way to end the day in Panama! Enjoy a relaxing and fun-filled sailing cruise embracing your special someone admiring the romantic red fire sunsets or appreciate the magnificent view of the vast beautiful waters in the company family or friends looking for fish, dolphins, birds and whales. Watch the blue sky turn into a breathtaking light show of every color imaginable above the Pacific Ocean or Caribbean Sea. Bring your favorite music and beverage - sit back, relax and let the show begin!

Day 355 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. Visit a Living Tropical Laboratory! Barro Colorado Island is located in Gatun Lake in the middle of the Panama Canal. The island formed when the Chagres River was dammed to form the lake. As the water rose it covered the most of existing tropical forest leaving islands in the middle of the lake. According to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), the Barro Colorado Nature Monument has hosted more than 80 years of biological research and is one of the sites with the longest history of continuous research in the New World tropics, providing a base of scientific information unequaled in the planet. Each year between 250 and 300 scientists from

Day 354 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. Don't Forget Your King's Bread for the Holiday! At this busy time of year don't forget your King's Bread. Christmas markets sell a round ring of bread known as roscón de reyes or rosca de reyes, translated to ‘king’s ring’. It is traditionally eaten January 6th to celebrate Epiphany which commemorates Dia de Reyes (the King's Day) the arrival of the three Magi or Wise Men. In most of Spain, Spanish America, and sometimes, Hispanic communities in the United States, this is the day when children traditionally get presents, which are attributed to the Three Wise Men (and not Santa Claus or Father Christmas).

Day 353 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. Check out a Push Button! photo:campoamorpush.com There are hundreds of Panama's "Push" motels located all across the country for those looking for quiet and solitude, a place to party or a venue for physical pleasures. “Push” is the slang in Panama for a ‘push button’ also known as a love motel. which can be rented by the hour. According to playacommunity,com, these types of motels have sprung up on the outskirts of Panama’s cities and major residential hubs since the 1950’s, Allegedly (though somewhat disputably) the first official Push in the country was just on the edge of the Canal Zone in Panama City. The Push gets its name from the way you enter t

Day 352 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. Shop Local for Souvenirs and Gifts! Panamanian native handicrafts are unique, creative and beautiful. All along the Inter-American Highway and in the villages you can find Artisans selling their wares. Many are made by one of Panama's seven living indigenous tribes. The most popular souvenirs are "molas" sewn by the women of the Kuna Indian tribe. They are intricate reverse appliqué embroidery items made into things like purses, wall hangings, clothing and various other things. The Embera Indians of the Darien jungle hand weave baskets and skillfully carve tiny figures and sculptures from the tropical Tagua nut. Specialty jewelry inspired by Panama's fa

Day 351 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. Walk Around Inside an Extinct Volcano! El Valle volcano is a stratovolcano 80 km SW of Panama City. According to Volcano Discovery, the 6-km-wide El Valle de Antón caldera was formed about 56,000 years ago in association with eruption of the dacitic El Hato pyroclastic flow. The most recent dated eruption took place about 13,000 years ago! There are steep 200-300 m high walls overlooking a flat floor which has the picturesque quaint mountain town of El Valle nestled inside it. The Guaymì Indian tribe has made it their home for hundreds of years. Walk the streets and mountain paths looking for hieroglyphs engraved on the rocks breathing in the fresh

Day 350 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. Enjoy the Christmas Season Festivities! It's Christmas Season in Panama and decorations are everywhere; homes, offices, streets, schools! The Panama Municipality has made its mission to beautify the Capital City following this year’s slogan “Christmas Shines” (Brilla la Navidad). There are parades in the towns celebrating the season and lights, lot and lots of lights. There are nine place throughout the Panama City where Christmas lights and trees can be admired, they are; the Coastal Strip; Urraca Park, Cathedral Square, Plaza V Centenario, Mi Pueblito Interiorano Tourist Center, Heliodoro Patiño Park in Juan Diaz, Via Argentina and Andres Bello Park.

Day 349 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. Make a "Judas Doll" or "Muñeco"! Shortly before Christmas, life size 'dolls' appear along the Interamerican Highway. It is a Panamanian New Year’s tradition and can be found in front of homes all across the country. At the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve the life size mannequins, muñecos, as they are called, are exploded – some people burn them but exploding seems more fun – symbolically saying goodbye to the old year. It is to keep the fights, the gossip, the evil and memories in the past. The muñecos can symbolize people they love or don’t care for; movie stars, politicians, sports figures, a family member or friend. Heads can be made of coconut

Day 348 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. Run Santa’s Race! During the Christmas Season participate in the five kilometer Santa's Race in Panama for adults and children taking place on Sunday, December 17, in the grounds of the City of Knowledge. The event is on a route closed to traffic and surrounded by lush vegetation. The race will start at 7:00 a.m., after a warm-up. Every participant will receive a traditional Santa Claus hat, but many wear costumes related to the Christmas festivities. There will be prizes for those who stand out because of their enthusiasm, for groups with the highest number of participants, for the best costumes and even for pets which accompany their owners. The money

Day 347 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. Compete in Paintball! Paintball was originally developed as an outdoor sport but today is played on indoor and outdoor fields. It is generally a friendly game of competition played with 2 teams of about 5-12 people. Everyone is properly equipped with a protective mask for eyes, face and ears. Players use markers (the gun) and shoot balls, made with a gelatin coating, which break on impact, leaving a stain. The paint is non-toxic, completely biodegradable, and usually washable, so with protective gear, there is really no need to worry about danger. Sports enthusiasts will be happy to know Panama has an official paintball league so you can play on a of

Day 346 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. Adopt a Family for the Holidays! Each year around the holidays we hear about families that are struggling with financial hardships which can be due to any number of challenges; taking care of sick family members, a recent death in the family, or a recent loss of employment. No matter the reason, helping those who need assistance during the holiday season is greatly appreciated. Consider adopting a family in Panama and providing them with Christmas food, toys, clothing, furniture or other services that may meet their needs. For more information on how you can help contact panamalore@gmail.com