A MAN, A PLAN, A CANAL, PANAMA!

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I took this picture from the window of our hotel in David Panama just before the 6:30 curfew kicked in. Notice how empty these center city streets are.  They were teaming with people earlier, but here people adhere to the virus mitigation rules. They pride themselves in taking care of each other through such measures.

 
We flew into a city called David, (pronounced DA-veed) in Panama on Wednesday 12/16
after an almost comical travel debacle that turned our 6-hour trip into a 16-hour trip! David is about 6 hours from Panama City by car, but only an hour flight.
 
Once we got to our room and began to unpack we both commented about how sparse the room was. After our first night, however, we realized we were very comfortable, and we had everything we needed. There were no flourishes or artwork, but everything was there, the bed was sooo comfortable and everything was sparkling clean. All this at a price you would not believe -- with breakfast include

 

In panama they are super , super conscientious about controlling the virus. Everyone, I repeat EVERYONE wears a mask at all times. I did not see one person at the airport, on the street at our hotel or in any restaurant that did not have a mask. When you enter any establishment that is a no contact temperature scanner on a stand at the door along with a hand sanitizer dispenser.  


 Often there is a guard or some other person to ensure that you do not skip this procedure. It is not unusual for this person to also be charged with ensuring that there are no more than a certain number of people in the building.  As a result, you will often see lines outside of places like banks or small convenience type stores.

 

The interesting part is that no one seems upset by this. Everyone just stands quietly and patiently waits their turn. Not sure if that would be the case in the states. However the truth is that are only so many tellers in the bank and you will be helped just as quickly, (or slowly), whether the person before you is 2 inches  or 2 feet ahead of you!

 

The other thing is restaurants. There is no way I would eat in a restaurant in Florida right now because there are so many people in Florida who do not take this virus seriously. Panama is a whole different story. You are scanned before you are allowed to enter, and this includes a disinfect procedure for your shoes.

 

Once seated you are given sanitized cutlery and a little white bag in which you place your mask while you are eating. You are not allowed to leave your table with out that mask. Some tables have divider shields so “unrelated”  people can have a face to face lunch without risk of infecting one another. 

My own little mask bag!

 

 I AM DIGGIN' PANAMA!~

Think Starbucks  $5+

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

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