Chepe A Panamanian by Joseom
Hi all ... back, but with an article by a Panamanian friend a few days ago had sent me a perspective as seen Chepe, in their first visits. It is always interesting vision that gives a person coming from outside, so I proceed to leave with the item. Already
entering the Central Valley where San Jose is located, divided by the distance the sea of \u200b\u200bhouses and low rise buildings, unlike Panama City, where tall buildings are killing the quality of life of people, but in San Jose only one comes, feels that he can see beyond the horizon. I climb into a taxi and the driver does not put the meter but "Maria" in Panama there is neither, thankfully, because otherwise they would be as expensive as taxis "Chepe" as Costa Ricans affectionately say to this city. , I take the Paseo Colon, and the way in a sea of \u200b\u200bpeople flowing, people coming from their jobs, because that day is Monday 5 pm. I go to Plaza de la Cultura, but first, close, go to a cozy bar like the bars that are in the neighborhood of Santana in Panama City, the bar will say the Basque Country, the pints and beers there Pilsen or Imperial taste better with a little music background of the old guard and voices of drinkers rarely intrusive. That I know one of them is Don Alexander, a retired teacher and wallpaper at the moment. After a beer called a "mouth" which is any dish but small, for me it is strange because in Panama most of the bars do not serve "mouths", the bars are just sucking (drinking alcohol). This city is inhabited
by people of good manners, I discuss some types of bad living near the "COCA", which is to say, the neighborhood of Calidonia or public market in Panama City, and according to the sounds and the level of vulgarity, I seemed to the puteo polite. A friend went to fight with me and insulted me in a verbal way I laugh. Then I saw an old man who refused to pay the bus fare to argue with the driver and he bitched so kindly. Maybe you feel this because we are usually too Panamanian Caribbean, loud and full of grins when talking, in other words, our semiosphere be mounted on other tones and signals. Speaking
Public Market this I think the cleanest I've ever met, under roof, divided by small corridors that remind me of a beehive. For me there is nothing like going to eat a married man and take a "fresh" (girl in Panama) in arrears. The only thing similar is that this food is so fat (fat) and the Panamanian. The smoky pinto with eggs in the morning and bright in lard to season the salsa Lizano and more butter or sour cream. " This dish is so rich malware such as rice or rice with pigeon peas Pintao Panama, although ours has less fat. That if it serves a caderona or a unique policy that says herald the passing "that we, who serve him ...". 
heard some friends complain about public transport, eternal urban problem, may not have lived in Panama City, to know what is really a "problem" of transportation, where if you do not kick your ass ginger up or stolen or worst kill you. At least in the transportation system of San Jose there is more patience and respect, and dams (dams in Panama) are much less dense. Although the streets are more narrow streets in Panama City and really helps the flow of vehicles. 
to a Panamanian, used to the idea of \u200b\u200bother city or town that is another thing, bustling, impassable, difficult odors, Chepe is a quiet town-village or rather, a large town. As Bogotá, Chepe has this strange smell old, not a chemical smell, but a mental smell, the imaginary one, perhaps it is because both are climbing hills cloudy. see the streets at traffic lights, as in Panama, the "peel" (Carajillo in tico) selling newspapers and any trinket, maybe this informal work is less numerous but also in Panama, the first thing one sees are "well cuidao" or "crack heads" by parking cars or taxis to passers-by placing in exchange for coins. "San José and Panama City is as full of beggars ... .." I had told a friend, teacher, who spent several days in Chepe. Perhaps it is the symptom of these times, because in other cities on the continent I've seen the same thing. After a Panama is experiencing a time there, he realizes that the current appearance of Chepe is part of an era that is about to leave, that we pass on some Panamanian Panama City, more or less fifteen years, a new era where the composition of the past in the landscape so characteristic and unique, it is deleted. Looking
the poor quality of commercial television media policy, it is difficult to ignore the social circumstances living Chepe, is a place where no one closes a road (dam and barricade to protest) because they lack water or power or no house or any social demand, as routinely happens in Panama City, do not believe that these needs do not have them, maybe people still do not claim this because think about other things.
Well, Chepe's what you like Panama would feel a city, a nice, quiet, good people, architecture says it all, that somehow reminds me of the personality of the grandfather of Heidi, the girl who lived perched on hills.
For Joseom, Panama
