Monday, January 3, 2011

We are leaving Panama today

Today is our 12th day in Panama, and currently I am at the Tocumen airport at my gate. Steve is at the airport bookstore trying to find a good read.

Our basic synopsis is this:

Boca Chica -- WE LOVED IT!! Wish we spent more than 3 days there
Boquete -- We could have done without this, or done it in one afternoon or morning, waste of time, too much rain
Bocas del Toro -- Of course this is a great place because Steve proposed to me here and it will always have fond memories. But we could have done without the pouring down rain, and better service.
Panama City -- we stayed here one night in a luxurious hotel. I slept AMAZING. They had great customer service at the Radisson Decapolis, except that we didn't understand why they charged us $11 for dim sum although we didn't have it... Steve didn't tell me until we were on our way to the airport, but he didn't even bother to challenge it. When we went to the hot tub, there was a family (we are guessing they are local to Panama or another Central American country), but they were SUPER rude. Their little girl (maybe around 3 years old) was using the hot tub as a swimming pool, splashing EVERYONE, and the older grandma was playing touchy feely with mine and Steve's legs. Overall very rude and inconsiderate. if they want to swim, use the pool.

I didn't take any pictures in Panama City because a fellow traveler told us that he tried, and his cab driver told him not to, otherwise they might get carjacked. Besides, there wasn't much to take pictures of. A dirty city is a dirty city, right? I know that I won't ever be able to know how to get from one place to another. It doesn't make sense to me. hah. I would get lost totally.

The customer service is very bad here in Panama. The restaurants (most of them) took their time, didn't have everything on the menu, and didn't care if they brought you out a hot meal that wasn't hot anymore. They don't refill your drinks, and when you need to leave and there are people waiting to sit down at a table, they still don't bring your bill...

It is very different here than it is in the U.S. I am more appreciative of even COMCAST (I know, I know, I can't even believe i wrote that!!) and I will be sure to tell any future waitresses I have back home that they are providing me exceptional service.

Will we come back to Panama? I think so. We want to tour Pedasi, Chitre, Las Tablos, Santiago, etc. (the Azuero peninsula) And we will probably rent a car vs rely on public transportation. And I don't want to fly Air Panama or Aeroperlas ever again. If you want to experience chaos and a cluster @#$^, then you definitely should try them out. We got out of the tiny airport (I did take a picture of that but will upload it later) 2 hours behind schedule, but all along they kept telling us that the filght was on time. We had a 2pm flight... at 2:30 they told us it was still on schedule!! HAHAHAHAH!!! That cracks me up.

Anyway, time for me to get going. We are flying to Dallas and then will have a 3-hour layover before we catch a filght to MSP. Aegis, Max, Bimp, I will see you soon!! Miss you!!!!

And I am so utterly in love with Steve. Even after almost 10 years, he is the man of my dreams.

Posted via email from rhauptman's posterous

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