Comida

While Panama is many things, freindly and hot for example, it is not Thailand or Vietnam.  I haven't had any meals to rave about.  I have been doing the street food, of course, and eating in the little Fondas, the small working people's cafes,  Most of the places that have cheap eats are cafeteria or counter type affairs.  walk up to the glass, point at what looks good, and take your plate to the table or belly up to the stools at the cart.  The standard is fried chicken, fried fish, pappas frittas or rice.  It takes a bit of work to avoid a steady diet of fried food.  I'm not complaining, the food is very tasty, but a Hermano could stack on some weight in this country.

Todays bus stop fare was no different and I just wasn't up for another trio down the glass lane.  I settled for a baked sweet cake from the local shop.

Since I have left the Ciuadad, however, the culinary world is opening up.  I had a very nice lunch in Chitre', well worth waiting for.  A really tasty rice dish with a chunk of the local fish.

Dinner however, was the turning point.  I followed the Lonely Planet's advice and tried out an open-air grilll joint not far from Hotel Santa Rita.  It was divine!  No pics of the food since the iPhone was dead, but scrumptious nonetheless.  Super fresh Corvina (Sea Bass) grilled and then topped with a pepper and garlic sauce.  The accompaniments included a yam, rice pilaf, yucca cake and a salad.

Dessert was a L'Atlier cigar and an almost full moon viewed from a park bench.  LIfe is very, very good.  As a topper, the hotel lobby TV is showing the "Connan the Barbarian" so I am being treated to AAAnold and James Earl Jones dubbed in Spanish!!