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How did Panama get its name?

Theories abound about how Panama got its name.  Some believe that it was named after a tree known as the Panama tree (Sterculia apetala).  Another theory is that the first settlers arrived in August, when butterflies are abundant and that the name means “many butterflies” in an indigenous language.  The most believed version is that a fishing village and beach were called Panama, which meant “an abundance of fish,”  It was discovered by the Spanish, while they explored the area in 1515, and stopped in this small fishing village.  The official definition, approved by the Ministry of Education, is that Panama means “abundance of fish, trees and butterflies.”  However, there are some that believe the name means “distant or far away” which stems from the word “bannaba” in the Kuna Language.  Today it is officially known as the Republic of Panama.

Where is Panama located?

Panama is located in Central America.  It is an “S” shaped isthmus that connects north and south America and separates the Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean Sea) from the Pacific Ocean (Gulf of Panama).  Its unique coastlines run east and west, rather than north and south.  Panama is the only place on earth where you can see the sun rise over the Pacific and set on the Atlantic.  It is also a place where, if you hike up to the highest peak, you can see both coasts on a clear day.  Panama is also blessed with no hurricanes or earthquakes, a rarity in this area.  Panama lies in between Costa Rica and Colombia.  It has a year round tropical climate, with high humidity.  This tropical environment supports an abundance of plants and jungles.  About 40 percent of Panama is wooded.  Subsistence farming is the way of life of Panamanians, from the northeastern jungles to the southwestern grasslands.   They grow mainly corn, beans, sugarcane, coffee and tubers.  There are also large banana plantations, in the swamp areas near Costa Rica.

A Brief History of Panama

The first humans that lived in Panama are believed to have arrived there around 11,000 B.C. By 2,500 B.C., the indigenous people were making pottery, and trading with others as far north as Mexico, and as far south as Peru.  The original native American tribes were, the Cocle and Cuevas people.  The Spanish were the first Europeans to arrive, in 1501.  As is typical after colonization, most of the native people died from diseases brought in by the Europeans, for which they had no immunity.  The Spanish also enslaved the native people and when they did not have enough people left, they started importing slaves from Africa.

In 1513, Vasca de Balboa made his famous trek from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific, across the isthmus of Panama.  This trip was a critical turning point for Panama, in becoming a major trading center.  This was a short cut, saving ships from having to travel all the way around the cape.  For years, goods brought to the shores of Panama, trekked across the land and were put on ships bound for Spain.  It was, however, a dangerous road, nicknamed the “Camino de Cruces” or “Road of the Crosses”, due to all the people who died along the way.  Spain ruled over Panama for nearly 300 years, until Panama left the Spanish Empire and became part of Columbia.

In 1903 Colombia and Panama had a disagreement about the United States building a canal across Panama.  With the support of the USA, Panama broke away from Columbia and declared their independence on Nov 3, 1903.  There are three days celebrated each year in Panama:  November 3-5.  It begins with Separation Day, then Flag Day and ending with Colon’ Day, celebrated for when the citizens of Colon’ averted a march on Panama City by the Colombian Army.  They also celebrate their independence from Spain on November 28, each year.

The famous Panama Canal was completed in 1914 and Panama remained a US territory until 1979, when they took total control over the canal on December 31, 1999.  The canal is an artificial waterway that connects two oceans.  It was widened to allow the larger ships to pass.  The widening project was completed in June of 2016.  The canal accounts for 1/3^rd of Panamas GDP, as tolls are paid for the ships to cross.  The lowest toll was $.36  and was paid by Richard Halliburton who swam through the canal in 1928.  Today, the average fee is $54,000 for shipping vessels.  The canal has been named one of the seven wonders of the modern world.

Panama has suffered, like many countries, with dictators that did not have the people’s best interest at heart.  One such dictator was Manuel Noriega, who spent many years in US custody on drug trafficking charges.  He was then extradited to France where he spent a seven year imprisonment for money laundering.  In 2011, France extradited him back to Panama where he was incarcerated for crimes committed during his rule and where he ultimately died.  Panama has since had fair elections and even elected their first woman president in 1999.

Today Panama is on a great path of prosperity with tourism, and banking. They have excellent tax incentives for foreign investment and for Americans who want to call Panama their home.

Panama Culture

The population of Panama is a mix of creoles, mestizos, European immigrants, Africans and indigenous Indians.  It is a popular place for Americans to retire. There is also a small Chinese population.  The total population is nearly 4,000,000.  About 85 percent of the population is Roman Catholic, while traditional beliefs have been maintained among the native Americans.  The most important ritual celebrated is Carnaval, for which the capital closes down for five days, before Ash Wednesday.

The currency is the US dollar and the official language is Spanish, although many speak English and indigenous languages as well.  Panama is also famous for its traditional dress. Women wear the pollera, which is a blouse and long skirt.  It is formed by multicolored cloth and intricate embroidery.  Panama celebrates Pollera Day each July 22.   The men wear a white long sleeved shirt called a camisilla, black long pants and a straw hat with black lines.  A small bag hangs on the left side of the body and black and white shoes are worn to complete the outfit.  These costumes are worn during Carnaval, folklore events and town festivities.  Their costumes have received international praise, mainly due to the pollera’s complex design.

Why Visit Panama

Panama City is the capital city and where most of the population resides.  It is famous for its ultra-modern skyline.  Panama has become important for banking and insurance.  It is known as the financial hub of Latin America.  Aside from the tall modern buildings, Panama City also has a historic old quarter that is four avenues wide and completely filled with charm.   It is called Casca Veijo and is protected by UNESCO.  The old Quarter has narrow brick roads and grand old colonial houses with stunning pastel facades.  It is a wonderful place to enjoy dinner and drinks.  Panama City is also the only metropolis that boasts a tropical rainforest within the city limits.  The Natural Metropolitan Park is a draw for nature lovers.

Panama, having two coasts and 500 rivers, along with jungles and rain forests, makes the country an adventure traveler’s dream.  Water sports of every imaginable type are found here.  Turquoise water and golden beaches are also a huge draw, as is the canal  itself.  Home to all sorts of wildlife, there are 125 animal species found there that are found nowhere else in the world.  Panama is also a birdwatcher’s paradise, with over 900 species.  One of the most sought after birds, the harpy eagle, can weigh up to 20 lbs. and is the national bird of Panama.

Panamanian Cuisine

Panamanian cuisine is as diverse as its population.  Each ethnic group brings its own blend of spices, recipes, ingredients and cooking methods.  The cuisine is generally a fusion of Latin, Afro-Caribbean, Asian and indigenous cultures.  Along both coasts, the diet consists mainly of coconut, seafood, root vegetables and tropical fruits.  Inland, the communities are based on agriculture, so they enjoy mainly root vegetables, plus, beans and rice and fruits.  Livestock, such as cows, chickens and pigs are also commonly eaten.  Corn is a staple ingredient but not too many greens are consumed.  However, they do use a cousin to cilantro, in their national dish called, sancocho.  Beer is popular all over the country.  Generally speaking, the cuisine is somewhat mild, except for a few spicy dishes on the Caribbean side.

So let’s enjoy a Panamanian meal:

The Menu

Starter

Ceviche de Corvina (White Sea Bass Ceviche)

Main Dish

Sancocho (Traditional Chicken Soup)

Dessert

Cocadas (Coconut Cookies)

We set the scene with the colors of the flag; red white and blue.  We placed orchids of purple and white, as that is the national flower of Panama, with over 1200 varieties.  A ship was added to represent the very important Panama Canal and a piggy bank to represent the financial haven Panama has become.  A butterfly represented the land of butterflies.  We included a cart of coffee, as it is an important crop and also a Panama hat (that are actually made in Ecuador) but made famous in Panama.

We began our meal with buen provencho, which means bon-appetit in Spanish.  Our starter course was an amazing white sea bass ceviche.  The dish was made with fresh white sea bass and shrimp. It also had celery, which added a wonderful texture. The fish was “cooked” in lemon juice.  It was served with chips and saltine crackers and was an immediate hit.

The main course was sancocho which in Spanish means, “to parboil.”  It is a popular dish in many Latin countries, although each country adds its own interpretation.  This sancocho is made with chicken and root vegetables, such as yam or yucca.  It is the flavoring of culantro that makes this Panamanian dish unique.  Culantro,tastes similar to cilantro, but is a bit stronger.  Ultimately, this is a hearty chicken soup that is known to cure whatever ails you, (especially a hangover.)  We loved it!

For dessert, we had delicious coconut cookies, called cocades.  They are similar to a macaroon, except they are made with sweetened, condensed milk, instead of eggs.  They were perfect with a cup of Panamanian coffee, for which they are now famous.  They grow a particular type, called Geisha that originally came from Ethiopia but has been growing very well in Panama.  This coffee lacks the bitter or sour notes and sells for about $40/lb.  You can pick some up here if you would like to try it.

After dinner, we decided to go for a dance lesson.  Panamanians love to gather together and dance.  Punto panmeño is considered to be the most elegant and beautiful of dances.

Until next time,

Warmest regards,

Darlene

El Salvador, which means “the Savior,” got her name from the Spanish conquistadores. The people there, Salvadorians, are also called Guanacos, which to some is an endearing term and to others, is considered derogatory. El Salvador is located in Central America between Guatemala and Honduras. She is the only country in Central America that does not have a coastline on the Caribbean side. El Salvador borders the Pacific Ocean and is considered to be a fantastic surfing location, with international contests held there each year.

El Salvador is the smallest country in all of Central America, yet the most densely populated. She gained independence from Spain in 1821 and then from the Central American Federation in 1839. Life has not been easy since independence nor throughout the colonization period. Before the Spanish arrived, the area was made up of two large Indian states. The main tribe was the Pipil. The Pipil managed to defeat the Spanish troops in their first invasion but then fell to them in 1525. The Spanish made the Indians work, give up their land and pay large taxes. Hundreds of years later there was a horrific event called “la matanza” or “the massacre”, when in 1932 the peasants (mostly Pipil) were summoned to the town square under the guise of reform, instead 40,000 of them were slaughtered. After that event, the surviving Pipil population hid their Indian identities, changed their dress and spoke Spanish instead of their native language. The current population is 97 percent mestizo (a combination of Spanish and Indian) and there is only one percent of the indigenous population left. Only a few remnants of the Pipil language remain as the official language of El Salvador today is Spanish.

Coup attempts and guerilla warfare finally ended in El Salvador, after the terrible civil war that lasted from 1979 to 1992. At least 80,000 perished during the war and many fled the country. In fact, nearly 20 percent of the population migrated to other nations out of fear, mainly to the United States, and have never since returned. Thankfully, El Salvador is now on the mend with democratic elections widely held. The population is mostly Catholic by a large majority and protestant. Although they still face significant challenges with gangs, drugs and poverty, they are headed in a better direction. Just recently the late Archbishop Oscar Romero became the first ever native son to reach beautification (the final stage to sainthood in the Catholic Church) He was shot to death during a mass in 1980 and was a devoted advocate for the poor. To date no one has been prosecuted for his murder. Many celebrated Romero’s beautification in the streets of El Salvador along with expats around the globe.

Hit with natural disasters shortly after the peace agreement was signed in 1992, an attempt was made, on an environmental front, to expand the tropical forest cover, which was mostly decimated throughout their troubled history. It is one of the few countries in the last two decades to work towards reforestation. Nature and preservation is important to Salvadorians and Lake Llopango, surrounded by volcanos and mountains, is one of their most beautiful sightseeing spots. Another popular tourist spot is called the City of Witches or “Sihuatehuacan” that was founded in 1708 and now called Santa Ana. It said to hold El Salvador’s most important architectural and cultural treasures. The historic, capital city, San Salvador, is located in the interior of the country.

Known as “the land of volcanoes”, its youngest volcano, born in 1770, is called Izalco and was once known as “the lighthouse of the Pacific” due to its fiery activity. In 1976, a worker in a bulldozer doing some land clearing to build a new grain silo, hit a wall, which led to the discovery or a pre-Colombian settlement that had been buried by volcanic ash some 1400 years ago. Joya de Ceren a.k.a. “Pompeii of the Americas” became a UNESCO world heritage site in 1993. One can only wonder what other treasures lay beneath the volcanic soil. The volcanoes provide the country with extremely fertile farm land. Coffee is their largest crop, mainly grown in the mountain regions and sugarcane is the most common crop along the coast. While their export of agricultural products is robust, the country brings in even more funds from the loyal expats living abroad. In 2001 El Salvador adopted the US dollar as its official currency, prior to that it was the colón.

Soccer is the national sport in El Salvador and they are truly passionate about it. In 1969, a war broke out called the Soccer War or the 100 Hour War, between Honduras and El Salvador. The war precipitated from earlier border conflicts but culminated during the World Cup Qualifying event when fans got out of control and escalated into riotous violence, including setting the stadium on fire and bombings by the military. The rivalry between the two countries continues today, yet one famous player emerged, Jorge Magico Gonzales (the Magician,) who is considered to be one of the best El Salvadorian soccer players of all time. Some believe that had he been born Brazilian or Argentinian, he would be ranked amongst the best in the world, alongside Maradona and Pele.

Salvadorian traditional cuisine consists of food from the indigenous Pipil, which of course bears a Spanish influence. Pupusa, considered the national dish, is a thick, handmade, corn tortilla stuffed with cheese, beans or chicharron. The oldest pupusa preparations in the world were found at the 1400 year old UNESCO site, Joya de Ceren. The dish is always served with a slaw, called curtido and a Salvadorian red salsa that is very flavorful, however not spicy. Other popular dishes are empanadas (stuffed pastries), tamales, sopa de pata (a soup made with tripe and cows feet), fried yucca, chicharon and of course casamiento (a combination of rice and beans). Seafood is a regular ingredient in the cuisine as well, especially along the coast. Beer is the most popular beverage and Pilsener is the most well-liked brand. Coffee, tamarind juice and horchata (a sweet herb and spice based drink,) are common non-alcoholic beverages. For dessert, fresh fruit and Tres Leches is loved along with semita, a coffee cake with guava or pineapple jam.

So let’s eat El Salvadorian style:

The Menu
Starter
Pupusas (masa cakes)

with Curtido (cabbage slaw)

Served with Salsa Roja (red sauce)

Main
Izote con Huevos (yucca flowers with eggs)

Served with Salvadorian frijoles refritos (refried beans)

Dessert
Mango con Chili y Lemon (fresh mango slices with chili and lime)

We set the table with the colors of El Salvador’s flag; blue and white. We decorated with the beautiful izote flower (their national flower) which here we call the “Lord’s candle” or “Spanish bayonet.” (I was so excited to finally get to cook these delicate petals.) We added some coffee beans and sugarcane to the décor to represent the importance of the country’s agriculture and of course we could not forget, a soccer ball.

As we began the first course, we said “salud”, which means “cheers” in Spanish and then “buen provecho,” translated as “enjoy your meal.” We clinked our Pilsener beer bottles and dug into the national dish, called papusas. The corn tortillas were stuffed with Oaxaca cheese and others were stuffed with cheese and locro, another edible flower. We served them with a delicious vinegar, type slaw made of cabbage and flavored with oregano. The flavor and texture of the slaw was the perfect accompaniment to the papusa and was embellished with an excellent mild, tomato salsa.

For the main course, we cooked the izote flower with egg dish. The delicate petals of the izote blossom are very similar to the leaves of an artichoke that lay close to the heart. Making this dish was a bit labor intensive. First, you first need to locate the izote, which for me, living in the high desert was easy, however elsewhere, they may be tough to find. I learned about cooking these petals from a local woman who taught me some native foraging skills. Her ancestry is Spanish/Indian and it was awesome to be able to cook this dish in honor of her homeland, El Salvador. Once you find the flower, you’ll need to remove the stamen from each blossom. (This is the labor intensive part.) Once the petals are cleaned and boiled, they are added to the egg dish. The flavor of the dish was superb and with it we had the best, Salvadorian refried beans ever! Often beans and rice are served together in El Salvador but the izote dish is served with refried beans alone and all I can say is that these beans will definitely go on the favorites list. Yum!

For dessert, we enjoyed a popular street food; mango on a stick. The street vendors in El Salvador must clearly be more talented than I am to cut the mango in the shape of a flower. However, the taste was delicious with a light dusting of chili powder, salt and a squeeze of lime juice. Mango on a stick, is a perfect treat for a hot summer day or anytime!

As we say goodbye to El Salvador we do so with a few El Salvadoran proverbs and with a prayer that they continue on their path to healing.

He who takes on too much, squeeze little.
Say nothing about another that you wouldn’t want to hear about yourself
and
It’s fair that he who tried to steal yours, loses his.

Until next week,
Warmest Regards,
Darlene

Ecuador, in Spanish means “equator” and the name was given because it runs straight across the northern part of the country. Ecuador is the second smallest country in South America and one of only two that does not border Brazil. Her neighbors are Colombia to the north and Peru to the east and south. Her western border is on the Pacific Ocean and she holds the amazing treasure of the Galapagos Islands, 600 miles off the coast. Ecuador gained independence from Spain in 1822 and became part of Gran Colombia, then gained full independence in 1830. The capital city of Quito is the oldest in all of South America and is renowned for its well preserved 17th century, colonial architecture. Ecuador’s Quito became the very first UNESCO world Heritage site because of this.

The country is beautiful, with breathtaking topography and has two mountain ranges that split the nation into three basic regions; Coastal, Andean and Amazonian. The official language is Spanish but Quichua, an Incan language, is spoken by the indigenous population along with 13 other native languages. Ecuador’s largest ethnic group (65 percent) is mestizo, a mix of Andalusian and Castilian Spaniards. Twenty five percent of the population are Amerindian and the balance are Caucasians of Spanish or other European descents and Afro-Ecuadorians. Ninety five percent of the people are Roman Catholic, which is the official religion of Ecuador. However, freedom of religion is part of the country’s constitution. Speaking of the constitution, Ecuador was the first country (in 2008) to declare that “nature” has constitutional rights.

Ecuador has many active volcanos, one of the greatest densities in the world. She is home to incredible mountain peaks, with 10 that are over 16,000 feet in altitude. Mount Chibrorazo is the highest in Ecuador, at 20,565 feet. This peak, because the earth is not a perfect sphere and bulges at the equator, gets the prize for the furthest point from the center of the earth and the closest to the sun. Another interesting statistic is that at the equator, there are twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of night, every single day of the year. No daylight savings time is necessary in Ecuador. Her rich, volcanic soil makes for wonderful plant life. There are 25,000 species of plants present in the country, which represents about 10 percent of all known plant species in the world. They estimate 4100 species of orchids grow there, including the world’s smallest, measuring only 2.1 mm wide. The bark of the cinchona tree was used to develop the first drug to prevent and treat malaria, called Quinine. Of course, with all this wonderful plant life, comes all sorts of species of birds; over 1600 species call Ecuador home. They also have the world’s highest diversity of hummingbirds.

Ecuador’s main exports are bananas, coffee, cocoa, flowers (especially beautiful roses, which is also their national flower), fish (tuna), shrimp, balsa wood and petroleum. Nearly 60 percent of the world’s high grade “fine cocoa,” is produced around the coastal city of Guayaquil, making it the world’s capital of this sweet goodness. Guayaquil is a port city, considered to be the economic center of Ecuador and the launching point for those destined to the Galapagos Islands. Here you will find people in the parks, feeding, not pigeons but iguanas. You will see iguanas everywhere; on the grass, in the trees, on the curbs, on the walls, literally everywhere. It takes a little getting used to as they are so prehistoric looking and some can be quite large. It is said, the sea iguana’s head was the model for the movie “Godzilla.”

The currency in Ecuador is the US Dollar. Previously it was the Sucre. In 1999 the country went through a massive devaluation of their currency paired with hyper-inflation. The move to the dollar was swift and has worked well so far for the Ecuadorian economy. The government has made massive investments in education and infrastructure which has improved life, especially for the poor. Ecuador is always at the top of the list as a retirement destination. It is inexpensive to live there, they have a pretty good health care system (ranking number 20 in the world) and they respect Ancestral medicine, which is very important to the indigenous population. They honor the elderly with nice discounts. They are also known as one of the friendliest countries, as anyone, from any country can visit for up to 90 days without a visa.

One place that I must mention is called Vilcabamba, also known as the “Valley of Longevity” or the “Lost Garden of Eden.” It is a valley that lies about 5000 feet above sea level, with rich volcanic soil and crystal clear water from the Andeans. This valley is known to be one of four places in the world with the highest number of citizens who have lived past the century mark, some living even as long as 135 years. The secret, they claim, aside from the beauty that simply penetrates the soul, is the water. Other factors may be that they use no pesticides or chemicals and have only have one electro-magnetic field, which is a cell tower. The valley has become a destination for tourists looking for the fountain of youth.

When it comes to tourist destinations, the Galapagos Islands are on many a bucket list. Famous for its unique wildlife, like the blue-footed boobies, with their famous mating dance, frigates, with their crimson, red ballooning chest, giant tortoises, resembling ET, land and sea iguanas, and sea lions that frolic with divers. The Galapagos is also where Charles Darwin studied the origin of species and formed his theory of evolution. There is a Charles Darwin Research Center on the island of Santa Cruz, home to many species of tortoises, which included Lonesome George, the last of his subspecies, who died in 2012 at over 100 years old, with no offspring.

To see all that the Galapagos has to offer, you can either stay at a hotel on one of the four inhabited islands and take day trips to other islands or lodge on a ship and travel the islands that way. Even our beloved author, Zane Grey, made it a point to visit the Galapagos on his yacht called Fisherman One. His travels there in 1924, were to be a scientific expedition, along with fishing but inspired his book called “Tales of Fishing Virgin Seas.” Here is a beautiful, colorized picture of his yacht, just off Eden Island in the Galapagos that is part of our Zane Grey collection.

As we look into the cuisine of this beautiful country Ecuador, we see it is shaped by the various regions, which all have the influence of Spain and the indigenous people. Potatoes, maize, plantains and yucca or cassava are staples. Seafood is obviously abundant in the coastal regions and meat is more prevalent in the mountain and highland regions. One interesting thing they eat there is guinea pig. They call it cuy and it’s considered a delicacy. I understand it is quite good but for me, I had a pet guinea pig named Ginger and don’t think I could do it. Then again, I have chickens and yes, I eat chicken, so ….. maybe?

Let’s eat Ecuadorian:

Menu
Starter
Ceviche de Camarones (Shrimp ceviche)

Soup
Encebollado de Pescado (Fish soup with onion and tomato curtido)

Main
Llapingachos (Ecuadorian stuffed potato patties)
Served with Salsa de Mani and Aji Criollo (Peanut sauce and a salsa)

Dessert
Come Y Bebe (Drinkable tropical fruit salad)

We set the table in the colors of Ecuador’s flag; yellow, red and blue. We decorated with pictures of their wondrous creatures, like iguanas and blue footed boobies. We put on our Panama hats. Yes, Panama hats originated in Ecuador. The finest are made in a town called Montecristo. We then put on some Marimba music that the Afro-Ecuadorians made famous. In fact, music played an important role in the ancient Andean peoples’ lives. Archeologists have discovered all sorts of musical instruments in ancient tombs. Music is still very important in the lives of the people today. They say Ecuadorians also learn to dance when they learn to walk.

We began our meal with a toast, “salud” (cheers) and “buen provecho” (enjoy your meal). Our first course was an unbelievable shrimp ceviche, which we ate continental style. Ceviche is popular all over but especially in the coastal region. It is made with ketchup in it, sometimes mustard too. It was awesome and we paired it with a nice, cold “cerveza” (beer). The ceviche was served with a very thinly sliced, fried green banana which provided a lovely crunch to the ceviche.

Next was a fish soup, topped with pickled onion and tomato salsa and garnished with avocado and lime wedges. This is a very popular dish and for good reason, it has wonderful flavors, great broth and is even considered a hangover cure, if need be. It is served with toasted corn nuts, another popular snack in Ecuador. It was stupendous.

For the main course we enjoyed Llapingachos. These are potato patties, stuffed with cheese then topped with a peanut sauce and more of that delicious pickled onion and tomato salsa. Plus, we added aji criollo; a wonderful salsa made with chili, cilantro and onion; a must have condiment, found on all Ecuadorian tables. The patties were served with avocado slices, a fried egg and grilled chorizo. This could be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or dinner. By the way, in Ecuador, lunch is the big meal of the day, eaten around 2:00 pm and followed by a siesta (nap).

For dessert we served a drinkable, tropical fruit salad. Fruit drinks are ubiquitous in Ecuador and this easy and light fruit drink was the perfect ending to our outstanding meal.

As we leave this beautiful, diverse country called Ecuador, I leave you with a few Ecuadorian proverbs:
Anger of the mind is poison to the soul.
Hands that give, also receive.
The strong forgive, the weak remember.

Until next week,
Warmest regards,
Darlene