Mi pueblito es tú publito..

Stayed up late last night formatting blog photos - so decided against trying to get a boat to the idyllic and perfurmed island of Tobaga at 7h30am... (Then kicked myself when I woke up at 7am anyway!)

Eventually mustered up the courage to leave the hotel around 10am, and headed to Mi Pueblito. This is a little 'village' set up with real-life size houses set out as they used to be across the country, from the Pacific to the Caribbean side. (Guess which is which...)

"Citizens of Panamanía, we are gathered here today to celebrate...coorn"

It seems Mi Pueblito wasn't massively popular..but it was pretty enough and I was free to wander round in the sunshine at my leisure.

(Below) Is that Tricia Guild?

(Below) Crikey, and I thought not having a
dishwasher was bad....don't think
even Mum had one of these in her day..

From here I made my way back to Casco Viejo, equipped with a newfound confidence after a week in Panamá. The old town was bustling with activity - with a marketplace on Independence square and of course all the Churches in full swing. I wandered around a while, taking in the sights that I'd missed in my previous terrified and paranoia-stricken visit, and sat down on Parque Bolivar square for a mouth-squeezing lemonade and salad. (Oh, and boy did I impress those Dutch people sitting next to me with my Spanish..... I mumbled quickly and under my breath - and it sounded really convincing, until the waiter loudly asked me to repeat it three times...."une ensalada de casa. Please".)

On my way to the mall (I confess I may be addicted..) I stopped at the Calidonia pedestrian area. In a former life, this was the commercial centre of panama, though it now looks like an East London market with a latin equivalent of poundstretcher, mobile phone shops and a long line of shoe shiners, (this latter being slightly less common in East London..) Apparently it's ill advised for foreigners to stray around here alone. But I'm sure I didn't draw attention to myself in any way.....