Decameron Resort

My brother Richard and his wife Tammie had never  been to Panama, so I figured a nice beach resort would be a winner.  We were lucky enough to make reservations while Decameron was offering a special off-season rate of $39.00 per night. You won't find this rate on their website, (http://www.decameron.com/Destinations/Panama/rdecameron_panama.html) but it's available in Panama from mid-February through the end of May. I'm not going to spend a lot of time telling you about the activities available at Decameron. You can read about that on their website. I will caution you to take with a large helping of salt the "5 Star" claims.

We had rooms on the third floor at beach level and they were nice enough, but ours came with only one drinking glass and housekeeping never did show up with more. We ended up going to one of the beach bars and getting some plastic glasses so we didn't have to share. There are no ice dispensers to be found nor anything to put it in if you go to the restaurant and beg some ice, as Nora did. You also won't find a coffee maker in the rooms, so if you like to get up before dawn, have a cuppa, then go for a walk on the beach, bring you own thermos and fill it the night before.

Don't expect to find any gourmet food in any of the restaurants. Speaking of which, the reservation system for any of the theme restaurants, to be charitable, sucks. To have a chance at one of the more popular restaurants, you have to appear in person at one of the reception areas at 7:00 am and stand in line to make reservations. They do accept telephone reservations from your room after 9:00 am, by which time most of the slots are filled. We stuck to the two buffet style restaurants and never went hungry, but except for breakfast, found the food to be similar to what you find in an institution-style eatery. The table wines are so-so.

Richard, Tammie, and Nora went for a banana boat ride and Nora, who is terrified of the water believes the boat driver deliberately flipped them. Even though she had actually loosened up a bit and was enjoying the ride, being flipped and landing in the ocean spoiled the experience for her. Our late-night walk on the beach was spoiled by a security guard who took exception to us walking ankle-deep in the water. There is no night swimming, the beach closes at 5:30 pm and the pools at 8:00 pm.

If you really like the beach, free booze and cigarettes, and don't mind mediocre food, Decameron Resort is a bargain at the $39.00 all-inclusive rate. I consider it a rip-off at $79.00 per night.

El Valle de Anton - El Nispero

I love El Valle. It's clean, friendly, and a lot cooler than the city. I've written about it before (Newsletter #4) and there is a picture page on the website.

We left Decameron at 11:00 am and drove to El Valle where we first visited the market and bought a few souvenirs. We had lunch at Tio Pepe's and while the menu still has 'Platos Criollas' (complete meals) in the $3.00~$4.00 range, the owner/waiter/cook/bottle washer suggested several 'Specials' which turned out to be $6.00~$9.00 meals with main courses different from the 'Platos Criollas' but with the same side dishes. My advice is to stick with the regular Criolla meals and leave the overpriced tourist specials for the tourists. The food was excellent.

El Nispero is a fantastic private nature park nestled against the side of the volcanic crater, and gets its name from the many tall Nispero trees. There is a large nursery and an orchid house, but the big attraction for us kids of all ages is the zoo. With cages arranged at intervals along the well-marked trail, you can see some of Panama's native wildlife and a fair sized collection of exotic birds from as far away as Vietnam. The large aviary has Guacamayas, said to have been part of Noriega's private collection, and other large parrots. One of the Peacocks was trying to attract the attention of a Peahen while we were there and treated us to a fine display.

I consider El Nispero to be a must-see in El Valle.

Fishing Trip

No first trip to Panama would be complete without a day fishing for Peacock Bass, so I called my friend Dennis Melton (278--1683) and reserved his pontoon boat and guide. Dennis has the best-condition pontoon boat in Arenosa, and while you can go fishing cheaper, you won't find a more reliable or more comfortable boat. I consider it well worth a little extra for the peace of mind that comes with a well-maintained boat. The boat with guide goes for $150.00 per day. Dennis just installed a new 40 hp Mercury 4-stroke outboard and new railings and is having a new top sewn.

We caught plenty of fish, keeping 53 Peacock Bass and one Oscar out of over 70. Most of them were on the small side, but Richard, Tammie, and Henry IV were pleased with the trip. I was too, because when I'd get a bit tired, I could sit down in the shade on a comfortable chair and doze off.

We finished off Richard and Tammie's visit with a fish fry on Friday, and all of us ate until we were stuffed.

Service and Assistance for Retirees Who Want to Live in Panama