Products Sold at a Street Market in Panama

If you have been following Lingua Franca, you’re aware that we have been posting several pictures of products found at a small farmers’ market in  a densely populated area of Panama City, Panama, called San Miguelito.

The agriculture products carried here, are what the lower class people can afford to buy.  It’s a very picturesque place to visit if you want to capture the culture and idiosyncrasy of the Panamanian people.  In my opinion, street markets are excellent venues to really understand the culture of a country.

Below are several pictures of staple agriculture products found at this interesting place.  Here we go.

Photograph of a crate of avocados rich with flavor. This variety is called, "aguacate de mantequilla." Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

A healthy-looking kid shows off a box full of green sweet peppers. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Green plantains and lemons are ubiquitous in our street markets. We can't live without them. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photograph of large bottles of honeybees' honey. We have no problem with the bees dwindling numbers in this country. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

A vibrant photograph of ripe bananas at a street market in San Miguelito. These bananas are brought to the city from Changuinola in the Province of Bocas del Toro. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photograph of plastic bags containing tamarindo pulp. This product is used to make delicious tamarindo chichas, highly popular in this neck of the woods. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

I’m afraid this will be the end of a digital tour to a farmers’ market in Panama.  I trust you have learned more about this exciting country located in the middle of the world.  Tomorrow I’ll start a new series based on how our Panama kids learn and play the classic sport of baseball.  Until tomorrow, Good Day.

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Inside a Supermarket in Panama

Photograph of the fruits section of El Rey Supermarket in Panama City, Panama. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

El Rey is one of the largest chains of supermarkets in Panama fiercely competing with Super 99 owned by Ricardo Martinelli, now President of Panama.  One of the characteristics El Rey is its permanent fresh stock of high quality fruits and vegetables, albeit quite expensive.

Although photographs are now allowed inside the building, I was able to obtain this picture undercover depicting the multicolored section of tropical fruits.  You can easily detect the prices of some of the merchandise.  Let’s take a closer look at these prices:

• Mangos:  $0.85/lb.
• Bananas:  $0.31/lb.
• Avocados:  $0.85/lb.
• Plantains:  $0.35 each

I was surprised to see mangos being sold here and their excessive price.  This delicious tropical fruit is so abundant in the country, most of them fall to the ground and rot.  A few days ago I went to Banco General at Hato Pintado, and sadly saw about fifty mangos rotting on the ground.  A creative  entrepreneur should take advantage of this situation  and promote mango marmalade or a similar product which I’m sure many of us would buy.  Good Day.

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A Plantain Vendor in Casco Viejo

Faithful to the Latin American tradition, I love plantains either green or ripe, it doesn’t make any difference.  I would say, plantains are one of the most popular vegetable-fruits south of the Rio Grande.  Fried green plantains called “patacones” or “tostones” are a treat in our house.  Yummity-yum-yum-yum!

Before I go on, I would like to explain a little bit about plantains for those of you who are unfamiliar with this vegetable-banana  Let me begin by saying, that plantains have been consumed as human food since prehistory.

Plantains are a member of the banana family. They are a starchy and low in sugar.   They are cooked before serving as it is unsuitable raw. Plantains are used in many savory dishes somewhat like a potato would be used and is very popular in Western Africa and the Caribbean countries. It is usually fried or baked.

Plantains are native to India and are grown most widely in tropical climates. Plantains are sometimes referred to as the pasta and potatoes of the Caribbean. Sold in the fresh produce section of the supermarket, they usually resemble green bananas but ripe plantains may be black in color.

This vegetable-banana can be eaten and tastes different at every stage of development. The interior color of the fruit will remain creamy, yellowish or lightly pink. When the peel is green to yellow, the flavor of the flesh is bland and its texture is starchy. As the peel changes to brown or black, it has a sweeter flavor and more of a banana aroma, but still keeps a firm shape when cooked.

Plantains can be used for cooking at any stage of ripeness, and very ripe plantain can be eaten raw. As the plantain ripens, it becomes sweeter and its color changes from green to yellow to black, just like its cousin the banana. Green plantains are firm and starchy and resemble potatoes in flavor. Yellow plantains are softer and starchy but sweet. Extremely ripe plantains are softer, deep yellow pulp that is much sweeter than the earlier stages of ripeness.

Plantains in the yellow to black stages can be used in sweet dishes. Steam-cooked plantains are considered a nutritious food for infants and the elderly. A ripe plantain is used as food for infants at weaning: it is mashed with a pinch of salt and is believed to be more easily digestible than ripe banana.

During my recent visit to Casco Viejo, I saw a plantain vendor doing this job and told my wife.  She dashed to his site and made a purchase.  An old woman with a beautiful white hair, also rushed to the scene.  Having my Birthday camera with me, I captured the transactions made by the street vendor.

This is what I saw.  Here we go.

Photograph of José in full swing at his plantain site. The lady with the blue bag is my wife Aura. Another customer is waiting in the flanks. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)

Like bees looking for honey, José has attracted another customer. Now it's the old woman's turn to buy the sweet nectar. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)

José is gently handing the old woman a couple of ripe plantains. Notice how ripe the plantains are on the vendor's shelf. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)

Photograph of José taking care of the needs of the old woman. Notice how neat her skirt looks with carefully pressed drapes. Her white hair is also very attractive. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)

If you ever visit a Caribbean country, I encourage you to try a local dish that includes either green or ripe plantains.  It’s a nice way to taste the true flavor of the culture of the country you are visiting.  Good Day.

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Its Muscle Hotel Attraction Glory Faded, Hotel El Panama Shrivels Up

I was raised in a banana plantation in a place called Changuinola in the Panama province of Bocas del Toro.  The company that exploited the banana activity in Changuinola was the former United Fruit Company based in Boston, Massachusetts.    This company was famous worldwide for marketing the Chiquita banana, flavored by most American homes during breakfast time.

I graduated from primary school on June 1, 1961 at the Farm 8 School.  My diploma read, “Be it known that Omar Upegui has satisfactorily completed the prescribed Course of Study of the Eighth Grade of Farm 8 School and by proficiency in scholarship and integrity of character is entitled to this Certificate of Graduation.“  Given at Changuinola, R.P. this 1st. day of June, 1961.  Signed:  Roy Wells and Florence McLaughlin.   I was 15 years old.

After that initial stage of my formal education, I was extracted from a slow-paced banana plantation scenario to the buzzing and rapid-paced urban life of Panama City.  It was the first time I flew on a plane, watched TV or saw so many cars.  My eyes were wide open as a new world unfolded before me.  Panama City was like a Hollywood movie—full of magic!

It was in 1962 when I first saw the magnificent El Panama Hilton owned by the Hilton international hotel chain.  It rested gracefully on top of a green hill surrounded  by small trees with purple flowers.  It was painted snow white.  From the distance it was similar to a snow-capped mountain.  When the sun rays touched the white building, it was like a precious shining diamond glowing on top of the green hill.  It was absolutely beautiful, since I’m forced to use a word to describe an indescribable scene.

To the left of the building was a fountain which had several layers of brightly-colored water hovering over the fountain.  The water danced up and down in soft movements, like a Mozart symphony.  At night it was a soothing spectacle.   During the sixties it was a life experience spending  time at El Panama Hilton.

During the Sixties, El Panama Hilton was the common meeting water hole of Panama City.  Everything  and everybody converged in this refined and elegant place.  It was like the sun in the solar system having all the planets orbiting around it.  Politicians, social and cultural activities, artists, intellectuals,  diplomats, U.S. military top brass  and much more, all revolved around this pristine building gently resting on top of a well trimmed emerald-looking  hill.  It was guaranteed that Panama Hilton entertained the Who is Who in the Panama of the Sixties.  For a country boy like me, El Panama Hilton was the Shangri-La of James Hilton’s novel, “Lost Horizon”.  It was Nirvana to the nth degree.  It was the best!

An old postcard of the time—on the reverse—described the hotel this way:

“El Panama Hilton, Panama-Republic of Panama.  A fabulous, new hotel overlooking the blue Pacific and gateway to the famous Panama Canal.  300 beautiful rooms, air conditioned, each with a private balcony.  Fine cuisine, luxurious, Olympic-sized swimming pool.”

Sadly, the glory of the Panama Hilton has slowly faded away as the commercial activity moved from Via España to Los Pueblos, Multi-Plaza, Multi-Centro, Paitilla, Balboa Avenue and Albrook.  The hotel was sold by Conrad Hilton and that started the down slide of the prestige of the once Panama icon.  Its lush tropical gardens were lost when real estate was sold to  investors interested in building shabby-looking malls and other mediocre buildings.  The adjacent streets are now filled with prostitutes, street peddlers, drug dealers and cheap-looking stores.  The former luster is now gone, even though the hotel keeps operating, trying to attract tourists using the famous name of Hotel El Panama.

Last week, while I was busy taking pictures of Iglesia del Carmen, I stopped to take a close look at the hotel that was once my idol.  It was a sad experience.  I then decided to take a photograph of this building in an effort to freeze in time the way it looks now.  Maybe it will not be there next time when I return.  As the landscape of the city changes due to the current construction boom, I would not be surprised if this building is on a greedy developer’s  “to be destroyed” list.  I guess you can’t stop progress, even though progress frequently kills quality and good taste.  Good Day.

Take a look at two photographs of  El Panama Hilton, before and after.  Here we go.

Photograph of the exterior of the Panama Hilton Hotel designed by Edward D. Stone in 1951. Photo taken by Ralph Crane.

Photograph of Hotel El Panama taken by Omar Upegui R. on February 13, 2009 and digitally edited by Michael Moore.

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