Panama Update #34
August 20, 2008
I skipped writing in the blog 2 of the last 3 days because my schedule has gotten a lot busier this week. But this is a writing project I would like to continue for the whole time I am here, so I plan to set aside time for it. Yesterday I went to look at an apartment. We have until December 31 and then we need to be out of the dorm. Nikki saw the posting for the apartment at the Spanish Learning Center where she is taking Spanish classes twice a week. Apartments seem so hard to come by that I went to look at right away. It is in the section of town called Casco Viejo. This is the old Panama City. The building I looked at was built about 200 years ago but has been completely renovated. It looks to me like about 25% of Casco Viejo is renovated and the rest of the housing units in that area are either gutted and waiting for renovation or very run down. It is a big tourist area with a lot of upscale bars and restaurants. The one bedroom apartment I looked at is part of an 8 unit building and comes completely furnished for $800 per month plus utilities. It is an above average price for Panama but about what you would expect for that area. The door to the apartment opens right out onto the street, with no lobby, so it did not seem like a secure entrance. Also, it is a very busy and noisy area and I have a feeling it would continue like that into the night. For those reasons, we decided not to pursue it. Our contact for the apartment is an American who must have married into a Panamanian family. He called me back today and said another apartment in that building has unexpectedly opened, which is a bigger loft style, for $850 per month. I am not sure if we will look at, but will talk to Nikki about it later. He said it will go fast if he puts it on Craigs list, but he would like to give us first shot at it.
